Produce Application

Pour House Maple Farm

Owner: James Purdum

Farm Address:
639 East Lake Road
New Milford, PA 18834
Susquehanna County
United States

Mailing Address:
PO Box 283
New Milford, PA 18834
United States

daytime phone: 570-465-7182

Application Date: 2010-01-25

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program:	Better market share. Wholesale to other Naturally Grown producers
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?	A relative in the organic crop buisness

General Farm Information

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System:	N/A
Do you use Cover Crops?	no
Do you use Compost?	no
Do you use Manure?	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.	N/A
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?	no
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.	N/A
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.	N/A
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.	N/A
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name:	N/A
Are there any known contaminants in the irrigation water?	no
Are you a maple producer who seeks to certify your sugarbush?	yes
Maple sap is considered a wild crop. CNG's Wild Crop Harvesting Standard states that “A wild crop must be harvested in a manner that ensures that such harvesting or gathering will not be destructive to the environment and will sustain the growth and production of the wild crop.” Please briefly describe any steps you take to protect and ensure the sustainability of your sugarbush.	All down/diseased trees are burned in evaporator.
Do you use an organic de-foamer?	yes
In rural areas, woods have unfortunately been used as dumping grounds for all manner of garbage, including toxic waste. These dumps can contaminate the sap, and your syrup, if too close to your sugarbush. Will you refrain from tapping any trees that stand within 50 feet of old dumps (or recent ones!) in or near your sugar bush?	yes
Over-tapping trees can stunt their growth. Do you (or will you) adhere to the Cornell Sugar Maple Research & Extension Program guidelines which state "trees 10-17 inches in diameter (31-53 inch circumference) should have no more than one tap. A tree 18-24 inches in diameter (57-75 inch circumference) should have no more than two taps. A tree larger than 25 inches in diameter (79-inch circumference) should have no more than three taps."	yes
To maximize tree health and sap production, CNG supports Cornell's recommendation that all taps are 5/16" in diameter or smaller. Is this your practice, and if not, would you be willing to transition to 5/16" (or smaller) taps within the next three years? Please elaborate.	All taps were converted to 5/16 size three years ago. All taps use "stubby's" and replaceable taps.
Use this space if there's anything else you'd like to share about your maple operation.	All equipment is Stainless Steel and TIG welded. No solder or lead or galvanized equipment

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?	no
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?	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.	110 acres in the middle of virgin wooded area. 22 acres surrounded by wooded area except one side has dirt drive with wooded area beyound. a Remaining 40 acre parcel is surrouned by wooded areas

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:	172
Number of above acreage that you own:	62
Number of above acreage that you lease:	110
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems?	no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
Fruit Crops:
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
Sugarbush:	172
Other Acreage:
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:	Mmaple Syrup and related maple products
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: