March/April 2021 - 31

DRAINAGE
Photos: Nature and Nurture Farm
So with organic landscaping and organic farming in their
portfolio, the couple turned to organic seeds. Nature &
Nurture Seeds was born about 10 years ago.
They offer heirloom and organic vegetable, flower and
herb seeds that are " adapted to the Great Lakes region,
Midwest and beyond, " according to their website.
After extra promotion of the seed business on the
conference circuit, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly,
their seed sales shot up significantly. Nature and Nurture
Seeds saw a 400% increase in sales last year.
" Last year our sales were just through the roof, " Levine
said. " We went from a small seed company to a medium
seed company. "
ECOLOGICAL DRAINAGE AND WATER
MANAGEMENT
Despite those competing interests, Levine and Kempter still
help clients create environmentally-sustainable landscapes
and ensure they support the idea of land stewardship.
One such way is through sharing ecological drainage and
water management best practices.
Levine said as the population density has increased in
the Ann Arbor area, so has flooding. With more and more
impervious pavement being added, rain water doesn't
percolate down through the ground and instead runs off
quickly into the storm drains and the river, overwhelming it.
A popular solution in Ann Arbor right now is building
rain gardens, depressed areas in a landscape that collect rain
water and allow it to slowly soak in the ground, Levine said.
The rain gardens prevent water from rushing downhill
during storms, but at first leave some standing water on
your property.
" You are really doing it more for your neighbor than
yourself, " he said. " If everyone had a rain garden, it would
be great. "
Levine said the rain gardens need time to mature and
when they do, they drain faster and more effectively.
" It's amazing how at first they don't seem to work so
well, " he said.
Rain gardens also offer a chance to restore native
ORGANICGROWER.INFO 31
http://www.ORGANICGROWER.INFO
March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March/April 2021
