Mesa family grows food in swimming pool

MESA, AZ - Do you have an abandoned swimming pool that you just don't know what to do with? One family in Mesa, Ariz., decided to turn theirs into an organic greenhouse in their backyard.

The family of four started "The Garden Pool" and launched an accompanying website to share the story of how they converted an old empty, unused swimming pool into an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Last October, the ambitious bunch said they had hoped to be self-sufficient by 2012 but have actually already reached their goal.

The greenhouse holds a tilapia pond, hydroponic fruits, veggies and herbs and a chicken coop.

According to the family, it was quite inexpensive and easy to put this self-sufficient urban greenhouse together.

"Our family gets about eight fresh eggs a day, unlimited tilapia fish, organic fruit, veggies and herbs 365 days a year," according to their website.

TreeHugger.com reported that the family's garden is green in every sense on the word. It uses solar power to keep it off the grid, has a natural water filtration system and uses non-toxic natural means to control garden pests.

The family is even making money with their invention, by charging visitors for 2-hour tours of the facility that can be booked through GardenPool.org .

But even if you don't have the means to take on such a large-scale undertaking right now, growing a pesticide-free, non-toxic garden to produce some of your own food is a good place to start.

Or, if you'd rather turn your old abandoned pool into a koi pond and aquatic garden, there is a step-by-step video tutorial on YouTube on how to go about doing it.