Imagine growing 100 pounds of home-grown fish and more than 400 heads of lettuce per year in a small 6 foot x 8 foot space with your own Portable Farms™ Kit! Become self sufficient and self reliant by raising fresh organic table vegetables and home-grown fish to help feed your family, year round, by owning your own Portable Farm™. See below a head of lettuce from a Portable Farm™ (prepare to be amazed). This photo has NOT been retouched in any way.

The Portable Farm™ is Fully Automated
* No need to water your plants because a Portable Farm™ uses a one hour, twice-a-day cycle to circulate the water throughout the system so the plants constantly receive a fresh supply of nutrient-laden water.
* No soil is necessary. Your plants grow in trays or beds filled with gravel or river rocks.
* No weeding is necessary.
* There's no need to hand feed your fish either because your Portable Farms™ Kit contains two automatic fish feeders.
* No pesticides or fertilizers are necessary.
* Plus, your entire system can be Solar Powered and completely automated.

A Portable Farm™ is scalable for family, community, organizational or institutional installations, and can also be scaled for commercial growing. The fish and vegetables can be eaten or sold locally to stores or restaurants.
A Portable Farm™ is a very simple system: A newly patented pump moves the water from the fish tanks and then through a settling tank to remove all the solid wastes from the fish tanks to keep the fish healthy. From there, the water flows through shallow trays containing gravel where the vegetables are planted, and then the water flows back to the fish tanks. The new pump keeps the fish tanks free of sediment while it sends the nutrients to the plants without ever draining the fish tanks dry. It's a perfectly efficient system.

A Portable Farm™ quickly pays for itself. Instead of buying groceries that have been shipped and stored in your local store, simply walk to your own Portable Farm™ with a bowl, select your own organic vegetables and home-grown fish to serve your family for dinner. And not only is it fresh, but it’s only steps away from your kitchen.

Your Portable Farm™ is affordable, requires only minimal upkeep (three to five minutes a day), and is a family project that everyone of all ages can enjoy as they learn the values of living green, the beauty of nature, and the security of being self-reliant from growing and harvesting from the cycle of life.

Portable Farms™ Kit sized for a 6 foot x 8 foot space or greenhouse:
$1,999.00 plus shipping

Portable Farms™ Kit sized for a 10 foot x 20 foot space or greenhouse:
$2,999.00 plus shipping

What Else Will I Need to
Complete My Portable Farm™?

Every Portable Farm™ installation is unique. They can be very simple, or they can be elaborate and expensive, but they will each produce maximum yields of fish and vegetables if you follow our step-by-step instructions in the Portable Farm™ Kit's Assembly, Operations and Maintenance Guide.
In fact, there are a wide range of applications you can choose from such as a small back-yard unit to feed a single family, to a larger unit to feed several families or a small village, to a much larger commercial-sized unit to feed a large village, and create an income from the sale of the fish and vegetables.
For a back-yard unit, you can use trash bins to raise your fish. In a larger unit, you can use watering troughs or stock tanks, and in a commercial or large village-sized unit, you can use one or more ponds to grow your fish. There is no one-size fits all answer to any Portable Farm™ installation. 

Two Things That Are Good To Know . . .

1) If you live in a harsh climate and you choose to keep your Portable Farm™ outside, then your choice for a greenhouse is a vital consideration for your climatic needs, the esthetics you'd like to archive and the cost and labor to assemble your greenhouse. You may also choose to put your Portable Farm™ indoors to protect your fish and plants from any extreme temperatures. For example, you can put your Portable Farm™ in a garage or a barn and rely on growing lights instead of sunshine for your plants.

2) There are additional materials that are not provided in your Portable Farms™ Kit, but can be purchased at home stores, hardware and pet stores. In addition to your greenhouse (if you choose to have one), you will need tables to hold the grow trays, shade cloth, heavy duty plastic trash bins or stock tanks for the fish, PVC tubing and fittings, gravel or river rocks for the grow trays, and Tilapia fish food. Optional items include growing lights, additional trays, and a wide variety of seeds. A complete list of materials is available in the Assembly, Operations and Maintenance Guide.

