New Way Aquaponic Farms is a teaching, learning, and production farm located in Memphis. We grow via aquaponics and specialize in the farm-to-table concept.

We are proud to be recognized by the TSU Cooperative Extension Service at their Small Farm Expo as an award winner for Best Management Practice and Farmer of the Year.  

New Way Farms opened in 2017 and is located in the Raleigh section of Memphis. We began the farm as a means to train school age kids and adults in the science and art of growing food via aquaponics. 

Aquaponics is the combination of the word “aqua” from aquaculture or the growing of fish + “ponics” from hydroponics or the growing of plants in a medium other than soil. In aquaponics, we grow vegetables and plants with fish in water, in a closed system. The liquid ammonia in the fish pee and poop is converted, by naturally occurring bacteria into nutrients that the plants absorb to grow. We only use 10% of the water used in conventional agriculture.

Our demonstration grow rooms are located indoors. We also have a conference room for formal presentations and chefs available to demonstrate cooking techniques to enjoy freshly grown vegetables.

We work with locally based organizations committed to alleviating food insecurity and hunger in Shelby County. We have recently developed a hydroponic Indoor Grow Box to help our collaborators and customers re-engage with growing, initially indoors. The box can grow up to 4 plants and is comprised of readily available components (from home improvement stores and online retailers) to allow users to experience growing and falling in love with plants as both food and medicine. Once the growers feel comfortable, we encourage them to take their newfound learnings and experiences to a higher level and grow nutritionally dense food in outdoor gardens.

Our goal is to take lessons from past generations, who understood the importance of having the ability to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs at home from both food security and high nutrition perspectives, while reducing the negative environmental footprints of transporting foods grown on “factory” farms thousands of miles from most consumers. Taste, nutrition, and local sourcing should rule in food production.

Phone

(901) 314-3396

Location

3311 Scheibler Road
Memphis, TN 38128

EMAIL

daryl@newwayaquaponicfarms.com

Hours

M-F 9a–3p

Always call first as we work outside of the farm with schools and customers to better understand their requirements 

Our story

It all started when…

I, like many of you, wondered where and how the food that I consume was grown. I had grown vegetables in raised beds in my backyard that my family ate. But I wondered if there was a system that could generate both vegetables and protein, in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. I found aquaponics could do just that. Aquaponics not only can supply food, but it can teach us how to apply math and science concepts that we learned in school to better perfect the quantity and quality of the food being grown vs. waiting solely on nature to provide the ideal circumstances for successful harvests.

So we began…

Growing vegetables and herbs in a commercial building and selling them at our local farmers markets. Although that was a rewarding experience, getting to share what we had learned about growing nutritional dense foods, we knew there was a need to help others do the same. Many people who desire to garden believe that they have neither the time, space, or knowledge to begin. That became the idea that generated the Indoor Grow Box. A collection of readily available material that allows newbies to gardening to begin indoors and hone their skills (at any time of the year) prior to transitioning to a garden outdoors.

Is Aquaponics for Me or My Family? - AP 101

Join us for a 1-1/2 to 2 hours orientation about what it takes to be a home or student aquaponics farmer. Call to schedule the timing for your session. Cost $50 for one or two people, includes aquaponic handouts and beverages.

For those wanting to explore aquaponics do’s and dont’s on their own, we also have a great book for home aquaponics - Sylvia Bernstein’s - “Aquaponic Gardening”. You can order the book by hitting the "Purchase" button below and it can be shipped or if you visit the farm, pick up and pay at the farm. Cost is $20.00 plus tax - if shipped -$5 more will be added to cost.