Historically ponds have been implemented for practical reasons such as irrigation, drinking water, livestock watering, erosion control and fire preparedness. More recently ponds are being installed for recreational activities like swimming and fishing as well as alternative agricultural practices like fish farming. There are also several ways that ponds contribute to conservation efforts which can be a primary reason for adding one to your property or simply a secondary benefit. The top five benefits to installing ponds on rural properties are as follows: [Read more…]

One of the Five Benefits of Rural Ponds is profit. Although ponds have long been present in the American agricultural landscape, now more than ever there exists a diversity of profitable pond endeavors for the rural entrepreneur. Rural System hopes to encourage the use of such diverse alternatives to traditional agriculture as part of Redefining the Farm. The following list serves as a few suggestions and considerations for possible profitable pond activities.

Aquaculture is the practice of rearing animals or plants in an aquatic environment. The breadth of possible “crops” in aquaculture is almost as numerous as those possible on land. In the U.S., more than 100 different organisms are cultivated at different life stages by aquaculturists.   [Read more…]