* IMPORTANT TO NOTE: To date, the National Organic Standards Board has not yet set standards for any fish to be labeled as organic. But, Tilapia and catfish are both herbivores (vegetarian) and can be fed vegetable protein as their food source. Duckweed and algae (both high in plant protein) can be raised in a Portable Farm™ to provide the feed for your fish. This way, you can control the quality of your fish to meet your own dietary guidelines.

Questions and Answers

1. Question: How do plants grow in beds of gravel?
   Answer: It's quite simple really. The seeds are planted in small peat pots and as soon they sprout, they’re placed in the grow trays filled with gravel. The nutrient-rich water from the fish tanks is circulated through the growing trays. When the roots outgrow the peat pots, they extend into the gravel of the grow trays.

2. Question: What can I grow?
   Answer: You can grow nearly any vegetable that produce greens. This includes lettuce, kale, basil, onions, mustard greens, parsley, cilantro, many varieties of peppers, chamomile, chives, mint (of all kinds), sage, catnip, fennel, lavender, marjoram, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, etc.
   
   Flowering plants also do well, depending on the variety, type and the amount of available light. This type of plants grow very large, very quickly and block the sunlight for other plants. For example: tomatoes, peas, squash, eggplants, some varieties of squash, and berries such as strawberries, etc.
   
   Make sure tall plants are near the back so they do not block the light to the smaller plants. Tomato plants become enormous, very quickly, and can take over your greenhouse. With larger installations, you can grow larger plants including papayas, cucumbers and almost anything that your family will consume.
   
   You can also grow flowers to create colorful bouquets of flowers for the house and patio.
   
   The fish supplied in your Portable Farms™ Kit are hybrid Tilapia or catfish, or perhaps several fish depending on availability and your State regulations. Tilapia are severely restricted for use in some parts of California therefore we will need to know specifically where you plan to set up your Portable Farm™ in order to comply with the local and state regulations.
   
   In other states and territories, there are different or no restrictions, so please be aware that the system will work using nearly any warm-water fresh fish that can be raised in captivity.
   
   You can grow many different kinds of fin fish, crayfish, tropical fish, Koi, or any other favorite freshwater species that the local Fish and Game allows in your location.

3. Question: What IS a Portable Farm™?
   Answer: It’s exactly what it sounds like; it’s a farm that’s portable. If you move, you can take it with you and leave behind the gravel and water (the heavy stuff). A Portable Farm™ is a fully automated, Solar Powered system for producing table vegetables and fish in tanks and growing trays. They don’t require much space -as little as 6 x 8 feet, very little water, no soil, no fertilizers or pesticides, very little upkeep and yet, they can grow 400 heads of organic lettuce (or other vegetables) and 100 pounds of fish per year.

4. Question: As an inventor, you've been refining your Portable Farm™ for 36 years without bringing it to the marketplace. What changed in the design that made you decide to sell the Portable Farms™ to the public?
   Answer: Every pump or pumping system I've used over the years either burned out, wore out or pumped my fish tank dry. Even adding elaborate float switches, I still had the burnout problem and periodically, I would kill all my fish by inadvertently draining all the water out of the fish tank. Once I discovered the newly patented Measured Air System (MAS) Pump in January 2008, it solved ALL the pump problems simultaneously Then I knew Portable Farms™ would work for anyone, and I could safely sell them to others without fear they would kill their fish through no fault of their own. The MAS Pump is vital to the success of the Portable Farm™ because it removes all the solid waste from the fish tanks to keep the fish healthy.
   The MAS Pump is the perfect pump for Portable Farms™ because it moves the water throughout the entire system using very little energy; it has no moving parts to wear out and it is designed to accommodate different sized Portable Farms™ for optimal results. The most exciting feature is that the MAS Pump is designed to NEVER pump the fish tank dry.

