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Business & Tech

E & T Farms: A Local Farm with a Twist

A tour of Cape Cod's only aquaponics farm.

Jumping fish, fresh green veggies and the sound of running water are just a few of the sensations one experiences when they tour E & T Farms in Barnstable.

The Farm is Cape Cod's only commercial aquaponics farm.  Its 9,500 sq. ft. indoor growing space includes 9 indoor fish ponds and a connected greenhouse.

Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment.  In the west, aquaponics is a relatively new technology used to produce food. The technology actually began to be developed right here on Cape Cod, at The New Alchemy Institute in Hatchville, based on research conducted from 1969-1991. 

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There are many different system designs available for growing food using aquaponics. E & T's system works like this: Fish reared in tanks produce waste in the form of ammonia, aerobic bacteria convert the ammonia into nitrites and eventually nitrates, which provide nutrients for the plants in the greenhouse. The water is re-circulated through the system, thus using much less water than conventional farming.

The system does use a lot of electricity to power the pumps needed to move the water through the system. Owner Ed Osmun recently had an energy audit conducted in which the main suggestions were to add solar cells or a wind turbine.

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Ed explained, "The energy bill is killing us, but we're having issues using solar or wind to generate electricity because we're in the historic district and there are many restrictions on what we can and can't do."

Ask Ed if he has any regrets about deciding to start E & T Farms 10 years ago and he'll tell you, "No, I enjoy it and I've always had an interest in it." 

One of the main benefits of aquaponics is that it produces fresh, local, pesticide- free veggies year round.  The farm sells Koi to local retail outlets and fresh greens and veggies at local shops and farmers markets. Blueberries and garlic are the newest additions to their selection of fresh, local produce. They also have a honey bee division which produces a variety of products from the bee hive. 

If you are interested in checking out the farm and learning about aquaponics, Ed will happily give you a tour. He also does educational programs for school groups. 

More information about E & T Farms and where to find their products is available online (http://www.eandtfarmsinc.com/default.htm) or call Ed at (508) 362-8370.

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