Our last Imagineering the Future (World) left off as we did out final attraction at the Imagination pavilion: Captain EO (or if we go with my new concept, Dreamfinder & Figment's Odyssey Through Time). Just a few yards away, you see a sign that reads "THE LAND" with a smaller text below reading "PRESENTED BY NESTLE" and the Nestle logo. You then spot the pavilion's 1982 logo in the center of the sign along with its attraction roster: Living with the Land, Soarin' Over the World, and The Kitchen Kabaret.
Since the main highlight of the pavilion has been Soarin' Over the World from 2005 on, you decide to ride the recently-opened second version. Before entering the queue, you notice that the pavilion's overall interior color scheme has been changed to mainly greens and whites.
The queue is themed to a barn, similar to that of the transition from dark ride to greenhouse in Living with the Land. The new on-screen games are "Spot the Country" (find the country in a world map), "Pest Patrol" (kill pest with bug spray guns in this interactive TSMM-style game), "Cash Cows" (answer trivia questions about agricultural economics). The preshow is remade into a movie featuring Eric Idle as Captain Nigel Channing, our chief flight attendant during this Dream Flight. He will go through the usual safety spiel after he explains that "The locations we'll be flying over will disappear off the map if we keep polluting the Earth at today's rate."
The attraction starts as your hang glider ascends up to the IMAX screen and the famous Soarin' score starts. After soaring through a bunch of clouds, we come across the great city of London. here, we fly through the Tower Bridge and circle the Big Ben. We are then magically transported to the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, where we feel the heat of the scorching sun and smell the sagebrush below. Just as we fly over the outskirts of Cairo, we see Rio's annual Carnivale celebrations taking place. The scene doesn't last long because we are now soarin' over the Mediterranean beaches of Greece. We are then transported to a Canadian ski resort at night as we see the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). The setting changes again as we are now soarin' over the Great Wall of China. Below, we see giant pandas frolicking in the meadows. Back in America, we see a stadium with wild and crazy fans hooting and hollering during the Super Bowl. Not too far away are the Florida citrus groves, our next stop on the EPCOT Center Dream Flight. We are now in the Anza-Borrego Desert. other than the fireworks, this is the only footage recycled from Soarin' Over California. The next stop is one the other side of the world: Sydney Harbor. We fly though the city and circle the Opera House. Now in Africa, we are soarin' over the Congo rainforest as we hear he sounds of people trekking and animals living in the jungles under us. Near the end of our Dream Flight is New York City. Coming from below us are the sounds of a bustling American city. After circling the Statue of Liberty, we are soarin' over our final stop: the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World! We are now flying up Main Street USA while the new holiday fireworks spectacular (Holiday Dreams) is going on. Although it may be missed by most people, you can see all the Disney characters decked out in holiday gear waving to us on the Castle Forecourt Stage. The conclusion of our Dream Flight is a portion of Holiday Dreams with part of the Disneyland fireworks footage from SOC. As the screen blackens and the score ends, we hear Eric Idle's voice. "On behalf of Nestle and Walt Disney World, thanks for Soarin' with us."
Deciding to do Living with the Land next, you decide to get a FASTPASS and eat lunch at the Sunshine Seasons Food Fair. As you enter the food court, you notice that the large fountain from 1982 returned during the refurbishment of the pavilion. On the line, you see the menu spread out on various LD plasma TVs. What follows is the full menu.
Breakfast
Entrees
Deciding to have a complete meal, you order the Angus cheeseburger, baked beans, a corn muffin, a slice of New York-style cheesecake, and a cup of Coca-Cola. Full form lunch, you use your FASTPASS for Living with the Land. What follows is the spiel for Living with the Land.
Tour Guide: For your safety, please remain behind the yellow line until the boat comes to a complete stop. Thank you.
Tour Guide: Welcome to Living with the Land. As you come aboard the boat, please lower your head and watch your step.
Tour Guide: On behalf of Nabisco and Walt Disney World, we hope you enjoy your voyage into Living with the Land.
