Internet of food: Arduino-based, urban aquaponics in Oakland
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN cites it as a neat example of urban aquaponics and as a plausible alternative path for people leaving programming.
What it is
A short documentary about Eric Maundu's Arduino-controlled aquaponics setup in West Oakland, where contaminated soil rules out ordinary farming. Fish and circulating water grow plants without soil.
Recommended by 2 HN commenters across 2 different months, 2013 to 2018.
What Hacker News said
Recommends andymoe · 2014-06 · on “Any tech startups we can meet with today for coffee?”
You should go talk to the guy that runs an aquaponics program near West Oakland BART. [this video] Dude is amazing. My mother took a really interesting Saturday class from him.
Recommends roflchoppa · 2018-10 · on “Ask HN: Does anyone farm with aquaponics?”
Kijani Grows based out of Oakland has been doing work in this space for several years. I recall watching [this video] was pretty neat.
Cites eksith · 2013-02 · on “Help I don't want to be a programmer anymore”
It's called a premature midlife crisis (usually happens right before or at age 30). Some people get over it by dumping their life experience before that point completely while others, like myself, slowly wean off programming onto something else. A friend I've known since high school gave up a very lucrative career as a managing consultant to become... a farmer. Yup, he plants stuff and sells them at a bi-weekly market and keeps going in the winter thanks to his greenhouse. Currently engaged to a lovely lady and, to my surprise and delight, he's completely happy. It's a funny thing to feel like the industry you're good at (or been cornered into) is really not how you want to spend your life.