By Richard de Wilde
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| Welcome to Harmony Valley Farm! |
I am writing this article in hopes of communicating with
a wide audience that includes our CSA members with whom we communicate on a
regular basis. While many of our CSA
members are very familiar with who we are and have been with our farm for many
years, we recognize we also have newer members who are still getting to know
us. However, I also am writing this
article for the purpose of sharing some information about our farm and our
practices with members of our community who may not be familiar with who we are, specifically as it relates to the recent comments submitted by some in response to our pending irrigation permit
application with the DNR. Before I
address some of the specific concerns raised,
I’d like to provide a little background to bring us all together on the same
page.
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| Uncovering our garlic field ahead of schedule this past March due to an unseasonably warm spring! |
Nearly every conversation related to farming in some way
also relates to weather, so lets start there!
This year we have seen a little bit of everything starting with a warm and
dry spring followed by a late May frost.
After that cold snap, the weather pattern shifted and it got very
hot! The El Niño drought cycle that
started last August and persisted most of the winter hit us hard! We had planted our first carrots, beets and
all of the parsnips on fields that we could not irrigate. The moisture dissipated in an unusually hot
April and seeds sat there for weeks before a light rain provided enough
moisture to germinate some of them.
Thankfully, those carrots made it and we have been harvesting them this
month! We did not get a full stand of
parsnips, but we will have some for harvest this fall.
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| A natural spring that feeds the creek on our land |
Unlike some growing regions in the west, our area of
southwest Wisconsin is typically blessed with an abundance of moisture from
rains, natural springs and small to large creeks and rivers. The Bad Axe River, which runs through our
property as well as land we lease and farm, and our spring fed creeks are able
to hold their water levels well, even in a drought. We know this is true because we monitor water
levels regularly when we are pumping water for irrigation. Our last severe drought was in 2012, and we
remember it well. Our current El Niño
drought event started last year and despite a couple of timely rains this
spring and summer, overall still continues.
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| Sweet corn setting on ears |
If you have driven through the countryside recently you
may have seen corn and soybean fields that
look pretty good. Our beans and
edamame (edible soybeans) crops also look pretty good, despite the fact that we
have not irrigated them. These crops
have large seeds that can be planted up to 2 inches deep to get enough
moisture to germinate and send down a root as deep as needed to find
moisture. This is a good attribute to
have in a drought year when you are trying to get seeds into enough moisture to
germinate. However, we raise a wide
variety of vegetables and many have very small seeds that are shallow rooted (e.g.
carrots, red radishes and rutabagas). Seeds
for crops such as these can only be planted ¼- ½ inch deep and if that top
portion of the soil is dry, we need to either time the planting just before a
rain or we have to add moisture to the soil to get the seed to germinate.
Irrigation has made a huge difference and, thankfully,
our crops look quite good this year overall.
While we have manageable options to irrigate on most of the land we use
to produce crops, irrigating from waterways requires a permit from the
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and we are not permitted to irrigate on
some of the land we are currently farming.
Some may ask, “Why don’t you just drill a well?” Well, we do have two low capacity wells on
land that we own, but we farm many small fields
spread out over six miles. Many of our
fields are on leased land where this is not an option due to the permanency of
the structure, need for electrical access to run the pump, and the significant
financial investment. So, our more
practical option is to pump surface water from a nearby waterway using
equipment that can be moved and used only when necessary.
This is the time of year when we are planting some of our
fall storage crops, but we are running out of land with access to irrigation
and it is proving to be a challenge to get these crops to germinate, let alone
take them to harvest should we continue to experience extended periods of dry
conditions with only intermittent rain. We
currently have an irrigation permit application pending with the DNR for access
to irrigation on a piece of land we lease on the North Fork of the Bad Axe
River. We actually started the process
in March 2020 by asking for an amendment to our existing permits, but the
process was held up due to the pandemic.
We tried again in March of this year, but we were told we cannot amend
our current permit and needed to start the application process from the beginning. The permit process is quite lengthy and
involved. We have had irrigation permits
with the DNR since the drought of 1988.
These permits are very specific as to the pumping rate, dates and total
season capacity. We record each time we
pump, including calculating the gallons per minute (GPM) that we are
using. Every year we are then required
to report our annual totals pumped for each permit. This information is then made available to
the public.
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| Blanding's Turtle passing through one of our vegetable fields! |
As part of the DNR permit process, they post a notice
allowing the public to comment on the application for the permit before they
make their final decision. The public
comment period for our application is now closed, however we had the
opportunity to read the public comments that were submitted to the DNR, as well
as some of the informal comments individuals made regarding our application
through a variety of social media outlets.
