How the geothermal gardens of Pagosa Springs turn heat into vegetables
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PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. — Sherry Murphy plucked an orange flower from the growing frame and popped it into her mouth.
“They start off kind of sweet, and then at the end, they have a really peppery flavor. They’re really good in salads,” said Murphy, a board member of the Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership. One of the best parts of working in the grow dome, she said, is sampling the produce.
Sherry Murphy eats an orange flower inside the dome. Video: Ziyi Xu, Rocky Mountain PBS
Nestled along the San Juan River, across from the steamy Springs Resort & Spa, are three silver grow domes. One serves as an education dome, another as a community garden and the third as an innovation space.
The Geothermal Greenhouse Partnership (GGP) is a nonprofit dedicated to educating the community about sustainable agriculture using local renewable energy. The organization first built the education dome in 2016.
Inside the community garden dome, gardeners grow produce year-round, and school groups use the space to learn how to cultivate carrots, tomatoes, flowers and more. A koi pond helps regulate the temperature. While it may be dry and cold outside, the dome remains warm and humid.
“These domes are heated with the assistance of geothermal heat,” said Keith Bruno, another GGP board member.
Pagosa Springs sits above an accessible geothermal heat source. The town’s geothermal utility building channels that energy to different parts of the community, including the Springs Resort & Spa and the domes. The domes harness geothermal heat through underground plumbing to maintain a stable growing environment.
Pagosa Springs is home to three hot springs resorts and several free soaking pools along the San Juan River, locally known as "Hippy Dip." The town is also home to the world’s deepest hot spring, Mother Spring, which reaches a depth of more than 1,002 feet and feeds 25 individual pools.
In addition to its hot springs, the town operates a geothermal heating system that warms downtown businesses and keeps sidewalks clear of snow from October to April, depending on the weather.
“There are places in the country where people grow commercial vegetable production with the help of geothermal heat. But in our region, we are kind of the one and only,” Bruno said.
Bruno said the region’s elevation, paired with heavy clay and shale soils, make traditional farming challenging.
“Yes, we can grow outside, but we’re limited by our short season. And that’s where the domes come into play.”
Because of Pagosa Springs’ geographic isolation, delivering fresh produce to town is an added difficulty. The domes provide food year-round; much of it is donated to local food pantries such as St. Patrick's Episcopal Church and Healthy Archuleta's Food Distribution Center.
Another unique aspect of the domes: They are run entirely by volunteers.
“I was new to town and walking down here — it’s just like another world,” said Savana Sullivan, a second-year volunteer. “There’s so much going on between the pond, the herb garden, and the cover crops. It’s exciting.”
Sullivan, who works in landscaping, has always been interested in gardening but never lived in a place where she could have one of her own.
“I popped in, and they just welcomed me in and taught me the ropes,” she said. “I’m usually out here once a week, checking on plants, making sure they’re healthy, transplanting, starting seeds, and taking care of the fish.”
“It’s just fun. It’s like a little piece of me.”
For Bruno, the best part of the project is its visibility. The domes sit along the town’s riverwalk, a popular area for running, dog walking and fishing.
“Routinely, I see people walking through here to congregate—whether it’s in the amphitheater outside, stopping into the domes, or visiting the garden. It’s really a community hub,” he said.
“If people want to learn how to grow food and work with others, then come on in.”
Type of story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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