Hello From North Alabama

[Lupus]

I can't tell you how glad I am that I accidentally found forum. I am a retired Air Force master sergeant, retired postal worker. With it getting close to planting season, I started ordering heirloom/organic seed from our garden. This year not only will I be building at least three greenhouses, but I'm going to get started with my own aquaphonics system and garden. About three years ago are purchased 10 of line training package for aquaphonics gardening. Unfortunately, running a horse farm and working for the postal service and up so much time I never got started. But now I'm retired, and other big plans this year. I'm actually the next set up for different gardens, on my 20 acres to keep from cross pollinating my heirloom seeds. I'm really thankful the found this forum. :arrow:

[Roger L.]

Welcome to the forum. First of all, thank you for your service to our country. Secondly, you will find a wealth of knowledge on this forum from both those who have been doing this a long time to those of us who are fairly new. Everyone chips in with answering questions, giving tips and encouragement. You will see both those who have large setups for profit, like yours sounds like it is going to be, to small basement setups like mine. One thing people like on this forum is pictures. Document your build and post your pictures and plan. You may get some tips along the way that may save you from having to do something over a second time. Again, welcome to the group.

[Aloha Don]

Welcome fellow Veteran!
Also, welcome to the addiction of aquaponics.
We look forward to following your progress in this adventure and would love to be a part of it (through pictures you post, questions you ask, and the opportunity to help each other)
Please keep us in the loop

[Lupus]

I am not a typist. Voice to text is killing me. Actually, my garden this year was to determine which version of heirloom vegetables I would make permanent in my garden plans. I'm determined to use only heirloom and organic seed in my garden so I may save the seed for years to come. Our plan is to provide heirloom starters seed for my adult children to use to start their own gardens. I'm planting at least two varieties of vegetables to determine by how well they produce and taste. The plan expanded when I realized I had to separate each of the varieties by a substantial distance to prevent cross pollination. The first of my greenhouses(framed with PVC pipe and fittings), will be the largest and should survive up to seven years. I'm incorporating vertical growing once I've get the aquaphonics in operation in the first greenhouse. A large amount of my produce this season will be going to needy families that I know, who are unable to work and are disabled with children.

I appreciate your interest and the forward to helping others with my experiences.

If you do not get it started, it will never be finished. :)

Lupus

[Apollo]

Welcome Lupus, glad that you have joined us. May your journey bring you the knowledge that you seek, put a smile up on your face, create hours of pleasure to stimulate your mind, an a healthier life style for your heart...from Apollo__Phoenix, Arizona.

You got a GREAT PLAN in the works...good luck and enjoy. 8-)

If you want to view my set up from start to now, check out “Fire Pit … AP” then “Pipe Siphon by Apollo” and ending with "Got Vertigrow?".

____________________________________
I HAVE NOT FAILED. I'VE JUST FOUND 10,000 WAYS THAT WON'T WORK. Thomas A Edison

[JCO]

Welcome to the forum. Pull up an easy chair, sit back and enjoy the ride. :mrgreen:

[Lupus]

Apollo and JCO, I'd like to thank you both for the warm welcome. I am beginning to realize how busy a summer I will have. I forgot to mention, I will be replacing my chickens that were stolen one night out of my chicken house in 2011, a few months before the tornado blew it away. So along with all my other projects I have to build portable chicken coop one for 28 New Hampshire Red chickens that I just ordered. They will lay extra large brown eggs. That means I need my chicken house finished before the April 20th shipping date . Tomorrow, after I deposit money on my prepaid card I use for online purchases, I have to order the greenhouse Greenhouse Film and Ground Cover Weed Barrier. So, the greenhouse will be done in about 2 weeks. When I get the greenhouse up and garden planted fifth from the chicken house built, I can start working on my aquaphonics garden and I will have plenty of questions. Until then, good night all

[JCO]

Don't forget this forum runs on photos. That's our drug :mrgreen:

[Lupus]

Well, today the we have a rain again. No work to do on the greenhouse. I was going to pick up the PVC pipe today but I will pick it up only one rainy day. Yesterday, I went down and bought 16 real road ties. While I was at the hardware store, they have a bunch of pallets they were throwing out. I brought home 26 pallets. I will upload the picture now so you can see my load. The railroad ties are in the middle of the trailer cannot see them from this side.

[attachment=0:n59yn5vg]truck load 015.jpg[/attachment:n59yn5vg]

[JCO]

Where do you live in Alabama? :mrgreen:

[Lupus]

We live about 25 miles due south of Huntsville. You come down US Highway 231 to Arab and our 20 acre place is about 5 miles southwest. We started out raising horses with strong cutting horse lines. Congress decided the transportation of horses for human consumption was illegal. It killed the horse business. At the time, we had about 30 horses. We are finally down to five. It wreaked havoc on our finances. Now I have retired and looking forward to a very busy summer. By the way I went back and purchased the PVC pipe to build the framework of my 18 by 20 foot greenhouse. This is to be the one I convert for Aquaponic Garden. So I will start that when the weather clears. Have fun, I am off to bed

[Lupus]

I thought I had posted your answer, last night shortly before midnight. But it didn't seem to take so here we go again.

Our 20 acres horse farm is located approximately 25 miles south of Huntsville, Alabama on Highway 231 and about 5 miles southwest of Arab. My stallion's breeding free when you rule was $1250, the first year he made us $10,000.That was the one and only year we made money breeding because, about 8 years ago, Congress made it illegal to transport horses for human consumption, killing the horse market I couldn't get the breeding fee for my 2 year olds. At that time, we were breeding quality cutting horse stock. We had some 30 horses on the property. We could not give them away. Long story short, we're no longer a horse business, and we're finally gotten down to five horses. I was spending in excess of $3000 a year for hay. The good part is being retired as its perks. Now that my expenses are way down, I can afford to do some things like the garden and aquaponics, that I haven't been able to do because the finances. I think that right now I will use one of the perks and go get breakfast. Oh I forgot to tell you that yesterday, I bought all the PVC parts and pipe to frame my greenhouse. Just waiting for the rain to stop. Pictures to come, soon I hope... CYA :arrow:By the way, the arrow stands for moving forward.

[JCO]

I drive an 18 wheeler to Sumiton, Al. twice a week. Maybe some day we could connect. :mrgreen:

[Lupus]

I feel like a dummy. I posted my location several times thinking it didn't take. I missed from page two. The joke is on me, and I really hate fighting with speech to text. I couldn't remember where Sumiton was so I looked it up on gloogle maps. The name was familiar. Before I moved here are lived in Mount Olive right in your Gardendale. Hunting season I would drive up through Sumiton and Dora to hunt.

When I get a chance, will work out a time to visit, even bring my wife and then she would get a kick out of it. She used to drive the big rigs. Do you have any particular days of the week that you come down regularly on? I'm still having plenty of doctors' appointments. We can schedule around those though. Plus I am waiting for this place to dry up a little bit. I have yet been able to start a greenhouse. I have all the piping and fittings I need put my anchor PVC pipes in the ground to slide my 1 inch PVC for the walls into. Then I can put the semi-hoop roof on. My tractor is due back today so I can bushhog the area and run the finishing mower.

I have a doctor's appointments Wednesday March 25 and the following Wednesday April 1. So let me know what days you are down this way. I am having problems with this thing. Don't know how to add my avatar and to save my life cannot post a PM.

[JCO]

The only day you could catch me would be on a Wednesday afternoon after 1PM. I leave out from there again Wednesday nights at midnight.

Just click the PM button for who you want to send a message to and write and send. As for the avatar, you have to go to user control panel under your name in the upper right hand corner :mrgreen: