System Completed at the bronx writing accademy!

That's it! The system at the Bronx Writing Academy is completed!

In the past 3 weeks we have been building 2 hydroponic system using mainly re-purposed material with a group of student at the Bronx Writing Academy. We had a slow start the first week with 6 students in the classroom, but the students are enjoying it, so each week there was a couple more students joining the class. This week, we had 10 out of the 12 students who signed up in the apprenticeship!

In the past 4 weeks, we have learned how to use some tools (hand drill, screw diver, woodworking square, ect ...), we also learned the basic ideas that explains how an hydro/aquaponic system works, and how plants use water, CO2 and sunlight to produce sugars. We also learned about Ron Findley, a Los Angelino who started to grow food on sidewalks and explain his story in a TED talk.

Quick update on the Bronx Writing Academy Project

The construction is almost over ! in the last 2 weeks, we built 2 frames to hold the grow-beds using re-purposed wood from a futon, an old build-in cabined, and a bed frame, and placed the half buckets in it. 
The apprenticeship has 12 student signed up, we started with 6 student the first week, then 8, and last Wednesday we had 10 students. So I think we can call that a success
! students are coming in increasing numbers! Her are some picts of students hard at work !

Tower farm update - Collards greens are growing and growing!

The tower farm is doing great, The collard greens growth burst is accelerating, it has put 4 mores leaves on this week (yes 4!!!), the green onions are going too, and the parsley actually put on a new leaf for the first time in
almost 5 weeks! Also the pepper has a tiny new leaf growing - it seems to have recovered from the rough handling
of the tower a few weeks back
The collard greens are really inexpressively growing in the last 2 weeks, they put out new leaves, and the leaves are getting quite big! see below - click to change the pics at your own pace

Hydro /Vermi ponic system building at the school has started!

The students working hard!

Yesterday was the first session with the students at the Bronx writing Academy!
A small group of student joined the apprenticeship that we offer about hydroponics. The overall goal of the apprenticeship its to have the student understand what local food can be, and why it is sustainable compared to foods coming from 1000's of miles away.
Other goals are for the student to

the build of the day

learn how plants grow, what do they need to grow, how one can grow plants without soil. After introducing a bit more about what aquaponics is and showing a couple of videos showing important points on how an hydroponic/aquaponic system works. Then I pulled out the tools and the material and we all go building!
This sessions there was 6 students, 4 worked with the school teacher that accompanies us, and 2 worked with me. Our objective for the day was to build the frame that will support the grow beds, and put it on legs. It didn't exactly work that way, we got to build the frames though! First I showed them how to mark the center of a piece of wood, how to bore a hole with a mechanical hand drill, and how to use auto-piercing screws. The group working with the teacher build on of the frames, the other students and I build a second one.

The worm experiment update #2

The 3 bins on top of the flow through crate

A few weeks back, I have started the experiment suggested by Bentley compost guy. The basic idea, is to take 2 juvenile worms, and let then grow and reproduce in a small container.
Since I have started the experiment, I set up 3 bins, 1 with 2 juveniles, 1 with one juvenile (some worms may be able to auto reproduce) and 1 with a mature worm (mature worm may be fertilized, so we should be able to see population growth there).  The mini bins have been checked every 10 days, and until yesterday's check, I have not seen any cocoons.