Where fish and plants harmonize: Aquaponics Ouroboros Farms prospers near Half Moon Bay

The duo own and operate Ouroboros Farms, located on State Route 92 where fresh produce is grown sans soil through an intricate closed ecosystem that relies on fish. Creating almost no waste, their aquaponic farm uses nearly 90 percent less water than a traditional soil operation, has higher yields in a smaller space, and grows produce faster, Armstrong said.

Just four years into their business that began in Pescadero, Armstrong noted it’s been a rewarding learning experience since he first became inspired to take on a new career after watching a YouTube video.

“It really inspired me. I had recently become really conscious of what I put in my body. Realizing food is medicine and the first road to good health is eating properly, and with all of the environmental benefits of aquaponics, it just seemed like a no-brainer,” Armstrong said. “I also saw the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an industry that I honestly believe is going to be the future of farming and to be a pioneer and to put my money where my ethics are.”

How it works

A version of hydroponics, aquaponics involves a closed symbiotic ecosystem that combines raising fish with growing plants in water.

The benefits are impressive as it produces some of the highest quality produce with almost no adverse impacts to the environment, Armstrong said.

Although the relaxing sound of running water is consistent throughout their expansive greenhouse, there’s very little evaporation or waste as they constantly recirculate the water.

They use between 5 percent and 10 percent of the amount of water that a typical soil farm uses. Instead of the seven to 30 gallons it takes to grow a head of lettuce in dirt, an aquaponics-raised produce uses about half to 1 gallon.

“It’s the most water-efficient growing known to man,” Armstrong said.

Eight tanks holding nearly 10,000 gallons of water are home to catfish, koi and carp fed the highest quality fish food, Armstrong jokes they’re technically vegan. The fish help produce nutrients as their byproducts in the water are pumped through filtration systems before flowing into long troughs lining the greenhouse. Floating rafts of colorful plants at various stages of growth have impressively pristine roots submerged in the water allowing them to feed off the nutrients.

“We’re recreating a living ecosystem here — rivers, lakes streams — in a controlled environment,” Armstrong said. “We’re replicating what nature does naturally in a living ecosystem, we’re just doing it in a greenhouse.”

Their plants grow between 30 percent and 50 percent faster then a soil farm and, because they’re not competing for nutrients, they can be planted more densely, Armstrong said. They’re able to harvest about 10 times a year, much more than a traditional farm where you might get three or four annually, Armstrong said.

Herbicides and pesticides are forbidden as it could harm the fish, Armstrong pointed out.

Any waste from the fish or plants is a delightful meal for their on-site worm compost, that can be reused on the plants. Other than delicious fresh produce and the occasional harvested fish, hardly anything else leaves the farm, Armstrong said.

“An aquaponics system property built, maintained and operated has zero impact to the local environment,” Armstrong said, noting it’s not a piece of cake. “The biggest challenge is finding the right balance in the system. Because you are creating a living ecosystem with these components that have to work together.”

Having developed a deepened level of patience over the years, Armstrong noted there’s been learning opportunities, albeit sometimes costly ones. For example, just a few weeks ago they accidentally used city water, which is treated with chemicals like chlorine, without filtering it first. After some crops failed to grow, they discovered their mistake and had to significantly drain a portion of their system.

But in a way, these mistakes help the mission of sharing their newfound knowledge with others.

Education and sovereignty

Whether you’re just curious about how aquaponics work or ready to start a home operation, Ouroboros offers classes and sells easy-to-assemble systems.

He estimates just a 100-square-foot aquaponics garden could feed a family of three.

Armstrong noted he is typically responsible for the business aspects while Patton, his longtime girlfriend and partner, is Ouroboros’ “plant whisperer.”

“I’ve worked on small organic farms as well as have a lot of hydroponic experience. So when I first started learning about aquaponics, it just made a lot more sense,” Patton said. “I really like the plants and the education aspect of it too. I like showing people that have never seen what it is and I like to see their expressions as they learn about it.”

A variety of crops can thrive such as celery, squash, cucumbers, hops, broccoli, tomatoes, peppers, kale, catnip and stevia. Armstrong said he’s even seen a banana tree grown in water. Plus, although it’s not a major component of Ouroboros’ operation, it also provides a healthier alternative to traditional fish farming. Unlike regularly farmed fish, they don’t use antibiotics. Also, aquaponics uniquely provides sources of both protein and vegetables, Armstrong said.

He’s also very interested in how such systems could be used in underprivileged regions or places where resources are scarce. Aquaponics can promote the right for people to have access to healthy food produced through ecologically sustainable means, he added.

“Food sovereignty and food security is something that’s very important to me; and having access to food that I know exactly what’s going into it,” he said.

Armstrong advocates for transparency amongst the agriculture industry, noting in an aquaponics system, the product speaks for itself.

“We can’t cheat,” Armstrong said, noting they wouldn’t be able to fudge written records to make it look like pesticides aren’t used. “We’re required by the very nature of the system to be ethical farmers.”

A growing market

Currently, Ouroboros produce is served at several restaurants including the Ritz Carlton, the Half Moon Bay Brewery and Miramar Beach Restaurant. In San Mateo, they’ve long worked with Three Restaurant and Viognier, as well as San Francisco’s the Perennial Restaurant and Bar. They encourage visitors to stop by and “pick their own” produce, or visit the online market Good Eggs for deliveries.

Patton and Armstrong urge others to consider aquaponics and are thrilled when they hear about other commercial operations taking form. As more people become rightfully conscientious about where their food comes from, Ouroboros is pleased to be an impressive and attractive example of sustainable farming, said Armstrong.

“Here in the Bay Area, we’re very fortunate in that it’s a very foodie area, you’ve got a very knowledgeable consumer base,” Armstrong said. “And with the drought having gotten worse, more and more people are looking for alternative farming methodologies that are more efficient.”

Visit ouroborosfarms.com for more information.

samantha@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 106