Tech & Biz

Growing Plants the Disney Way

by Jordan Yerman | August 16, 2008 at 12:52 pm

1384 views | 10 Recommendations | 2 comments

Daniel Terdiman over at CNET has a pretty cool job. He went behind the scenes at Epcot Center to check out the factory-like vegetable gardens that contribute to the theme park's various eating venues. WHo knew a garden would need so many moving parts? The photoset is fascinating and a little bit creepy. It reminded me of The Matrix, with a little Minority Report thrown in. Also, that greenhouse scene in The Black Hole, which, being a Disney flick, was perhaps an inspiration for the complex described below. However, the massive Epcot garden complex is tended by smiling humans, and not by insane robots.

I'm seized with a strange urge to fly down to Orlando and rescue those pumpkins from their mouse-eared fate, so that they may realize their true potential: really awesome jack-o-lanterns.

Because much of the produce grown in the greenhouses is meant to be served at Epcot Center restaurants (though Sterrett explained that there is no way the program can provide all the vegetables needed to feed park guests), some of them are forced to grow into the shape of Mickey Mouse ears.

I also didn't know that you could lease an alligator! Is there a $10 buyout option so you can keep it at the end?

Epcot leases alligators from an alligator farm and raises them to demonstrate to guests. When they reach about 2 years of age, they are sent back to the farm.

2 See all footage | View Slideshow

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Barry ORegan

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 15:35 on August 16th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff. What no mickey mouse ears on the alligators? Geez that seems so, so, weird?

Uwe Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 03:27 on August 17th, 2008

jordan, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I think I may try to grow some of that, interesting! Maybe a tomato in the shape of Kangaroo would sell better and bring in 10x more than conventional tomato's would!

The future of Hydroponics!