We realize some individuals and conservation organizations are concerned
about the environmental impact associated with withdrawing water for the
purposes of irrigation. Specifically we
are aware of the concern for a negative impact on trout populations and endangered and rare species of wildlife including cricket frogs and Blanding’s
turtles. We have actually found both
cricket frogs and Blanding’s turtles on our farm and fully understand and
respect their fragile state. Our entire application for this irrigation permit is accessible on the Wisconsin DNR website, so
anyone who wishes to review the documents we were required to submit is welcome
to do so. There is some irrigation
jargon that we use that may be difficult to put into context if you are not
familiar with the terms and volumes we are representing. Additionally, it is difficult within the
application to fully represent “the big picture” of how we manage irrigation
activities in the context of our entire farming operation along with our own
values and conservation efforts. Thus, I
thought it may be helpful to provide the public and those who are not as
familiar with Harmony Valley Farm with some basic background information.
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| An irrigation pump and sand filter at an irrigation site |
First of all, the proposed rate of water withdrawal for
the property we are requesting a permit for is 150 gallons per minute (GPM)
from the North Fork of the Bad Axe River.
On June 8, 2021, a team of ten DNR staff members came out to take a look
at our operation and the land represented in our application. Based on the volume of flow they measured on
June 8, 2021, our withdrawal of 150 GPM represents 0.53% of the water volume. This is clearly not enough to negatively
impact any wildlife, including trout or other game fish. The DNR staff was very
thorough in their assessment and they spent several hours examining the pumping
site, the equipment we use, location of the pipes we would lay and the
surrounding wetland areas. They measured
the river flow at our requested pumping site.
They looked at our pumps that are double
screened to prevent any small fish or tadpoles from getting sucked into the
system. I would like to comment that the
DNR staff deserves credit, not criticism, for the thorough job they do with
reviewing irrigation applications.
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| Hooded Merganser mother duck and her babies spotted swimming on the Bad Axe River! |
While 150 GPM may seem like a lot of water, it is
important to put this volume into context.
When we look back at our overall
water usage for irrigation, our annual withdrawal amounts always come in well
under the maximum volume we are allowed to pump based on our existing permits
for other land we farm. In fact, I
looked back to see what our overall annual water usage was for irrigation in
2012, our last official drought year. We
actually only used one-third of the allowable volume of water we were permitted
to withdraw, and that was in a drought year!
Another point I’d like to make is that our current permit includes irrigation
access for land we are no longer farming.
Over the past several years, and with repeated flood events, we have
stopped farming some land that is too prone to flooding, have transitioned some
to pasture, and have sought other options on land that is less vulnerable. If our pending irrigation application is
approved, we would not be increasing the overall water we are withdrawing from
the Bad Axe River. Rather, we are only
requesting to withdraw in a different location.
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| A planting of native wildflowers in full bloom on our farm this summer |
Some of the public comments expressed concern with
maintaining the waterways and surrounding ecosystems. These concerns are valid and ones we also
share. It is for this reason that we employ
practices that allow us to do the best we can to deliver water efficiently and
only as needed. Based on my more than 40
years of organic farming experience, it is evident that soil that is cared for
with annual applications of cover crops and compost is rich in organic matter which
helps absorb rainwater and increases water-holding capacity. This means the soil is more resilient and is
able to more efficiently utilize water, thus requiring less irrigation
volume. We have been managing some
parcels of land we farm for 15-30 years and continue to utilize these same
farming practices, investing in nutritive inputs on land we own as well as land
we lease with the intention of building soils that are resilient. We also use moisture sensors, as well as
observation, to help us make decisions about when to water and how much water a
crop needs. Excessive water use is not only
unnecessary, but it is also not good for plants. Additionally, over the past few years we have
transitioned to more extensive use of underground drip irrigation which is a
much more efficient way to deliver water than by using overhead irrigation (e.g.
sprinklers) where more moisture is lost due to evaporation. We do still use overhead irrigation in some
situations, but only when that is our only option. So yes, we do irrigate, but we do so
in the most responsible manner and the nature of how we are utilizing
irrigation is much different than in some areas such as a “Central Sands” pivot
system where they are irrigating crops on sandy soil which is not able to hold
moisture well.
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| Blanchard's Cricket Frog found hanging out in the pumpkin field! (photo by Kyle Lindemer) |
In the public comments, several individuals also questioned
the validity of self-reporting. We have
had a “public interest benchmark” from the beginning when we received our first
irrigation permit in 1988. I personally
have dropped a measuring tape off the bridge deck where this benchmark is
measured many hundreds of times to check the depth of the water. Even in the worst drought the water level has
stayed well above the benchmark. When
measured on June 8, 2021 by DNR staff after 6 months of drought, we were still more
than six inches above the benchmark and it has not dropped since then. The DNR staff confirmed the same observation
we have made over the years which is that the creeks and rivers in this area,
being mostly spring fed, are very stable year round. Is the public interest benchmark
enforceable? Yes, the DNR could come out
and measure at any time. If the water
level drops below the benchmark we would not be able to irrigate. Aside from a visit from the DNR, it is up to
the permit holder to be honest and do the right thing. As I mentioned before, our historical water
usage, even in a drought year, is well below the maximum volumes we are
permitted to withdraw. We accurately
report each and every hour that we pump and record these volumes both for the
purpose of reporting to the DNR, but also because we need to have a record of
this information to help us make decisions related to managing crops. We have absolutely no reason to under report
as our actual usage is well under what we are permitted to withdraw.
