A few years ago, I was working on a doctorate and got an internship at a national laboratory (Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, NM) doing mathematical modeling and risk analysis of agricultural commodities. On a whim, I attended a working lunch in a warehouse full of hydroponic experiments for growing cattle feed. Instantly I became hooked by the engineering and scientific challenges of growing plants hydroponically. From then on, I began building hobby-level systems and growing a variety of crops. Now, I have worked up to the point where I run my own hydroponic horticulture company (small) that dually focuses on both growing plants and manufacturing systems for sale; current projects include writing up articles (eventually accumulating into a textbook) and expanding the business. Altogether, I spend about 40+ hours per week working on/thinking about/researching/planning hydroponics. Recently I decided to join this forum to exchange ideas and use it as an outlet for discussing our shared interest (not many people in my area actually grow hydroponically).
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