Erin Worrall

This article was originally written by Erin France for Flagpole.com

Where you’ll go for seeds likely will depend on what you’re looking for and how much money you can budget for your garden this year. If you’re just picking up one or two packets, shopping in a store is fine. Otherwise, you’ll likely get more interesting seeds by shopping online.

My farm products are certified naturally grown, and according to the certification, I must purchase organic seed unless I cannot find an organic option at three other businesses. Organic seeds are pricier, but cost isn’t something I can use as a reason to not purchase organic. If you’re interested in growing organic seeds, be prepared to pay a higher price.

While you’ll likely find GMOs (genetically modified organisms) in your fast food meal, you’re not likely to find them in a seed packet. Genetically engineered seeds are almost entirely geared toward commercial conventional agriculture like corn and soybeans. However, you might want to look for and avoid any “treated” seeds. Treated seeds are more available to the home gardener, and come with a chemical coating of pesticides or fungicides. It seems wasteful to me to start covering your home-grown food in any chemicals when it’s not even germinated yet.

Finding the Cheapest Seeds

One of my perennial favorite seed purveyors, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, touts a collection of seeds made for the heat and humidity of Northeast Georgia. There are plenty of options for tomatoes, okra and lettuce. The company also employs small farms—including some in Georgia—to grow and harvest seeds for them. This is a great way to buy worthwhile inexpensive seed stock (including organic) and support small farms at the same time.

I have not purchased seeds from MI Gardener, a gardening YouTuber who now also sells seeds. If you’re just looking for a wide selection at rock-bottom prices, this is the place to go. Most seed packets are just $2, making a big garden more affordable for folks with a strict budget.

Speciality Flavors

Kitazawa Seed Co. has a great collection of Asian greens, gourds and everything in between, with a focus on Japanese vegetables. The business also boasts Indian and African produce not found in many grocery stores. As someone who loves food from around the world, but doesn’t always know where to start, I’ve purchased a few of their seed bundles. This year, they have offerings such as a “Juicing Garden,” the “Ugly Vegetables Garden” and the “Indian Cuisine Garden.” These packets can be a great way to get started on a new cooking habit or bolster the one you already have.

I don’t buy from Seeds From Italy, but I know farmers who swear by them. The germination rates, especially for finicky types like tender greens, prove they’re worth the extra money. If you love Italian food or really fancy greens, this could be the right catalog for you.

Healthy Hybrids and Organic Options

High Mowing Organic Seeds has a great selection of winter veggies. The problem, at least for Georgians, is High Mowing’s location in Vermont. If the description of a tomato reads as “does well in heat and high humidity,” that could mean something different for the Vermonter writing it than the Georgian reading it. I worked on a farm in Vermont for three months and was shocked at the public service radio announcement reminding people to stay hydrated at 85 degrees. At 85 degrees, y’all. That being said, their winter vegetables can stand up to any wimpy cold weather the South gets.

Many farmers in the Athens area order from Johnny’s Seeds. This company sells many hybrid offerings that can outperform heirlooms. Hybrids come from purposeful, selective breeding to provide a specific benefit, such as disease or pest resistance or higher yields. However, seeds saved from a hybrid plant won’t run true—you won’t get the same type of crop again. I choose hybrids over heirlooms for plants I know suffer from specific and widespread disease, like my blight-ridden tomato plants. Heirloom varieties, such as Cherokee Purple, tend to die from blight before they can produce much more than one tomato. Hybrids like Mountain Magic boost a plant’s immunity from blight, and allow my garden to grow a full season’s worth of tomatoes.

Farm conference season is in full swing, and CNG growers are showing up around the country to spread the word about our certification. With nearly 600 certified farms throughout North America, and more being added each month, their efforts are making waves!

Conference outreach is an important way to meet growers in a vibrant regional context. Consider repping CNG at your local farm conference! We’ve got lots of great resources to equip you, and plenty of materials to go around.

Interested? Contact alicevaron@naturallygrown.org and we’ll make a plan!

We are pleased to announce that the full lineup of Winter 2024 The Business of Farming classes are now available for purchase. Each digital download consists of a Homeroom Document: an interactive PDF that will lead you to Zoom recordings, presenter slides, and several related resources for further learning.

CNG Members save 50% on all Farm School Classes. Visit the Members Only Discounts page for coupon code.

Original Article by Lena Beck for Modern Farmer

Food labels can be difficult to understand and interpret, so we’ve created a glossary of some common ones that you’ll see at the grocery store.

Do you know what “cage-free” means? How about “free range”? “Pasture-raised”?

Some of the terms used on food labels are official certifications, enforced by the USDA or a nonprofit entity, and the presence of the certification means that the farming operation has been verified in some way for compliance. Other common terms or phrases refer to qualities that are not regulated at all. This means that companies can use these phrases on their packaging whether they conform to a consumer’s understanding of what that label means or not. To make things even more complicated, many certifications require a lot of labor, effort and expense on the producer’s behalf, meaning that small farms can be at a disadvantage when it comes to garnering these certifications, even if they meet the requirements.

As a consumer, it can help to understand what you are looking at and what it means. Below is a list of definitions for common phrases on food labels. But there are many more beyond the ones we have listed.

To help you evaluate their meaning, ask yourself these questions: If it’s a certification, who is the governing body and how do they verify compliance? If it’s not a certification, does the company clarify what it means by the term? Can I find additional information about the product separate from the words used on the label?

Certified and/or regulated

USDA Organic: You can find this certification on meats, dairy products and produce. This certification prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are also not considered organic. For meats with this label, synthetic growth hormones are not permitted, and the animals must have been fed a diet that is 100 percent organically grown. This certification requires inspection to verify that standards are being met. After certification has been granted, the operation must be inspected annually to maintain compliance.

Cage Free: This term refers to poultry that live indoors without cages and have access to food and water. The USDA does not define how big this indoor space must be. Verification of these parameters varies widely, according to the USDA. The Quality Assessment Division of the USDA will verify a cage-free operation during paid grade and certification services.

Free Range: This means that the animal spends part of its time outside, uncaged. However, there is no regulation of the amount of time that the animal may actually spend outside, nor how big the outdoor space is. The outdoor space can be fenced or netted in. Farms must provide proof to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service of free-range conditions.

Naturally Grown: This certification is an alternative to the “USDA Organic” label. The process to be certified “USDA Organic” can be cumbersome for farmers, so the “Certified Naturally Grown” label uses the same requirements but is verified by a team of CNG farmers, not the USDA. Be aware—this is different than when the word “natural” or “all-natural” appears alone on a label. See the list of items not backed by certification or regulation for more information.

Fair Trade: The Fair Trade USA certification was developed to help ensure fair working conditions for farmers and growers on some commonly imported products such as chocolate, tea, coffee, honey, bananas and more. Fair Trade USA checks for things such as fair wages, safe working conditions, lack of child labor and ability to unionize. However, there have been multiple documented instances of companies achieving this certification without meeting labor standards.

Animal Welfare Approved: This certification is not administered by a governmental body but by the nonprofit A Greener World. Farms that receive this certification raise their animals in pasture or on range and allow the animals to behave and move in a way that supports their well-being.

Certified Regenerative: A Greener World also provides a certification regarding regenerative practices—farming intended to be better for the environment. But it is also worth noting that this is not the only certification program evaluating regenerative standards, and there is some debate in the industry about what exactly being certified “regenerative” should mean.

American Humane Certified: This certification is granted by American Humane to practitioners of animal agriculture. It claims to use a scientifically informed set of criteria to evaluate whether animals are being raised in suitable and healthy living conditions—everything from enough space to access to shade. However, animal welfare advocates have called the certification an example of humane washing because it still allows for practices such as caged confinement.

Grassfed: For grazing animals such as cows, the USDA defines “grassfed” as animals that have access to grass or other pasture forage during the growing season and derive the majority of their nutrients from this source. It does not set parameters for pesticides, growth hormones or antibiotics.

Non-GMO Project Certified: This certification is run by nonprofit organization the Non-GMO Project. It is granted to products that do not use genetic engineering.

Raised Without Hormones: This term is mostly for cattle, which are sometimes supplemented with growth hormones such as rBGH to make them grow bigger and faster. Operations must submit documentation to the USDA to show that they do not use hormones. The USDA does not allow hormones to be used for poultry or pork, so don’t associate this with a mark of quality on these items.

Raised Without Antibiotics/No Antibiotics: This term is used in animal agriculture to denote that the animal has not been raised with antibiotics, something that can help animals to grow bigger and faster. However, earlier in 2023, the USDA announced that it will begin an evaluation process to determine if more intensive verification is necessary.

Not backed by certification and/or regulation

All-natural: The term “natural” on egg, poultry and meat products means that they are “minimally processed and contain no artificial ingredients,” per the USDA. However, many other items carry this term that do not fall under the USDA category of meat, poultry or eggs. There is no standard definition of “all-natural.” Look for further explanation on the rest of the label or company website to find out what this means to the company. Seeing this phrase on a food label does not inherently convey meaning or guarantee anything.

Eco-friendly/Climate Positive: Many labels claim that their product is environmentally friendly, but these are not quantifiable terms. Look for additional information about how the product benefits the environment or sustainability in general.

Pasture-raised: This does not require third-party verification, so it’s hard to know what it means to the producer. It is best if you can find additional information to verify that the animal does indeed spend a significant amount of time in the pasture. If you’re looking at meat from a ruminant animal, “certified grassfed” will mean more than “pasture-raised.”

Local: The USDA defines local as within the state of provenance or within 400 miles of its production point. But this is a widely interpreted term and different producers/companies may have varying definitions of what this means.

Peer review inspections are the foundation for the Certified Naturally Grown certification process. These inspections facilitate robust local farmer networks as they provide opportunities for knowledge exchange and community building, and are most often performed by CNG members. However, in communities where a smaller CNG network is available (let’s say a producer is the first certified in their area), peer review inspections are often carried out by other members of the agricultural community. Certified organic farmers, extension agents, non-certified farmers using ecological methods, and others are qualified to perform a peer review inspection.

