News

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

BCS America’s GM Larry Seymour breaking ground with the Rotary Plow attachment
If you’re a Certified Naturally Grown farmer, you’re probably already pretty well-versed in this Business Ally’s work!
BCS America’s two-wheel tractors bring tilling to a more human-sized scale for the direct-market farmer. The company’s walk-behind tractors and myriad attachments help make essential farm tasks like breaking ground, clearing pathways, and throwing snow simpler and faster so you can “plow” through your to-do list at lightning speed. Plus, these lightweight and effective machines mean less compaction for better soil health.
We caught up with BCS America‘s General Manager Larry Seymour to learn all about the origins and mission of this essential small farm company. 
Are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG): How did BCS get started?
Larry Seymour (LS): In 1943, BCS was founded in a village near Milan, Italy with the design and manufacture of one of the world’s first self-propelled mowing machines. Soon, it relieved regional farmers from the hard labor of mowing hay with scythes and enabled them to take multiple hay cuttings each year from their fertile fields. From that humble beginning, BCS has grown and increased its product offerings to include two-wheel tractors and attachments that are enjoyed and utilized in 100 countries around the world.
CNG: What are BCS America’s core values?
LS: Since the early 1970s, the distribution of BCS two-wheel tractors and attachments in North America has pursued these same two goals: to help minimize the back-breaking elements of physical labor while increasing the enjoyment and productivity of avid gardeners, homesteaders, and commercial farmers. 
CNG: How did you make the decision to support CNG as a Business Ally?
LS: BCS’s light-weight, small-scale farm equipment is perfectly suited to those of us who want to build our soil, avoid the compaction of heavy equipment, and maintain close personal contact with our crops. With interchangeable and nimble attachments to mechanically control weeds, build raised beds, and incorporate organic matter, the two-wheel tractor serves as a valuable ally for those of us dedicated to minimum tillage and non-chemical approaches that do right by all involved – the grower, the consumer, and the environment.
CNG: How does Certified Naturally Grown support BCS America’s customers?
LS: CNG can facilitate needed networking between growers and those who design and manufacture their tools. With feedback from its customers, BCS can refine its existing products and design new ones that will contribute to the growers’ needs. 
CNG: What are some exciting developments at BCS America our CNG community can look forward to in the future?
LS:An example of such communication is our development of a precision depth roller for the rotary tiller that enables a limited tine penetration of 1”-2” – perfect for mixing a compost amendment between succession plantings, without the negative effects of mixing soil layers or bringing dormant weed seeds up into the germination zone. The full-length roller that follows the tines lightly compacts the soil for better germination of directly seeded crops and increases the efficiency of ground-driven seeders.
CNG: If you had a magic agricultural wand, how would you use it to improve farm systems in America?
LS:My magic wand would wave in the direction of food-eaters. If an increasing percentage of our population become aware of the nutritional and flavor value of fresh, locally-produced, organic foods, I am confident that the consumer demand will create the supply systems (including CNG, its members, and BCS) needed to fulfill it.
…are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Certified Naturally Grown bounty from the Victory Seed Company
We share this blog post with extra delight: not only is the Victory Seed Company a new Business Ally of Certified Naturally Grown, but the company’s farm has been part of our community of certified producers since way back in 2006!
In fact, the Victory Seed Company in Molalla, Oregon is one of two CNG seed companies in the whole country!
You’re encouraged to check out their CNG farm profile for some family history and farm ethos.
We caught up with Mike Dunton to chat about the Victory Seed Company‘s new status as members of our Business Allies community. Mike is a farmer through and through: he can trace his roots to New England in the early 1620s and every generation has farmed since, either exclusively or in conjunction with a trade. After learning that his grandmother had placed their multi-generation family farm on the market, Mike worked fast to quit his high-tech San Francisco job and move to the farm in Oregon to keep it thriving in the family.
The rest is history, and a robust one that that: The Victory Seed Company offers a whopping 480 varieties of Certified Naturally Grown Seeds!
The Victory Seeds Crew celebrating tomato season in 2018
Keep reading to learn more about the Victory Seed Company’s dedication. And if you’re a Certified Naturally Grown farmer, why not work with The Victory Seed Company the next time you’re ordering seeds?
Plus, Mike is interested in generating a CNG Seed Cooperative. If that sounds up your alley, don’t hesitate to reach out.
We are proud to have such a long lasting connection with this enthusiastic Business Ally!
Are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG): How did the Victory Seed Company get started?
Mike Dunton (MD): Being passionate about history, genealogy, heirloom plants, and the issues of safe and pure food, a plan was developed in 1997 to create an organization that worked to prevent the erosion of the diversity of cultivated plants (biodiversity), along with maintaining seeds that were not genetically altered through laboratory methods (non-GMO).
Our name, the Victory Seed Company, originates from a couple of reference points. At the end of World War II the Victory Garden campaigns terminated, and farming began to quickly evolve into the industrialized business that it is today. Victory Gardening was perhaps the final period in over 10,000 years of the agricultural history of mankind where vast numbers of people were part of their own food production cycle. Although the trend for the demise of the family farm began earlier in the 20th century, this Victory Garden era clearly ended our agrarian society.
The name is also in homage to Mike’s great-grandparents, Victor Hugo Dunton, (whose mother was well read and fancied the work of the author, Victor Hugo) and his wife, Eda Vick Dunton. They are who built the house and started this multi-generational family farm.
CNG: What are the Victory Seed Company’s core values?
MD: Some of this was mentioned in the previous question, but in a nutshell, the Victory Seed Company is a mission-driven, biodiversity preservation organization working to keep as many varieties available to gardeners as we can. All of our seeds are open-pollinated, non-hybrid, not chemically treated, and open-source or public domain (meaning growers can save seeds from year to year). As an early signer of the “Safe Seed Pledge” we will never knowingly sell GMO seeds. Many of our seeds are family heirlooms, most are old standard varieties that were dropped by corporations that absorbed smaller seed companies and are unavailable or are hard to find.

You can read more about our seed here.
You can read more about our mission and what we do here.
CNG: How did you make the decision to support CNG as a Business Ally?
MD: This is going to kind of be redundant but it is because we have been a supporter for so long, and believe in the mission, we try to help out when and where we can. Even though our budget is tight and $300 seems like a trivial amount for some, to us it is equivalent to about half of our total “advertising budget” for 2019 : )
Mike and Denise Dunton with CNG’s Executive Director Alice Varon (center) last summer
CNG: What are some exciting developments at the Victory Seed Company our CNG community can look forward to in the future?
MD: Every year is exciting!
Depending on our budget in any given year (directly based on how many seeds people order from us), we introduce, or re-introduce as many new (old) family heirlooms and rare commercial releases as we can. You can find the new varieties for this season here, as well as a list for some of the others that we are responsible for getting into gardener’s hands here.
CNG: If you had a magic agricultural wand, how would you use it to improve farm systems in America?
MD: Consumer education and labeling laws!
As in any market sector, consumers have the power to “vote” how farmers farm and what they grow. The last ten years or so, with things like Slow Food, Farm to Table and buy local initiatives, and organizations like CNG, people do seem to be getting smarter about health and nutrition. But there is a long way to go!
CNG: Is there anything else CNG growers should know?
MD: Just that like everyone else out there working for a mission and not focusing on money, we desperately need their support to keep doing this work.
Because resources are limited and many of the varieties we work with are not being grown on a commercial scale, we typically are raising seed in small plots, by hand, and therefore are not able to maintain large inventories. Combined with focusing on getting varieties into as many gardens as possible as a component of our biodiversity preservation mission, our focus has primarily been on home gardeners.
That said, we would love to receive input from CNG market growers and small farmers to help us better understand how we might be able to partner with them, as their preferred seed supplier. Learning what types of varieties, quantities, and pricing information would be of keen interest. We would also like to explore operating as kind of a CNG Seed Cooperative and work with growers interested in seed production.
…are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator
Asparagus swinging pretty at The Amazing Heart Farm in Orrtanna, PA
Looking for ways to stand out at the farmer’s market this season? Take a scroll through these Certified Naturally Grown packaging ideas, and don’t be afraid to think outside the clamshell!

Plus, if you’re a certified CNG farmer, do we have a deal for you: if you order twist ties between now and the end of June 2019, we’ll throw in a free bumper sticker AND a free sign! Head on over to the CNG store to get twisting and add even more value to your produce!

Starting Off #CNGproud

Earthkeeper Farm in Kent City, MI

Add even more value to your seedlings with the Certified Naturally Grown seal on your starts for market! Your customers will be eager to plant your verified seedlings knowing they have been grown locally with care and without GMOs or synthetic chemicals. You can do as Earthkeeper Farm does and create custom labels with the CNG logo, or simply slap a small CNG circle sticker (pictured right) on your seedling signage.

