Produce Application
Earth Spring Farm
Owner: Mike NolanFarm Address:
250 Old State Road
Gardners, PA 17324
Cumberland County
United States
daytime phone: 717-805-7778
evening phone: 717-805-7778
Web site: http://www.earthspringcsa.com
Application Date: 2009-09-17
Applicant Details
| Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: | It's a common sense alternative to USDA Cert. Organics. |
| 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? | yes |
| If yes, please note which agencies and dates: | Texas DA, USDA 2001-2006 |
| Have you ever been denied certification? | no |
| How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown? | Elaine Lemmon, Ever Blossom Farm |
General Farm Information
| Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM: | |
| Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: | 8 |
| Number of above acreage that you own: | 8 |
| Number of above acreage that you lease: | 6 |
| Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? | no |
| General Listed Acreage Breakdown | |
| Veg Crops: | 6 |
| Fruit Crops: | 1 |
| Hay: | |
| Grains/Beans: | 1 |
| Sugarbush: | |
| Other Acreage: | |
| 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: | |
| 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: | |
Farmland Management and Practices
| Primary Tillage System: | sub-soiler, chisel plow, Rototiller |
| Do you use Cover Crops? | yes |
| If yes, please list: | Vetch, peas, rye |
| Do you use Compost? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): | 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". | Greenhouse production |
| Do you use Manure? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): | 1. Poultry litter from Natural Acres, Millersburg, local beef farm 2. Horse manure form neighbor |
| 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". | 2 tons/acre |
| What time of year do you apply the manure? | 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. | bone meal - seedling mix, green sand - " lime - " 3-1-3 seedling mix and field - Mid-western bio-ag - poultry litter base |
| Have any chemical fertilizers been applied to the fields you are seeking Certification for in the last three years (36 months)? | yes |
| If yes, as per the Certification regulations, it is acceptable to apply chelated chemical fertilizers to correct specifical micronutrient imbalances as listed on a recent soil test. Does the application of this fertilizer meet those requirements? | no |
| If Yes, please specify types, amounts and application dates: | no |
| Have any non-acceptable pesticides and/or herbicides been applied to these fields in the last 3 years? | yes |
| If yes, then please specify type and most recent application date: | 6 acre lease - conventionally grown in corn last year and all previous years. 2010 is first year in organic. |
| 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. | weeds in crops!- hand tillage, cultivator with tractor, plastic mulch |
| 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. | New Farm - below is from past experience aphids - dr bronners soap, worms - bt, ecoexempt, pyganic bugs - trap crop(sunflowers) and vaccuum |
| 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. | New farm - none so far |
| Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: | well on home farm spring on 6 acre leased land |
| 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. | All of our own tranplants are CNG grown |
| Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources? | yes |
| From which sources do you buy transplants? | Johnny's, Norses, Deep grass nursery, |
| 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). | Rosemary, onion chives, taragon, oregano, german thyme |
| 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. | Home farm:North - empty lot South - neighbors yard - hedge will be planted East - tree buffer - 20', train tracks West -Road - hedge will be planted...There is no spraying on the road. It is a quiet road and everyone just mows up to the street. As for the railraod - yes they do spray there but there is a 4' to 5' earth berm covered in trees and shrubs. The track side of which is being sprayed but the farm side (of the berm) is green and lush. I realize that some drift could occur and will definitely be working with the train company to see that they don't spray in our corridor. 6 acre lease: East:trees and road, 500' South: Cow Pasture, grassy knoll North: Organic crop farm West: 7acres of organic cover crop |
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: | Spring 2010 is our first season. We have just dropped our 2 acre lease and added another 6 which was conventionally grown through 2009. |
