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>> HE'S RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY
FOR HIS INNOVATIVE IDEAS ON HOW
TO GROW NOT ONLY FOOD, B
FARMERS AS WELL.LLEN IS MY SPECT
NEXT ON "I REMEMBER".
>> HI, I'M JIM PECK.
WELCOME TO "I REMEMBER".
AND C.E.O. OFIGHT IS WILL
GROWING POWER.TH A VISION,HELPIF
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN URBAN
COMMUNITIES.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
RTERED IN MIL,
GROWING POWER IS A NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATI
COMMUNITY FOOD SYSTEMS.
IT ALL BEGAN IN 1993, WHEN
FARMER WILL ALLEN BOUGHT TWO
ACRES AT 55TH AND SILVER
SPRING AND OPENED A ROADSIDE
PRODUCE STAND.
SOON HE WAS SHOWING YOUNG PEOP
HOW TO GROW FOOD AND DEVELOPING
LOW-COST FARMING METHODS
AT THE
GREENHOUSES.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE PLANTS AND
AN ARMY OF WORMS IS HARD AT
WORK, AND THERE'S ROOM FOR AN
APIARY, ALON
GOATS, RABBITS AND TURKEYS.
IN THE AQUAPONICS SYSTEM, PLANTS
IN RAISED BEDS THRIVE OFF THE
NUTRIENTS FROM THE FISH WASTE
PUMPED FROM BELOW.
THE WATER RECIRCULAT
ENCLOSED SYSTEM.
WORMS IN BINS BREAK
COMPOST.
AFTER THE WORMS PROCESS IT,
THEIR CASTINGS PROVIDE AN
ORGANIC FERTILIZER AND SOIL
CONDITIONER.
GROWING POWER HAS BLOSS
VARIOUS OPERATIONS IN URBAN
SETTINGS AND RURAL LOCATIONS AS
WELL.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PROJECTS IN
CHICAGO, AS WELL AS PLANS FOR
NATIONAL TRAINING CENTERS AROUND
THE COUNTRY.
WILL I
NATIONAL CONFERENCES.
IN 2008, HE WAS AWARDED A
"GENIUS GRANT" FROM THE
MACARTHUR FOUNDATION.IN HONOR OS
CREATIVITY, HIS MACARTHUR
FELLOWSHIP INCLUDES $500,000
OVER FIVE YEARS TO CONTINUE HIS
DREAM.
>> I DON'T THINK
INTERVIEWED ANYONE WHO WAS
OFFICIALLY NAMED A GENIUS BY A
HOW DID YOU FIND OUT THAT YOU
WERE GETTING THE MacARTHUR
GENIUS AWARD?S ACTUALLY OUT ON
MY FARM IN OAK CREEK, AND I WAS
ABOUT READY TO CUT SOME SALAD
GREENS, AND I GET A CALL ON MY
CELL PHONE, AND THE GENTLEMAN ON
THE PHONE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU
DOING?
AND SO I WAS THINKING IT WAS A
PRANK CALL, AND I SAID, I'M
ABOUT TO CUT SOME LETTUCE, AND
HE SAID, WELL, YOU BETTER PUT
DOWN YOUR KNIFE, AND HAVE A
SEAT, SO THEN I'M REALLY THINK
IT'S A PRANK CALL.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS -- THEN I
THOUGHT, MAYBE IT'S ONE OF MY
FRIENDS CALLING JUST ACTING KIND
OF CRAZY.
THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, HE WAS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
MacARTHUR FOUNDATION, AND
ASKED ME IF I KNEW WHAT THE
MacARTHUR FOUNDATION WAS.
I'D HEARD OF IT, BUT I DIDN'T
REALLY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY
DID, BECAUSE AS AN ORGANIZATION,
WE HAD NEVER APPLIED TO THE
MacARTHUR FOUNDATION, AND THEN
HE WENT ON TO SAY, YOU'VE JUST
BEEN NAMED A MacARTHUR FELLOW,
AND STARTED TO LAUNCH INTO WHAT
THAT MEANT.
AND HE SAID, WELL, YOU'RE GOING
TO GET A PAYMENT OF $500,000,
THAT'S JUST FOR YOU, AND WE'VE
BEEN LOOKING AT YOU FOR THE LAST
TWO YEARS, AND FOLLOWED YOU
AROUND THE COUNTRY, CAME TO SOME
OF YOUR TRAININGS, LISTENED TO
SOME OF YOUR SPEECHES, AND SO
FORTH.
