When
Colorado Aquaponics President J.D. Sawyer was laid off from his job as Director of Operations at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, he wanted to do something that was totally different.
He wasted no time in finding it: aquaponics, the merger of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (soil-free agriculture). Essentially, water from the fish tanks becomes fertilizer for the plants, catalyzing growth of lettuce, greens and other plants in the hydroponic system. The process uses 90 percent less water than soil-based agriculture with zero waste.
J.D.'s wife Tawnya Sawyer co-founded the company with him in late 2009, and they quickly partnered with the nonprofit
GrowHaus to set up a pilot facility. "We realized we could be feeding ourselves and the community," says Tawnya. "It's a great collaboration that fulfills the missions of both organizations."
Colorado Aquaponics has a hybrid business model. "Our business is twofold," says Tawnya. "We offer education on aquaponics and we sell food from our farm." Customers include such Denver restaurants as
Jax Fish House,
Duo,
Same Cafe and
Fuel Cafe, as well as
Marczyk Fine Foods. The company also sells aquaponics systems.
"Home systems can be a 20-gallon aquarium," says Tawnya, noting that her family started with an aquarium system. "With guppies and goldfish, we grew enough to have fresh salad every week."
Colorado Aquaponics currently has four employees. Future hires will be tied to growth, says Tawnya, citing such prospective clients as the Denver County Jail, schools, churches and hobbyists.
Tours of the GrowHaus farm are typically available on Fridays from 10 a.m to noon, but the public is also invited to visit during "Tour De Tanks" on April 21.
Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Eric Peterson with tips and leads for future stories at eric@confluence-denver.com.
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