Friðheimar Tomato Farm, located in the south of Iceland, is a farm and horse farm open to visitors. Fresh tomato products and horse shows in 14 languages are the two main features of this attraction.
Friðheimar Tomato Farm is an Icelandic family-run farm owned by Knútur Rafn Ármann and his wife Helena Hermundardóttir, an agronomist at the University College of Horál in northern Iceland and a horticulturist at the Institute of Horticulture in Reykir. Helena is a horticulturist at the Institute of Horticulture in Reykir.
Since moving to Friðheimar, Knútur, and Helena have started an organic tomato farming business. They are passionate about increasing the diversity of the Icelandic tomato market and are regularly introducing new varieties. This ensures a year-round supply of tomatoes for Iceland, which has a long cold climate.
The farm has an abundant supply of geothermal water, which is the source of heat for the greenhouse. Geothermal water flows into the greenhouse at a temperature of about 95°C.
To maximize the use of sunlight in the greenhouse, the glass panels are only 4 mm thick, and the use of approximately 100,000 tons of geothermal water per year ensures a completely constant temperature throughout the year! Iceland has an abundance of "green" electricity, which also provides the necessary artificial lighting for growing crops throughout the year.
The geothermal movement in southern Iceland is so active that warm springs lie beneath the surface and emerge as geothermal hot springs, such as the Reykjadalur thermal river (steam valley), the secret hot springs in the town of Flúðir, and the Fontana hot springs in the Laugarvatn lake area, and the vegetable farming at Friðheimar Farm also benefits from The rich geothermal energy that gushes underground.
Iceland's cold climate below the Arctic Circle means that the variety of vegetables and fruits is very limited. With the help of geothermal energy, Icelanders have developed greenhouse farming, cultivating a variety of plants that do not grow naturally, and improving the Icelandic diet. Today, many of the fruits and vegetables found in Icelandic supermarkets come from these greenhouse farms, with Friðheimar Farm being the leading source of tomatoes.
A tour of the tomato farm gives visitors the opportunity to visit the geothermal greenhouses and taste the freshest tomato products.
Friðheimar is not only a famous tomato farm, but also a horse farm with a variety of breeding horses, which are used exclusively for horse shows.
The Icelandic horses are known far and wide for their intelligence and affinity with humans; their cute appearance, small stature, gentle temperament, and unique gaits are their most distinctive features. Unlike other horse breeds, the Icelandic horse has mastered not only the four most common gaits, but also the unique tölt, and therefore is often and frequently favored for equestrian shows.
In the summer, Friðheimar Tomato Farm offers a wonderful horse show with explanatory versions in 14 different languages. This is your chance to learn all about the Icelandic horse breed, which was brought to Iceland by the first settlers in Scandinavia around 900 A.D. For centuries, the Icelandic horse has been the most loyal "partner" of the locals, both on the farm and by land transport.
"Even today, local farmers ride into the highlands in the fall to round up sheep. The Icelandic horse is a small, sturdy breed known for its five gaits: in addition to the walk, trot, and gallop, the Icelandic horse may also have a tölt and a skeið. Visitors can enjoy hot drinks there and take pictures with the riders and their horses.
