Litchy's Farming Operation Achieves Water Quality Certification

September 24, 2024 by Alyson Levig

                 Angie Litchy, proud owner of The Crafted Orchard & More in Crow Wing County, has recently been water quality certified with the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP). The decade-old program is a voluntary opportunity that certifies farmers taking the lead in implementing conservation-minded practices to protect water quality. To date, there are over 1,500 certified producers and one million certified acres throughout the entire state. 

                “I initially learned of MAWQCP from my instructor, through the farm business management program through Central Lakes College,” Litchy explained. “I researched it and felt it aligned perfectly with the core values of my orchard: ‘Planetary integrity – fulfilling today’s needs without compromising the future generations.”  

                The idea of a ‘u-pick’ orchard didn’t come to fruition until 2020 when Litchy decided to switch from her office job setting to focus on maintaining a healthier lifestyle for her family. Two years later, Litchy and her husband, Trever, purchased 35 acres of bare land, south of Brainerd, to morph into Angie’s agritourism dream. Last year, over 400 apple trees, 1,000 strawberries, and a pumpkin patch were planted to create The Crafted Orchard & More. This year, an additional 500 apple trees were established while the size of the strawberry and pumpkin patches doubled.

                Angie also plans to place a conservation cover between the rows of orchard trees, add ramial mulch, inter-seed cover crops within the pumpkin patch, and add a beneficial insect garden.  A conservation cover can be defined as a permanent, perennial cover planted to protect soil and water resources. In contrast, cover crops are non-cash crops that have the potential to increase soil organic matter, reduce erosion, improve soil structure, and promote water infiltration. Ramial mulch wood chips are made from young hardwood tree branches up to two inches thick, making it full of additional nutrients and minerals for gardens and orchards.

                “In the future, I’d like to explore ways to mitigate the use of chemical sprays,” Litchy said. “And continue to improve the use of cover crops to not only improve soil health, but also find ways to suppress weeds naturally, reduce soil erosion, and save money.”

      Because of the current and future best management practices implicated in The Crafted Orchard & More, Angela Litchy, officially became a certified water quality producer on May 14, 2024, where water quality is protected, and soil erosion is reduced on her farming operation.

      “Receiving this certification means a lot to me, my family, and my orchard,” Litchy said. “I want to be a good steward of our planet by implementing good conservation practices that will not only help future generations but also improve our water today.”

Posted In: MAWQCP