Brown Paper Bags: They Go Beyond Lunch

Tiny House Farm in Augusta, NY
Never underestimate the power of the humble paper bag. They’re great for mushrooms, as Tiny House Farm demonstrates with this hand-stamped packaging solution. Farmer Ron Delaney has a degree in graphic design, so he was able to create a custom stamp layout with block letters that harken back to his career in the military, as well as the “grungy” nature of his current work he so adores. The CNG stickers add a finishing touch that reflect the high quality of his mushrooms. Plus, this packaging solution is extremely cost-effective to boot!

For Flowers

Eastward Gardens in Hardinsburg, IN
If you’re growing flowers that are headed home with market-goers in bicycle baskets, crammed cars, or just busy hands, you’ll want to make sure you can wrap those stems before they begin their journey! Why use plastic when you can use a more sustainable material like brown paper? Pull inspiration from Eastward Gardens and opt for a more biodegradable wrapping that are sure to add rustic flair to your bouquets.

Great for Gifts

Little Wild Things City Farm in Washington, DC
Whether you’re growing microgreens year-round or just have some seeds leftover from this year’s crop, take a tip from this Washington, DC farm and create a DIY kit. They’re easy to sell at market or online, and make for a great gift any time of year! All you need are small bags for seeds, a potting mix, a simple how-to pamphlet, and a container to wrap it all up in. Don’t forget to go wild with branding each component of the kit: you never know what will be used again and again by your customers!

Tinctures, Elixirs, and More

Oma Herbal Teas in Schwenksville, PA
You just can’t go wrong with an Amber glass bottle with a glass dropper, as Oma Herbal Teas demonstrates. These containers work great for keeping the light out but keeping your tinctures, elixirs, and extracts, and more in. They also work well for cosmetic products you only need a little bit of at a time.
Do you have your product ready to go, but need a label that matches the magic inside the bottle? Don’t forget about our affordable design services for farmers! Email our designer, Aly, at alymiller@naturallygrown.org to get started on your unique sticker labels.

Our Pick for Produce

One Hawk Homestead in Dover, DE
One Hawk Homestead does a superb job of making their entire CSA share #CNGproud! Our stickers and twist ties can be used on just about anything you grow, from tiny herb bundles to giant rutabagas. You’ll show your customers that CNG values and practices extend all across your farm’s produce by labeling everything you grow with Certified Naturally Grown flair.

Bring the Farm Home

A Gardens Glory in Stuart, FL
Another great way for your eaters to take part in your farm is to have them be farmers, too! A Gardens Glory has the right idea to save a bit of your labor and offer your customers something wholly fresh: have them harvest their own microgreens! These edible “tablescapes” ensure the freshest harvest and help to grow more green thumbs in your community.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

We’re celebrating June and all the fresh bounty it brings with an epic sale on our twist ties!
When you order twist ties in June, you’ll receive a FREE sign and FREE bumper sticker!
Our water-resistant ties come in 12 and 18″ and sport the CNG logo and web address. The 12″ ties are great for small bundles of root veggies and herbs, while the 18″ is suited for large bundles of bok choy and other hearty greens.

Here’s how to get in on the swag:

Place your order by June 30 (set a reminder on your phone and mark your calendar!), and you’ll receive your choice of your laminated poster (either the new Proud to Be CNG sign on the left, or the new Market Poster on right) and a Grow Different bumper sticker.
When you order, just indicate your choice of sign in the comments section of our online store or on your paper order form.

Remember, these ties are only available to CNG members.
If they’re not visible in the store, you’ll need to log in to your certification account.
Not a member? Get started today! Our application will likely only take you around half an hour.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Spring is springing at Certified Naturally Grown! We’re celebrating 46 newly certified farmers and beekeepers joining the CNG community this growing season! Check the list below to see if a farmer you know is among them. Plus, we have brand new training videos, new Business Allies, and a blog bursting with fresh information.

The Harvest Quarterly is our seasonal newsletter, delivered every few months. Enjoy it while it’s fresh! Not yet subscribed? Sign up here.

Congratulations to These 46 Newly Certified Farmers and Beekeepers

We are delighted to recognize the producers who have completed all the requirements for CNG certification since the end of January. They are listed below alphabetically by state and province. 
To find a list of all the Certified Naturally Grown producers in your area, visit our searchable map here.
Know someone who should be listed? Send them this link ASAP! They’ll receive perks if they apply before May 15.

