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Behind the brightly colored, mosaic façade of The Land pavilion
at Epcot sits non-descript offices where greenhouse "magic"
takes place. Horticulture and entertainment -- which some call "horti-tainment"
-- blend to create some of the most visually interesting fruits
and vegetables found under one roof anywhere in the world.
From Mickey Mouse-shaped food to fruit the size of bowling balls,
The Epcot Science team at The Land constantly works to include produce
and other foods on the pavilion's Living with the Land attraction
to give guests something they can't see anywhere else. Living with
the Land, a narrated, 14-minute boat ride through the farms of yesteryear
as well as the greenhouses of tomorrow, showcases the team's research
and work inside The Land's four greenhouses.
Though currently closed to guests while Walt Disney Imagineers
complete the newest "E-Ticket" attraction at Epcot --
"Soarin' " -- the garden magic continues behind-the-scenes.
The Land pavilion will once again open to guests when work on "Soarin'
" is complete.
Some of the horticulture highlights:
Mickey Mouse-shaped cucumbers: In 2003, The Land
Science team developed a special, elongated mold that is placed
around a young cucumber. As it grows, the vegetable forms the familiar
shape of Mickey's silhouette. The cucumbers are harvested and served
atop salads inside The Land's Garden Grill Restaurant.
Mickey Mouse-shaped watermelons: Building on the
success of the Mickey Cucumber, the team created a similar mold
for watermelons. Guests on the Living with the Land attraction often
see the three-dimensional Mickey Mouse-shape watermelons growing
on the vines inside the greenhouses.
Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins: Autumn brings the
biggest harvest of pumpkins at The Land, and Mickey Mouse-shaped
pumpkins have quickly become a favorite. Introduced in 2004, the
Mickey Mouse-shaped pumpkins -- some which weigh nearly 80 pounds
-- are harvested and placed inside the greenhouses for guest viewing.
Nine-Pound Lemons: While they're not Mickey Mouse-shaped,
the Nine-Pound Lemons grow to what their descriptive name implies
-- a lemon that weighs nine pounds. These sour mammoths begin as
young, green fruit on trees inside the greenhouse. As they mature,
they take on the familiar lemony-yellow hue and preserve all of
the taste of smaller variety lemons.
Guests on the Living with the Land attraction also see:
The Tropics Greenhouse, growing crops native to
Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America and the southern United States.
Rice, sugar cane, peanuts, cacao, bananas and a 59-foot peach palm
flourish under a 60-foot dome.
The Aquacell, showcasing crops that swim -- fish
and other aquatic life including alligators, catfish, tilapia, sunshine
bass and American eel.
The Temperate Greenhouse, featuring the concepts
and technologies of sustainable agriculture, including intercropping,
integrated pest management and specialized irrigation systems that
reduce waste and increase crop production.
The Production Greenhouse, where tons of tomatoes,
peppers, lettuce and other vegetables are grown for use in The Land's
Garden Grill Restaurant and other Epcot restaurants. Land scientists
utilize growing systems that are kinder to the environment and improve
productivity.
The Creative House, showing imaginative ways to
grow crops -- without soil, hanging in the air, even on a space
station. USDA scientists currently are working at The Land to develop
dwarf pear trees for greater production efficiency.
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