Types of Farming
Traditional
Traditional farming dates back to as far as 12,000 years ago and is the most common farming method used around the world. This method of farming involves using soil and water and could be done on a little plot of land or huge plot of land. Usually traditional farming on industrial levels are harmful to the environment. It uses up 70% of the world's fresh water and it takes up 11% of the world's land surface. It also kills off the life in topsoil and subsoil due to the plants taking up all the nutrients in the soil leaving non for other organisms. The use of pesticides to get rid of unwanted vegetation, which is commonly used, kills off the necessary fungi living in the soil, leaving the earth’s soil dry and dead. Y1,Y2
Dead Topoil
Aquaponics
Aquaponics is a type of farming method that involves the use of fishes to grow plants. It creates its own ecosystem and loop that keeps the plants alive as well as the fish. Water recirculates from a fish tank through a growing bad filled with plants. Nutrients from the fish's waste feeds the plants and keeps them alive while the plants filter the water and keeps the fish healthy. A small pumping system is used to move the water back and forth to keep the water moving. The water passes through the roots of the plants before draining back into the tank so that the plants can take in the necessary nutrients from the fish waste. Many different types of aquaponics are used but this is the most common one most people and industries use.
Aquaponics is commonly used instead of traditional farming because of its benefits. It uses about 1/10 of the water used in traditional farming due to the water being recirculated. No pesticides or chemicals are used in this method due to there being no soil borne disease. Fertilizers are not needed in aquaponics because the fishes waste acts as a natural fertilizer. Aquaponics allows the growth rate to increase as well as the percent yield to increase.Y3
- lettuce
- herbs
- watercress
- tomatoes
- cucumber
- squash
- zucchini
- pepers
- broccoli
- melons
- strawberry
Whats traditionally grown with aquaponics?
What kind of fishes are used in aquaponics?
- Perch
- Talapia
- Catfish
- Peruvian pacu
- Oscars
- Koi
- Goldfish
- Prawns
Aeroponics
Aeroponics is a process of farming that involves no soil with very little water. Out of all of the 4 methods of alternative farming, aeroponics consumes the least amount of water. Aeroponics works in that the roots of the plants are suspended up into the air in a partly closed container. In that container where the roots are hanging, water mixed with nutrients needed for the plants to survive, are misted into the air where then the roots absorb the water. The extra water that hasn't been absorbed by the plants are then recycled back into the system and is reused in this process again.
Advantages for this type of farming is that it can be used to grow plants all year around without any interruptions.. The plants are provided oxygen 24/7 which makes them grow faster. Another advantage of aquaponics is that it can be easily moved to one area to another. Since the structure of these systems are often in tubes, moving the system is much easier than any of the other alternative farming methods which are often grown in tubes. Y4,Y5
Watch a Quick Video on How it Works!
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a alternative farming method that involves growing plants in a nutrient based water solution. Hydroponics does not involved any soil but instead as a replacement; perlite, rockwool, clay pellets, peat moss, or vermiculite is used to support the roots of the plants. In hydroponics, less water is used compared to traditional farming and no pesticides are used in growing these plants producing a much safer and healthier plant.
Hydroponics is often grown due to its advantages. In hydroponic farms, the production of plants are 25% faster and it can produce up to 30% more than the same plants grown in soil. Plants in these systems often tend to grow bigger and faster because the plants are not working as hard to obtain nutrients needed to grow making the plants focus on growing instead of obtaining nutrients. Hydroponics also uses significantly less water than the traditional soil based method because the system is closed off which collects the evaporative water to be used back in the system. Y6
