Last week we took a quick overnight trip to South Dakota to celebrate the birthday of Bryce's Grandma J. Her family has been farming and ranching in South Dakota and eastern Wyoming, for generations. Like any conversation with farmers and ranchers, we spent most of our time talking about the weather.
These conversations held a commonality between the conversations I have with my dad's side of the family in Creston, Iowa. In states that receive much more rain than Arizona, these generational farmers and ranchers always find it fascinating to hear how we grow and raise food in a desert. The short and yet complex answer is water conservation.
Water and the conservation of this precious resource is at the forefront of our minds. We breathe, sleep, drink, eat, and work water conservation. It is of the utmost importance that we do our part to save water and protect the environment. This mentality, this way of living, is just as much about the future as it is about the present. There is an often-used proverb, "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." It is a daily effort to fulfill the goal of passing this beautiful farmland and its natural resources onto the next generation better than we received it. It is a daily effort to conserve water.
The farm was watered by flood irrigation dating back generations. As technology and research have evolved, the means of irrigation have also evolved. Now, drip irrigation and pivot irrigation are the two forms of irrigation technology that we employ at Mortimer Farms. These two forms are one of the tools we use to protect and preserve our land and natural resources (including water).
Drip irrigation advantages -
Maximum use of available water - the exact amount of water needed is given directly to each plant's root system
Improved infiltration/low intake - soil is now able to soak in the water slowly
Less evaporation loss as compared to flood irrigation - the system is underground
Pivot irrigation advantages -
Increases watering efficiency up to 95% over flood irrigation
Maximizes water delivery directly to the root zone
Improves efficiency to minimize runoff and improve infiltration
Gentle on the soil and preserves soil quality
The GPS and satellite-operated system moves at the perfect speed, giving the ideal amount of pressure and the ideal amount of time based on the crop planted and the land.
Preserving water also goes hand in hand with many other farming practices. A few additional ways we conserve water are:
Zero to minimal tillage and planting cover crops - These two practices hold the soil in place and add organic matter to the soil. As a result, erosion is lessened, the soil is preserved, and the soil is able to retain and keep water.
Continuously growing - By continuously growing (cover crop during the off-season, grasses, or our main crops), moisture is kept in the soil. This decreases depiction from sunlight and wind.
Replacing concrete ditches and rusty pipe - Replacing old with new technology and methods eliminates evaporation and minimizes water loss.
And my favorite way we conserve water is through the plants we plant. Many of our crops are permanent crops. Meaning they will go dormant each winter and come back each spring. A few of our permanent crops are apple trees, peach trees, blackberries, asparagus, and strawberries. These crops are drought tolerant and establish a deep root system, making the plant require less moisture to produce food.
These water-saving methods, along with a list of a hundred more, allow us to conserve water. A responsibility that my family takes very seriously. We breathe, sleep, drink, eat, and work water conservation for the benefit of this generation and for the benefit of generations to come. We are committed to protecting the environment while conserving water and natural resources. It truly is the privilege of our lives to be caregivers over this land, protect our natural resources, and grow food for your family!
