AQUAPONICS –

TENT OF NATIONS –

NASSAR FARM

BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK

CHCA INTERSESSION 2016

January 7-9, 2016

LOCATION

TENT OF NATIONS

NASSAR FARM

NASSAR FARM – “DAHER’S VINEYARD”

“The organic farm on which the Tent of Nations

project runs is known as ‘Daher’s Vineyard’. This

land, which stretches 100 acres, is owned by the

Nassar family and is situated 9km southwest of

Bethlehem. The family has been fighting a legal

battle to keep hold of the land since it was classified

as ‘Israeli State Land’ and thus threatened with

confiscation in 1991. The struggle is ongoing.

However, with a commitment to peaceful resistance

and through the solidarity of those who have visited

the land, much has been achieved. Tent of Nations

continues to work to protect and develop the farm

as a place where people can meet, learn, work

together, and inspire one another.”

http://www.tentofnations.org/about/about-us/

VISION FOR THE LAND

“We are working towards becoming completely self-

sustainable in regards to food, water, and electricity, and

we hope in the long-term to be able to support other local

projects with proceeds from our farm. Our vision is to

develop a vocational training and education centre on

the farm which will provide a space for children and

young people to learn about alternative energy, organic

farming, and community building. We hope, ultimately, to

be able to prepare the young people of Palestine for a

positive contribution to their future and culture by bringing

values of tolerance and understanding into their life

experiences, and to facilitate a respect for the

environment by increasing awareness of our reliance on

the land.”

http://www.tentofnations.org/about/about-us/

(Photo: A. Bowman)

TENT OF NATIONS – CHCA CONNECTION

March 2012 - Dr. Nick first learned about Tent of

Nations and Daoud Nassar at the “Christ at the

Checkpoint” Conference at Bethlehem Bible

College.

May 2012 – Dr. Nick met Daoud personally at a dinner

in Cincinnati where he invited Dr. Nick to bring a

CHCA group to the Nassar family farm near

Bethlehem in June 2012.

October 2013 - Daoud visited CHCA, spoke in

chapel, and discussed with Dr. Savage the possibility

of building an aquaponics system at Tent of Nations.

January 2016 – The Holy Land Intersession group from

CHCA completed the aquaponics project at Tent of

Nations.

AQUAPONIC BASICS (FAO 589, 2014)

EXAMPLE OF A DOMESTIC-SCALE AQUAPONICS

SYSTEM, WEST BANK (OXFAM ITALIA, 2012)

PROPOSED TENT OF NATIONS SYSTEM DESIGN (FAO 589, 2014)

MAJOR COMPONENTS – IBC TOTES

(Photo: Z. Gunlock)

(Photo: A. Bowman)

PREPARING IBC TOTES

(Photo: A. Bowman)

(Photo: Z. Gunlock)

PREPARING IBC TOTES

(Photos: A. Bowman (TL), O.

Beck (TR, BR), G. Wilkins (BL))

ASSEMBLING THE IBC TOTES(Photos: K. Savage)

COLLECTING ROCKS FOR GROW BEDS

(Photos: O. Beck)

(Photos: K. Wilkins (TL), O. Beck (BL), K. Savage (R))

WASHING ROCKS FOR GROW BEDS

PLACING ROCKS IN GROW BEDS(Photos: K. Savage)

COMPLETE PLUMBING OF THE SYSTEM (Photos: K. Wilkins (L), G. Wilkins (C), O. Beck (R))

SCREENING & WASHING GRAVEL FOR GROW BEDS (Photos: O. Beck)

PLACING GRAVEL IN GROW BEDS(Photos: K. Savage)

ADD WATER TO EACH COMPONENT(Photos: K. Savage)

NEAR-COMPLETED SYSTEM(Photos: K. Savage)

DR. NICK SHARES

DREAM AND

VISION OF

AQUAPONICS AT

TENT OF NATIONS

(Photo: K. Savage)

PROJECT TEAM &

DAHER & DAOUD NASSAR(Photos: Z. Gunlock (L)), N. Pfister (R))

PROJECT TEAM

Tent of Nations / Nassar Farm: Daoud and Daher Nassar

CHCA Students: Tessa Doan, Chelsea Feeney, Martin Gravely,

Zach Gunlock, Emily Hover, Gabrielle James,

Candace Pfister, Mikey Taylor, Katherine Wilkins

CHCA Alumni: Sam Becker (2012), Abby Bowman (2013)

CHCA Parents: Jenny Doan, Vickie Gunlock, Natalie Pfister, Gary Wilkins

CHCA Friend: Olivia Beck

CHCA Upper School Staff: Dean Nicholas, Karen Hordinski, Kevin Savage

Photos: N. Pfister (L), K. Savage (R))