Greenhouses

On Wednesday, April 6, 2011, we took an adventure to the greenhouses own by Moscow State Agricultural Engineering University. As we walked downstairs, we were welcomed with an unexpected surprise- warm(ish) weather! This proved to be a great thing because the greenhouses were within walking distance. I can’t say I wasn’t excited to skip a bus ride and spend some quality time walking to our destination. I knew it was going to be a good day from the start.
As we came upon the destination, I noticed that outside the greenhouses was a small building with many people waiting in a line. After inquiring, Dr. Malashenkov informed me that many people purchase the products of the greenhouse every day. I thought that was really interesting because it showed that not only does the greenhouse cater to research and development but also to providing local produce to the community. It reminded me of the co-op my family joined to receive local produce from the farmers in our area. It reminded me of home.
After our walk, we arrived at our destination. The number of greenhouses at the location amazed me, as there were at least a dozen. The greenhouses were very large and also very impressive. Once we entered the greenhouse, we were met by a young man who proceeded to show us around the facilities. We began our tour by viewing the process by which the plants are grown. The greenhouses specialize in produce, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, but they also grow grains, cabbages, grasses and flowers.
We were shown the methodology by which the seeds for the grains, grasses and flowers are planted. It consisted of a great apparatus in which the soil, seeds and fertilizers are placed into trays in an assembly line fashion. It was very interesting and very technical. After the seeds are planted, they reside on the floor of the greenhouses, which is kept at a very humid temperature. Some specific grasses are kept in specialized areas that are warmer, as these types of grasses are grown primarily in the southern regions of Russia where it is climatically warmer.
After this portion of the tour, our guide informed us about the astronomical costs of heating and ventilating the greenhouses. It was truly astounding the costs for upkeep and maintenance of the greenhouses. The greenhouses were run on a combination of natural gas and fuel oil. Ironically, this was a direct correlation to the information we learned in Dr. Buffington’s class about energy efficiency. I’m sure that Dr. Buffington could help that facility and teach them some ways to save money.
Once we were informed of the costs, we ventured to the greenhouses where tomatoes are grown. The tomatoes are grown in a very technical fashion with rows and rows of plants. Each tomato plant resides in a bag to contain the roots and each root bag has a small hose connected to it to provide water. Apparently, this is a great nuance in the greenhouse business, one that Dr. Buffington was very impressed with. This prevents water from being wasted and ensures the highest efficiency of delivering water. The water is treated with minerals that provide nutrients to the tomato plants. I was terrified to find that bees are kept within the greenhouses to promote pollination. I am slightly allergic to bees, my body has issues with histamine thus any bite or sting causes the area to swell up like a balloon. It’s not life threatening in the least bit, just an annoyance. I was so nervous that I was going to get bitten, but fortunately all was well!
After visiting the tomatoes, we walked to another section of the greenhouse complex that provided space for research as well as the growing of cucumbers and herbs. The cucumber area was fascinating and definitely my favorite part of the tour. I had no idea that cucumbers were grown vertically on vines (we don’t grow them in my garden at home) and the vines were grown in rows. The area looked a lot like a jungle and our group has a fun time walking down the aisles. I thought for a second that I was in South America! It was a fun adventure. The herbs grown there consisted of dill, mint, basil and several others. They were grown on horizontal trays raised to about waist level height. Although we probably weren’t allowed to do this, Alisa and I picked a few leaves of basil and chomped on them. It was delicious and provided a great ending to a fantastic tour!