5. Question: How can our congregation help feed the poor in our area using a Portable Farm™?
   Answer: If you have the space for a Portable Farm™ (even a parking lot or side yard) a small group of committed volunteers from your congregation could assemble a 600 square (56 m²) foot (or larger) Portable Farm™ over a weekend. Hopefully, there are a few people among your group who have building skills. A 600 square foot Portable Farm™ can grow in excess of 3,200 plants and 1,500 pounds of fish per year. This size farm can give you a year round supply of food to offer to your congregants, or the needy in your area. Food banks around the United States are low on food because of the recent demands and are begging gardeners and farmers to donate to help with the shortages. The maintenance and upkeep on a Portable Farm™ this size requires less than 20 minutes a day upkeep, and even a responsible 14 year old can oversee the work.

6. Question: How can a medium-security prison facility with 3,600 inmates, in a remote location, utilize a Portable Farm™?
   Answer: There are two ways a Portable Farm™ can serve your prison:
   
   1) With 3,600 inmates in your correctional facility, we assume that you are serving 10,800 meals every day, or nearly 4,000,000 meals a year. A Portable Farm™ can have an impact on your institution’s food budget: A 100 x 100 foot, 10,000 square foot (930 m²) Portable Farm™, provides 50,000 heads of lettuce per year or other vegetables, (4,000 heads per month or 135 heads per day) on a year round basis, and 23,000 pounds (10,400 kg) of fish per year. Other vegetables can be grown depending on your needs
   2) If the inmates in your medium-security prison work on the Portable Farm™, they will also be learning valuable vocational skills.

7. Question: How much will the cost of energy be to run my Portable Farm™?
   Answer: Using electrical grid power to run your Portable Farm™ is based on two 8 watt air pumps, one timer, and two 150 watt heaters for 3.55 kw of electricity in 24 hours (this is a summer usage rate). The cost is $.35 per day for electricity, or $10.50 per month or $126.00 per year (based on rates from our local provider in San Diego, California).
   
   If you choose to use solar power, you will need to size your solar panels to 180 watts and have two 12-volt storage batteries, plus an inverter to run pumps, timer and heaters.

8. Question: I like the idea of the Portable Farm™, but I'm a vegetarian and I don't eat fish. Can I have a Portable Farm™ without fish?
   Answer: To work correctly, the Portable Farm™ does require fish of some type to provide the essential nutrients for your plants. If you do not want to eat your fish, you can give them to friends who do eat fish, sell them, or simply enjoy them. Some species and individual fish last for years.

9. Question: Can I set up and run the Portable Farm™ by myself?
   Answer: We strongly suggest that you hire a contractor or qualified handyman to build your greenhouse (lf you decide to have one) and install your Portable Farms™ Kit unless you have building skills. But, once your Portable Farm™ has been installed, the actual daily maintenance requires three to five minutes per day to sing to your fish and ooh-and-ah over your plants.
   The settling tank needs to be drained and cleaned approximately once a month and requires about twenty minutes of time. This nutrient laden water can be applied directly to trees, shrubs, flowing plants, or your lawn. This liquid is the best fertilizer they’ve ever been given.

10. Question: How long does it take to have my Portable Farm™ up and running?
    Answer: From the time you prepare your site, the Portable Farms™ Kit sized for a 6 foot by 8 foot space can be installed by two people in about six hours. The longest time required is the time it takes to fill the grow trays with the gravel. You can plant your first seeds in the peat pots when you receive them and then place them in the gravel in your grow trays the same day.
    For larger installations, please contract us for more information.

11. Question: What do I feed the fish?
    Answer: The fry (fingerlings/baby fish) are started on flake food, like goldfish food, and then graduated to mini pellets. We supply the flakes and the first bag of mini pellets. Automatic feeders are also part of your Portable Farms™ Kit so you do not have to face feeding the babies 4 times a day.
    
    When the fingerlings reach about three inches, you can feed them regular Tilapia/Catfish chow you purchase from a feed store, or it can be ordered at a pet store. We also feed our Tilapia duckweed which we grow in shallow pans watered by the water from the farm's settling tank.
    According to Wikipedia, "Duckweed plants are very simple, lacking an obvious stem or leaves, but consist of a small 'thalloid' or plate-like structure that floats on or just under the water surface, with or without simple rootlets." Duckweed floats and has more nutrition by weight compared to other plants: The protein level is 5-25% in natural conditions, 15-45% when grown under ideal conditions and it also contains fat, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
    By feeding your fish (who are vegetarians) duckweed, you can raise their food on the nutrients coming from their tank and make an almost perpetual motion cycle of food, fish, and food.