AT PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, SO
YOU KNOW, THEN HE WENT ON TO
TELL ME WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT.
>> SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT
SOMEBODY HAD PUT YOUR NAME IN ON
THIS?
>> NO.
IT'S KIND OF A SECRET.
HE EXPLAINED TO ME HOW IT WORKS.
IT'S KIND OF A SECRET, YOU KNOW,
THEY DON'T LET THE PERSON KNOW.
DIFFERENT FOUNDATIONS THAT GIVE
FELLOWSHIPS HAVE DIFFERENT
PROCESSES, BUT THEIRS WAS A VERY
SECRETIVE PROCESS.
>> THAT'S WHY I HAVEN'T FOUNDMI.
IT'S STILL A SECRET.
WHAT MADE YOU START A PRODUCE
STAND OUT ON SILVER SPRING?
>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE
TIME TONIGHT TO REALLY START
FROM THE BEGINNING, BUT I GREW
UP ON A FARM RIGHT OUTSIDE OF
WASHINGTON, D.C., SO I HAVE A
FARM BACKGROUND.
AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT,
THE FARM -- LEFT THE FARM AT 18,
WENT TO COLLEGE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI-FLORIDA AND
THEN I PLAYED PROFESSIONAL
BASKETBALL, I WOUND UP PLAYING
MY LAST YEARS IN BELGIUM.
LL I DO THISN I LEFT THE FARM, I
HARD WORK.
>> IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU MENTION
THIS, BECAUSE I NEVER MET THE
SON OF ANY FARMER THAT WANTED TO
HAVE
THEY WANTED TO GET THE HECK AWAY
FROM IT.
IT'S TOO HARD WORK.
>> RIGHT.
BUT I STARTED HANGING OUT WITH
SOME FARMERS IN BELGIUM, BECAUSE
I GUESS I HAD THIS HIDDEN
PASSION TO FARM, BECAUSE THEY
FARMED A LOT LIKE WE DID.
KIND OF A SMALL FOO OF
FARMS AND THEY TOOK CARE OF THE
LAND, THEY DID IT, YOU KNOW,
NATURALLY.
WE DIDN'T CALL IT ORGANIC
FARMING BACK THEN, BUT IT WAS
KIND OF BEYOND ORGANIC THE WAY
THAT THEY FARMED, AND I ACTUALLY
STARTED GROWING SOME FOOD OVER
IN BELGIUM.
WHEN I HAD SOME TIME, I ACTUALLY
LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY IN
LEEWARD, BELGIUM, AND HAD SOME
CHICKENS AND A LOT OF THE OTHER
AMERICAN PLAYERS WOULD COME TO
OUR HOUSE, BECAUSE THE HOUSE
WITH ALL THE FOOD.
THE PLAYERS FROM THE OTHER TEAMS
IN THE PROFESSIONAL LEAGUE OVER
THERE, FOR THANKSGIVING AND
CHRISTMAS, BECAUSE WE WERE ALL
AWAY FROM HOME AND WE'D FIX A
BIG MEAL AND SO FORTH, SO I'VE
ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN AS, YOU CAN
TELL BY MY SIZE, I LIKE TO EAT.
>> WELL.
YES.
YOU ARE A MIDLIN HEFTY LAD.
WE USED TO LD GO BEAR
HUUT THAT'S
A DIFFERENT IDEA.
DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN YOU
OPENED THE STAND ON SILVER
SPRING, I ALWAYS WONDERED WHAT
THE HECK IS GOING ON THERE
BECAUSE IT KEEPS CHANGING.
DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW IT WAS
GOING TO PROGRESS?
>> NO, ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY
BOUGHT THAT FACILITY.
I HAVE A FARM IN OAK CREEK AND I
BOUGHT THAT FACILITY, I WAS
WORKING FOR PROCTER & GAMBLE IN
SALESMAN TECHNOLOGY AND I WAS
PASSING THERE, SAW IT WAS FOR
SALE, LOOKED INTO IT, FOUND THE
CITY OWNED IT AND I NEGOTIATED
WITH THE CITY AND MADE THE
PURCHASE TO SELL MY FARM
PRODUCE.