(A revised version of "Listen to the Land" is now heard with a male lead and a children's chorus in the background.)
Just make believe, you're a tiny little seed,
a tiny little seed that's reaching up to meet your need.
With the right amount of faith, and the right amount of earth,
you'll grow to see the sunshine on your day of birth.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
When springtime comes, how can you tell?
The air is always filled with orange blossom smell.
Come summertime, the warmest sun shines,
and world is full of flowers and good melon rinds.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
When autumn falls, it's a harvest show,
with north winds blowing all the seeds that it must sow.
Come winter time, the rain must fall,
'till once again the new year and the springtime call.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
The seasons come, and the seasons go,
nature knows everything it has to know.
The earth and man, can be good friends,
let's listen so our harvest time will never end.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
Mike Brassell: Welcome to a voyage of discovery and awareness of the richness and diversity of nature living with the land.
Mike Brassell: Our journey begins as dramatic and sudden changes are sweeping over the land.
Mike Brassell: The approaching storm may seem wild and destructive to us, but to nature it's a new beginning in the cycle of life.
Mike Brassell: Beneath the surface of the land, trapped water from the flowing mud extracts precious nutrients and minerals. These elements combine with sunlight to create the diverse living ecosystems of our planet.
Mike Brassell: One of those living systems is the rainforest: home to the most amazing concentrations of life on our planet. These dense and beautiful forests cover only a tiny portion of the Earth's surface. But they contain more than half of the Earth's plant and animal species. Rainforests are also very rich and productive ecosystems, providing oxygen, food, medicine, and other elements essential to our lives.
Mike Brassell: In the desert, nature has created a very different and no less beautiful ecosystem. And while this arid landscape may seem lifeless, it's very much alive. The plants and animals learn to survive in these harsh conditions make use of whatever water they can find and avoid the scorching rays of the sun.
Mike Brassell: The American prairie looks as desolate as the desert, but over time, the rainwater ant nutrients gradually penetrate the hard surface of this land. Even the hooves of the mighty bison helped created the soil that would one day become home to the American prairie.
Mike Brassell: Of all the forces that work on the land, humans have had one of the most profound effects: the need to produce food for a growing world that would make use and sometimes over use of the land. In our search for more efficient ways to grow food, we often fail to realize the impact of our methods.
Mike Brassell: Today, we're learning to live with the land, discovering better ways to grow food that will ensure both humans and environmental well-being.
Female Announcer: Here at EPCOT Center, we're learning to use natural predators such as ladybugs and wasps to control pests. In Japan, we're learning that by adding composted leaves and other plant material to the soil, we reduce the need for fertilizers. In farmlands across America, we're learning that by plowing under vegetation can that contains natural fertilizers, we can enrich the soil without the use of chemicals. In Saudi Arabia and Mexico, we're learning to produce food on desert seacoasts by developing and planting crops that thrive on saltwater.
Mike Brassell: How will we meet tomorrow's growing needs for food production, yet still respect the need for the land? More questions are being discovered in the greenhouses ahead. To help use maintain these carefully controlled ecosystems and for your safety, please remain seated in your boat at all times.
Mike Brassell: In these living laboratories, scientists from EPCOT Center, the US Department of Agriculture, and Nestle are exploring innoventive ways to produce bountiful harvets for now and into the future. The tropics are home to the greatest diversity of plants on the planet. Many of these like bananas, cocoa, coffee, and rice are well-known around the world. Others like the jackfruit, fluted pumpkins, and dragonfruit represent the vast number of lesser-known tropical plants. Many of these are exceptionally high in vitamins and nutrients. Others are well adapted to growing in less than ideal conditions. The fluted pumpkin with its edible seeds and leaves thrive in the poorest soil conditions of Africa making it a potential staple for millions of people. The unique-looking dragonfruit is actually a member of the cactus family. The fruits are high in Vitamin C, rich antioxidants, and an alive, sweet taste.
Mike Brassell: As we learn more about these plants, we discover new ways to help us feed our food. One day, some of these fruit may be as popular as the bananas growing on both sides of the globe. More than 28,000,000 tons of bananas are eaten annually, making it the most popular fruit in the world.
