Kathleen and Michael Balogh, Mountain Meadows Nursery
Nursery Irrigation and Expansion
Grant Award: $8,000
Over the 40 years that Mountain Meadows Nursery has been in business, the nursery irrigation source has been the well and pump that also serves the Balogh family home. As the business has grown and they continue to expand, the volume of water required to irrigate the nursery stock needs to be supplied by a separate, independent source.
In consultation with the Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District, they plan to dig a 50′ x 60′ x 5′ irrigation pond that will be fed by a stream that bounds their property. They will also install a pump that will service the nursery and accommodate expansion and increased water needs.
The other component of their project will expand the nursery footprint and production and save on labor costs. They will grade and add gravel to a 5,000 square foot area adjacent to the greenhouses.
This new area can accommodate the transfer of smaller plants to larger pots they will purchase with their grant. The purchase of software for their label printer will save them hours of labor hand-printing each plant label and it will also enable them to better track their inventory.
Contact the Local Extension Agent