We interviewed two non-CNG farmers who recently performed an annual inspection for a farm in their community. Read on to hear their perspective on our Peer Review model, both before the inspection and after.

Ida Vandamme [IV] is a USDA-certified organic farmer at Honeyside Farms in Parrish, FL. She inspected Peach Pit Farms in Lithia, FL in September 2023.

Jamie Nadler [JN] is a farmer and co-founder of Dancing Greens Farm in Great Barrington, MA. She follows sustainable growing practices, and the farm is not certified. Jamie inspected Elizabeth Keen of Indian Line Farm in Canton, MA in September 2023 (featured photo).

CNG: Tell us about how you found out about this opportunity — who was the farmer that asked you to inspect, what was your relationship to them prior to the inspection… that sort of thing!

[IV]: Jeff and I are both vendors at our local Farmer’s Market. We haven’t interacted much other than hello, good morning, complaining about weather/slow markets, and I occasionally purchase items from him I don’t have (he grows some very unique exotic crops, whereas I grow your generic everyday vegetables).

[JN]: I have worked at the farm that I inspected. Elizabeth at Indian Line has been a great boss and an excellent farmer. She has been so incredible to learn from and I was honored when she asked me to do her inspection.

CNG: Had you ever conducted a CNG inspection before this one? How did you feel about it? (You can be very honest!)

[IV]: I have never conducted a CNG inspection before and to be very honest, I had my doubts. I have a USDA certified organic farm and we have very serious, accredited inspectors come to our farm, spend half a day here, and it’s a nightmare of complex paperwork (for the inspector) even if you are well prepared. It costs us several hundred dollars an inspection, and that doesn’t include the annual renewal fee.

So I thought this CNG inspection might be some joke. They want me, some random farmer, to conduct an inspection? But I respect Jeff, and I want all Farmers to do well so I went along. And I was excited for the opportunity to see his farm and connect more deeply.

[JN]: I have never conducted a CNG inspection before. I was very excited about it. As a new farm, I am learning everything I can about sustainable practices and how to communicate to the public about those practices. I have a learned a lot about different certifications and worked on farms with different certifications. I was excited to see what CNG certification was like and how it is implemented. 

CNG: Tell us a little about the inspection! What did you do, how long did it last, what was it like?

[IV]: And connect we did. What ensued was several hours of wholesome farmer to farmer conversation. We talked about our agricultural practices, ecology, climate change, labor, politics, generational differences (he and I are 2 generations apart), where we get our information, and even finances.

I have much greater respect for Jeff now and am delighted to know such a program as CNG exists. I have since been following CNG on social media and reading blog posts and thoroughly enjoying seeing happy farmer related content. Farming is tough and it’s nice to see the bright side.

[JN]: The inspection was a few hours long. We walked through the farm and also sat as we worked our way through the questions. Elizabeth shared all parts of her farm, as well as giving me a history of different practices she has used in past years. Additionally, we talked about goals she has and how she hopes to achieve them. It was both a conversation as well as an inspection. 

CNG: What was one thing that you really enjoyed or impressed you about the CNG farm you inspected?

[IV]: We’re from Florida, and a lot of your average vegetable crops don’t grow as well here. Certain exotic/unfamiliar species do much better here. Jeff does a great job of educating his customer base about these different foods and how to use them. He has really created his own little niche market.

[JN]: It is impressive to me how much Elizabeth uses cover cropping as a tool on her farm. She lets a lot of her land rest every year in order to ensure fertility. Elizabeth also has a goal of planting a pollinator garden. This is a very exciting project that she has already done for the town of Egermont, MA. 

CNG: Did you feel equipped to perform a thorough inspection?

[IV]: Accredited inspectors go through rigorous training, so I felt ill-equipped comparatively. I wasn’t sure how it would go. But I did feel confident that my practical knowledge of organic regulations would help.

[JN]: Yes I felt equipped to perform the inspection. I have been fortunate to have learned a lot about different sustainable practices and was able to dig deep into the inspection instead of treating it like a checklist of questions. 

CNG: What would you say to other non-CNG farmers who might be asked to perform a peer inspection for a CNG farmer in their community?

[IV]:This is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbor-farmer and help your entire community get access to high-quality produce. CNG is basically the same as organic but allows small farms to participate. The vibe is much friendlier and personable, and honestly, there’s just as much reason to trust CNG as organic because there is plenty of talk of fraud in the organic community. So, a friendly neighbor can go a lot further than a stranger inspector backed up by the big organizations.

There’s no need to fret about qualifications; CNG provides a very straightforward inspection worksheet and you basically just have to check yes or no. There is sufficient background information incorporated in the worksheet to get anyone up to speed. And it’s still a rigorous, thorough, 15 page process. It’s a great framework for recognizing the work of small, well-intending farmers.

[JN]: I would say it is an excellent way to learn about what different farms are doing and different sustainable practices. It is always good to meet and discuss with other farmers. The inspection can help think outside the box as well. After the inspection I have been thinking a lot more about how to implement more good practices on my own farm. I want to plant more native plant species and increase the amount of cover cropping I do.