Mike Brassell: When we mention farming, you probably don't think of fish. But fish farming, or aquaculture, is an innoventive way to increase harvests and protect wild fish populations. Pacu, bass, and catfish are some of the crops raised by fish farmers around the world. In Asia, tilapia are often raised for ice packs because their waste provides nutrients to the ice. This integrated growing system can improve growing fields. The American alligator, on your right, is an endangered species. Alligator farms have played an important role in increasing the wild population. Nearly 3% of all fish consumed worldwide is raised on farms making aquaculture an important part of our efforts to solve many natural problems. Here at The Land, we grow about 6,500 pound of fish a year, many of which are featured at Walt Disney World restaurants such as the Coral Reef and California Grill.
Mike Brassell: This greenhouse is full of some of our biggest ideas. Giant pumpkins and winter melons are certainly impressive, but their real importance far exceeds their record-setting size. These supersized crops represent the best efforts of scientists and farmers to improve plants yields. Years of careful selection and cross-breeding result in plants that produce more food are more resistant to pests and can even grow in harsher climates. And it doesn't hurt that one nine-pound lemon can make about a gallon of lemonade on a hot summer day.
Mike Brassell: These plants are definitely on their way up. Vertical growing systems like ours increase air flows through the leaves which helps to reduce disease. Diseases and pests are two of the biggest challenges faced by farmers around the world. Innoventive growing techniques are just one way to fight these problems. Using beneficial insects to manage pest problems is another technique we're using. We're also growing plants using our novel nutrient film system. By recycling water and nutrients, the system can save farmers money and help protect the environment.
Mike Brassell: Here's something you don't see every day: tomatoes growing on trees. These plants were originally developed by Chinese scientists. Tomato trees live longer and produce many more tomatoes. One of ours lived over 16 months and produced 1,000 tomatoes. Much of the produce you see here growing in our greenhouses is served in Walt Disney World restaurants such as Walt's Place and Jiko.
Mike Brassell: The future of agriculture includes some high-flying ideas like the ones you see here. We already grow plants without soil throughout our greenhouses. That technique is called hydroponics. Now we're trying our aeroponics. Water and nutrients are sprayed directly onto the roots of the plants as they fly by. In our lab, scientists from the US Department of Agriculture are working to develop more pear trees. The fruit will be normal size, but the smaller tree will be easier to grow and harvest. The goal of all these experiments is to discover new ways to better grow crops in even the harshest environments. Who knows? One day, we might be able to grow food during extended space flights.
Mike Brassell: On behalf of Nestle and Walt Disney World, we'd like to thank you for sailing with us through the land. At this time, please gather all of your personal belongings and take small children by the hand as you exit through the open gates at the side of the boat. If you'd like to learn about Nestle's innoventions for tomorrow's agriculture, we invite you to visit one of five booths set up throughout the pavilion. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of your Day of Discovery here at EPCOT Center.
Getting off the ride, wondering what to do next, a Cast Member suggests that you see Kitchen Kabaret in the Harvest Theatre. Following her advice, you go to the Harvest Theatre to see, according to the guidebook, "___." The script for Kitchen Kabaret will be posted later.
Since the main highlight of the pavilion has been Soarin' Over the World from 2005 on, you decide to ride the recently-opened second version. Before entering the queue, you notice that the pavilion's overall interior color scheme has been changed to mainly greens and whites.
The queue is themed to a barn, similar to that of the transition from dark ride to greenhouse in Living with the Land. The new on-screen games are "Spot the Country" (find the country in a world map), "Pest Patrol" (kill pest with bug spray guns in this interactive TSMM-style game), "Cash Cows" (answer trivia questions about agricultural economics). The preshow is remade into a movie featuring Eric Idle as Captain Nigel Channing, our chief flight attendant during this Dream Flight. He will go through the usual safety spiel after he explains that "The locations we'll be flying over will disappear off the map if we keep polluting the Earth at today's rate."
