Freshwater Farms Of Ohio

What Freshwater Farms Of Ohio does

Freshwater Farms of Ohio is a privately held, family-owned aquaculture business operating from a single 2624 N. US Hwy. 68 facility in Urbana, Ohio, where it runs Ohio's largest indoor fish hatchery with capacity to raise up to 100,000 pounds of fish yearly across species including rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, channel catfish, fathead minnows, goldfish, koi, and sturgeon. The company also cultivates freshwater shrimp in outdoor ponds, harvested annually during the third week of September. Its core technology is conventional indoor aquaculture infrastructure combined with the proprietary WaterSmith Systems line of decorative aerating pond fountains that use axial flow pumps and draw-tube technology to circulate and destratify ponds while functioning as decorative displays.

The company monetizes through five distinct revenue streams: retail sale of fresh, smoked, and frozen trout products and other Ohio-made goods at its on-site store; sales of pond supplies, fish stocking, and WaterSmith fountain equipment through retail and e-commerce channels; aquaculture consulting services delivered personally by President Dr. Dave Smith at $250-$1,500+ per engagement; fish stocking sales to recreational pond owners and commercial operators; and event-driven revenue anchored by the annual Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival (held since 2002, relocated to the farm in 2005) supplemented by seasonal supper clubs, beer and wine tastings, crawfish boils, and celebration dinners. Distribution is omnichannel but locally concentrated: a single physical storefront, a WordPress-based online shop, direct B2B consulting, and on-site event sales, all within Ohio.

Customer segmentation is split between recreational pond and water garden owners (primary), commercial aquaculture operators consulting with Dr. Dave on feasibility and operations, and the general public attending the festival and seasonal dining events. The water-smith-systems.com subsidiary website and the festival sponsorship roster (F&M Bank, People's Savings Bank, Wallace & Turner Insurance, Weidmann, Edward Jones, KTH) signal modest ecosystem buildout, while referral partnerships with the Ohio Aquaculture Association and Ohio State University extension personnel underline the company's role as an educational hub within the regional aquaculture value chain.

Name

Freshwater Farms Of Ohio

Legal name

Freshwater Farms of Ohio

Website

https://fwfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Freshwater Farms of Ohio operates Ohio's largest indoor fish hatchery from a single Urbana facility, raising up to 100,000 pounds of fish annually, selling fresh trout products and pond equipment, and hosting the annual Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival for recreational pond owners, commercial aquaculture operators, and general public visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freshwater Aquaculture & Fish Hatchery

NAICS

Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511), Aquaculture (1125), Other Aquaculture (112519), Fish and Seafood Retailers (445250)

SIC

Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Tilapia & Warmwater Fish Hatcheries (e.g., Catfish, Carp) (AFAEAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aquaculture Processing & On-Farm Value-Add (primary handling, icing, packing) (AFAEAAAN), Freshwater Shellfish & Crustacean Farming (e.g., crayfish) (AFAEAAAD), Aquarium & Fish Supplies Retail (CRALAHAI), Ornamental & Aquarium Fish Farming (AFAEAAAJ)

Keywords

• Freshwater aquaculture
• Indoor fish hatchery
• Pond aeration systems
• Fish stocking services
• Aquaculture consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Fish Products: The company's retail store sells fresh rainbow trout fillets, smoked trout fillets, trout patties, smoked trout spreads, and other Dr. Dave approved seafood products. As the sole producer of fresh trout products in Ohio, they offer a unique local product line.
2. Consulting Services: Aquaculture consulting services provided by Dr. Dave for commercial fish farming operations, including feasibility studies and pond management. Fees range from $250 for initial consultations at the facility to $500-$1500+ for in-depth consultations, with on-site visits starting at $500 plus travel expenses.
3. Pond Supplies and Equipment: WaterSmith Systems division sells decorative aerating pond fountains, aeration systems, pond pumps, fish feed, filtration components, netting, tubing, DIY fittings, and other pond and water garden supplies through their online shop and retail store.
4. Event Hosting and Food Service: Revenue from hosting events including the annual Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival, seasonal supper club dinners, beer and wine tastings, crawfish boils, and spring celebration dinners. Food vendors at the festival and retail store food service contribute to this stream.
5. Fish Stocking: Sale of fish for pond stocking including rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, channel catfish, fathead minnows, goldfish, and koi. Available for both recreational pond owners and commercial aquaculture operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Freshwater Farms of Ohio operates Ohio's largest indoor fish hatchery, raising up to 100,000 pounds of fish annually (rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, channel catfish, minnows, goldfish, koi, and sturgeon) plus seasonal freshwater shrimp. The company sells pond management equipment through its WaterSmith Systems division (decorative aerating fountains with proprietary draw-tube technology, pumps, aerators, fish feed, filtration, and fittings), retails fresh/smoked/frozen trout products from its Urbana store and online shop, supplies live fish for pond stocking, and offers paid aquaculture consulting and feasibility studies led by President Dr. Dave Smith.

Product overview

Freshwater Farms of Ohio operates as Ohio's largest indoor fish hatchery with over 30 years of experience, offering a diversified portfolio centered on aquaculture and pond management. The company's primary offerings include WaterSmith Systems, a proprietary sub-brand providing decorative aerating pond fountains and aeration equipment using draw-tube technology; a comprehensive range of pond supplies including pumps, filtration, fish feed, and water quality management products; fish stocking services for various species (trout, bass, perch, catfish, minnows, koi); and aquaculture consulting services. The company also operates a retail store selling fresh, smoked, and frozen trout products, and hosts the annual Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival. The business operates as a single unified operation rather than a modular software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WaterSmith Systems: A division of Freshwater Farms of Ohio specializing in decorative aerating pond fountains and pond management equipment including pumps, aerators, lighting systems, and water quality management products for residential, corporate, municipal, and golf course applications.