NEVER KNOWING I WOULD BE DOING
WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IN TERMS
OF A NON-PROFIT TRAINING PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD, HOW TO -- HOW
TO FARM, AND WORKING WITH YOUTH
AND SO FORTH.
>> NOW THAT'S A HECK OF A JUMP
FROM PLAYING B
EUROPE, TO WORKING FOR PROCTER &
GAMBLE, I THINK THE MARCUS
CORPORATION TOO, IF I REMEMBER.
AND THEN DECIDED TO GO BACK INTO
FARMING FULL TIME.
FIRST OF ALL, WHEN DID YOU
PLAY -- YOU WENT TO UNIVERSITY
OF MIAMI, RIGHT?
>> FROM 1967 TO 1971.
>> YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ONE OF THE
FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PLAYERS.
>> I WAS THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ATHLETE AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.
>> WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
>> IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES.
ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, FIRST
YEAR, THAT I WENT THERE, IT WAS
TIME WHEN THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY
PLAYERS IN THE SOUTHEAST
CONFERENCE, IN THE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ATHLETES IN THE
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE.
WE WERE INDEPENDENT.
WE PLAYED A LOT OF SCHOOLS, LIKE
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA,
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, YOU KNOW,
AND I WOULD GET THREATENING,
WHEN I FIRST WENT THERE, I WOULD
GET THREATENING LETTERS AND SO
FORTH.
>> REALLY?
>> FROM THE KLU KLUX *** AND
OTHERS.
>> A GREAT GROUP OF PEOPLE.
>> AND WHEN YOU PLAYED GAMES,
YOU WOULD GET CALLED NAMES AND
SPIT AT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT AFTER THAT, MORE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ATHLETES
STARTED TO PLAY IN SOUTHERN
SCHOOLS, SO --
>> TRAVELING MUST HAVE BEEN AM .
>> A LITTLE BIT.
YEAH.
>> A LOT OF HOTELS DIDN'T --
>> RIGHT AFTER DESEGREGATION IN
THE SOUTH AND SO FORTH, SO YOU
KNOW, IT WAS A LITTLE -- IT WAS
A LITTLE DICEY AT TIMES.
>> I CAN REMEMBER
AFRICAN-AMERICANS PLAYERS AT
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY WHEN AL
MCGUIRE WAS COACHING THERE, WHO
WEREN'T ALLOWED TO -- THE TEAM
WOULDN'T PLAY OF COURSE.
WE'D PULL OUT, B
ALLOWED TO STAY IN A HOTEL OR
WHATEVER.
>> YEAH.
YOU HAD TO BE PRETTY SELECTIVE
IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU WOULD STAY
AND SO FORTH, YOUBUT --
>> COME BACK TO FARMING A LITTLE
BIT.
LET ME ASK YOU A TWO-PRONGED
QUESTION. NEEDS DID YOU SEE
AND ,
HOW DID YOU THINK YOU COULD MEET
THOSE NEEDS?
>> WELL, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT
WAS KIND OF EVOLVING KIND OF
THING.
I BOUGHT THE PLACE TO SELL MY A.
I COME FROM A FOR-PROFIT
BACKGROUND.
I KNW TO
OPERATE A NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION.
AFTER I WAS THERE A COUPLE
YEARS, I HELPED THE YOUTH GROUP
AND -- GROW A GARDEN AND WE GOT
AN ARTICLE IN THE "MILWAUKEE
JOURNAL" AND THEN I STARTED
GETTING REQUESTS FROM SCHOOLS
AND OTHER NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS FOR ME TO HELP
THEIR KIDS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE
THINGS I SAID, WAS I REALLY
THEIR FOOD CAMEOPLE TO LEARN
FROM, AND SOME OF THE LIFE
SKILLS THAT YOU CAN GAIN BY
WORK.
GETTING UP IN THE MORNING,
TAKING CARE OF THINGS, A LOT OF
JUST BASIC LIFE SKILLS THAT
ALMOST EVERY FAMILY, YOU KNOW,
LOOK BA YEARS, MOST PEOPLE
HAD SOME TYPE OF
CONNECTION, AND WE HAD -- WE HAD
LOST THAT.
