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I'm not sure I understand the market of your product. Is the intent to trick people into gardening by making it seem "high tech" or trendy or something? Are p

I'm not sure I understand the market of your product. Is the intent to trick people into gardening by making it seem "high tech" or trendy or something? Are people actually willing to do more work to grow food if you make it sound new/different? Most people don't garden the easy way, so it just seems like a tough sell to get them to do it a harder way.

ph0rque 8y ago
AutoMicroFarm's vision is to enable people with back yards to 1) grow the majority of their food in their back yard (asymptotically converging to 100%), and 2) spend a minimum of time and effort in order to do so (asymptotically converging to zero time and effort). AutoMicroFarm will provide products and services to that effect. I started out with aquaponics, thinking the end product would need to be high-tech. But it turns out that good design (which the aquaponics industry has not completely agreed upon yet) can obviate the need for high tech. Aside from aquaponics, permaculture goes a long way towards maximizing yield while minimizing time and effort needed on an ongoing basis. However, the time and effort is often front-loaded when the design is installed. Robotics, when ubiquitous and affordable, will transform agriculture, whether on a commercial or a residential level. In the meantime, there are lots of opportunities that I hope to capitalize on.
- deialtrous 8y ago
  But the setup described on your website is more work than just an ordinary garden. Maybe it is a regional thing, I don't know where your main market is, but here in Canada even in low income rural areas the vast majority of people absolutely refuse to grow a garden. They will spend $2000 on a plastic and chinesium riding mower and then $30 of gas and 6 hours of time every week mowing an acre or more of grass, but they won't spend 5 minutes and $2 planting a couple of tomato plants. Doesn't anyone who is willing to garden already do it, and so not need to pay you for a way to do it that involves more work? Are you moving more towards being a permaculture design consultant?
  - ph0rque 8y ago
    The setup on my website (which is a bit out of date, compared to what I currently have) is not more work than an ordinary garden and an ordinary pond put together, which would be a proper comparison. Not everyone who is willing to garden, does so. I've worked with a couple local clients who love the idea of gardening, but weren't sure how to start. Permaculture design (on a back-yard level) is one of the services I offer, although I don't call it that. In the meantime, I am in the process of updating my website. It's taking longer than I would like (day jobs: can't live with them, can't live without them yet...). You can read more on the current state of my own yard, and the types of services and products I am offering, here: https://blog.automicrofarm.com/state-of-my-suburban-homestead-fall-2018-edition-f6b68fdb17ce https://blog.automicrofarm.com/state-of-my-suburban-homestea...

ph0rque 8y ago

AutoMicroFarm's vision is to enable people with back yards to 1) grow the majority of their food in their back yard (asymptotically converging to 100%), and 2) spend a minimum of time and effort in order to do so (asymptotically converging to zero time and effort). AutoMicroFarm will provide products and services to that effect. I started out with aquaponics, thinking the end product would need to be high-tech. But it turns out that good design (which the aquaponics industry has not completely agreed upon yet) can obviate the need for high tech. Aside from aquaponics, permaculture goes a long way towards maximizing yield while minimizing time and effort needed on an ongoing basis. However, the time and effort is often front-loaded when the design is installed. Robotics, when ubiquitous and affordable, will transform agriculture, whether on a commercial or a residential level. In the meantime, there are lots of opportunities that I hope to capitalize on.

deialtrous 8y ago
But the setup described on your website is more work than just an ordinary garden. Maybe it is a regional thing, I don't know where your main market is, but here in Canada even in low income rural areas the vast majority of people absolutely refuse to grow a garden. They will spend $2000 on a plastic and chinesium riding mower and then $30 of gas and 6 hours of time every week mowing an acre or more of grass, but they won't spend 5 minutes and $2 planting a couple of tomato plants. Doesn't anyone who is willing to garden already do it, and so not need to pay you for a way to do it that involves more work? Are you moving more towards being a permaculture design consultant?
- ph0rque 8y ago
  The setup on my website (which is a bit out of date, compared to what I currently have) is not more work than an ordinary garden and an ordinary pond put together, which would be a proper comparison. Not everyone who is willing to garden, does so. I've worked with a couple local clients who love the idea of gardening, but weren't sure how to start. Permaculture design (on a back-yard level) is one of the services I offer, although I don't call it that. In the meantime, I am in the process of updating my website. It's taking longer than I would like (day jobs: can't live with them, can't live without them yet...). You can read more on the current state of my own yard, and the types of services and products I am offering, here: https://blog.automicrofarm.com/state-of-my-suburban-homestead-fall-2018-edition-f6b68fdb17ce https://blog.automicrofarm.com/state-of-my-suburban-homestea...