An embodiment includes an enclosure (10) having a nutrient bed (20) for retaining and providing nutrients to plants grown therein. Adjustment means are provided for adjusting the level of one or more environmental variables therein so as to at least partially simulate the growing conditions found at a specific altitude. Exemplary environmental variables include water levels, broad-spectrum light intensity, UV light intensity, pH, nutrients, air temperature, soil temperature, atmospheric carbon dioxide, atmospheric oxygen, atmospheric pressure and combinations thereof. The adjustment means may include one or more broad-spectrum/full spectrum lights, UV generating lights, skylights (22), vacuum/pressure pumps (24), hypoxicators (26), oxygen generators (28), carbon dioxide regulators (30), heaters, air conditioning units (32) and so forth.
