Tomatoes are grown in Iceland in a sustainable greenhouse

The Friðheimar greenhouse in Reykholt, Iceland; photo by Ashlyn G. / Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

How tomatoes are grown in Iceland in a sustainable greenhouse

It may sound strange to see a fruit (or is it a vegetable?) usually associated with a temperate climate growing just a few miles south of the Arctic Circle; yet, this happens in Iceland with tomatoes.

First, the answer to the question above is that tomatoes are fruits, and more precisely the berries of the Solanum lycopersicum plant. Tomato is native to Central America but has been historically grown widely in the temperate areas of North America, Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Its cultivation has never been successful in northern Europe, mainly because the tomato plant suffers temperatures below 10C / 50F and requires a warm climate and plenty of sunlight to ripen correctly.

Therefore, tomatoes are not a native product of Iceland; they don’t grow outdoors on the island, it’s simply too cold. Yet, Icelanders have found an ingenious solution to eating a locally-produced Mediterranean-style salad: to build greenhouses. Since the 1920s, various species of edible fruits and vegetables have been cultivated in Iceland’s geothermally-heated greenhouses, including tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, peppers, and strawberries.

One of the best examples of this agricultural know-how is the Friðheimar greenhouse in Reykholt, a village in southwestern Iceland.
Founded by Knútur Rafn Ármann and Helena Hermundardóttir in 1995 and specializing in the production of tomatoes, Friðheimar is just one of the many greenhouse-based farms in Iceland; nevertheless, it has become particularly famous because it is one of the few open to visits all year round, as well as for its varied program of events and activities. Committed to sustainable and eco-friendly horticulture, the farm includes a restaurant, stables for Icelandic horses, and an equestrian arena.

The Friðheimar greenhouse accommodates about 10,000 tomato plants.
Photo by Ashlyn G. / Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

A red cherry tomato plant in the Friðheimar greenhouse; overall, the farm produces 370 tons of tomatoes yearly; photo Eric Kilby / Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

At Friðheimar, about 10,000 plants produce about one ton of tomatoes daily, 365 days a year, on a cultivated area of 4,200 square meters.
The farm’s greenhouses and 300-sqm plant nursery are heated by hot geothermal water, of which Iceland is famously abundant. To grow vegetables all year round, natural lighting is integrated by an artificial lighting system mostly based on High-Intensity Discharge Lamps, powered by the island’s 42 hydro and geothermal power plants.

The geothermal heating system of the farm. Heated by geothermal water and powered with electricity from renewable energy sources, Friðheimar features one of the world’s most sustainable greenhouses. Photo by Ashlen G. / Flickr CC BY-ND 2.0

Computers control the temperature and humidity in the greenhouses and take care of the watering and fertilizing schedule; photo by Sheep ‘R’Us / Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

At the farm, computers control temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and lighting in each greenhouse; artificial lighting is automatically switched off when sunlight reaches a sufficient level in the greenhouses. The computers are also connected to an irrigation system that waters and fertilizes the crop according to a predefined program.

Pest control is pesticide-free and based on biological methods and beneficial insects such as the predatory mirid bug Macrolophus pygmaeus. Insects, especially honey bees, are also used to help the pollination of tomato flowers.

The Friðheimar farm also contains a restaurant specializing in tomato-based recipes (what else?) like tomato soups, pasta, salads (including a Caprese salad made with Icelandic Mozzarella), tomato pies, beers, non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks, and cocktails (including Bloody Mary, obviously).

Photo C.C. Chapman / Flickr CC BY-NC-ND 2.0