It’slateApril.Mostfarmershavejustfinishedplantingtheircrops.BrenSmithisnotplanting.HeisharvestinghiscropsinLongIslandSound,NewYork.Smithhasanunusualcrop.Insteadofgrowingcornorwheat,hegrows seaweed.
Welcometotheworldofocean farming!
BrenSmithcheckstheseaweedonhis farm.
AHiddenFarm
Onthewater,it’seasytomissSmith’sfarm.Youmustlookforclues.Rowsofwhitefloatingballscalled buoysbobupanddown.Followthemwithyoureyes.Connectthemwithmake-believelines.That’stheborderofthe farm.
Lookcloser.Blackbuoysformlonglines.Theymarkrowsofcrops.Youwon’tseethecrops.Onanoceanfarm,thecropsare underwater.
TheseblackandwhitebuoysarepartofBrenSmith'socean farm.
ANewKindofFarming
Smithhasalwayslovedfishing.Butinsomeplaces,toomanyfisharebeingtakenoutoftheocean.Theycan’tbereplaced.Thisiscalledoverfishing.Ittroubled him.
MeetBren Smith.
BrenSmithhaulsinabasketfromhisocean farm.
Smithwantedtoworkinasustainableway.Thatmeansusingsomethingwithoutusingitup.Seaweedwasthe answer.