Products and services

• WaterSmith Decorative Aerating Pond Fountains Energy-efficient decorative pond fountains that combine axial flow pumps with proprietary draw-tube technology to circulate and destratify pond water while providing visual aeration displays. Targeted at residential, corporate, municipal, and golf course water features; a 1 hp unit runs continuously at approximately $1.79 per day.
• Pond Supplies & Equipment Comprehensive range of pond and water garden management products sold at the Urbana retail store and through the online shop, including pumps, aerators, fish feed, filtration components, netting, tubing, DIY fittings, and replacement aeration pumps ($165–$250 depending on model). For homeowners, property managers, and small operators setting up or maintaining ponds and water gardens.
• Fish Stocking Sale of live fish for stocking recreational and commercial ponds, including rainbow trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill, channel catfish, fathead minnows, goldfish, koi, and white amur. For pond owners, water gardeners, and commercial aquaculture operations.
• Fresh, Smoked & Frozen Trout Products Retail line of trout products sold at the Urbana store and online, including fresh and smoked trout fillets, seasoned trout patties, smoked trout spreads, and other Dr. Dave approved seafood, plus Ohio-made foods and local artisan pottery and garden décor. For individual consumers seeking local Ohio seafood.
• Aquaculture Consulting Services Paid expert consulting provided by Dr. Dave Smith for commercial fish farming operations, covering feasibility studies, pond planning, species selection, and commercial-level fish farming guidance. Initial facility consultation $250; on-site visits starting at $500 plus travel; in-depth engagements $500–$1,500+. For entrepreneurs starting fish farms and existing commercial aquaculture operators.
• Kasco Marine Products Third-party Kasco Marine pond equipment brand (aeration and fountain products) resold by Freshwater Farms of Ohio alongside its own WaterSmith Systems line. For pond owners and water feature operators.
• Freshwater Shrimp (Seasonal Harvest Sales) Farm-raised freshwater shrimp harvested from outdoor ponds in September each year and sold fresh during festival week; described as comparable to fresh-off-the-boat saltwater shrimp. For individual consumers and food buyers seeking a unique local Midwest product.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Aquaculture AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for aquaculture startups and fish farmers. The company recommends joining the Ohio Aquaculture Association for informative workshops and networking. Freshwater Farms offers consulting services that align with association resources for those starting commercial fish farms.
• Ohio State University - Matthew SmithminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContact aquaculture extension personnel Matthew Smith at Ohio State University ([email protected]) for additional resources and guidance on starting fish farming operations.
• WaterSmith SystemscoreOthersWaterSmith Systems is a subsidiary division of Freshwater Farms of Ohio specializing in decorative aerating pond fountains and water management. Website: watersmithsystems.com
• F&M BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• People's Savings BankminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• Wallace & Turner InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• WeidmannminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• Edward JonesminorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• KTH (KTH, Inc.)minorGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Festival sponsor for the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival.
• Ohio Fish & Shrimp FestivalcoreOthersThe Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival is an event hosted by Freshwater Farms of Ohio since 2002. It began as a one-day downtown event and has grown to a three-day festival since moving to the farm in 2005.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bell Aquaculture: Indiana-based indoor aquaculture operation raising tilapia and barramundi in large recirculating systems. Directly comparable to Freshwater Farms as an indoor fish hatchery producer selling into retail and food channels with vertically integrated operations.
• Clear Springs Foods: Idaho-based trout producer and one of the largest rainbow trout operations in North America. Directly comparable species focus (rainbow trout) and integrated production-to-retail model, though at industrial rather than local scale.
• Blue Ridge Aquaculture: Virginia-based indoor RAS producer of tilapia, one of the largest of its kind in North America. Comparable business model — indoor controlled-environment aquaculture producing fish at scale for retail and foodservice channels.
• Heartland Catfish Companies: Mississippi-based catfish farming cooperative representing multiple catfish producers. Comparable freshwater aquaculture production model; however, focused on warmwater catfish at industrial scale rather than Freshwater Farms' diversified multi-species approach.

Others

• EasyPro Pond Products: Manufacturer and distributor of pond and water garden supplies, aeration equipment, and water features. Comparable catalog overlap with Freshwater Farms' pond-supplies retail operation and WaterSmith equipment.
• Kasco Marine: Manufacturer of pond aerators, fountains, and de-icing systems. Freshwater Farms is also a reseller of Kasco products. Comparable in the pond aeration/fountain category but at the manufacturer level rather than Freshwater Farms' own WaterSmith-brand approach.

Broad incumbents

• Scott Aerator Company: Manufacturer of decorative and aerating pond/lake fountains serving residential, commercial, and municipal customers. Direct product-line overlap with Freshwater Farms' WaterSmith fountains in the decorative aerator category.
• Airmax EcoSystems: Established US manufacturer of pond aeration, fountain, and lake management products. Overlaps with Freshwater Farms' WaterSmith division on residential and commercial pond aeration equipment with comparable product lines.
• Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems: Global supplier of aquaculture, pond, and water garden equipment and supplies. Comparable in pond-supply retail distribution and broader aquaculture infrastructure, though at much larger industrial scale than Freshwater Farms.

Regional players

• Walnut Creek Farm: Family-run Ohio farm offering fish stocking, farm tours, and agricultural products. Closest regional comparable given shared Ohio geography, family-ownership structure, and farm-retail/stocking business model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/freshwaterfarmsohio
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Xx.com/fwfarms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freshwater-farms-of-ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freshwater Farms Of Ohio