Patrick Hansen’s interest in aquaponics started as a hobby. He started growing lettuce, and that grew into Valor Aquaponics LLC, based in Pewaukee.
In December 2019, he officially started the company, working with business partner Devin Johnson to grow an assortment of organic lettuces, microgreens, herbs and vegetables while raising yellow perch and rainbow trout.
Getting USDA organic certification took until late 2020 with numerous online meetings during the pandemic, and Valor Aquaponics is now both a fish farm and certified organic farm. Spinach and jalapenos will be added to its options this September, and the company is experimenting with strawberries.
Hobby to business
"I’m a six-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force. I was an aircraft electrician, then I got into skilled trades for about 21 years. I’ve done plumbing, electrical, mechanical systems, water chemistry and working with pumps and motors. I wondered for the longest time how my background would all fit together. Well, this is how all my skills could be used," said Patrick Hansen.
Patrick got into aquaponics about 12 years ago when he ran across an article about Sweet Water in Bay View. He needed a hobby and decided to build his first home system. "After about a month I built a second one, then a third. I realized how much I was producing in vegetables in such a small space. This is a good time to finally start. December 2019 I formed a company, Valor Aquaponics."
Read the complete article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel