Produce Application
Veges From the Ledges
Owner: Duane MorelanFarm Address:
10347 Nixon Rd.
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Eaton County
United States
daytime phone: 517/285-5091
Application Date: 2010-06-12
Applicant Details
| Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: | I feel that it is important to not only mention to folks that we grow naturally but to be able to show the certification backing the claim. |
| 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? | Growing For Market |
General Farm Information
| Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM: | |
| Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: | 2 |
| Number of above acreage that you own: | 7 |
| Number of above acreage that you lease: | 0 |
| Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? | no |
| General Listed Acreage Breakdown | |
| Veg Crops: | 2 |
| Fruit Crops: | 0 |
| Hay: | 0 |
| Grains/Beans: | 0 |
| Sugarbush: | 0 |
| Other Acreage: | 0 |
| 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: | School Districts |
Farmland Management and Practices
| Primary Tillage System: | Rototiller and Hand Hoe |
| Do you use Cover Crops? | no |
| Do you use Compost? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): | On Farm and purchased complete |
| 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". | 1/2 wheelbarrow per 240 sq. ft. every third planting (24' rows - High Tunnels) |
| Do you use Manure? | yes |
| If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): | Local Buffalo 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". | five hundred pounds per three high tunnels and 1/2 acre garden. |
| What time of year do you apply the manure? | Fall and late 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. | None |
| 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. | Common weed growth from early spring through fall. Weeds managed by hand pulling and/or hoeing. |
| 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. | Cutworm, Cabbage Worm, Aphids, Japanese Beetles. Products used: 1) "Safer" - Insect Killing Soap - For organic gardening. Ingredients include potassium salts from fatty acids. 2) "Garden Safe" Fungicide. Ingredients include: Clarified Hydrophobic Extract of Neem Oil. 3) "Bonide", Thuricide - Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). Ingredients include Bacillus Thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki strain SA-12. 4) Arbico Organics, NemAttack. Ingredient - Steinernema Carpocapsae Applied once in the fall through irrigation controlling Cutworms. In all cases, products mentioned are used on a "As Needed" basis. |
| 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. | Powdery Mildew - "Garden Safe" Fungicide. Ingredients include: Clarified Hydrophobic Extract of Neem Oil. Applied as needed. |
| Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: | Well Water |
| 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") | None |
| Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources? | yes |
| From which sources do you buy transplants? | Local Farm Stands. |
| 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). | None |
| 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. | Bulk of crops grown are in 4 season high tunnels. Outside garden is located approximately 1000 ft. on the back end West) of the property. Residential properties are located east of the field. Winds are primarily from the west/southwest. |
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 are a small farm that is rapidly growing. Being that June of this year is our first year anniversary date, our growth as far exceeded our expectations. In anticipation of continued growth, we are adding a third high tunnel, wash station and walk in cooler. Plans for next year's growing season, our outdoor garden will be tripled in size. Customer base has grown from 5-6 people since October of last year to over 100 people currently. Our specialty is growing and providing crops throughout the winter via passive solar hoop houses and further expanding into the local school districts through the "Farm-to-school" program. |
