Verdant foliage and flowing water provide sharp contrast to the dry landscape that surrounds Pima Community College’s Desert Vista Campus.
Tomatoes and lemongrass mixed with fish ponds represent the college’s foray into aquaponics, a method of agriculture that combines aquaculture and hydroponics. It’s essentially a blend of fish farming and water gardening.
“One nice thing about the program is the flexibility,” program coordinator Ely Esparza said. “This allows for a lot of ingenuity. There are no black and white guidelines so your hands are free.”
Some 44 graduating high school students got a first-hand look at the program when they participated in Esparza’s Agri-SURF Summer Bridge Program.
The program was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and founded by Esparza, who was inspired by his love of surfing when conceiving the name. The acronym stands for Agricultural Sustainability and Universal Renewable Farming.