BTS: The Sanctuary Greenhouses

If you’ve read my Sanctuary series, you know the guys want to be as self-sufficient as possible. Brian/Chris “Mad Dog” Sheppard used his engineering know-how to create some state of the art greenhouses for Sanctuary, complete with recirculation hydroponics and fertilization, allowing them to grow a lot of their own food.

But where did Mad Dog’s ideas come from?

Disney World, mostly. I’ve been there so many times, and every time, I take the “Living with the Land” boat ride at least once. To say that I’m awed by what they’ve done there is an understatement. Plants growing without soil, suspended in the air – it’s really cool. If you haven’t been to DW or have skipped this ride, it’s a very pleasant, cool boat ride. But I digress…

I also did a fair amount of research online, concentrating on experimental agricultural programs suited to the Northeast. This came in handy not only for the greenhouses, but also for Tina Obermacher and her cutting edge orchard science.  And, finally, some personal experience. I love playing in the dirt (a.k.a., gardening) and have a tiny orchard of my own. I may have learned a few things over the years. My goal is to have a little greenhouse of my own someday – on a much smaller scale, of course. And rest assured, I’ll be channeling Mad Dog and Tina if I do.