Produce Application

Midsummer Farm

Owner: Barbara Laino

Farm Address:
156 East Ridge Road
Warwick, NY 10990
Orange County
United States

daytime phone: 845-986-9699
evening phone: 845-986-9699
Web site: http://midsummerfarm.com

Application Date: 2007-11-08

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program:	Seems to be more relevant to my small farm and my priorities than the USDA Organic Certification.
Are you currently third party Certified for your produce operation by any other organization (Organic, Biodynamic, etc)?	yes
If yes, please note which certification and agency:	USDA Certified Organic through NOFA-NY
Have you ever been certified in the past?	yes
If yes, please note which agencies and dates:	USDA Certified Organic through NOFA-NY
Have you ever been denied certification?	no
How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown?	Local Harvest

General Farm Information

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System:	when needed
Do you use Cover Crops?	yes
If yes, please list:	we had been using winter rye, vetches and clover, but this yar we are trying some of the moxes by Peaceful Valley Farm Supply - we started this auttumn with their cold-weather mix as we were a bit late in cleaning up and preparing the growing areas.
Do you use Compost?	yes
If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.):	all on farm
Please list application rates. Give a specific amount or range (for example: one to two tons per acre, ten wheelbarrow loads per 1,000 square feet, or 1-2 inches deep). Do not answer "varies".	about 2 bucketloader scoops per 1000 square feet
Do you use Manure?	yes
If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.):	yes - but we usually compost it or at least use it aged.
Please list application rates. Give a specific amount or range (for example: one to two tons per acre, ten wheelbarrow loads per 1,000 square feet, or 1-2 inches deep). Do not answer "varies".	about 2 bucketloader scoops per 1000 square feet
What time of year do you apply the manure?	Anything not completed composted is applied only in the fall.
Do you apply any non-composted Manure within 120 days of veg-crop harvesting?	no
Please list any other brought in fertility sources that you use (specific rock powders, lime, soybean / alfalfa meal, specific purchased pre-mixes, etc)and how often it's used. If you indicate a name brand product, please also specify the ingredient/s.	we only use our own compost made from chicken and goat manure, garden waste, garss clippings and autumn leaves. We use deep-bedding method in chicken coops and biodynamic preps as well.
Have any chemical fertilizers been applied to the fields you are seeking Certification for in the last three years (36 months)?	no
Have any non-acceptable pesticides and/or herbicides been applied to these fields in the last 3 years?	no
Do you use Professional Soil Testing services?	yes
Describe your primary weed problems and methods of control. If you indicate a name brand product, please also specify the ingredient(s), what kind of product it is (a soap, microbial, oil, a botanical...), and how often it's used.	grasses were our main problem last year, although they seems to change each year. Handpulling is our main defence tactic. We also use plastic covering, intercropping and intensive planting.
Describe your primary insect problems and methods of control. If you indicate a name brand product, please also specify the ingredient/s, what kind of product it is (a soap, microbial, oil, a botanical...), and how often it's used.	beetles - which are handpicked and fed to chickens. Voles are becoming an issue, which we are trying to address this winter by clearing out under the berry bushes. Ground hogs, Deer and Rabbit are being controlled by an electric poultry fence set inside a wooden horse-style fence...
Describe your primary disease problems and methods of control. If you indicate a name brand product, please also specify the ingredient/s, what kind of product it is (a soap, microbial, oil, a botanical...), and how often it's used.	haven't experienced any specific disease problem....
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name:	private well
Are there any known contaminants in the irrigation water?	no
Are you a maple producer who seeks to certify your sugarbush?	no

Seeds, Transplants and Buffers

Do you purchase or grow using any Genetically Modified seeds?	no
Do you use any chemically treated seeds in your operation?	no
Do you grow your own transplants?	yes
Are they grown using Naturally Grown/Organic methods?	yes
If they're not grown according to CNG methods, please list them here. This produce may not be sold as Certified Naturally Grown. (If they are, put "N/A")
Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources?	yes
From which sources do you buy transplants?
Please list any bought-in transplants not grown according to CNG standards. This produce may not be sold as Certified Naturally Grown (except, in the case of perennials, after twelve months of CNG cultivation).
Chemical/Spray Drift and Buffers:
Is there any likelihood of Chemical/Spray drift contamination of your fields?	no
Do you have an adequate buffer to protect yourself from potential contamination?	yes
Please describe your buffer. Be as specific as possible. On all sides, how far is it from your crops to the next closest use (road, conventional crop, residential yard)? Be sure to specify what is grown on neighboring land that is in agricultural use. For example: To the north and east, a wooded area of at least 100 yards separates us from the neighbor's corn fields, to the south is a fallow field at least 100 yards deep separating us from the road, and to the west about 60 feet separates our crops from a field where conventional corn and soybeans are grown.	We have a rpoad to the North, but have a fence in 50 feet from eth road. Area between the fence and the road is wooded. To the east , we have suburban houses, but we keep an overgrown barrier between their yard and our growng areas. To the South and east (our property has 5 sides) is more suburban houses, but this is mostly acres of woods. The neighbors do not spray their yards, and one is actually a member of our CSA. To teh West, is just woods.

Agreements

Please indicate your agreement with the following statements by checking the boxes.
I will not label, or in any way lead consumers to believe that produce not raised in accord with CNG standards is Certified Naturally Grown^TM.
I understand that I have to complete at least one (and hopefully more) Certification Inspection(s) of another farm in my area each year, and that the inspection will NOT be of the same farmer that inspected me.
I have reviewed the Certified Naturally Grown certification standards, I understand them, and I will abide by them. I understand that if I have any questions I may contact CNG for clarification.
You may use this space to tell us anything else you think we should know about your farm:

Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally Grown^TM:
Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on:	1.5
Number of above acreage that you own:	1.5
Number of above acreage that you lease:	0
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems?	no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:	1.5
Fruit Crops:	<.25
Hay:	0
Grains/Beans:	0
Sugarbush:	0
Other Acreage:	0
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally Grown^TM	Vegetables Herbs Berries Tree Fruits Grapes Grains Beans Hay Flowers Greenhouse Plants Other (please specify below)
Please Specify Any Other Items:
Please check all markets you grow for (this will be displayed on your farm profile to help potential buyers find you).	Farmer's Market Farm Stand Local Restaurants CSA's Coops Health Food Stores Groceries Regional Wholesalers www.LocalHarvest.org Commodities Other (please specify below)
Please Specify Other Markets: