In 2015 Ceres became involved in a student-led design project at Pomfret School, in which students of a science class taught by Bill Martin used engineering-design thinking to envision a passive solar greenhouse for their school. The goal was to design and build an educational greenhouse space where future students could build and operate aquaponic…
Before 2019, teachers at Saugerties High School - located in Saugerties, New York - held outdoor classes in the school’s garden. There was heightened interest in more opportunities for hands-on learning, so a few visionary individuals engaged Ceres to design a 30’x50’ HighYield™ educational greenhouse. Constructed in the months leading up to the pandemic, the…
Imagine running a business that uses innovative sustainable growing methods, creates little to no waste, and gives back to the community by supplying fresh, local food. Commercial aquaponics presents an opportunity to do all three, while also being financially profitable with high-value, year-round produce. While an enticing opportunity, planning a commercial aquaponics greenhouse requires a…
Just 75 miles South of the Canadian border, in the little community of Careywood, Idaho, sits a 23x40 flourishing aquaponic greenhouse that grows fresh fruits and vegetables all year long. The owners of the greenhouse are two retired medical professionals who have taken on sustainable food production as a side hobby, and as a result,…
Project Timeline and Updates provided by Pomfret School teacher Bill Martin. In the summer of 2017 construction of an 850 sq. ft. Ceres greenhouse was completed, a milestone in an endeavor to design and build a year-round aquaponic solar greenhouse to house the Helios Project at Pomfret School in Pomfret, Connecticut. The Helios Project’s…
Interested in starting an aquaponics business? Though you will probably want to take an in-depth aquaponics course if you do not have experience (and are not hiring a professional grower), there are also a multitude of free and low-cost introductory resources. This is not a stand-in for further education and is by no means a complete…
This is a common question that circulates in forums, and for good reason. Aquaponics is a more environmentally sustainable method of growing than conventional agriculture, but if it’s not financially sustainable as well, it is not a viable venture for most growers. Before we evaluate data on this question, two caveats. First, growers’ expected financial…
Building a year-round school greenhouse is a significant endeavor. Using passive solar greenhouse design, the north wall is insulated, and glazing slopes strategically to maximize solar gain and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. The structure is engineered for any snow or wind load, making a durable greenhouse much like building a commercial building project.…
Looking to design an aquaponics greenhouse? Here are some quick tips and strategies for making the most out of your greenhouse aquaponics investment. 1. Place grow beds in sunlight; fish tanks in shadier areas If fish tanks are in direct light they can easily get too hot during the day, lowering the dissolved oxygen in…