The attraction starts as your hang glider ascends up to the IMAX screen and the famous Soarin' score starts. After soaring through a bunch of clouds, we come across the great city of London. here, we fly through the Tower Bridge and circle the Big Ben. We are then magically transported to the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, where we feel the heat of the scorching sun and smell the sagebrush below. Just as we fly over the outskirts of Cairo, we see Rio's annual Carnivale celebrations taking place. The scene doesn't last long because we are now soarin' over the Mediterranean beaches of Greece. We are then transported to a Canadian ski resort at night as we see the Aurora Borealis (northern lights). The setting changes again as we are now soarin' over the Great Wall of China. Below, we see giant pandas frolicking in the meadows. Back in America, we see a stadium with wild and crazy fans hooting and hollering during the Super Bowl. Not too far away are the Florida citrus groves, our next stop on the EPCOT Center Dream Flight. We are now in the Anza-Borrego Desert. other than the fireworks, this is the only footage recycled from Soarin' Over California. The next stop is one the other side of the world: Sydney Harbor. We fly though the city and circle the Opera House. Now in Africa, we are soarin' over the Congo rainforest as we hear he sounds of people trekking and animals living in the jungles under us. Near the end of our Dream Flight is New York City. Coming from below us are the sounds of a bustling American city. After circling the Statue of Liberty, we are soarin' over our final stop: the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World! We are now flying up Main Street USA while the new holiday fireworks spectacular (Holiday Dreams) is going on. Although it may be missed by most people, you can see all the Disney characters decked out in holiday gear waving to us on the Castle Forecourt Stage. The conclusion of our Dream Flight is a portion of Holiday Dreams with part of the Disneyland fireworks footage from SOC. As the screen blackens and the score ends, we hear Eric Idle's voice. "On behalf of Nestle and Walt Disney World, thanks for Soarin' with us."
Deciding to do Living with the Land next, you decide to get a FASTPASS and eat lunch at the Sunshine Seasons Food Fair. As you enter the food court, you notice that the large fountain from 1982 returned during the refurbishment of the pavilion. On the line, you see the menu spread out on various LD plasma TVs. What follows is the full menu.
Breakfast
- Adult Breakfast platter - with bacon, eggs, sausage, & a biscuit $6.29
- Oatmeal (add raisins or brown sugar no extra charge) $2.79
- Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Croissant $5.99
- Kellogg's Cereal $1.00
- Kids' French toast - with sausage $4.39
- Children's Selection - Mickey Mouse pancakes - with sausage $4.39
- Children's Selection - Mickey Mouse waffles - with sausage $4.39
- Waterzooi - with two sides $9.99
- Gumbo - with two sides $9.99
- Philadelphia Pepper Pot - with two sides $9.99
- Cream of Apple - with two sides $7.59
- Children's Selection - Chicken Noodle Soup & Beverage $6.49
- Children's Selection - Tomato Soup & Beverage $6.49
- Children's Selection - Manhattan Clam Chowder & Beverage $6.49
- Saltine Crackers
- French fries
- White Rice
- Celery & ranch dip
- Roasted Beets & Goat Cheese Salad - with Honey Sherry dressing $7.89
- Caesar Salad - with Oak-fired Chicken and Ranch dressing $8.59
- Waldorf Salad - with Mayonnaise $7.89
- Taco Salad - with Guacamole $7.89
- Children's Selection - Macaroni & Cheese with Beverage $4.99