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| Creek bank erosion caused by the flood of 2007 |
I, along with my partners, am very clear about our
intention which is to produce wholesome, nutrient dense, certified organic food
for thousands of people in our region. I
chose to be an organic farmer in the early 70’s because I felt it was the
responsible way to grow food, both for the impact on human health as well as
for the environment. There were very few
who thought I would succeed, and in fact the extension agent in my area told me
“it cannot be done.” I have always had
an appreciation for nature and the preservation of our land, waterways,
pollinator populations, wildlife and ecosystem as a whole as these are all
integral components to a healthy organic farming system and a healthy community. We have been irrigating out of the Bad Axe
River with a permit for more than thirty years.
We are still the only irrigator on the Bad Axe River and in those thirty
years there has been no detriment to the fish populations as a result of our
activities. In fact, we have invested a
lot of time, effort and resources into improving the waterways and try to be
good stewards of the land we own and manage.
Every time we have heavy rainfall or a “100 Year Flood,” there is
cleanup that has to be done in the aftermath.
We have spent literally hundreds of thousands of dollars riprapping
eroded stream banks, cleaning up debris washed down the river that is blocking
the flow of water as well as plugging up culverts and blocking bridges. Yes, we benefit from these efforts, but so do
others downstream as well as those who enjoy these areas for fishing every
summer. We value biodiversity on our own
land as well as in the areas surrounding our fields. We have planted acres of pollinator habitat,
establishing beautiful stands of native wildflowers and grasses as well as
fruit and nut trees which provide nesting habitat and food for our pollinating
creatures and wildlife. In some areas we
have cleared nearby woods of invasive species.
We make significant contributions to the local economy in wages as well
as through our support of other local businesses with our purchases. Additionally, over the last five years we
have donated on average 20,000 pounds of produce from our farm annually to
Community Hunger Solutions for distribution to food pantries in our local area
who serve community members in need.
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| Clover cover crop established in between rows of kale late in the fall |
As certified organic farmers, we do not utilize
genetically modified (GMO) seeds or the chemicals, such as glyphosate and
neonicotinoids, that are used in conjunction with these crops. If you are interested in learning more about
the impact GMOs and the aforementioned chemicals have
on human and environmental health, I encourage you to
read a series of six articles we published on our blog in May-August 2015. These articles were entitled “The Silent Spring”
series and are complete with citations for sources referenced. The use of these chemicals is directly
related to human health concerns as well as the single biggest reason for the
decline of bird, bat and pollinator populations. Additionally, we do not apply raw manure to
our fields for fertilizer, thus we never present the problem of raw manure
runoff into waterways. We also use grass
filter strips along waterways and stream buffers along with extensive use of
cover crops to prevent erosion.
Lastly, I’d like to address one individual who expressed
concerns about the impact water diversion for the purpose of irrigation may
have on the preservation of archeological sites in our county. I have been aware of the cultural
significance of the effigy mounds in Vernon County and the Driftless region for
quite some time. In fact, I had the
privilege of learning more about the Mound Builders who inhabited this area
some 1500 years ago when we discovered effigy mounds on our land. I was able to work with a local archeologist
who confirmed our discovery and helped us register our mounds so they may be
preserved into the future. If you’re interested in reading more about my
interest in preserving this archaeological site, I encourage you to read an
article entitled “Our Ancestors…Who Walked This Land Before Us?” This is an article we published on our blog
shortly after this discovery. We have a great deal of respect for the Mound
Builders as well as the native inhabitants of this region who cared for this
land for thousands of years before us.
We consider it a privilege to now be caretakers of this land, including doing
our part to preserve the mounds they built here.
In closing, I think many of the concerns expressed by
those in the community are ones we share as well. I believe it is possible to responsibly
utilize the Bad Axe River for the purpose of irrigating vegetable crops without
causing disturbance or detriment to the ecosystem, cultural treasures or others
downstream. For many of the reasons laid
out in this article, anything we can do to keep good, organic farmers on the
land is a win-win situation for all. To
those of you who were kind enough to read this entire article, I thank you for
listening. If you should have any further
questions, I would be happy to converse with you and welcome you to reach out
to me.
