Produce Application
ShooFly Farms Healing The Earth/Ourselves
Owner: Jim PathFinder EwingFarm Address:
58 Mill St.
Lena, MS 39094
Leake County
United States
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 387
Lena, MS 39094
United States
daytime phone: 6016543301
evening phone: 6016543301
Web site: http://www.blueskywaters.com
Application Date: 2009-02-04
Applicant Details
| Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: | This is our third year to grow organically and naturally grown produce, but this year we hope to sell some of it. I'm a former vice president and member of the Rainbow Whole Foods Coop Board of Directors and hope to sell our produce there, and people will expect us to conform to high standards. :-) Since we're just starting out, we don't have the means to be USDA organically certified financially, and an important part of who we are and what we do is ensuring the open pollination of seeds and conservation and preservation of Native American seed stocks -- which cannot be certified. My wife, Waya, has extensive experience in CSAs and certified organic farms in Florida and operates the day-to-day farming activities. We believe your organization is a wonderful way to show the spirit of organic farming without the government restrictions, and thank you for this service. Wado! |
| Are you currently third party Certified for your produce operation by any other organization (Organic, Biodynamic, etc)? | no |
| Have you ever been certified in the past? | no |
| Have you ever been denied certification? | no |
| How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown? | Through our interest and involvement in growing heirloom and native species of open pollinated produce. |
General Farm Information
| Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM: | |
| Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: | 3 |
| Number of above acreage that you own: | 0 |
| Number of above acreage that you lease: | 6 |
| Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? | no |
| General Listed Acreage Breakdown | |
| Veg Crops: | 1 |
| Fruit Crops: | 1 |
| Hay: | |
| Grains/Beans: | 1 |
| Sugarbush: | |
| Other Acreage: | 3 |
| Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM |
Vegetables Herbs Berries Tree Fruits Grapes Grains Beans Hay Flowers Greenhouse Plants Other (please specify below) |
| Please Specify Any Other Items: | Select ceremonial plants, such as corn, tobacco, and sage-type plants. |
| 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: | Trade/barter during gatherings. |
Farmland Management and Practices
| Primary Tillage System: | Push tiller, some tractor work. |
| Do you use Cover Crops? | yes |
| If yes, please list: | At the moment, no; but plan to use them, depending on what we plan to grow. We did in one area last year use legumes. |
| Do you use Compost? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): | We have a compost pile, but it's not old enough to use. We plan to use compost, as time goes by. We used well-composted manure. |
| 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". | Would apply as needed. |
| Do you use Manure? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): | We use composted horse manure from behind a neighbor's barn. It has been seasoned for more than a year. |
| 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". | Pickup truck load per acre. |
| What time of year do you apply the manure? | Winter/early spring |
| 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. | Fish meal and kelp, hand applied per plant, OMRI approved. |
| 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. | We use tiller, clippers for weeds; this year, we plan to use cardboard and newspapers between rows. |
| 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. | We used lady bugs we ordered for aphids on the tomatoes and ordered praying manteses for general insect control. We planted an insectarium with buckwheat, sunflower and other beneficial insect attractants and food sources. |
| 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. | We had tomato blight last year from drought; not much you can do about that. This year, we are going to use Serenade early to prevent the problem. |
| Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: | City treated water system. |
| 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. | Half acre from the road with posted no spray zone; surrounded by pastures, at least a mile from other growers. |
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 GrownTM. | |
| 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: | We look forward to being a part of the Certified Naturally Grown community. |
