This husband and wife's philosophy is to help nature through high-tech, low water, and energy farming,
to feed the world and to reduce
the depletion of the natural resources.
Quentin and Nani Koromete - Founders
|
Quentin and Nani-Waiata are a professional, unique, enthusiastic, and innovative couple from New Zealand. They moved to Southern California in 2008. They are continuing to create a community of professionals with integrity and kind spirits to build sustainable homes and farms. |
|
From their 3.75 acre property in New Zealand which had citrus and fruit orchards, a large greenhouse growing tomatoes and other vegetables, which was the beginning of their hydroponics growing systems ..... 
We, the Founders are committed to creating a diverse community of people of integrity and kind spirit with the common goal to Glorify God, the Creator
|
....to the unique Multi-cycle Tilapia and Vegetable growing system that was developed on their 1/2 acre Laguna Beach property, rebuilt in a Reno Warehouse and then moved to Alabama Open acreage ...
|
|
Quentin KorometeCivil Engineer Experience :
Housing Experience:
Building and Agriculture Background
Quentin was born and raised on a 2,000-acre dry stock farm in Whakaangiangi Valley East Cape, New Zealand (NZ) where natural food was growing everywhere. He has been a Civil Engineer for over 37 years with an added post-graduate education in Aquaculture from the prestigious
Deakin University in Australia, specializing in Aquaculture, Nutrition, Propagation, and Water Quality for various sea and fresh water systems. In 1990, he developed the first NZ Abalone Farm Training Program (Maxcess Program) and built a Shellfish farm (Lobster, Abalone, Mussels, and Uni) on Stevenson Island in New Zealand which was fully funded by the unemployment division of the NZ Labor Department. The program transformed the trainees which were some of the regions most notorious "Wayward sons" to respected members of the community and reports noted that bringing pride to the community reducing crime by 83%. In 1999, for his post graduate aquaculture university thesis, he built the first in the world, operational Abalone re-circulating hatchery unit. Shortly after, he became the proud "father" of baby abalone grown in captivity without inducement. Quentin thought it was by chance after utilizing what he thought was common aquaculture practices; as it so happened his technique was unique. In August 2001 he obtained a fish farming license from the Ministry of Fisheries for his own Saltwater Aquaponics system.
As a Maori Paramount Chief, Quentin was a founder of Ruawaipu Tribal Authority for which he planned, designed and built a re-circulating Abalone Hatchery and developed a half tonne production abalone system for non-experienced farmers at Potaka which opened on February 1, 2004. It was truly one of the first Salt & Fresh Water Aquaponic systems world wide because this closed loop system in which the 18C degree Saltwater shellfish waste fed the 35C degree brackish water seaweed he was growing to feed them. Earlier in 1995 he developed the Te Urunga O Te Ra Economic Development Society Constitution and business plan and remained Treasurer of the Waiapu Farmers Co-Coperative re-building project until 2006.
In 2007, he assisted his wife in developing and "Organic" Hydroponic system which instead of synthetic fertilizer his wife insisted must use nature made liquid fertilizer. After moving over seas, in 2012 he built an organic hydroponic system that allowed both he and his wife to enjoy fresh quality organic vegetables every day for their vegan diet. Missing fish in his diet, a year later 2013 he built a 100 square foot greenhouse, aquaponic system growing Tilapia and vegetables together. The unit also included a compost unit which provided organic fertilizer for the vegetables mimicking the system he developed 15 years earlier. 
In 2013-2014 he built a Community sized Aquafarm, under the roof of a 12,000 square feet of Greenhouse in Newport Beach, CA. 2,000 square feet was just the Organic Hydroponic System and 1,000 feet of (fish) raceway tanks. In 2014 he donated his time and some resources to build a small educational unit for Coastkeepers Garden located at the site on the back of Santiago Canyon College in Orange, California. 2015 has been spent enhancing his systems such as developing L.E.D. lighting for the algae tanks and Photovoltaic technology to ensure the systems can remain 100% off-grid.
In addition to many subdivisions and commercial projects, he has built five (5) houses and two (2) Tiny Houses on his own and lived off the grid many times in the past. He and his wife Nani together have shared the care and raising of nine (9) children and they have had as many as six (6) children under one roof, off the grid, three (3) hours from the closest city.
|
New Material CAT -5 Hurricane resistant Pre-fabricated Housing built in 7 days - Q Team
Civil Engineering
As a province representative of Thames Valley Rugby for two (2) years, Quentin turned down the opportunity to play Rugby for the world renowned NZ All Blacks team and instead choose to travel overseas to follow his passion of Civil Engineering.
Quentin is a rare Civil Engineer in that he is experienced in numerous sub-disciplines within Civil Engineering that include architectural engineering, geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, water resources engineering, hydraulic engineering, transportation engineering, environmental engineering, quantity surveying, coastal engineering, construction surveying and construction engineering. He worked with the New Zealand government as well as had his own private engineering company building roads, bridges, new housing subdivisions, state of the art irrigation, and de-watering farmlands systems, designing and building aquaculture farm. In addition, he has 30+ years of business experience, with actuarial, accounting, economics, and legal background as a Law Practitioner in New Zealand with specialized education in civil technology contract law.
In the early 1980’s his specialty of geotechnical, civil contract, hydraulics and structural engineering landed him in England as a Civil Engineer with The Cementation Company (aka Cementation Skanska) the 3rd largest construction company in England at the time. After demonstrating his talent, he was then promoted as trouble-shooter for the Company’s Military Defense Contracts within United Kingdom. For the next four (4) years he was appointed as Site Civil Engineer for various problematic projects that included: a Naval Air-force base which entailed extensions to the runways to cater for larger aircrafts, installing new landing lights and catch nets for over runs; building an Inter-continental mobile missile silo; a 5-story Bomb defusing factory; a 22-mile long Supply Pipeline for a Military facility; and Military Housing units with a 200 vehicle parking lot.
Quentin returned to New Zealand to work with local council/county government agencies and managed budgets over $15 million annually to build roads, bridges and develop new maintenance contracts. As the Compliance Engineer for a new type of low-cost housing structure (no nails or screws), he produced a Code of Compliance Manual to be adopted by the New Zealand Government. As a NZ local government official he developed a new system to repair roads at very low cost for which he present a paper at the World Conference for Sustainable Transportation (2004), attended by over 400 engineers from all over the world. He has run his own private engineering company building new housing subdivisions, state of the art irrigation systems, farmland de-watering, surveying and analyzing the viability for hydro-electric sites all over the Country for 2-10 megawatt power stations. In addition, Quentin has 30+ years of business experience, writing business plans with full financial forecasts, a legal background as a Law Practitioner with the United Tribes of New Zealand with specialized education in civil technology and contract law. Nicknamed Batman (a superhero who tends to break the rules) he is also often called "MacGyver" for his uncanny ability to accomplish great feats with next to nothing for materials. Besides being a brilliant designer and troubleshooter, Quentin is a physically fit, hands-on, handy with tools, not-to be humble to get his hands dirty digging ditches or mending fences kind of guy.
PHOTO: Quentin, forever humble, not too proud to be digging ditches by hand in Alabama Clay, for farmland de-watering project.
|
|
Nani Waiata KorometeNani -Waiata Koromete is a Master Gardener (UCI- California Ext) who has 37 years’ experience growing traditional agriculture crops. She is also a Master Grower with 8 year’s expertise in commercial plant growing production from both seed and clones. Nani has developed advanced biotechnology for animal feed growing techniques including organic accelerated composting (3 days vs 3 months), Commercial Mycorrhizal Fungi, Earthworm, Black Soldier fly, and Mealworm production processes.
|
Nani's degrees are in Environmental and Interior Architectural design with a minor in CAD furniture design/manufacturing. Nani has over 30 years of education in biology, botany, plant diagnostics, plant propagation, soil biodiversity, hydroponics, pest management for organic production. Nani has perfected Soil Composition techniques, Hydroponic Vegetable growing techniques Microgreen growing, sanitary food handling techniques and Cannabis growing techniques.
Nani manages the day to day operation of a small farm. She is developing and maintaining Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and procedures.
In addition to cultivation experience, Nani has 32 years entrepreneurial and business development experience having owned 8 different “Brick n Mortar” Businesses in 8 different industries. Nani’s expertise includes establishing a company culture as she is proficient in people management, conflict resolution and delegation skill. She has the ability to communicate effectively and intelligently with board members, media, investors and visitors. Nani has the key able to balance office demands with time on the production floor. She has knowledge of the business of large-scale commercial plant cultivation including nutrient requirements, mediums, light requirements, temperature control, air flow, etc. as well as knowledge of plant diseases, insects and fungi, as well as plant treatment options.
Nani is experienced in facility design, creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), designing new and innovative biotechnical equipment, creating advanced fertilizer recipe technology, creating material lists, drafting job descriptions, conducting interviews and recruitment of the cultivation team.
Nani continues with daily advanced research in the mastery of soil growing methods including micronutrients, beneficial bacteria and nutrient implementation. She has expert working knowledge in container systems with soil and hydro as well as understanding temperature and humidity manipulation. She has expert knowledge of plant diseases, insects and fungi, as well as organic plant treatment options. She is researching new techniques and insight to expand knowledge in nutrient of individual strains, high yield recipes, controlled stress environments to different lighting systems and set ups.
Nani manages the day to day operation of a small farm. She is developing and maintaining Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program and procedures.
In addition to cultivation experience, Nani has 32 years entrepreneurial and business development experience having owned 8 different “Brick n Mortar” Businesses in 8 different industries. Nani’s expertise includes establishing a company culture as she is proficient in people management, conflict resolution and delegation skill. She has the ability to communicate effectively and intelligently with board members, media, investors and visitors. Nani has the key able to balance office demands with time on the production floor. She has knowledge of the business of large-scale commercial plant cultivation including nutrient requirements, mediums, light requirements, temperature control, air flow, etc. as well as knowledge of plant diseases, insects and fungi, as well as plant treatment options.
Nani is experienced in facility design, creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), designing new and innovative biotechnical equipment, creating advanced fertilizer recipe technology, creating material lists, drafting job descriptions, conducting interviews and recruitment of the cultivation team.
Nani continues with daily advanced research in the mastery of soil growing methods including micronutrients, beneficial bacteria and nutrient implementation. She has expert working knowledge in container systems with soil and hydro as well as understanding temperature and humidity manipulation. She has expert knowledge of plant diseases, insects and fungi, as well as organic plant treatment options. She is researching new techniques and insight to expand knowledge in nutrient of individual strains, high yield recipes, controlled stress environments to different lighting systems and set ups.