The rearing shed conversion tasks include:-

• building of a partition wall with an access door, across the end of the classroom area to separate off the remaining livestock stalls.
• fitting insulation and wooden cladding to the inside of the walls.
• repairing the 6 opening windows (currently screwed shut).
• repairing the 2 sliding doors at each end of the shed.
• clear down outside and make a safe pathway to the door for access.
• install a new consumer unit and wiring for lights and power.
• build kitchen area with worktop and sink.
• water supply pipe work and plumbing
• groundwork and drains connection for an outside toilet.
• woodwork and fit out of toilet.
• painting the classroom internal walls etc.

Due to having negligible project budget for all of this we are going to have to be very creative in the obtaining, reusing, and reclamation of materials (wood, bricks, panelling, paint, insulation, electrics, plumbing)  for the conversion.
As you can imagine planning to a tight schedule is very difficult when we are not sure about the availability of materials, BUT we've a fixed deadline for the teaching area for it to be ready and usable for our first course starting on Friday 11th May 2018.

We've been looking at all the polytunnel types online for inspiration and to cost out what features we need.

To help with this work Urbanag are seeking intern or volunteers for the Aquaponics build where you can spend a summer learning lots of new practical smallholding skills in rural Cheshire.
The opportunity:-
Starting Easter 2018 Urbanag CIC are setting up from scratch a training centre and commercial scale Aquaponics system based on a rural smallholding near Frodsham.
We are looking for one or more people to:
1. Help with setting up a large polytunnel and hydroponic grow-beds (learn about - blockwork, woodwork, construction)
2. Build a commercial scale Aquaponics system (learn about - plumbing, electrics, water testing)
3. Setup and initial running of Aquaponics (learn about - fish care, plant propagation, water testing)
4. Convert farm building into training rooms (learn about - plumbing, electrics, woodwork, construction)
5. General smallholding help (learn about - care of livestock, chickens, pigs, etc.)
6. Help on Urbanag training courses (learn about - catering, customer service, administration)
If you can bring any of the skills needed that's great, but the key person quality we are looking for is a willingness to get stuck in and help.
Ideally you would live in the Frodsham WA6 area.

Contact email: [email protected]

Aquaponics, Aquaculture, Hydroponics,  Aeroponics, and even Vertical Farming are emerging urban growing production technologies that do not use soil as a medium.

As cities get bigger the urban areas spread out over the countryside putting buildings on what was farmland.

That is why we at URBANAG are promoting Aquaponics as a viable solution to be used in urban agriculture and the drive to localise food production.  A combination of fish and plant production using aquaculture and hydroponics systems, aquaponics is moving from the realm of experimental to commercial.
Let URBANAG help you find out more about this production system and if it might be right for your backyard, garden, or farming operation.

Yes its big changes for Urbanag in 2018 as are we are setting up a new training centre and a working small commercial scale Aquaponics system on a smallholding in Cheshire.

So we could do with a few dry days and less of the snow we've seen of late.

#Aquaponics #Permaculture #Urbanag #EOMovement