Greenhouse Update: Systems, Crops, and What’s Next
Since our last updates on the planning and early preparation stages of our greenhouse at Food + Farm Exploration Center, we’ve made big strides in transforming this space into a high-tech, hands-on learning environment. From water and climate control systems to crop trials and soil tests, the greenhouse is quickly becoming a living classroom for agricultural innovation.
As we prepare to welcome visitors later this fall, here’s what’s happening inside — and what’s growing.
Smart Watering, Thanks to Nelson Irrigation
One of the most exciting upgrades is our new automatic, Bluetooth-enabled watering system, generously donated by Nelson Irrigation. Their Twig® Wireless Control System allows staff to manage watering remotely and precisely — saving time and ensuring consistency for every crop.
To support the system, volunteers installed polyethylene tubing along our water tables. Soon, we’ll add in-pot emitters, which are essential for delivering consistent moisture directly to the root zone of container-grown plants — a critical step for maintaining healthy plants in pots.
Climate Control That Adapts Automatically
Complementing our irrigation setup is a new climate control system, powered by a dedicated greenhouse weather station and the Micro Grow Weathermaster system. This smart technology automates fan operation, vent openings, and shade deployment based on temperature and sunlight — creating optimal growing conditions without constant manual adjustment.
We’re currently testing humidity controls using a crop-specific algorithm built into the Micro Grow platform. The goal is to fine-tune the greenhouse’s internal climate based on what best supports the crops we’re growing — while also freeing up our team to focus more on education than environmental troubleshooting.
What We’re Growing and Testing
The greenhouse is home to a variety of crops selected for their educational value and experimentation potential. Currently, we’re growing:
Carrots are being grown in vertical tubes and buckets, reflecting innovative techniques we observed during spring greenhouse tours.
Potatoes match the same varieties planted in our outdoor demonstration fields, allowing us to compare how they grow in soil versus a greenhouse setting. Thanks to GP Ventures, Worzella and Sons Inc., McCain Foods, The Little Potato Company, and UW-Madison Potato Breeding & Genetics for generously donating seed potatoes.
Sweet corn, donated by IFSI, includes fresh-market varieties with physical and genetic traits different from commercial processing corn — a great teaching opportunity to explain seed selection and food quality.
Soil and Supplies
To get growing, we needed a reliable soil base — and Oldcastle generously donated three pallets of soil to help launch our program. While we may test additional soil blends in the future, their support gave us a strong start.
We’ve also installed a fertilizer injector system, which connects with the automatic watering setup for low-dose, consistent feeding. Manual adjustments allow our team to adapt nutrients to specific plant needs, offering flexibility for ongoing testing and learning.
Soon, we’ll also install a bug screen system to exclude larger pests like Colorado potato beetles — an important step in demonstrating integrated pest management strategies used by commercial growers.
What’s Ahead
In the coming weeks, we’ll continue planting beets, green beans, peas, herbs, onions, cucumbers, and cover crops. These additions will help us explore how various crops respond to greenhouse growing conditions and expand the ways we teach about food systems.
Our goal is to provide a year-round, hands-on learning experience that complements our core mission: helping people understand how food goes from field to fork — and the greenhouse allows us to deepen that understanding through immersive, real-time observation.
We’re aiming to begin welcoming visitors into the greenhouse in September as part of general admission, though that timing may shift. Please stay tuned to our website and social media channels for updates.
We can’t wait to share what’s next as we continue growing — together.