Hello everyone and welcome to day 3 of Iceland!!
This morning, we got to try a bunch of traditional Icelandic foods, which was a unique way to start the day. I feel like trying local food is one of the best ways to experience a place. We sampled a few different things, including dried fish, fermented shark, chocolate licorice, and skyr. Some of them were surprisingly good, while others were… a little harder to get down. I really enjoyed the “christmas drink,” which consisted of orange soda and a malt drink. After that, we were on our way!
We first visited Frioheimar’s farm and greenhouse, and it was such a cool experience. We started by talking with the owner, who shared the story of how the greenhouse began. He explained how everything developed over time and even showed us the bees that he imports for pollination. What stood out to me was how carefully everything is balanced. He brings in just the right number of bees so the tomatoes are pollinated effectively without damaging the plants.
Next, we walked through the greenhouse where all of the tomatoes are grown. He explained how the new LED lighting system works and how the entire operation is powered by geothermal energy. Even the lift that raises workers up to reach the plants runs on geothermal power. The whole greenhouse is engineered very thoughtfully. The tomato plants grow upward, so each plant is attached to strings from above. As the plants grow taller, workers lower the vines so they continue growing without breaking.
After that, he showed us the production area, which was one of my favorite parts because I recognized so many concepts from class. I noticed an Andon-style production system that signals when it is time to move to the next step, and they also used organized bins to manage the workflow. It was really cool seeing systems from my productivity class actually being used in a real operation.
After the tour, we got to try their amazing house-made tomato soup with a bread bar. It was honestly incredible and the perfect ending to the visit.
Next, we made our way to Gullfoss waterfall. As soon as we arrived, I pulled out my camera because the views were unbelievable. I got some really great photos, but honestly the pictures still don’t fully capture how breathtaking it was in person. I kept catching myself saying “wow, this is beautiful” over and over again.
The only challenge was the wind. It was insanely strong and made the experience a little chaotic. At times it genuinely felt like I could be blown away if I wasn’t careful. Between the mist from the waterfall and the wind whipping around, it was definitely an adventure trying to walk around and take pictures. But even with the crazy wind, the view made it completely worth it.
Lastly we went to see the Geysir! This was such a cool place to see because the geothermal activity is happening right in front of you. There were boiling mud pits bubbling on the ground and geysers erupting into the air. The water is heated by volcanic activity beneath the surface, and every few minutes it shoots up into a tall plume of steam and hot water. It was exciting standing there waiting for the next eruption because you never knew exactly when it would happen. When the geyser finally went off, everyone around us reacted at the same time. You definitely have to be careful not to stand too close though, because the water shoots up high and you might end up getting splashed. It was amazing to see such a powerful natural system working right in front of us.
After this we headed home! … and of course spent some time in the hot pools.
Can’t wait for tomorrow!
PEACE OUT!
Swanson School of Engineering 