Every Day is Earth Day!

By April 21, 2017Pleasant Valley Orchard
MN Apple Orchard Blog

Clean water is intentional at Pleasant Valley Orchard. Runoff from our farm ends up in the St. Croix River, a designated National Wild & Scenic River. Any infiltration replenishes our local aquifers, which we and our neighbors rely on for our drinking water.
In March, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture certified Pleasant Valley Orchard as a part of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP), reflecting our commitment to conservation, habitat, soil health and water quality in our area.
The (MAWQCP) is delivered in partnership with the Board of Water and Soil Resources, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Department of Natural Resources and the Chisago Soil and Water Conservation District. This innovative model allows to personal conservation planning on a farm by farm basis and is a voluntary approach to improving water quality across Minnesota.
Last year we were named a Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Farm by MN the Department of Agriculture for the use of our weather station to guide our integrated pest management program to minimize our use of pesticides.
Other practices we’ve put in place include a pollinator plot to help the bees; wetland restorations to control run-off and provide habitat; we plant our strawberries and pumpkin fields on contour to control run-off; and we use coffee grounds from Northwoods Roasterie in Lindstrom as mulch to build the soil.
Because we care about growing high quality, healthy fruit, and about stewardship of these few wonderful acres we are in charge of – Every day is Earth Day!