BONAIRE DAILYFRESH
Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. 290 km² island in the Leeward Antilles. 12° Latitude North of the Equator. The island has an arid climate: sunny weather all year round, 520 mm annual rainfall, occurring between November and January, on a poor soil, not very favorable for the cultivation of fruits and vegetables of any size.
Internal freshwater resources, both surface and underground, do not exist on Bonaire. Fresh water is obtained through a process of desalination and purification of sea water, at a very high costs.
Consequently fruits and vegetables are fully imported and highly expensive.
You can find them, after their long journey inside a reefer, sitting on the shelves at the supermarkets, sometimes already rotten. Also shortage is not infrequent.
When Lauri and Bob moved to Bonaire, in 2017, they found this scenario. Their answer was “aquaponics”. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture (raising fishes) and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water). The nutrient rich fresh water where fishes are raised is used to feed the plants. The system uses approximately 2% of the water that conventional farming requires to produce the same quantity of vegetables. Of course no chemicals are involved in the process.
Lauri had already an interest in aquaponics as an “agriculture” without dirt. Bob, tech guy, got hooked after a workshop in Wisconsin.
They started building their system in their own backyard and, after one year, were already selling their products to the local supermarkets as well as directly to their fellow islanders and at the farmers’ market. It is a family business where also the kids are helping during their free time. The work is hard, the temperature in the greenhouse can reach 40°C. The day starts early in the morning taking the kids to school. Back home for the routine in the greenhouse: checking on the fishes, harvesting, storing veggies in the fridges, re-arranging the plants, maintenance and cleaning. After a break to pick up the kids from school, the afternoon is dedicated to packing and delivering to supermarkets, restaurants and private customers.
A wide variety of veggies are grown in the greenhouse: romaine lettuce, summer crisps, oak leaf, butterhead, spinach, bok choy, just to name a few. Right now the system is producing 12000 pieces of vegetables and 440 kg of fish, per year.
Lately the government of the island made available 12 plots of land to residents who want to grow vegetables and crops. Lauri and Bob got their plot and, right now, are busy building a new and bigger greenhouse. They estimate that the new system will produce 125000 pieces of veggies and 3160 kg of fish, per year.
Read MoreInternal freshwater resources, both surface and underground, do not exist on Bonaire. Fresh water is obtained through a process of desalination and purification of sea water, at a very high costs.
Consequently fruits and vegetables are fully imported and highly expensive.
You can find them, after their long journey inside a reefer, sitting on the shelves at the supermarkets, sometimes already rotten. Also shortage is not infrequent.
When Lauri and Bob moved to Bonaire, in 2017, they found this scenario. Their answer was “aquaponics”. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture (raising fishes) and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water). The nutrient rich fresh water where fishes are raised is used to feed the plants. The system uses approximately 2% of the water that conventional farming requires to produce the same quantity of vegetables. Of course no chemicals are involved in the process.
Lauri had already an interest in aquaponics as an “agriculture” without dirt. Bob, tech guy, got hooked after a workshop in Wisconsin.
They started building their system in their own backyard and, after one year, were already selling their products to the local supermarkets as well as directly to their fellow islanders and at the farmers’ market. It is a family business where also the kids are helping during their free time. The work is hard, the temperature in the greenhouse can reach 40°C. The day starts early in the morning taking the kids to school. Back home for the routine in the greenhouse: checking on the fishes, harvesting, storing veggies in the fridges, re-arranging the plants, maintenance and cleaning. After a break to pick up the kids from school, the afternoon is dedicated to packing and delivering to supermarkets, restaurants and private customers.
A wide variety of veggies are grown in the greenhouse: romaine lettuce, summer crisps, oak leaf, butterhead, spinach, bok choy, just to name a few. Right now the system is producing 12000 pieces of vegetables and 440 kg of fish, per year.
Lately the government of the island made available 12 plots of land to residents who want to grow vegetables and crops. Lauri and Bob got their plot and, right now, are busy building a new and bigger greenhouse. They estimate that the new system will produce 125000 pieces of veggies and 3160 kg of fish, per year.
