Only a week (and some change) after receiving a certificate of occupancy, the Adair County agriculture program’s new, state-of-the-art greenhouse is already populated with plants and produce.
The students and teachers who use the building could not be happier.
“It is a lot bigger (than the last greenhouse). A lot more organized, too,” said Adair County High School student Rayden Cash.
The new greenhouse replaces the previous one which ag teacher Brittany Smith says was built in the 1980s. Over time, it became clear that the existing structure was not providing students with a realistic look at what modern gardening consists of; technology has evolved in the 40-plus years since the last greenhouse opened its doors.
“A lot of the pieces (in the old greenhouse) did not work. The fans (did not work). The heater worked, but that was about it. Nothing else airflow-wise worked the way it was supposed to… We priced it out to retrofit it, to add irrigation and change out all the fans and motors and things that were stripped and worn out and it was going to be better just to build a new one,” Smith said. “Kids need to be able to see the state-of-the-art equipment that is out there in a school environment. They may not see it anywhere else. This is exposing them to irrigation and temperature control.”
Some of the new technology includes an irrigation system that mists the potted plants at regular intervals. Misting plants is much easier on the young saplings than direct water which can often be unreliable or even damage the plants’ stems. The process of hand watering also often took several hours per day—now unneeded with the new technology. Hoses dangle from the ceiling to allow special attention to be given to hanging plants.
At the back of the greenhouse, a large panel spanning the width of the building awaits warm air. When summer weather hits, this panel will open and water will dampen cardboard to cool the structure. Curtains also automatically block sunlight on particularly hot days, according to teacher, Robin Hancock.
“There is a lot of nice technology in this greenhouse and a lot of facilities that we have that really makes it more efficient teaching and producing,” Hancock said.
The new greenhouse has been empty for some time after it was finished last year. With all of its technology and utilities, though, its certificate of occupancy only came earlier this month. Work had to be done to ensure systems like the HVAC were up to par and that it was suitable for sustaining plant life.
Once all was taken care of and the certification was finalized, students immediately set to work. The entire greenhouse is covered in rows of planters and springing bulbs of flora waiting to grow. Students in Hancock’s Intro to Greenhouse class crowd around to care for sprouts emerging from soil.
“It is great to have a facility where all the teachers work together so students can have the most diverse experience… This morning, I took the middle schoolers out (to the greenhouse) with Ms. Gabby Barnes and they worked with the OxyTorch. And this afternoon, I am able to bring my intro to greenhouse class out here to the greenhouse with Mrs. Smith and they get that diverse experience,” Hancock stated.
Adair County FFA currently plans to have an open house and ribbon cutting in mid-April to celebrate the new greenhouse. This will coincide with the annual sale of produce grown by students. The money earned from the sale will go back into the program and will help keep the greenhouse supplied.
By Kenley Godby
kenley@adairvoice.com
