Coe Greenhouse Yielding Opportunities
In a corner tucked behind Peterson Hall, near the rear entrance to the Center for Health & Society and under the shade of two regal oaks, is a real hot spot on campus. Sweltering, actually. Full of thick air and leafy vegetation, the Coe greenhouse will help you work up a sweat, but the real vision is to help in much more significant ways.
The greenhouse complements the conservation efforts already in place by reducing carbon, plastic packaging and pesticide usage as produce like lettuce, microgreens, tomatoes and peppers can be organically grown year-round.
The greenhouse will also provide opportunities for student engagement as part of Coe’s urban field station, acting as a living lab for students. Even the model of the structure is called an “educator greenhouse.” Heads Groundskeeper Chad Sunner played a pivotal role in the project and spoke with multiple science faculty regarding the potential uses to complement classes. He came away convinced the greenhouse would serve a valuable sustainability and academic purpose on campus.
“The purpose of this project was to build the greenhouse for the students,” Sunner said.
The greenhouse runs an aquaponics system to provide nourishment for the produce and other plants for campus beautification. Six koi live in a 55-gallon tank, and their nutrient-rich waste is collected and circulated through piping directly to the plants’ roots.
Associate Professor of Biology Jesse Ellis plans to incorporate the greenhouse into labs for organismal and ecological biology courses. The growing environment will illustrate a microcosm of an ecosystem for students.
“It’s essentially a pond,” Ellis said. “We expect to find some microorganisms there that may give our students some experiences with microscopes and biodiversity.”
While the possibilities the greenhouse present academically are stimulating, the construction and upkeep of the greenhouse has been a labor of love for some of the college’s staff.
Sunner worked in a greenhouse after high school and has enjoyed the setting since, noting the addition on campus is “the perfect marriage for me.” Grounds Technician Ethan Krueger ’22 helped build the greenhouse during the summer of 2022, while Sunner consulted and problem solved.
“It was hot,” Krueger said. “But it was satisfying to see something from start to finish.”
Maximizing the functionality of the growing cycles took some trial and error at first. The first batch of lettuce was ready right at spring break, while the second batch was ready right at graduation. So, the fruits of their labor weren’t able to be fully realized on campus. However, any greens produced that aren’t able to be used on campus are donated to local food banks like Feed Iowa First or sold to local restaurants who value locally sourced, organic produce.
But now the greenhouse is humming along on an efficient planting cycle. Lettuce can go from seed to harvest in 30 days and microgreens take just 10 days. A staggered planting plan ensures a constant supply.
Both the cafeteria and The Nest, the on-campus food bank, are considering ways to incorporate the yields out of the greenhouse.
“This is the freshest produce possible — it’s coming from 200 yards away,” Ethan noted.
Krueger starts or ends many of his days checking in on the greenhouse, calling it “relaxing,” with just a glint of sweat visible on the ridge of his smile.