Beyond Borders on a Field Trip

Sweet Water Organics Trip

        On October 21st, the residents and students in the Beyond Borders LLC took an amazing trip to Sweet Water Organics and even around Bay View.

       We first started off at Sweet Water Organics where we learned one of the most unique ways to grow food.  At Sweet Water they use Aquaponics to create their food.  It is one of the most creative ways that I have seen to create food.  They do not use any soil but water and fish.  This system not only helps grow food but helps with growing fish.  They are able to sell both the fish and food to create a profit for their business.

        The building that they use is an old factory in the city of Bay View.  They completely cleaned out the building and revamped it to create what they have now.  While they do Aquaponics outside they also do it outside with small greenhouses around the outside of the building.  Sweet Water is trying to expand their efforts to the outdoors to try to use as little amount of energy as possible.  They also have another system of organic food that is outside: honey making.  They were able to create a system in Wisconsin that lasts even into the beginning of winter where bees are able to create organic honey.  The whole time that the students and residents were at Sweet Water they their eyes were glued to the different things that the company is doing inside and outside.  Some of them were even being studious and taking notes the whole time.  

        After Sweet Water we were taken around Bay View and shown it by the teacher of the LLC class, Aims McGuinness.  He was able to show us some of the historical sites around Bay View like the Father Groppi's family store.  Many students bought different and unique items like sausage that is made in the family store and many, many pastries.  The reason we stopped at some of the historical sites like the Grippi store and where May Day originated because they talked about these different things and how they connected to globalization.  The students and even I were amazed by the plethora of knowledge that Aims had about the history of Milwaukee.  Every moment was a learning experience, even when we were able to go into the the Basilica of St. Josaphat.