I know most of you have walked into a botanical garden somewhere in
the world as any country has several around, especially those labeled as
green. By green, I mean any environmental
conscious country there is. How about
greenhouses? I’m sure you have. And mind you, I never have… until recently.
On my recent local trip in Qatar one Saturday, I was amazed by one of
these local farm houses around the country.
I read about the article in one popular local online magazine in Doha
(Doha News) and bumped into this article that says “Things to do in Qatar this
weekend”, and it got my attention into one thing to do that would interest me,
a visit to a greenhouse somewhere in the outskirt of Doha. At first, I thought it was just a similar
botanical garden with a greenhouse in the middle of the dessert as many rich
would have for their private indulgence which anyone can only see from afar when
you travel on a main roads going to the north or to the south of the country.
We started our trip somehow in a bad note because we got lost and
seems like do not know our way around to the place even if we were looking
through a location map. We were not enchanted for one but the experience of
getting lost gave us more excitement in driving around nowhere, the thrills
were priceless. The place only opens
ones a month from sometime in September or October to April depending on the
weather at around 10am till 2pm, so imagine the suspense if you get late
because your mental GPS is malfunctioning, not to mention that your petrol is
dwindling. See how terrible it could be if
we were stuck in the middle of nowhere in some faraway dessert?
Getting there was even a surprise, it was not your typical greenhouse
in the middle of nowhere but an impressive one that only few can afford. The place is called ROZA HASSAD (google it!)
in Umm Leghab, Dukhan Road. The greenhouse
is not just flowers, vegetables and crops production farm but a very
environmental friendly one. It is
self-sufficient and self-sustain farm.
It produces its own water for irrigation, recycles water, produces its
own natural compost and uses the most sophisticated temperature and light
controlling system; and the most simple pest control techniques which are by
the way again all natural. At the end of
the guided trip you can have the opportunity to bring produce on your way back
home!
So what’s better way to spend your holiday next weekend? But you just have to wait for months till
next season of the opening day comes back around (as per schedule
announcement).
Below are some photos in action, of course, with the permission to
blog an article about from Mr. Jean Pierre, the man himself, a kind tour guide
who lets us get in, even if the door was already closed… because we were late
(big thanks to the management!).
Their environmental advocacy is well worth promoting, please support
them as well next time.
Photographs Courtesy of:
Mr. Mykel Quinto (MQ House of Photography)