- Children's Selection - Spaghetti & Meatballs with Beverage $4.99
- Children's Selection - Fettuccine Alfredo with Beverage $4.99
- Chocolate Chip Cookies $1.99
- Sugar Cookies $1.99
- Gingerbread Cookies $1.99
- Chocolate Muffin $2.59
- Blueberry Muffin $2.59
- Pumpkin Muffin $2.59
- Corn Muffin $2.59
- Cranberry Muffin $2.59
- Apple Pie $2.79
- Cherry Pie $2.79
- Blueberry Pie $2.79
- Pumpkin Pie $2.79
- Key Lime Pie $2.79
- New York Style Cheesecake $3.99
- Soarin' Brulee $3.29
- Fruit Tulip $3.99
- Pound Cake $2.89
- Chocolate Cake $2.89
- Confetti Cake $2.89
- Strawberry Shortcake $3.99
- Brownie $2.89
- Chocolate Mousse $3.99
- Vanilla-Iced Donut $1.79
- Chocolate-Iced Donut $1.79
- Stawberry-Iced Donut $1.79
- Children's Selection - Vanilla Pudding $1.50
- Children's Selection - Chocolate Pudding $1.50
- Children's Selection - Butterscotch Pudding $1.50
- Smoked Turkey & American - on Wheat with a side $6.19
- Tuna - on White with a side $6.59
- Oak Grilled Ham Flatbread Sandwich - with a side $8.59
- Children's Selection - PB&J & Beverage $4.99
- Children's Selection - Pizza Panini & Beverage $4.99
- Children's Selection - Cheese Flatbread & Beverage $4.99
- Apples & caramel
- French fries
- White Rice
- Celery & ranch dip
- Fried Chicken - with two sides $9.99
- Grilled Salmon - with Kalamata Olive Pesto sauce & two sides $9.99
- 1/3-Pound Angus Cheeseburger - with two sides $9.09
- Ball Park Hot Dog - with two sides $7.07
- Children's Selection - Fried Chicken Leg with Mashed Potatoes & Beverage $6.49
- Children's Selection - Cheeseburger with French Fries & Beverage $6.49
- Children's Selection - Hot Dog with French Fries & Beverage $6.49
- Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Beans
- Macaroni & Cheese
- Corn Muffin
Entrees
- Turkey Wrap $9.99
- Chicken Wrap $9.99
- Ham Wrap $9.99
- String Cheese $5.99
- Sliced apples $5.99
- Goldfish Crackers $5.99
- California Rolls $8.99
- Side Salad $2.39
- Fruit Cup $2.99
- Sugar-Free Jello $1.39
- Applesauce $1.29
- American Cheese Platter - with fruit & graham crackers $4.99
- Cheddar Cheese Platter - with fruit & graham crackers $4.99
- Mozzarella Cheese Platter - with fruit & graham crackers $4.99
- Provolone Cheese Platter - with fruit & graham crackers $4.99
- Chocolate $1.99
- Chocolate Chip $1.99
- Coffee $1.99
- Double Vanilla $1.99
- French Vanilla $1.99
- Fudge Swirl $1.99
- Gingerbread $1.99
- Mint Chocolate Chip $1.99
- Neapolitan $1.99
- Real Strawberry $1.99
- Rocky Road $1.99
- Vanilla $1.99
- Vanilla Bean $1.99
- Vanilla Chocolate $1.99
- Apple Pie $1.99
- Butter Pecan $1.99
- Cherry Chocolate Chip $1.99
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup $1.99
- Cookies & Cream $1.99
- Double Fudge Brownie $1.99
- Dulce de Leche $1.99
- Eggnog $1.99
- Girl Scouts® Samoas Cookie $1.99
- Girl Scouts® Thin Mint Cookie $1.99
- Mango $1.99
- Mocha Almond Fudge $1.99
- Cookie Dough $1.99
- Peppermint $1.99
- Spumoni $1.99
- Touchdown Sundae $1.99
- Coca-Cola $2.39
- Diet Coke $2.39
- Coke Zero $2.39
- Pepsi $2.39
- Diet Pepsi $2.39
- Vault $2.39
- Sprite $2.39
- Pink Lemonade $2.39
- Fanta Orange $2.39
- Fanta Grape $2.39
- Bottled Water $2.39
- Lemon Water $2.39
- Berry Water $2.39
- Powerade $2.39
- Apple Juice $2.39
- Orange Juice $2.39
- Pineapple Juice $2.39
- Chocolate Milk $2.39
- Whole Milk $2.39
- Hot Tea $2.19
- Hot Cocoa $2.19
- Coffee $2.19
- Espresso $2.69
- Mocha $3.19
- Latte $3.69
Deciding to have a complete meal, you order the Angus cheeseburger, baked beans, a corn muffin, a slice of New York-style cheesecake, and a cup of Coca-Cola. Full form lunch, you use your FASTPASS for Living with the Land. What follows is the spiel for Living with the Land.
