11-20-2012, 03:30 AM
The topic of cattle on the BI means Parker Ranch and pretty much the whole north end of the island. This is a picture of Parker Ranch:
http://cache.virtualtourist.com/15/34884...e_Hilo.jpg
If you notice, it is lava rock with a thin layer of grass. It isn't about the amount of range land, it is about the nutrients. The nutrients aren't there, so that is why they are shipped to the mainland for finishing. It was a crazy idea to raise cattle on the BI in the first place but it proved to be a successful export business and now is a big part of the BI economy. The extended drought may be endangering this business model, without some way to get affordable feed in large quantities to the herds.
It's going to take a huge number of these tractor-trailers to feed even a moderate herd. That means a whole lot of driving around with big rigs, which is going to kill this idea with operating costs. It's actually not a bad idea as far as the aquaponics go. A fixed aquaponics farm delivering feed to the herds makes a lot more sense. It seems like it would be better to have a fixed fish pond with flooring over it, with holes for the plants, under an open air green house with fine mesh over the ends, the floor elevated a few inches above ground by 4x4 beams with a simple electric barrier around the perimeter. This would repel slugs and snails, the mesh over the openings keeps out the birds and most bugs, the greenhouse plastic providing diffused lighting and in combination with the flooring, keeps the fish pond from evaporating, the fish also being a product. This might be interesting to prototype.
http://cache.virtualtourist.com/15/34884...e_Hilo.jpg
If you notice, it is lava rock with a thin layer of grass. It isn't about the amount of range land, it is about the nutrients. The nutrients aren't there, so that is why they are shipped to the mainland for finishing. It was a crazy idea to raise cattle on the BI in the first place but it proved to be a successful export business and now is a big part of the BI economy. The extended drought may be endangering this business model, without some way to get affordable feed in large quantities to the herds.
It's going to take a huge number of these tractor-trailers to feed even a moderate herd. That means a whole lot of driving around with big rigs, which is going to kill this idea with operating costs. It's actually not a bad idea as far as the aquaponics go. A fixed aquaponics farm delivering feed to the herds makes a lot more sense. It seems like it would be better to have a fixed fish pond with flooring over it, with holes for the plants, under an open air green house with fine mesh over the ends, the floor elevated a few inches above ground by 4x4 beams with a simple electric barrier around the perimeter. This would repel slugs and snails, the mesh over the openings keeps out the birds and most bugs, the greenhouse plastic providing diffused lighting and in combination with the flooring, keeps the fish pond from evaporating, the fish also being a product. This might be interesting to prototype.
*Japanese tourist on bus through Pahoa, "Is this still America?*