The Silver Roots Story: aquaponics farming in South Africa
We are Silver Roots, a South African family run aquaponics farm, fostering a future where healthy food is sustainably grown and supplied to all.
We grow delicious produce with zero chemicals and 97% less water than traditional in-ground agriculture. We deliver our vegetables, herbs and fruit on the same day they are harvested, meaning our food isn’t irradiated or subject to harsh preservatives.
We believe aquaponics systems are one important ingredient in creating a future where all people can access healthy food in a way that is positive for our planet, too.
How did we get into aquaponics?
Co-Founder Garth Kanigowsi explains.
“My wife and I were introduced to the ‘world of Aquaponics’ through the purchase of our new home in The Crags in the Western Cape of South Africa (outside of Plettenberg Bay).
“We were simply going to sell off the equipment and close the little business, only to be replaced by a traditional vegetable garden, albeit organic. However, after some rudimentary research I was blown away by how incredible Aquaponics farming is. Being the proud parent of four, two being young ones, you really start to think about the legacy of your generation, the health of the planet and what your children eat.
“The stand out point of interest was that Aquaponics was head-on with some of the fundamental issues facing the global agricultural industry. Namely:
- We use zero chemicals in our farming processes.
- We use up to 97% less water.
- Our produce tends to grows 25% faster and bigger than normal farming methods, therefore combating shrinking farm lands through urban sprawl.
- We advocate for seasonal produce to be grown locally, therefore combating harmful emissions.
“We decided these issues were too great to ignore and so we embarked on this journey. We have international business backgrounds, running retail, sales and marketing, and property businesses on three continents. Though I grew up as the son of a farmer (of ostriches!), this was our first foray into agriculture, and we were very excited.
“Through the overwhelming positive response to our produce (you can literally taste the difference) and our story, we have expanded rapidly.
“It certainly is not easy- but then nothing great is easy. Based on our experience so far, we think that finding the path to large scale profitable commercial Aquaponics farming is the answer to some of the fundamental issues facing agriculture and the planet.”
A family brand
“Our identity as a family business is very important to us” says co-Founder, Sheelagh Kanigowska. “We wanted to make sure this came out strongly in our story and our branding, which was one of the first things we did.”
“In Silver Roots we have myself and my husband, and recently our eldest daughter has joined our team to help us strategise and raise funding to scale. We also have one other son, and two young daughters- Isla and Helena Kanigowska, who are currently seven years old.”
“Our logo was in part inspired by Garth’s family crest and the Kanigowski signet ring he wears every day. We think it’s around 400 years old and Garth is the latest in a long line of Polish Kanigowskis to inherit it.
“The ring has a large oval in shape. We were inspired by the ring- we felt that not only were we leaning into years of family history but we were reinforcing the closed circuit of the aquaponic water system which makes it so water wise. That’s why our logo is an oval.
“The ring has a reddish blood stone with green veins. We chose pink (lighter than red) as pink is a colour which people associate with fish and in fact many systems use a tilapia fish which can be a salmon pink orange in colour. We also have a bit of a thing for pink! Our living room walls are pink, so we live with it all the time!
“The central emblem on Garth’s family crest is an arrow: we adapted this to resemble a fish skeleton. This is because our aquaponics cultivates tilapia and catfish: the fish produce the nutrients which let us grow fruit and vegetables with no fertiliser. The fish skeleton also looks a bit like a leafy green- because of course, we grow a lot of those.
“We called it silver roots because when you harvest lettuce from deep water culture (like our aquaponics system), the roots look a bit silvery. Silver can also emotionally relate to moving water which is what the aquaponic system is all about.
“We wanted our brand to be easily apparent and it has transpired that in the retail context our packaging, although expensive, stands out above all other packaged produce. We have over the months modified labels in various reiterations to try and get costs down.”
What do our customers think about our story?
“Our customers love the story of aquaponics: it’s water wise, chemical free, and farm to table (we harvest the same day we deliver.) To top that our produce tastes outstanding in terms of taste….I liken it to eating out of my grandmother’s vegetable garden. We recently went on holiday elsewhere and even our two girls could taste the difference.” Sheelagh says.
“People largely don’t know what aquaponics is: when they hear about it from us their minds are blown,” Garth explains.
“The biggest frustration is that we are often confused with hydroponics which is very different: hydroponics also grows vegetables in water but because hydroponics doesn’t use fish to provide nutrients, farmers have to dose the water with chemicals that they then have to release as waste. Environmentally it’s a completely different kettle of fish, pardon the pun.
“The image in some people’s minds is of a super high tech warehouse full of purple lights- again, hydroponics, which uses lots of electricity. If you come and see our farm, it looks very natural. We grow seasonally under special waterproof roofs that let the sun in. And it has to be seasonal- we like that we are a part of bringing everyone back to eating what would currently be available in nature.”
If you want to learn more about us, get in touch on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/silver-roots-aquaponically-grown-produce/