>> WE CAN ASSUME IT WAS TO GET
OFF THE FARM WHEN WE STARTED
THIS.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO GREW UP AS A
FARMER AND SAID WHEN YOU GROW UP
'VE DONENO JOB IS EVER
EVERYTHING.
FROM SHOVELING MANURE TO
WHATEVER.
>> IT REALLY GROUNDS YOU.
IT'S REICH WORKING FROM THE
GROUND UP -- LIKE WORKING FROM
THE GROUND UP OR EVEN BELOW
GROUND, SO IT REALLY HELPS YOU
BUILD A FOUNDATION IN YOUR LIFEE
WE'ROIL,
WHETHER WE WANT TO --
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND, YOUIT'SL
THING TO REALLY TOUCH
>> HOW DIFFICULT A IT KIDS OFF ,
AND INTO WORKING ON A FARM?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE THINK IT'S REALLY
DIFFICULT, BUT IT'CH,
ESPECIALLYER CITY YOUTH, WHO
REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT TO DO.
IF IT'S NOT FOR BASKETBALL, OR,
YOUR KNOW, FOOTBALL OR BASEBALL
Y
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING TO GET INVOLVED IN.
AND I THINK IF YOU'RE HONESTND W
THAT THIS WORK IS, YOU KNOW,IT',
YOU CAN MAKE THE CONNECTION.HINO
IT,CIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE
HAVE FASCINATION FOR SOMETHING
NEW, SOMETHING THEY HAVEN'T DONE
BEFORE, AND LIKE I SAID, I THINO
THE EARTH, D TO FOOD
AND CONNECTED TO OR
EATING FOOD,'T THINK
IT'S THAT DIFFICULT OF A
TRANSITION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO
GET INVOLVED.
>> DO THEY SEE IT F
MAKINGWAY OF HELPING
IN THE COM
WHAT'S -- WHAT'S IN IT FOR
>> WELL, IT DEPENDS ON THE AGE.
OBVIOUSLY, ITS YOUNGER
KNOW, YOU START KIDS FROM K-5
THAT WE WORK WITH AND UP, THE
YOUNGER THEY ARE, THE EASIER IT
IS FOR THEM TO GET CONNECTED.
BUT WE WORK WITH ALL AGES, A
WE FIND THAT WE WORK INHICAGO,
WE HAVE THREE FARMS IN ILLINOISK
HERE IN MILWAUKEE, AND YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU GET INTO THE TEENAGE
YEARS, IT'S A LITTLE TOUGHER TO
INVOLVED,
ESPECIALLY MAKING THE TRAN
FROM T
FAST-FOOD PLACES TO EATING
HEREPARE
FOR THE KIDS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER I ASK
FOOD, AND
THEY ALWAYS TALK ABOUT
THANKSGIVING AND CHR
THEY GO TO GRANDPARENTS' HOUSE,Y
GOOD MEAL, SO ITASIER
WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO FEED THESE
YOUNG PEOPLE, HEALTHY FOOD,
SOMETHING DIFFERENT THO EATING T
McDONALD'S OR BURGER
KFC OR ONE OF-FOOD
PLACES, SO I THINK THETION HAPPY
GET INTRODUCED MORE AND MORE TO.
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT FAST-FOOD,
BUT WHEN THEY SIT DOWN AND T
HEAT A MIAMI THAT IS REALLY
NUTRITIOUS AND HEALTHY FOR THEM,
THEY NOT ONLY ACT BETTER, IN A
BEHAVIAY, BUT THEY
ALSO ARE HEALTHIER, AND THEY
WANT TO DO POSITIVE THINGS.
I REALLY HEALTHY
FOODS REALLY LEADS TO A HEALTHYE
PREVENTION KIND OF THING, IT
ACTS -- IT REALLY HELPS KIDS TO
LEARN.
>> YOU TALKED ABOUT URBAN
FARMING, AND -- WHICH IS A GREAT
IDEA, BUT YOU NEED A LOT OF
SPACE FOR FA YOU DO THAT IN A C?
>> WELL, YOU'D THINK YOU
A LOT OF SPACE FOR FARMING.
THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF
ND LOTS OFURRENT INDUSTRIAL FARM
LAND.
