aquaponics - tangy produce
TRANSCRIPT
What is Tangy Produce? Grows and markets fresh, locally grown, high
quality living produce using Aquaponics This living produce is 'beyond organic' and
includes vegetables, herbs, fruit and fish
Living Produce
What is Aquaponics? Combination of Aquaculture and Hydroponics:
− Aquaculture = fish farming, typically large commercial fish hatcheries;
− Hydroponics = soilless growing, typically involves chemical nutrient fertilization in a water medium.
Aquaponics is a symbiotic relationship between fish, plants and nitrifying bacterias & microbes (and sometimes worms, FW prawns, etc.)
What is Aquaponics?
Why Aquaponics? Uses less than 10% of the land, water,
energy and labor of traditional farming
No tilling, cultivating, fertilizing, irrigating, cover crops, composting, etc....
Which means no tractors or implements!
~ 4 – 6 x more productive than soil farming
− Much higher planting densities− Faster growth means more 'turns'
Why Aquaponics? No harmful pesticides or herbicides;
No soil born diseases, pests or weeds;
Fish and plants grown together = polyculture farming, as opposed to monoculture crops;
Aquaponics works in drought conditions, and in places with poor or no soil;
Aquaponics is easily scalable to support any size operation
Many Ways to Skin this Cat Pass through / drain to waste vs. Recirculating
Aquaculture System (RAS)
Common Hydroponics methods include:
− Floating raft / Deep Water Culture (DWC)
− Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
− Flood and drain / Ebb and flow media beds
− Vertical towers
Indoors/outdoors, seasonal/year-round, fish, etc.
Only limited by your imagination & creativity
How Does Tangy Produce do AP? We use a closed loop, recirculating system; Fish are raised / fed in multiple fish tanks; Nutrient-rich 'system water' flows by gravity
into multiple grow troughs (DWC); Year round in heated greenhouse (wood); White Nile, Red Nile and Blue Tilapia; May be adding media beds / worms soon
Living Produce
Year Round Greenhouse
Video(if time)
The Target Market
Consumers increasingly demanding locally grown, healthier, superior quality food
Consumers increasingly concerned about the environment and sustainable processes
Renewed interest in “alternative” farming (rural innovation!)
The Target Market ~100 mile radius from grow site
Current Status Growing in first commercial greenhouse (60%):
− 720 ft2 grow space in 2,300 ft2 GH
− 3,500+ plant sites
Three different strains of Tilapia
Demo system at Black Dog Coffee Co.
Sold at two farmer's markets in 2014
Sold out Winter CSA (33 shares)
Begin selling next week to first restaurant
Next Steps
Develop relations with 2-3 local restaurants
Develop fish hatchery and nursery
Expand into different species of fish, 2nd GH
Continue developing “off grid” greenhouse
− Geothermal, solar, wood burning− Beyond organic produce grown utilizing
100% renewable energy sources
Retail Markets Include farmer's markets, direct farm sales
and a CSA (community supported agriculture)
Leafy greens and culinary herbs are typically sold for $3.00 - $4.00 per “cup”
Plate sized organically raised fish will be sold by the “each”; $10.00 for ~ 1.5+ lb fish
Wholesale Markets
Include restaurants, grocery/health food stores, food co-op, institutions, etc.
Leafy greens and culinary herbs are typically sold for $1.00 - $2.00 per “cup”
Sold by the pound for larger volumes:− Greens $2.00 - $5.00/lb*− Herbs $8.00 - $15.00/lb*
* BALTIMORE Terminal Prices as of 04-FEB-2014
Net cups
Grow cubes
Electricity
Fish food
Seeds
Other
Total
COGS on 'per cup' basisIndoorsGreenhouse
$0.08 $0.08
$0.08 $0.06
$0.10 $0.02
$0.04 $0.02
$0.02 $0.01
$0.05 $0.03
$0.37 $0.22
Financial Overview
Completed 24' x 96' greenhouse will have ~5,000 plant sites (lettuce example):
− Plan for 9 turns = ~45k plants annually− 45k x 0.9 x $1.50 avg = $60,750 sales− 45k x $0.22 = $9,900 COGS− $60,750 - $9,900 = $50,850 gross margin
Greenfield Capital Spending
Site work - $2,000 Greenhouse structure - $15,000 Wood fired waterstove - $8,000 Greenhouse infrastructure - $5,000 (est) Utilities, site prep - $3,000 (est) Well - $5,000 (est) Other/misc - $2,000
Additional Revenue Opportunities
Off the shelf home/hobby AP systems Custom designed AP systems Sale of Tilapia fingerlings Training/workshops Value Add (e.g. essential oils, dried spices) Agritourism – from farm to destination
Contact Info
Brian Tanguay
Tangy Produce
1352 Persimmon Lane
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
(336) 905-5904
http://www.tangyproduce.com/
Brian Tanguay B.S.M.E from UMASS
20+ year professional career in Operations
Began gardening in earnest in 2006
Backyard CSA in 2010; sold 8 shares @ $100/ea
Started researching Aquaponics (AP) in 2010
Attended CEA trainings in 2010 (SC) & 2014 (CT)
Attended AP trainings in 2011 (FL) & 2012 (HI)