What it is: A standardised and Open Source Aquaponics system Suitable for temperate climates. Affordable but capable of producing useful food Basic Kit £400 parts target (Ballpark £600 shipped cost) Well insulated single IBC system with media grow bed above tank Dual Airlift pump < £30 ESP Temp & EC sensor Transparent Polycarbonate inner cover Read more about Aquaponics Research Kit (ARK)[…]
Sowing seeds is often a pleasurable activity, it can become tedious or routine on a large scale. It seems like it should be fairly easy to automate with a vacuum and a XY rack of some kind. Or a conveyor belt system You can get commercial systems: And there is a couple of Arduino versions Read more about Seed sowing robot[…]
I’ve been looking into Sodium Acetate as a long-term heat store. It’s a phase change reaction, so this heater could be warmed on your woodstove and then left in situ for weeks or months, so long as you remember to check the level now and again. This is a concept, I haven’t built it yet A Read more about Phase change cloche heater[…]
So it seems to me robotics is interesting in agriculture where the following conditions are met Uses power generated on site Reduces fossil fuel use Designs are opensource I think the best way of reducing weeds is to use mulch, either compost, or a long lasting aluminium mulch Which in a small horticultural setting basically Read more about Open Source horticultural robots[…]
i Been pondering the sustainability of Aluminum mulches recently. You can buy disposable mulch, but that doesn’t seem very sustainable. It’s an idea that’s been around since the 1950s and some have reported increased yield and even reduced pests What if you used 2mm thick stuff that could have regularly placed holes cut? It would Read more about Aluminium sheet mulch[…]
This deciduous shrub or small tree is slow-growing, but once established it will produce edible, dark green leaves that turn bright yellow in Autumn. It has beautiful, fragrant flowers that are also edible, and seeds that are used for food and cooking oil. The oil is also being evaluated for biodiesel. This ornamental plant is also fairly drought tolerant and Read more about Xanthoceras Sorbifolium (Yellowhorn)[…]
Sustainable living using appropriate modern technology and permaculture principles. Eco Hacker Farm is an umbrella organisation for people who want to start or are already running ecological/permaculture farms combined with hackerspaces to provide a sustainable living space for people to come and experience a way of life that is not necessarily dependent on the system Read more about Eco Hacker farm[…]
The OBI system is open source, collaborative and distributed. Our focus is on low cost and rapidly-built structures that are modular, ecological, and energy efficient. Screen Shot 2016-04-16 at 8.58.11 https://openbuildinginstitute.org
A sustainable agriculture will probably still need some watering. If you’re going to do that then basing it on the actual moisture levels in your soil will save water and keep your plants happier So this how-to is on the to-do list
https://wikihouse.cc/ http://www.brikawood-ecologie.fr/wall-kit/