ART & SCIENCE / TASTE
THE TASTE OF SOIL
From the soil beneath our feet to the food on our plates
How does soil connect to the flavours we experience?
At the 47th Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables Festival in Skierniewice, Poland, SPIN-FERT invited visitors to discover soil through the senses; exploring its colours, aromas and textures, and its essential role in growing the food we eat.
About the event
In September 2024, Skierniewice hosted the 47th Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables Festival, one of Poland’s largest horticultural and cultural celebrations.
As part of the festival, the National Institute of Horticultural Research (INHORT) organised the exhibition Sensory Gardens in the Chambers of the Primate’s Palace, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Poland’s membership of the European Union.
The exhibition was held under the honorary patronage of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Czesław Siekierski, who attended the opening alongside the Marshal of the Łódzkie Region, Joanna Skrzydlewska.
EVENT INFO
- Location: Sicekierniew, Poland
- When: Third weekend of September
- Visitors: approx. 6,000
- Organized by: INHORT
- SPIN-FERT contribution: The Breath of Earth
- Category: Taste
Sensory Gardens
Experiencing the plant world through all five senses
Eight rooms of the Primate’s Palace were transformed into sensory gardens, inviting visitors to explore nature through taste, smell, sound, sight and touch.
Visitors discovered the flavours of plants and specially prepared foods, the aromas of botanical extracts, the fragrance of different rose varieties and the sounds of a garden.
The exhibition revealed how closely our everyday sensory experiences are connected to plants, soil and the natural processes behind food production.
SPIN-FERT: The breath of the Earth
Can we experience soil through taste?
SPIN-FERT contributed a special installation entitled The Breath of the Earth (Tchnienie ziemi), exploring the sensory qualities of soils and growing substrates.
Visitors could touch different soil fractions, discover their distinctive textures and experience their aromas. Soil scents were paired with classical music, creating a richer sensory composition when microbial inocula were added to the substrates.
The colours of different soils were also playfully associated with white, milk and dark chocolate — connecting the appearance of soil to the familiar world of taste.
Through these encounters, the installation invited visitors to reconsider soil not simply as the ground beneath our feet, but as a living foundation of the food we grow and eat.
Activities for visitors
Discovering the living world behind our food
Approximately 6,000 visitors explored the exhibition through interactive activities combining science, culture and sensory discovery.
Word games, presentations on soil biodiversity and a soil-inspired raffle introduced visitors of all ages to the hidden life of soil and the importance of sustainable growing practices.
Participants also received samples of microbial inocula prepared by INTERMAG and INHORT, or compost-based growing substrates developed by ENOMONDO as alternatives to peat.
These activities connected scientific research with everyday experiences, highlighting the importance of healthy soil for sustainable food production.
