Science Barge facts for kids
The Science Barge is a special floating farm and learning center. It has been docked in Yonkers, New York, USA since late 2008. This unique barge grows plants using a method called hydroponics. This means plants grow in water with nutrients, not in soil!
The Science Barge gets its power from clean energy sources. It uses solar panels, wind turbines, and even biofuels. Biofuels are fuels made from plants or animal waste. The plants on the barge are watered using collected rainwater and river water that has been cleaned. This way of farming creates no pollution and uses no harmful bug sprays.
The Science Barge is also a public learning tool. Many school groups from Westchester, New York City, and nearby areas visit during the week. On weekends, anyone can visit and learn. From 2006 to 2008, the Science Barge traveled along the Manhattan waterfront. It stopped at six different places to teach people about growing food in cities in a sustainable way.
In 2015, Nathalie Manzano-Smith and Ted Caplow won a special grant. They proposed building a new Miami Science Barge in Miami, FL. The Miami Science Barge opened on Earth Day, April 22, 2016. The next year, it was given to the Frost Science Museum. The Miami barge focuses more on ocean science and keeping our oceans healthy. It also has updated farming systems.
How the Science Barge Started
The idea for the Science Barge came from Ted Caplow. It was built by New York Sun Works, a non-profit group. Their goal was to teach students and teachers about sustainability through hydroponic farming. Sustainability means using resources in a way that protects them for the future.
The Science Barge floats on a steel deck barge. This barge is about 115 feet long and was built in the 1940s. It used to carry cargo in New York Harbor. New York Sun Works leased it in 2006. The urban farm systems were built on the barge in Brooklyn during the summer of 2006. It first opened to the public at Pier 84 in Manhattan on May 4, 2007. This was near the Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. For the next two years, the barge also visited other piers in Manhattan.
Moving to Yonkers
After touring for two years, New York Sun Works looked for a permanent home for the Barge. They decided to sell the Science Barge to Groundwork Hudson Valley in Yonkers, NY in October 2008 for just $2.00. Groundwork Hudson Valley is a non-profit group that helps communities in the lower Hudson Valley.
In November 2008, the Science Barge found its new home in Yonkers. It docked at the mouth of the Saw Mill River. This location has helped bring many visitors to downtown Yonkers. It is easy to reach by public transportation. Being near the Saw Mill River, a big river that flows into the Hudson River, has also brought attention to efforts to clean up the river. Groundwork Hudson Valley uses the Science Barge to help with its food programs in Yonkers. These include the Get Fresh Yonkers Food Co-op, a Farmers Market, and Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA).
How the Barge Works
The greenhouse on the barge is about 1200 square feet. It was built right on the barge. Its walls are made of glass, and the roof is a strong plastic. To keep the plants cool, the greenhouse has four fans and a special cooling system. It also has a large roof vent that opens automatically for fresh air.
Rainwater is collected from the greenhouse roof. It is stored in tanks that can hold 1200 gallons of water. This water is then used to water the hydroponic plants. The barge has also hosted many experiments with aquaponics. Aquaponics is a system that combines raising fish with growing plants. They have grown fish like tilapia and catfish, and even shellfish like clams and oysters.
The barge's energy systems were designed to be very efficient. It had 2.5 kilowatts of solar power and 2 kilowatts of micro wind turbines. It also had a backup generator that ran on biodiesel. A large battery bank stored power for when the sun wasn't shining or the wind wasn't blowing. The barge also had a special system to clean water from the Hudson River. This cleaned water could be used as a backup for watering the plants.
