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Aquaponics At Hamm's Brewery Yielding Fresh Local Produce

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Some are calling it the future of farming -- a technique that will provide local fresh produce year-round in the Twin Cities.

Right now lettuce, kale, and herbs are ready for harvest in St. Paul.

WCCO's Rachel Slavik talked with Urban Organics co-founder Fred Haberman about the project. You can see their conversation in the video above.

"It's really leveraging the symbiotic relationship between fish and plants," he said. "Fish, of course, create waste. We filter out the waste and that creates nutrient-rich water that then runs through these racks and fertilizes organically this wonderful produce."

Urban Organics worked with Pentair Aquatic Ecosystems to set up the unique indoor farming environment.

The Hamm's Brewery, which was lying vacant, was selected as a site. Haberman said that he hopes their experiment yields not just fresh local produce, but also urban renewal in the neighborhood.

Haberman said they can harvest their crops roughly every two weeks.

Another benefit to the project? You will soon be able to buy fresh, local tilapia in the Twin Cities. Watch the video below for more information.

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