US (WI): Farmers take Mother Nature out of the equation

It was a slow start for farmers this year as winter just seemed to hang on. According to the Wisconsin Crop Progress and Condition report, many farmers are working through the night in hopes of catching up. But, what if farmers didn’t have to rely on the Midwest’s varying weather to be able to put food on the table? Some are turning to aquaponics, which takes Mother Nature out of the equation.

To look at this picturesque farm just outside of Paoli, it looks like any Wisconsin farm. However, if you take a closer look, you’ll notice where the cows used to be there's now something unique.

“We have twelve, twelve-hundred gallon tanks of Tilapia,” said Mike Knight. He’s the owner and operator of Clean Fresh Food in Belleville. Originally an army brat, who says, “I have a little bit of entrepreneurial ADD.”

With no background in farming, Knight and his wife purchased the 120 acre farm in 2011 and made some changes to the infrastructure.

Read more at WMTV (Amy Pflugshaupt)