Produce Application
Earthkeeper Farm
Owner: Rachelle BostwickFarm Address:
12062 Fruit Ridge Ave.
Kent City, MI 49330
Kent County
United States
Mailing Address:
12062 Fruit Ridge Ave
Kent City, MI 49330
United States
daytime phone: 616-403-0526
Web site: http://www.earthkeeperfarm.com
Application Date: 2010-01-22
Applicant Details
| Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: | We use organic growing techniques, and would like someway to show that to our customers. |
| 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? | I hear about the certification from other growers at a conference. |
General Farm Information
| Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM: | |
| Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: | 3.5 |
| Number of above acreage that you own: | 20 |
| Number of above acreage that you lease: | 0 |
| Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? | no |
| General Listed Acreage Breakdown | |
| Veg Crops: | 3.25 |
| Fruit Crops: | 0.25 |
| Hay: | |
| Grains/Beans: | |
| 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: | Mull board plow |
| Do you use Cover Crops? | yes |
| If yes, please list: | We use a combination. Right now some fields are in rye and others in clover. |
| Do you use Compost? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): | We compost on farm scraps and leaves and grass clippings from a local landscaper. |
| 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". | ideally, half yard/125 ft bed |
| Do you use Manure? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): | We have added manure to our compost. We have gotten a small amount of rabbit manure in the past. We are looking for a good source to enrich our compost. |
| 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". | manure as ingredient of compost |
| What time of year do you apply the manure? | We do not apply non-composted manure. |
| 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. | I use a fish and seaweed emulsion on transplants. I have used a small amount of a 3-2-3 organic fertilizer. All of the products we use come from Fertrell. |
| 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: | We have only been farming this land for two seasons, about to start our third. It was conventionally farmed before us, and I do not know what was used. I am assuming it was not organic. I know the previous farmer and I am sure that I can get that information. |
| 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: | Again, I can only assume that non-acceptable chemicals were used. (See above for explanation) |
| 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 hand cultivation for weed control. We also bought a cultivating tractor (Allis Chalmers G) last season. |
| 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 use row cover to prevent insect damage. Last season we used ladybug in the greenhouse to combat aphids. We do a lot of bug collecting and smashing. I used Fertrell brand "Sea-cide" (fish oil) to combat squash beetles once last year and once the season before. |
| 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. | Last season I tried a couple of biodynamic blends (horsetail tea and fermented nettle tea). I have also used kolin clay, "Surround" brand on squash. |
| Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: | We irrigate with water from our 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") | We grow all of our own transplants. They are grown using organic methods. |
| Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources? | no |
| Chemical/Spray Drift and Buffers: | |
| Is there any likelihood of Chemical/Spray drift contamination of your fields? | yes |
| If yes, please state the source (conventional farm field, golf course, etc.)and any details you can provide (type of pesticide, fertilizer, herbicide used, and/or what used for.) | Our neighbors have conventional apple orchards. |
| 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 are about 150 to 200 yards from the orchard. There are a few builds between us, and animal pasture. |
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: | Even if we are unable to receive certification this season because of the previous farmer, I would still love to meet with someone to talk about how we can set up better buffer zones. And thank you for creating this certification. I think its a great way to let consumers know what they are buying, without the farm cost of organic certification. |
