Rik Kretzinger grew up on a Christmas tree farm and spent his college years studying horticulture, but he found it too difficult to make a living as a small farmer so he spent most of his career working for others.
A few years ago, he began to tinker with aquaponics (fishfarming + hydroponics), sensors and the open-source microcontroller Arduino to create an automated garden that could compete with commercial farms.
For the first couple of years he spent thousands of hours struggling to learn programming languages to automate his backyard mini-farm. Then while speaking at an international conference (along with Eric Maundu and Rob Torcellini, he’s among the elite few experimenting with aquaponics and automation) he was introduced to APDuino(open-source firmware for aqua- and hydro-ponics).
APDuino allows Kretzinger to read the sensors in his garden without any programming. Now Kretzinger’s garden can send him tweets or Facebook updates if something is going wrong and Kretzinger can adjust the water flow, pH and temperature from a smartphone.
Now, what started as a hobby may provide Kretzinger with the boost to compete as a small farmer. His plan is to keep it urban (or suburban). He’ll use unused backyards or vacant lots to grow his produce and he’s created a prototype tower (PVC structures similar to those in our videos of Rob Torcellini’s greenhouse and of rooftop hydroponics on Manhattan restaurant Bell, Book & Candle).
His towers can be removed and taken to farmer’s markets where customers can “pick” their strawberries or lettuce directly from the units. His set-up is also highly mobile so if a property owner decides he wants his land back, Kretzinger can move within a week.
Rik Kretzinger’s blog: http://rik94566.wordpress.com/category/agponics-com/
Original story: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/internet-farming-arduino-based-backyard-aquaponics/
Video Rating: / 5
Where is nature here…
This was a joy to watch!
This guy is an absolute genius! It is just humbling how so unpretenciously he goes about explaining what he's been able to achieve. Kudos to Mr. Kretzinger!
This is really beautiful. Even looking at the stands, the pumps, and even the fish tank I think they look great. Too bad it's too cold up here to do it outside.
nice work Sir! just wanna ask if do u really need those timers for the pump or could u just drive it with a relay programmed thru the arduino?
yes and to reduce restaurant waste hot compost and farm shops so we can buy in countryside and farmer still makes a living when super markets mess with orders.sometimes small is better more variety .mix and match in malaysia they dont have a lot of iodinw in soil.can you grow avocados and oranges.xan you nake plum stones sprout and cherry tree stones sprout.
this guy is definitely alien….
This is brilliant
very impressive and well done!
Absolutely Brilliant. The Future.
is there an update? I hope he found a RaspPi
Can u make a step by step build for your next operation?
shark tank
Inspiring, indeed! The farming is the minor work, the engineering is the wonder. Inspires me to undertake "modest" sensors and timers to include in mine. Thank you!
Africa Like this Man
i wanted to make a system to check the soil moisture with my raspberry PI, but you take things to the next level. you are a source of motivation :P
17:26 – Yeah, I've got an air pump and a diffuser in my 10-gallon aquarium, so it's pretty much cutting edge, too. :D
3 years later, hows he doing? Did you ever go back to see his progress?