Agriculture is the number one industry in South Dakota and is entirely dependent on the weather. A new addition to Western Dakota Technical College is teaching students how to change that. Greenhouses provide an opportunity for producers to grow year-round, as the enclosed space protects crops from harsh conditions.
Western Dakota Tech's new geothermal greenhouse allows students in the controlled environment agriculture program to overcome difficult elements of the environment. The program's goal is to advance students' learning and showcase a way for agriculture to take a step forward in South Dakota.
"This allows for traditional agriculture producers to consider that this might be something they can incorporate into their portfolio and be able to extend their production times. And maybe look into specialty crops for when they're not doing their major AG with the grains that we produce," said Bryan Mitchell, co-director for the controlled environment agriculture program.
The greenhouse has no heating, cooling, or water systems. In order for the plants to thrive, students are responsible for providing everything the plants need. All programs at the school were involved in creating the greenhouse, from the technical construction program building the enclosure to the HVAC program installing vents to help with the airflow.
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