Tour Guide: For your safety, please remain behind the yellow line until the boat comes to a complete stop. Thank you.
Tour Guide: Welcome to Living with the Land. As you come aboard the boat, please lower your head and watch your step.
Tour Guide: On behalf of Nabisco and Walt Disney World, we hope you enjoy your voyage into Living with the Land.
(A revised version of "Listen to the Land" is now heard with a male lead and a children's chorus in the background.)
Just make believe, you're a tiny little seed,
a tiny little seed that's reaching up to meet your need.
With the right amount of faith, and the right amount of earth,
you'll grow to see the sunshine on your day of birth.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
When springtime comes, how can you tell?
The air is always filled with orange blossom smell.
Come summertime, the warmest sun shines,
and world is full of flowers and good melon rinds.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
When autumn falls, it's a harvest show,
with north winds blowing all the seeds that it must sow.
Come winter time, the rain must fall,
'till once again the new year and the springtime call.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
The seasons come, and the seasons go,
nature knows everything it has to know.
The earth and man, can be good friends,
let's listen so our harvest time will never end.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
We're living with the land we all love,
nature's plan will shine above,
living with the land, living with the land.
Mike Brassell: Welcome to a voyage of discovery and awareness of the richness and diversity of nature living with the land.
Mike Brassell: Our journey begins as dramatic and sudden changes are sweeping over the land.
Mike Brassell: The approaching storm may seem wild and destructive to us, but to nature it's a new beginning in the cycle of life.
Mike Brassell: Beneath the surface of the land, trapped water from the flowing mud extracts precious nutrients and minerals. These elements combine with sunlight to create the diverse living ecosystems of our planet.
Mike Brassell: One of those living systems is the rainforest: home to the most amazing concentrations of life on our planet. These dense and beautiful forests cover only a tiny portion of the Earth's surface. But they contain more than half of the Earth's plant and animal species. Rainforests are also very rich and productive ecosystems, providing oxygen, food, medicine, and other elements essential to our lives.
Mike Brassell: In the desert, nature has created a very different and no less beautiful ecosystem. And while this arid landscape may seem lifeless, it's very much alive. The plants and animals learn to survive in these harsh conditions make use of whatever water they can find and avoid the scorching rays of the sun.
Mike Brassell: The American prairie looks as desolate as the desert, but over time, the rainwater ant nutrients gradually penetrate the hard surface of this land. Even the hooves of the mighty bison helped created the soil that would one day become home to the American prairie.
Mike Brassell: Of all the forces that work on the land, humans have had one of the most profound effects: the need to produce food for a growing world that would make use and sometimes over use of the land. In our search for more efficient ways to grow food, we often fail to realize the impact of our methods.
Mike Brassell: Today, we're learning to live with the land, discovering better ways to grow food that will ensure both humans and environmental well-being.
Female Announcer: Here at EPCOT Center, we're learning to use natural predators such as ladybugs and wasps to control pests. In Japan, we're learning that by adding composted leaves and other plant material to the soil, we reduce the need for fertilizers. In farmlands across America, we're learning that by plowing under vegetation can that contains natural fertilizers, we can enrich the soil without the use of chemicals. In Saudi Arabia and Mexico, we're learning to produce food on desert seacoasts by developing and planting crops that thrive on saltwater.
Mike Brassell: How will we meet tomorrow's growing needs for food production, yet still respect the need for the land? More questions are being discovered in the greenhouses ahead. To help use maintain these carefully controlled ecosystems and for your safety, please remain seated in your boat at all times.
