Agriculture
Agriculture - The science or practice of farming, including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool, and other products.
Oxford Dictionary
Agriculture is organized by sesonality
We will be working in a few different kinds of agriculture in each of these seasons
Long-term Goals
Establish the pond as a health, productive, and harvestable body of water
There is a large pond on campus not currently being used for aquaculture. The goal will be to set up the pond for effective fish production.
![20190527_174839[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/29a963_8ca2d5ea684b4d669a474dd59645af36~mv2_d_2560_1440_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_357,y_0,w_2203,h_1234/fill/w_87,h_49,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/20190527_174839%5B1%5D.jpg)
![20190526_183507[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/29a963_870415bd5b8b4ed1a88818b5af3538f8~mv2_d_2560_1440_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_335,y_184,w_2225,h_1256/fill/w_87,h_49,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/20190526_183507%5B1%5D.jpg)
Short term Tasks to Work Towards this Goal
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Sounding - grid and map the depth of the pond. We'll study thermocline and what it means for oxygenation of the water depending on pond depth.
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Weed Removal - weeds grow in the pond due to an over abundance of nutrients. The weeds themselves are concentrations of these nutrients. We will study nutrient management, and harvest the weeds and use them as mulch on the garden where they will slowly release those nutrients into the soil. Next we will stock grazing fish (specifically White Amurs) to keep the weeds down.
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Water Testing - Test water to determine pH, turbidity, concentrations of oxygen, carbon-dioxide, and different nutrients to determine what steps should be taken to improve the water quality.
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Hydrology - determine where water is coming from and where it is flowing out of the pond
Set up aquaponics in the greenhouse
There is a small concrete pool with gold fish in the corner of the greenhouse which could be used as the base of an aquaponics setup. This would mean plants are grown hydroponically using the water from the fishs' enclosure. The plants draw nutrients from the water, filtering it for the fish
![20190526_183811[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/29a963_0b2ad7065ec44f5cbe45659977b7e835~mv2_d_1440_2560_s_2.jpg/v1/fill/w_179,h_319,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/20190526_183811%5B1%5D.jpg)
![20190526_183544[1].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/29a963_7e8f9bfab36348a3914bb0eaa4b85653~mv2_d_2560_1440_s_2.jpg/v1/crop/x_1178,y_0,w_835,h_1440/fill/w_185,h_319,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_3,enc_auto/20190526_183544%5B1%5D.jpg)
Short term Tasks to Work Towards this Goal
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Design - We will study designs of aquaponic setups, determining advantages and disadvantages of different arrangements and materials. We will then use what we learn to create our own design that suites the needs of our space.
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Prototype - build small scale with fish tanks to determine most effective design
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Build - construct the design and implement it in the greenhouse
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Test - monitor to determine effectiveness of design at scale
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Restore the orchard to a productive state
The schools orchard is across the street from main campus. It has not been tended to for years and so is no longer productive. Our goal will be to tend to these trees to restore the orchards productivity for some tasty homegrown apples
Short term Tasks to Work Towards this Goal
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Pruning - We will study when and how to prune fruit trees and how it can focus the energy of the tree into a few larger branches rather than many smaller ones resulting in greater production and a healthier over all tree.
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Organic Pest Control - We will study types of pest control and determine what options best suit our situation
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Fruit Culling - We will study how removing some fruit from a plant will result in better quality fruit and a healthier plant.
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Ongoing - It will take years before the orchard will be established as productive and these steps will need to be repeated.
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Erect the hoop-house
There is the frame for a hoop-house on campus though it is not currently set up. Our goal will be to make it functional inorder to extend the season of our garden crops.
Short term Tasks to Work Towards this Goal
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Determine what needs Repaired or Replaced - The hoop-house has not been set up for a while and it is likely some of it's parts are in disrepair.
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Restoration - Repair what needs repaired and acquire necessary replacement parts
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Construction - build it.
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Planting - Plant inside where the crops will be protected from the first few frosts.