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Our cities are becoming more crowded every day. Urbanization is sweeping across the nation at an alarming rate. Some people have decided to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of the city. Tired of the crowded streets, soul-tiring jobs, and bleak existence of urban, they decided to go back to nature.
That was precisely the decision Kathleen Ennis took when she decided to quit her job in the city and relocate across the country to settle in Nova Scotia. Then all she had was a dream, some cash, and boundless determination. That was all she needed to build her very own business, DomeGrown Organics.
Dome-Grown Organics grows tasty, 100% organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs. It uses all-natural greenhouse technology to develop this product within a geodesic dome. Kathleen pulled this off by building three domes, each with 42-square feet of growing space.
The property is located on 380 acres of beautiful nature and looks like the lost Garden of Eden. To complete the impression of paradise are the beautiful hot springs situated in the property.
There’s a beautiful home that blends perfectly with the surrounding nature. She even has a modern solar station which supplies the electricity needs of the property. But the crown jewel and monument of the collection are the three innovative geo-domes that immediately catch the eye of onlookers.
At first glance, you will think you were suddenly transported to some 80’s sci-fi movie: white geodesic domes, metal tubing, and an eerie landscape. The truth, however, is much more straightforward, it’s called geodesic dome-grown organics.
How do these geodesic domes help her grow her produce?
These oddly shaped structures are the secret behind Kathleen’s dream. They are called geodesic domes. Besides looking very futuristic and high-tech, the shape and form of the domes serve a more practical purpose.
The triangular framework lattice makes the structure surprisingly rigid and allows it to distribute weight more evenly throughout the body. This enables the domes to support more weight than their flimsy appearance would suggest.
Another critical aspect of the dome is how they allow farmers like DomeGrown Organics to grow agricultural produce almost all year round in a suitable environment. The answer to this is called the greenhouse effect.
Most people have heard about greenhouse gases, unfortunately mostly concerning global warming. The truth is that the greenhouse effect has to do with a lot more than just global warming. A greenhouse is a specially designed building that allows plants to grow in a comfortable environment. It is this same technology that lets DomeGrown Organics supply produce even in the winter.
Most greenhouses are built with a transparent material, typically glass. During the day, this allows light and heat to pass through as infrared waves, which have a short wavelength. These rays tend to bounce around and become electromagnetic rays with longer wavelengths. These are prevented from leaving by the glass panels and trapped within the greenhouse. This raises the internal temperature of the greenhouse and keeps it warm even on cold nights when the sun has gone down.
Another beneficial component of this process, which has gotten a bad reputation recently are greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are critical molecules. Their molecules are loosely bound. They, therefore, tend to vibrate and give off heat when struck. This, in turn, excites molecules besides them. The whole process allows heat to be equally distributed within the building.
Another great thing that greenhouses do is to trap moisture within the dome. This creates a moist environment that does not allow plants to lose water through evaporation and transpiration. So basically, greenhouses enable the plants to grow in a warm, humid climate with plenty of sunlight all year round.
How does she power all this?
Kathleen has several solar-powered arrays that provide more than enough energy to the property. One display of the solar panel is set up outside on the greenery. And another is set up on top of the shipping container. The solar panels are connected to a power storage unit that powers both the greenhouse and the domes.
Solar energy provides a clean, renewable source of power, which is her way of protecting the environment of which she survives. Kathleen plans on adding some structures to the property in the future, which is why she went so overboard with solar energy. All of this, however, is keeping with the theme of DomeGrown Organics being 100% derived from nature.
What about the living quarters?
Aside from being 100% environmentally friendly, Kathleen built a beautiful home that blends naturally into the surrounding scenery—built on a modified gooseneck trailer, which also serves as its deck. The compact structure was cleverly designed to maximize as much space as possible. The architectural design of the home features scanty walls, large windows, and plenty of lights. This gives the house the impression of being much larger inside than it looks from the outside.
Possessing all the modern amenities any home should have, such as a modern kitchen, washer, and dryer, as well as air conditioning. The interior is designed to conserve space. The lounge is beautifully designed to double as both an entertainment zone and a sleeping area. This tiny home can comfortably house up to six people!
In keeping with the theme, you’ll notice the interior seems to be made with mainly wooden themes. Flowers and herbs hang freely from different locations, adding lovely earthy fragrance to the building. You would almost feel you are outside breathing in fresh air straight from the mountains.
Kathleen Ennis succeeded in building a paradise in the middle of nowhere. She took her old life apart and built a business, a home, and heaven. Dome-Grown Organics is proof that we can live side by side with nature in a sustainable relationship. This project represents more than just a personal victory for her, but a victory for the future of humanity.
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