He Built His Own Hydroponic "Mini Farm"

He Built His Own Hydroponic "Mini Farm" 28-6-7 John Duckworth of Weaverville, N.C. runs a year-round 280 sq. ft. of greenhouse space. The key to his success is the hydroponic growing system that he designed. Nutrients, light, water and air temperature are all carefully controlled, and plants produce year-round, unlike in outdoor growing environments. The key components of Duckworth's system are a reservoir tank with nutrients, and rows of 3-in. dia. PVC pipes with holes cut in them for plants. The "closed loop" system continuously recycles the nutrients. He monitors nutrient levels with an $89 handheld electronic tester, and the pH of the solution is checked with litmus strips ($4 per 100). "I built a system that's just as good as I could buy, and for about one-tenth the cost," he explains. "Most of the hardware consists of PVC pipe. It cost only $2.30 per 10-ft. section and is very durable. The reservoir tank is a 110-gal cattle-watering trough that cost $45. Two $89 Little Giant pumps and a few lengths of 1/2. and 1-in. PVC pipe gets the nutrient solution to the plants." The only things Duckworth had to purchase from a hydroponics supplier were some 1/4-in. rubber tubing, 1/4-in. tubing connectors, a cycle timer, 1 1/2-in. rock wool cubes (for the plants to grow in), and the nutrients. He bought the Quonset-style greenhouse, complete with plastic covering, from Farm Tek (www.farmtek.com) for about $500. "The total cost for this hydroponic operation was less than $1,000," he says. Duckworth found vast amounts of information on setting up a hydroponic system on the internet, and points out that some plans can be downloaded for free. He harvests 120 heads of loose-leaf lettuce per week, as well as several pounds of tomatoes, squash, beans and herbs. He sells produce at a slightly lower price than stores and has developed a network of "subscribers" who place weekly orders with him at local farmers' markets. "We've seen roughly an $8.50 return for $1 invested in the entire system, and paid back our original investment in just a few months. Our only ongoing costs are seeds, nutrients and electricity. Total family labor input is 15 to 30 hrs. per week. This covers planting, daily maintenance, harvesting and packing, but not marketing. For a 44-page plan book detailing Duckworth's home hydroponic system, including a materials list, photos, illustrations and instructions, send $27 by check or money order, plus $3 shipping and handling inside the U.S. (for anyone outside the U.S., S&H is $5). Duckworth says he has already sold 258 plan books. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Duckworth, P.O. Box 1080, Weaverville, N.C. 28787 (ph 828 645-1168; email: papaduckh2o@msn.com; website: www.papaduckswaterfarm.com).

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