Our Carbon Footprint

Our goal as Sooner Plant Farm is to add beauty and joy to the daily life of our society without adding unnecessary or detrimental impacts to our environment. We have taken steps throughout the last 20 years to reduce our footprint wherever possible. Because we are located in area without an external water source like a creek or river, we rely on rainwater and have always had to be water conscious and make wise decisions regarding how we use our water resource to irrigate, as well as how to capture rainwater and recapture all excess irrigation runoff. Because we have been blessed with a property that allows all runoff water to be directed into our water holding basins, we have installed drainage pipes from every greenhouse and growing block area directly back into those basins. Our retention basins assure that no unnecessary water leaves the property and allows us to recycle all irrigation water. 

Another action Sooner Plant Farm has taken is to reduce the amount pesticide usage. It is our practice to only apply pesticides when necessary. When we do find insects, we assess the impact of insect damage vs. potential crop damage. All Insects are valuable part of our eco system. Broadly spraying pesticides to blanket kill all insects on the farm just to have a perfect plant, we feel is not acting in a responsible manner. For that reason, we use other means of insect control when and where possible. The use of sacrificial plants which are plants that attract certain insects are placed in areas where certain insect are found. This method of control allows us to reduce insects damage to other plants or crops in that area. Growing crops together that are affected by the same insects allows us to concentrate control efforts in a confined area. Using only approved pesticides that have no residual effects or the produce the least amount of impact on the environment is our #1 goal when using a pesticide becomes the last resort for insect control. 

We have taken steps exclude the use of all category 4A pesticides which include neonicotinoids. This category of pesticides has been scrutinized for its detrimental effects on the bee population. For that reason, we have limited the use of this pesticide category to only non-blooming crops and used only when no other means of control is viable. We feel it is our duty and a responsible approach to take as stewards of our environment and planet.

The Sooner Plant Farm mission is; share the Good News of the Gospel, be good stewards of what God has entrusted us with, and to add beauty to our planet with the plants we grow.