12. Question: What type of gravel should I use?
    Answer: 3/4" to 1" crushed gravel is best, because it does not clog easily. Do not buy “crusher run mix” or “asphalt patch mix” because they contain far too much small gravel and sand. Whatever you buy, you may still have to rinse it with a garden hose to remove any dust and debris from it. River gravel is also fine to use if it’s available in your area.

13. Question: Can I use pea gravel - 3/8”?
    Answer: You can, but you will have to clean your gravel beds far more frequently because of problems including algae growth, clogging and odor. Larger gravel reduces these problems and the plants are happier. If you use pea gravel, be prepared to clean it two or three times a year. By using 3/4" gravel, you’ll only need to clean it about every two years.

14. Question: How long does it take to grow lettuce or greens in the Portable Farm™?
    Answer: If you plant your seeds in the peat pots when they arrive, you can enjoy your first lettuce in about 40 days. That is about as fast as you can produce edible food. The different lettuces, greens, basil and other vegetables will tell you on the seed packet how long they take to mature. The time listed on the packets will be shortened somewhat because the plants have optimal growing conditions inside the greenhouse which is warm at night and the plants always have a fresh supply of water and nutrients.

15. Question: Can I grow radishes and carrots in the Portable Farm™?
    Answer: Yes and No. You will have room in your greenhouse to create a growing tray with sand and gravel so they develop their roots properly, but you’ll need to water the tray by hand to keep the sand out of the system.
    
    

Prior to receiving your Portable Farm™ Kit, decide where you want to up your Portable Farm™. You may want to set up a greenhouse in your back yard for your 6 x 8 foot farm, or you may decide to install it in your garage or in a barn or against a wall or on your patio which takes approximately 8 feet in length and 2 feet in depth. Wherever you decide to install your Portable Farm™, there are supplies you need to purchase from your local home center to prepare yourself to receive your Portable Farms™ Kit that are not included in our Kit.
Because we are dealing with live fish, we want to assure that when these 'fingerlings' (baby fish) do arrive, they make an easy transition into your Portable Farm™. So, there are preparations necessary to create a safe environment for your fish when they arrive.

How do I get started?
You will provide your own greenhouse (if you decide to have one) depending on your climatic or environmental needs. Here is a picture of a small greenhouse.

Size your Portable Farm™ to meet your own specific requirements for size and climate. A 6 foot x 8 foot greenhouse (similar to the one above) provides enough space for us to grow table vegetables year round for a family of four with proper planting and harvesting. Plus, you can grow and harvest over 100 pounds of home-grown fish on an annual basis. Larger sized Portable Farms™ produce significantly more fish and vegetables.
Please note: If you decide to put your Portable Farm™ outdoors and you live in a cold climate, your farm will require insulation, lighting, and a heat source to maintain maximum production year round. A Portable Farms™ in tropical climates may not require a greenhouse, though it may require shading to protect the young plants.
We can also design systems that allow you to be away from the system for up to a full week. These are slightly more automated models. The Portable Farm™ we have in our back yard now has a thermostatically controlled fan, a temperature controlled vent and grow lights to extend the growing day in winter months. We have carefully added each new element to see what impact it has on the system before adding the next one so the system can be adjusted to maximize the output of vegetables and fish.
The number of fish provided in your Portable Farm™ Kit is 100 ‘fingerlings or ‘fry’ (baby fish) of California Hybrid Tilapia, or seasonally, you can substitute catfish. 100 fingerlings will produce 100 pounds of fish. Fingerlings are shipped to you four weeks after your Portable Farm™ is circulating water, and your vegetable seedlings are in place. This delay is required to allow your system to achieve balance and grow nitrification bacteria to treat the fish waste. Introducing your fish too early will kill them from ammonia poisoning.

Portable Farms™ Kit sized for a 6 foot x 8 foot space or greenhouse:
$1,999.00 plus shipping

Portable Farms™ Kit sized for a 10 foot x 20 foot space or greenhouse:
$2,999.00 plus shipping