Mike Brassell: In these living laboratories, scientists from EPCOT Center, the US Department of Agriculture, and Nestle are exploring innoventive ways to produce bountiful harvets for now and into the future. The tropics are home to the greatest diversity of plants on the planet. Many of these like bananas, cocoa, coffee, and rice are well-known around the world. Others like the jackfruit, fluted pumpkins, and dragonfruit represent the vast number of lesser-known tropical plants. Many of these are exceptionally high in vitamins and nutrients. Others are well adapted to growing in less than ideal conditions. The fluted pumpkin with its edible seeds and leaves thrive in the poorest soil conditions of Africa making it a potential staple for millions of people. The unique-looking dragonfruit is actually a member of the cactus family. The fruits are high in Vitamin C, rich antioxidants, and an alive, sweet taste.
Mike Brassell: As we learn more about these plants, we discover new ways to help us feed our food. One day, some of these fruit may be as popular as the bananas growing on both sides of the globe. More than 28,000,000 tons of bananas are eaten annually, making it the most popular fruit in the world.
Mike Brassell: When we mention farming, you probably don't think of fish. But fish farming, or aquaculture, is an innoventive way to increase harvests and protect wild fish populations. Pacu, bass, and catfish are some of the crops raised by fish farmers around the world. In Asia, tilapia are often raised for ice packs because their waste provides nutrients to the ice. This integrated growing system can improve growing fields. The American alligator, on your right, is an endangered species. Alligator farms have played an important role in increasing the wild population. Nearly 3% of all fish consumed worldwide is raised on farms making aquaculture an important part of our efforts to solve many natural problems. Here at The Land, we grow about 6,500 pound of fish a year, many of which are featured at Walt Disney World restaurants such as the Coral Reef and California Grill.
Mike Brassell: This greenhouse is full of some of our biggest ideas. Giant pumpkins and winter melons are certainly impressive, but their real importance far exceeds their record-setting size. These supersized crops represent the best efforts of scientists and farmers to improve plants yields. Years of careful selection and cross-breeding result in plants that produce more food are more resistant to pests and can even grow in harsher climates. And it doesn't hurt that one nine-pound lemon can make about a gallon of lemonade on a hot summer day.
Mike Brassell: These plants are definitely on their way up. Vertical growing systems like ours increase air flows through the leaves which helps to reduce disease. Diseases and pests are two of the biggest challenges faced by farmers around the world. Innoventive growing techniques are just one way to fight these problems. Using beneficial insects to manage pest problems is another technique we're using. We're also growing plants using our novel nutrient film system. By recycling water and nutrients, the system can save farmers money and help protect the environment.
Mike Brassell: Here's something you don't see every day: tomatoes growing on trees. These plants were originally developed by Chinese scientists. Tomato trees live longer and produce many more tomatoes. One of ours lived over 16 months and produced 1,000 tomatoes. Much of the produce you see here growing in our greenhouses is served in Walt Disney World restaurants such as Walt's Place and Jiko.
Mike Brassell: The future of agriculture includes some high-flying ideas like the ones you see here. We already grow plants without soil throughout our greenhouses. That technique is called hydroponics. Now we're trying our aeroponics. Water and nutrients are sprayed directly onto the roots of the plants as they fly by. In our lab, scientists from the US Department of Agriculture are working to develop more pear trees. The fruit will be normal size, but the smaller tree will be easier to grow and harvest. The goal of all these experiments is to discover new ways to better grow crops in even the harshest environments. Who knows? One day, we might be able to grow food during extended space flights.
Mike Brassell: On behalf of Nestle and Walt Disney World, we'd like to thank you for sailing with us through the land. At this time, please gather all of your personal belongings and take small children by the hand as you exit through the open gates at the side of the boat. If you'd like to learn about Nestle's innoventions for tomorrow's agriculture, we invite you to visit one of five booths set up throughout the pavilion. Thank you, and enjoy the rest of your Day of Discovery here at EPCOT Center.
Getting off the ride, wondering what to do next, a Cast Member suggests that you see Kitchen Kabaret in the Harvest Theatre. Following her advice, you go to the Harvest Theatre to see, according to the guidebook, "___." The script for Kitchen Kabaret will be posted later.