Conserving Water is Key
Growing healthy plants depends on the availability and quality of water—the source of all life.
Water collection and irrigation systems at each nursery are the heart and lifeblood of the work we do. Throughout our five nurseries, we have constructed 20 ponds that serve as retention basins to manage storm water as well as capture irrigation runoff. Complex grading, a matrix of ditches and swales, and underground drainage pipes passively direct water to the collection basins. Native plants and silt ponds naturally filter the runoff to improve water quality. Collectively, these ponds provide storage for over 83 million gallons of water that is used to irrigate our crops and produce over 16 million units each year. They also attract a variety of wildlife including herons, ducks, muskrat, turtles, and frogs.
Twelve pump stations, constructed adjacent to the irrigation basins, utilize variable frequency drive pumps and fertilizer injectors that decrease the need for fertilizer. Drip irrigation systems in our growing shelters minimize runoff and conserve water. All of these irrigation practices reduce our need to use local aquifers, reduce downstream flooding, and ultimately save money in our operations. “Do it right. Do it once.” as expressed by our founder, Peter Orum, guides Midwest’s commitment to building smart, long-term infrastructure.
When touring any of our nurseries, visitors cannot help but notice row upon row of various species of trees—both evergreen and deciduous—that line our roads, ditches, and growing shelters. These windbreaks, while beautiful, serve the primary purpose of protecting our growing shelters and other buildings. These thousands of trees are instrumental in reducing wind erosion, protecting plants, acting as a living snow fence, and improving irrigation efficiency. Science has shown that well-designed and located windbreaks can offset Carbon emissions on agricultural land. Agroforestry, the land management system of growing trees and shrubs among crops, is a promising Carbon mitigation tool.
