Hello! Today we got to tour a tomato greenhouse in Iceland that utilizes some unique techniques for growing in Icelands harsher climate. The greenhouse is able to produce a variety of tomatoes, including Roma, cherry, plum, and heirloom. Additionally they also produce fresh herbs, like basil, and other specialty products such as tomato salt and soups! We got to taste some of the tomato soup along with homemade bread and it was so fresh.
The main farmer of the greenhouse told us about some of the sustainable practices that they use, as well as a practical showcase of the tomato farm. The farm started with an older, classic greenhouse with minimal lighting. The greenhouse over time has slowly expanded into a larger operation. One unique thing that the greenhouse does is utilize a mixture of lighting to optimize plant growth and environmental factors. The mixture of LED and white lighting provides heat while also reducing electric costs, balancing the ecological and economic aspects of running an advanced greenhouse operation. We also saw that real pollinator bees are used in the farm to assist with fruiting. I think it is interesting that the farm uses natural pollinators indoors to help their plant growth.
Another benefit of this farm is that the produce is created closer to Iceland, reducing Icelandic reliance on imported goods. It also has an ecological impact of reducing the time and energy costs of transporting produce to Iceland. Before leaving, we got to pet some of the Icelandic Horses that live on the farm!
Ended the day with a windy (but gorgeous) waterfall view!
-Meghan P
Swanson School of Engineering 