WE'RE GOING FROM FINCH ROW TO
FI
WE'RE BURNING ROW CROPS OF
SOYBEANS AND CORN THAT CONVERTS.
BUT THIS TYPE OF FARMING, THAT
WE'RE DOING IN SMALLER SPACES,OE
INTENSIVE, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU
CAN GROW MORE PLANTS IN A
SMALLER SPACE THAN YOU CAN IN
RURAL.
RURAL AGRICULTURE D
A LOT.
SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU NEED SO MUCH
LAND, IT'S CHEMICALLY BASED, IT
HASN'T WORKED.
WE'RE IN A TERRIBLE SITUATION.
WE'VE GOT MORE HUNGRY PEOPLE IN
THE WORLD TODAY, BECAUSE OF OUR
INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM, WHEN
EARL BUTTS IN THE NIXON
ADMINISTRATION SAID WE'RE GOING
TO GO FINCH ROW TO FINCH ROW AND
MAKE ALL YOU FARMERS
NOW WE HAVE LESS FARMERS THAN
EVER BEFORE, WE HAVE MORE HUNGRY
PEOPLE, SO WE'VE GOT TO DO
SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR FOOD
SYSTEM, AND THAT'S WHY THIS NEW
TYPE OF SMALLER SCALE, SMALLER
FOOTPRINT FARMING, WHETHER IT'S
IN RURAL COMMUNITIES, OR URBAN
COMMUNITIES, OR SUBURBAN
COMMUNITIES, MAKES A LOT OF
SENS
>> WE ALMOST DO A VERTICAL FARM
U'VE GOT -- YOU'VE GOTTLE BIT A,
FISH, YOU'VE GOT PLANTS, YOU'VE
GOT ALL SORTS OF STUFF OUT
THERE.
>> THERE'S DIFFERENT MODELS.
RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF
TALKING ABOUT THESE 50 STORY
GLASS BUILDINGS THAT WILL FEED
50,000 PEOPLE.
OF COURSE, NOBODY HAS BUILT ONE
YET, SO A MORE REALISTIC PIECE
WOULD BE TO TAKE A CURRENT
GREENHOUSE STRUCTURE, AND NOT
GROW ON ONE PLANE, BUT TAKE THE
BASIC FOOTPRINT OF LAND AND
INCREASE IT BY USING VERTICAL
SPACE, BY HAVING PLANTS ON FOUR,
FIVE DIFFERENT LEVELS, OR EVEN
GROWING IN THE GROUND LIKE WE DO
WITH FISH IN AN AQUAPONICS
SYSTEM, HAVE 10,000 GALLONS OF
WATER WITH TILAPIA OR LAKE PERCH
AND ABOVE THE SYSTEM, GROW
PLANTS AND USE THE PLANTS AS A
FILTRATION FOR TE FR
THE FISH.
>> HOW DOES THAT WORK, HOW DO
YOU GET ALL THAT WATER TO DO ALL
THE STUFF ABOVE IT?
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO -- WE DUG
OUT SYSTEMS BY HAND IN OUR
GREENHOUSES, AND THEN WE PUT IN
45 MILL POND LINER, AND THEN WE
USE ONE SINGLE PUMP TO LIFT THE
WATER TO THE UPPER DEADS AND USE
GRAVITY TO MOVE THE WATER, SO
IT'S A CLOSED SYSTEM.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ADD -- YOU
ONLY HAVE TO ADD MAKEUP WATER,
SO YOU'RE NOT ADDING WATER ALL
THE TIME, SO YOU'RE REPLICATING
A CLEANRY OR A STREAM AND IT'S
AECIUM BEE OUT I CAN
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FISH
AND THE PLANTS.
THE PLANTS HELP THE FISH AND THE
FISH HELPS THE PLANT.
>> YOU MENTIONED TILAPIA, WHICH
IS I THINK A WARM WATER FISH.
>> YES.
>> THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM
HERE IN WISCONSIN.
>> WELL, IT'S -- IT WOULD SEEM
SO.
BUT WE HEAT THE WATER, AND IN
OUR RESEARCH, SOME OF THE
RESEARCH I'VE DONE, IS THAT WHEN
YOU HEAT A 10,000-GALLONS OF
WATER, IT ACTS AS A THERMAL MASS
OF HEAT.
IT HELPS KEEP THE GREENHOUSE
WARM.
