How to Start a Kelp Farm
Turn your seaweed farming aspirations into action over the course of six weeks.
Date and time
Location
Online
About this event
Course Overview
Calling all aspiring kelp farmers! Do you harbor the dream of starting a kelp farm, but aren’t quite sure where to start? Join us for a 6-week guided learning journey through GreenWave’s Ocean Farming Hub. Each week, we’ll dig into the steps required to turn your ocean farming dream into a reality. We’ll cover topics such as site evaluation, farm design, business planning, and permitting. You’ll review lessons and videos on the Hub, complete weekly assignments to support your farm plan and design, and discuss topics with your colleagues on the Hub Community. During weekly live sessions, experienced farmers, guest experts and GreenWave staff will discuss each topic in more detail and answer your lingering questions. By the end of the course, you’ll know if kelp farming is right for you and have a roadmap for getting started.
Live sessions
Tuesdays, Jan 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb 7, and 14, 2023, 2-3 pm EST/10-11 am AKST. Recordings are available on demand if you can’t join live.
Outcomes
- Learn the basics of kelp farming
- Understand the steps to starting a farm in your region
- Decide if ocean farming is for you
This is a free course. Registration required.
Program
Week 1: Dive In
GreenWave’s Co-Founder, Bren Smith, and Director of Training & Support, Lindsay Olsen, invite you to kick off this learning journey with a farmer-to-farmer dockside chat. Experienced kelp farmers from across the country will gather to offer words of advice to those just starting out. We’ll discuss common misconceptions about kelp farming, speak to trends within the industry, and tell you what you really need to know if you’re thinking about taking up this line of work.
Speakers:
Bren Smith, Co-Executive Director, GreenWave
Lindsay Olsen, Director of Training & Support, GreenWave
Adelia Myrick, Founder, Alaskan Sea Greens
Dave Blaney, Founder, Judith Kelp Company
Additional speakers to be announced
Week 2: Site Evaluation
This week we’ll dive into the art of picking a productive site for kelp farming. We’ll learn from experienced farmers and scientists about the importance of nutrient availability on kelp farms and discuss the biophysical factors that make a site suitable for farming. We’ll also consider: how you might work to gain social license, or buy-in, from in your community when selecting a location for your farm; why it’s critical to understand the Indigenous use of the waters where you’re looking to farm; and how access to your site will dramatically impact the way you farm.
Speakers:
Tela Troge, Shinnecock Kelp Farmers
Dr. Schery Umanzor, Marine Biologist and Assistant Professor, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Sean den Adel, Co-owner & Operations Manager, Noble Ocean Farms
Week 3: Gear Selection and Farm Design
It’s time to get technical. This week we’ll learn about three common array types that are used to build different types of kelp farms: the single line, five-line and catenary array. We’ll hear from farmers and marine engineers on the pros and cons of each system. We’ll discuss what buoys, anchors, and gear might be required based on the different factors of your site, and we’ll leave time to answer any specific design questions that came up while constructing your own farm designs in GreenWave’s Farm Design Tool on the Hub.
Speaker:
Cliff Goudey, Principal at C. A. Goudey & Associates
Alf Pryor, Owner/Operator at Alaska Ocean Farms
David Bailey, Aquaculture Research Associate, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Week 4: Business Planning
At this point in your farm journey you might be wondering, how much is this all going to cost? In this live session we’ll hear from GreenWave’s Market Development team on how to build a basic financial model for your farm and estimate when you could expect to break even. We’ll hear directly from farmers who have built successful businesses why at first it may feel like you’re doing more marketing than farming. Deciding where and how you’ll sell your kelp is a critical step in the process.
Speakers:
Sam Garwin, Director of Market Development, GreenWave
Grace Collery, Market Development Program Manager, GreenWave
Suzie Flores, Farmer & Owner, Stonington Kelp Company
Week 5: Leasing and Permitting
To make your farm official, you’ll need to ultimately gain permissions from your local, state, and regional authorities. This process will vary from state to state and region to region. We’ll hear from representatives at state permitting agencies who handle high volumes of ocean farm applications on what factors make a successful application. Additionally, a farmer who recently navigated the permitting process will offer his advice on how to work with your permitting agencies to make this process as smooth as possible.
Speakers:
Michelle Morris, Permit Coordinator at State of Alaska, ADFG
Mike Spranger, Kelp Farmer
Week 6: Reflection and Next Steps
We’ll convene in this final session to share reflections, address any unanswered questions, and point you to further courses and resources as you work to launch your farm business!
Speaker:
Colleen Francke, Owner and Operator, Summit Point Seafoods
Join the live sessions
Tuesdays, Jan 10, 17, 24, 31, Feb 7, and 14, 2023, 2-3 pm EST/10-11 am AKST. Recordings are available on demand if you can’t join live.
Organized by
GreenWave trains and supports regenerative ocean farmers in the era of climate change. We work with coastal communities throughout North America to create a blue green economy—built and led by ocean farmers—that ensures we all make a living on a living planet.