I had the pleasure this afternoon of meeting Jaime Guerra from Aquaponics for Communities. Jaime is an expert in aquaponics and he presented to me the various options and setup types that are available in the aquaponics arena. My goal in meeting with him was to establish a relationship so that when the time is right, Jaime can assist us with the implementation of an aquaponics system at the Advocates of Love children’s home in the D.R.
In summary, aquaponics uses the waste water from a fish tank, typically Tilapia, to provide nutrients for plants (herbs, leafy greens, and other vegetable garden items). The plants are grown with no soil as the root system of the plants is submerged in the nutrient-rich water system. The end result is a sustainable mini-ecosystem that produces both edible fish and greens.
The way aquaponics would fold into our vision for the children’s home in Samaná is varied. There would be reduced food costs as a result of being able to produce meal items on site. We could teach responsibility to the children by assigning them chores related to the cleaning and maintenance of the system. Their potential for learning is expanded by introducing them to new aspects of biology, botany, and engineering. And the community as a whole can be introduced to the concept of sustainability and stewardship.
I know we’re many months (if not years) away from realizing the benefits of an on-site aquaponics system at the children’s home, yet today’s meeting was about sowing. God has had me working on my patience for some time now, and today was another exercise in that. Still, I firmly believe He will honor our prayers and intentions and deliver us a wonderful system that will make the lives of the kids and staff at the children’s home so much better. But for now, we simply …
A word of thanks to my new friend Tami Carr who made this meeting with Jaime possible. Tami has a servant’s heart and a passion for aquaponics, and I am grateful my new boss (Mike Clark) introduced me to Tami.
Gil Gonzalez 