IT'S A MUCH KEEP CHEAPER WAY OF
HEATING THAN USING FORCED AIR,
LIKE MODENE FORCED TYPE HEATERS,
IT GOES RIGHT OUT OF THE
BUILDING, WHERE YOU HAVE THE
THERMAL MASS OF 85-DEGREE
TEMPERATURE WHERE THE FISH
RESIDE AND THAT HELPS KEEP THE
GREENHOUSE WARM.
>> AND PERCH, WHICH OF COURSE IS
A -- IS AN INDIGENOUS FISH, THAT
DOESN'T NEED WARM WATER.
>> PERCH, ACTUALLY, WE WANT THE
WATER BETWEEN 17 CENTIGRADE TO
ABOUT 22, 23 CENTIGRADE.
>> FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE
CHALLENGED, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
FAHRENHEIT?
>> WATER IS, THINK OF LAKE
MICHIGAN.
>> COLD.
>> LAKE MICHIGAN TYPE WATER,
ONLY WARMER.
A LIMB WARMER.
SAY SPRINGTIME IN LAKE MICHIGAN.
>> GOT YOU.
>> WHERE YOU'RE ABOUT READY TO
WALK INTO THE LAKE AND
SWIMMING.
>> MAYBE YOU OR I.
I'M NOT.
>> BECAUSE THE LAKE PERCH IN
LAKE MICHIGAN TAKE ABOUT THREE
YEARS TO COME TO MATURITY AND IN
OUR SYSTEMS, IT TAKES ABOUT A
YEAR.
SIMPLY BECAUSE THE WATER IS
STABILIZED, STAYS PRETTY MUCH
THE SAME, AND FOOD IS AVAILABLE
AT ALL TIMES.
WHERE IN THE LAKE, CARNIVOURS
ARE OUT SEARCHING FOR PERCH AND
THEY GO INTO A DORMANT STATE, SO
THEIR GROWTH SPURT HAPPENS WHEN
THE WATER GETS WARMER.
>> CAN YOU GROW ENOUGH OF THOSE
RASCALS TO GET THEM BACK ON THE
FRIDAY FISH FRY MENU?
>> THAT'S PART OF OUR RESEARCH
THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE GREAT
LAKES INSTITUTE.
FRED BINKOWSKI, ONE OF THE CHIEF
RESEARCHERS DOWN THERE IS
WORKING WITH US, THEY DO WATER
QUALITY TESTING.
THESE SYSTEMS, WE DEVELOP THESE
SYSTEMS, WE'VE BEEN DOING
TILAPIA FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS, BUT
WE STARTED DOING LAKE PERCH,
WHICH IS ONE OF THE FAVORITE
FISH OF WISCONSINITES AS YOU
WELL KNOW.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
NUMBERS ANY MORE, SO THE DNR HAS
OUTLAWED COMMERCIAL FISH IN LAKE
MICHIGAN FOR THAT FISH.
>> WE ALL MISS IT.
>> YEAH.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BRING LAKE
PERCH BACK, DOING A DIFFERENT
TYPE OF FISH FARMING, BECAUSE
OUR SYSTEMS ARE DIFFERENT THAN
COMMERCIAL TYPE SYSTEMS, THAT
WE'RE REPLICATING A LAKE OR A
STREAM IN OUR SYSTEMS, NO
CHEMICALS ARE USED, THE FISH
WASTE IS PROCESSED BY THE PLANT,
SO IT'S A NATURAL SYSTEM, JUST
LIKE IN THE LAKE.
SO WE'VE HAD GREAT RESULTS OF
THAT SO FAR.
WE'RE STARTING TO TRAIN OTHERS
TO DO IT.
THERE'S 100,000-GALLON SYSTEM
GOING UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE, THAT
WE'RE CONSULTING WITH A GROUP OF
YOUNG GUYS THAT ARE -- WANT TO
DO IT.
OF COURSE, THEY HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO FARM, BECAUSE PARTS OF IT
IS FARMING.
THE PLANTS AS WELL AS THE FISH.
SO IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST BUILDING
A SYSTEM.
IT'S ABOUT LEARNING HOW TO
MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM AND TO MAKE
THOSE FISH GROW.
>> WHAT A FASCINATING I'VE DE.
