The Problem
We have a very short growing season with long, harsh winters where community members lack fresh produce for most of the year.
Our Plan
We want to create a hydroponics system to grow food year-round in Northern Minnesota.
Themes Addressed
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Education
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Food Choices
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Responsible Consumption
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Sustainability
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The Benefit
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People
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Environment
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Here is how the project went:
We built two hydroponics towers from DIY online tutorials. Students were able to see how hydroponics can grow food in a smaller space vs traditional gardening and it can be used in winter months indoors. This is an exciting model for food sustainability.
Through this project I/we learned:
We learned about plant growth without soil and how to create something sustainable. Pre-made hydroponic towers are very expensive, but we learned how to make a fully operational system for a fraction of the cost. It's a model families can replicate at home.
What I/we might change:
There are a variety of ways to assemble and design the hydroponics system. If I did it again, I'd experiment a little with different designs. I'd also like to incorporate fish and experiment with aquaponics.
My/our favorite part of this project was:
Seeing the first sprouts emerge was my favorite part.
Some tips, tricks or fun facts about the project:
We watched a lot of YouTube videos for ideas, and that really helped!