Ian Echterling
Valparaiso, IN (USA)
Role(s):
Founder/Owner/Principal
Green Farms
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Startup
Location:
Valparaiso
Industry:
Agriculture
Year Founded:
2011
Number Employees:
1-10 people
Business Stage:
Creation/Idea
Entity Type:
Limited Liability Company
Description:
Green Farms Agronomics and Mycology of Valparaiso, Indiana; a low overhead hydroponic farm and agronomic consulting company with a focus on community wellness. The first phase of our goal is to take farms in any location and turn them into low impact/low overhead food sources for the community using the combined sciences of alternative construction, alternative energy and hydroponic/aqua-ponic farming. This phase consists of building 3 greenhouse structures from recycled materials and shipping containers on my 10 acre farm, using passive solar and passive geothermal energy to maintain a room temperature of 60 to 65 degrees all year round while producing micro-greens, mushrooms and various vegetables and fruits within said building. These solar powered structures (averaging 2000 square feet each) and their automated systems (including water treatment, lighting, pumps, air compressors, computers, etc…) will produce an average cash-flow estimated around $50,000 per month per building while using no public utilities. This leaves labor, maintenance and crop start-up costs as our only overhead. Once securing a strong positive cash-flow with the farm we will begin our next phase is to open the farm to local colleges (Indiana University, Purdue University and Valparaiso University) for graduate studies, lab space and field trips. This will also eventually include tours set up for public and private schools.
As of January 4, 2011, we are tentatively planning to also be a part of Hantz Farms, Detroit as their only automated aquaponic design company to produce in their facility. This puts us and our system in front of most of your major communities', cities' and countries' leaders and developers to be part of their agricultural solutions for the growing population and weakening environment. We have already been informed that we should have systems designs capable of handling environments such as the Middle East, China and Polar regions.
Overall benefits of this project:
The ability to take a 200 acre farm and condense it down to less than 10 acres, remove the need for heavy equipment, turn an annual income for the farmer into a monthly income, reduce operating costs down to part-time labor and minor crop start-up, completely eliminate soil erosion, take the use of utilities down to almost nothing and promote local marketing.
Support community wellness by facilitating healthy diet, education and the arts, environmental stewardship and social awareness.