I'M JUST -- I'M JUST PICTURING
ALL OF THE STUFF GOING ON.
OK.
WE'VE GOT THE FISH AT THE
ARE YOU GROWING
ABOVE THAT?
>> WELL, THE RESOURCE OVER
THE -- I'VE BEEN TRYING
DIFFERENT PLANTS, TO SEE WHICH
ONE -- WHICH ONES WOUL
BEST TO FILTER OUT THE WASTE,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE AMMONIA AND
YOU HAVE TO GET THAT OUT.
SO I FOUND WATER CREST, AN
EDIBLE PLANT, SOMETHING THAT WE
MARKET TO OUR RESTAURANTS AT
ABOUT $16 A POND.
IT'S A FAST-GROWING, HAS A
TREMENDOUS ROOT SYSTEM, SO THAT
TAKES UP A LOT OF WASTE, AND
SOME OF THE OTHER HEAVY FEEDERS
ARE TOMATOES, THEY HAVE A
TREMENDOUS ROOT SYSTEM, SO YOU
CAN GROW TOMATOES IN THE SYSTEM.
YOU CAN GROW ALMOST ANY TYPE OF
PLANT, BUT I FOUND THAT WATER
CREST IS A PLANT OF CHOICE.
SO IF I'M GROWING TILAPIA, I
WOULD PROBABLY USE A MIXED BAG
OF PLANTS.
BUT IF I'M DOING LAKE PERCH, I
WOULD JUST PUT WATER CREST IN
THE SYSTEMS, BECAUSE THE WATER
QUALITY IS -- HAS TO BE VERY
GOOD FOR THE LAKE PERCH TO
SURVIVE.
VERSUS THE TILAPIA, THEY EAT, AS
THEY'RE BREATHING, THEY TAKE IN
FOOD AND THEY EAT ALGAE AND
WANT THEIR WATER TO BE A LITTLE
DICEY, BUT THE LAKE PERCH WANT
THE WATER TO BE PRETTY PRISTINE.
>> AND YOU'RE MAKING THE LAKE
PERCH INTO VEGETARIANS THEN I
GUESS?
>> WELL, NO, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO
FEED THEM.
WE HAVE TO FEED THEM A FEED.
>> OK.
>> YOU KNOW.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME
RESEARCH, BECAUSE THE OTHER
THING WE DO IS VERMICOMPOST, WE
HAVE 5,000 POUNDS OF WORMS ON
OUR FARM AND WE'RE GOING TO BE
DOING SOME RESEARCH ON LOOKINGA,
NATURAL THINGS, AND TO SEE IF
I'M DOING SOME RESEARCH ON BLACK
ALREADY FLY LARVAE.
>> WHAT'S IS THAT?
AT GIVES OFLDIER FLY IS A WASP
LARVAE IN FOTHEY'RE
KIND OF LIKEIG MAGGOT THAT'S
42% PROTEIN.
YOU FIND THEM A LOT IN THEVE BEO
REAR THEM, GROWING POWER IN OUR
GREENHOUSES, IN WASTE, A
MAKE OUR COMPOST.
>> NO WONDER MacARTHUR
FOUNDATION CALLED YOU A GENIUS.
IT'S JUST FASCINATING.
I READ THAT THERE IS AT LEAST
SOME TALK, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T
THINK IT'S HAPPENED YET,
DOING A FARM AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
AND YOU'RE KIND OF
THAT, AREN'T YOU?
>> YEAHACT, LAST NIGHT,
I WAS ON A CALL WITH T
THE -- THREE OTHER FIN
THE HEAD OF THE -- THEY HAD A
LITTLE CONTEST TO SEE WHO COULD
FARMER, BUT
BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE TR
DO IS MAKE SURE TH THERE'S ARM .
AND WE'RE FRYING TO WORK ON
SOME -- TRYING TO WORK ON SOME
STRATEGIES TO SEE HOW WE CAN
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
>> IF YOU JUST PLANT
GARDEN, IT'S NOT GOING TO HELP
ANYBODY.
IT WOULD BE NICE, THEY'RE
RAISING STUFF FOR THEIR
BUT THE SORT OF THING YOU RAN
INTO WOULD BE A FABULOUS
SHOWCASE.
THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE THAT GO
>> WELL, THAT'S OUR WHOLE IDEA,
TOBLE TO -- WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT IT, WOULD
BE, WITH THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
THAT GO THROUGH D.C., OR SEE THE
WHITE HOUSE, BE ABLE TOHOWCASE
THE MOVEMENT FROM THIS
INDUSTRIAL FOOD SYSTEM TO THIS
SMALLER SCALE KIND
INTENSIVE GROWING FOOT $5 A
SQUARE FOOTHICH EQUATES TO200,0.
IF YOU CAN HAVE THAOU
KNOW, AT THE WHITE T
WOULD HELP OUR MOVEMENT
>> NOT ONLY TOURISTS, BUT HEADS
OF STATE AND WHAT A GREAT THING
TO BE AOW THAT THIS
HT.NTRY IS DOING.
AND IF WE'RE PANEL TO DO IT WITH
CULTURES OFPPROPRIATE FOOD,
OUR COUNTRY, WE'LL LIVE IN
VERY DIVERSE COUNTRY, TO BE ABLE
TO SHOWN CASE OF THE DIFFERENT
CULTURAL GROUPS, WITH THES, YOUE
COULD GROW A COUPLE
VARIETIES OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF
VEGETABLES, HERBS, AND YOU CAN
HAVE THINGS LIKE TYPE
THINGS THAT DIFFERENT CULTURES
>> WHAT ABOUT
CAN THEY FIGURE INT
>> WELL, THAT'S A STRETCH.
>> IS
>> CHICKENS AND BLUEGILLSD
>> I WOULD BE SATISFIED
POINT I.
>> WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SELL IT
TO THE GOVERNORS AND MAYORS ANDE
WHITE HOUSE.
I TH STEP IN
THIS -- IT GENERATED TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF NATIONAL PUBLICITY.AN,
T
FORWARD.
>> IF THIS ISN'T A TASTELESS
QUESTION, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT.
BUT THE MacARTHUR GENIUS AWARD
WAS $500,000.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH IT OR WHAT
ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?
>> WELL, IT'S ALOWSHIP.
YOU KNOW, I CAN DO PRETTY MUCH .
>> THEY IT NO STRINGS.
>> RIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
ALWAYS DOL
FO OF
OUR KIDS TO C
ALSO -- I ALSO USE OVER THE
YEARS, FUNDED A LOT OF FOL
THAT COULDN'T COME TO OUR
TRAININGINGS, COULDN'T AFFORD TO
COME TO OUR TRAININGS, TO BE
ABLE TO COME TO OUR TRAININGS,
SO I'LL DO SOME STUFF LIKE THATE
RESEARCH.
SOME OF THE STUFF THAT I WANT TO
DO IN TERMS OF AROUND THE FOOD
SE
PERSONAL RESEARCH, I'M IN THE
PROCESS OF WRITING A BOOK RIGHT
NOW.
HOPEFULLY I'LL BE ABLE TO, YOU
IN TIME, GO AWAY TO FINISH
THE BOOK A LITTLE BIT, AND SO
FORTH.
>> WHAT A GREAT PROJECT.
GROWING POWER.
CAN PEOPLE COME AND STOP TO SEE
IT AT 55th AND SILVER SPRING?
>> WVERY DAY.
YOU CAN ALSO VOLUNTEER.
WE HAVE OVER A THOUSAND
VOLUNTEERS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE
COLLEGES, UWM, MARQUETTE, ALL
THE LOCAL COLLEGES, STUDENTS
COME THERE FOR THE SERVICE
LEARNING, AND THEY HAVE
VOLUNTEER SO MANY HOURS BEFORE
THEY GRADUATE, I GUESS.
WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
SO WE'RE ONE OF THE -- FROM WHAT
I UNDERSTAND, THE PLACE THAT A
LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO
COME, BECAUSE THEY CAN GET A
GOOD PHYSICAL WORKOUT ON A FARM
AND THEY CAN EAT SOME GOOD FOOD
AND BEING A VERY FRIENDLY
ENVIRONMENTAL -- SAFE AND
ENVIRONMENTAL ATMOSPHERE.
>> MAYBE GET YOU OUT ON THE
COURT AND TRY TO POST YOU UP.
WILL ALLEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL SHOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
I HOPE YOU JOINING US NEXT TIME
AS WE CONTINUE TO REMEMBER.