Brood Farm, AR
Happy Horseshoe Farm, AR
Hazel Valley Farms, LLC, AR
KW heritage Farm, AR
Panagia, AR
Rainbow Sprinkles Farm, AR
One Hawk Homestead, DE
Appalachia Mushrooms, GA
Buffalo Creek Berry Farm, GA
Dunk Hill Farm, GA
Fresh Harvest Garden, GA
Ladybird Farm, LLC, GA
Soque Gardens, GA
Soul Miner’s Eden, GA
Jacobson Family Farms, GA
Royal Soil Farm, IL
Pure Micro-Greens LLC, MD
Blue Stone Farm, MI
Flowerfield Farmstead, MI
Diamond H Elderberry Farm LLC, MO
Wolf Creek Family Farm, LLC, MO
Baileytown Farm, MS
Chucklehead Farm, MS
Samsara Garden, MS
5 Woods Life LLC, NC
Banner Greenhouses, NC
Good Ashe Lavender Farm, NC
O-BEE-X Honeybees, NC
Joe’s Farm, NY
Rainwater Farms, NY
Corner Hill Farm LLC, OH
Seminary Hill Farm, OH
Stillwater Valley Orchard, OH
Bear Branch Farms, OR
Integral Farm, OR
Senkos Farm, OR
Oma Herbal Teas, PA
A Bushel and a Peck, TN
Bluff City Fungi, TN
Lick Skillet Garden, TN
Rio Casado Farm, TX
Fields Edge Farm, VA
Glade Road Growing, VA
Lavender and Lace at The Bothy Farm, VA
Terra Stone Greens, LLC, VA

Canada:
Escarpment Gardens, ON

 
 

Our New Training Videos for Produce Operations

In early 2019, we announced a brand new video resource called CNG 101. CNG 101 is a series of lessons that cover the basics of meeting Certified Naturally Grown production standards for produce operations. Our educational videos are available online, on demand, and free of charge.
All eight training videos are now live! 
Click here to access CNG 101 training videos
Our videos are a robust resource geared towards beginning farmers and folks who are interested in joining our community. But, these videos are excellent refresher for farmers of all levels…We could all use a little CNG 101!
These 15 to 40 minute trainings cover the following topics:
– Soil Management
– Weed Management
– Vegetable Pest Management
– Vegetable Disease Management
– Seeds, Planting Stock, and Variety Selection
– Environmental Protections and Preventing Contaminants
– Crop Rotation
– Cover Crops
Know a farmer who would benefit from these training videos? Send them this link!

A Warm Welcome to New Business Allies!

The Business Allies listed below are leaders in the sustainable agriculture community, and pioneers of our new and growing program. We’re grateful for their support, which helps keep Certified Naturally Grown affordable for CNG farmers and beekeepers.
We’re proud to announce that eight like-minded businesses have signed on as Business Allies since the end of January. You can learn more about their work by clicking on the links below:
Cornerstone Farm
Georgia Sea Grill
Loco Canopies
Moscow Food Co-op
Nifty Hoops
Osborne Quality Seeds
Purple Mountain Organics
TNT Farming Solutions
If you or someone you know represents a company that serves the sustainable agriculture community, we hope you’ll consider joining these excellent Allies. Click the button below to learn how. 

The Latest Spring Reads on the Blog

Top Tips for Microgreens
How To Know If Your Farm Needs a Paper Pot Transplanter

• Plus, a version of this blog post was published in Acres U.S.A.!
  CNG 101: All Videos Are Live!
  Hot Off The Press: Our Latest Newsletter About Certified Naturally Grown Farmers
  Dispelling Myths about Transitional Status
  Maple Producers of Certified Naturally Grown
  The Story of CNG’s Logo
  CNG Leader Reappointed to Committee of the World’s Organic Umbrella Organization
  All CNG producers are listed on our website. Would you like your farm on this map? Get Certified!  

⠀Do your Microgreens Make the Cut?

We’ve developed a handy checklist to help you determine if CNG is a good fit for you. 

 
“Microgreens” is a marketing term used to describe edible greens that germinate from the seeds of herbs and vegetables and are harvested without roots when they are seedlings. These flavorful cotyledons make a great addition to many meals and pack a real nutritional punch.
Microgreens are on the rise…literally!
Not only are these tiny vegetables trendy, but they also grow fast (they’re often ready for harvest in about two weeks!), and can be sold at a premium. This makes them a great option for a wide variety of growing operations.
Just because these greens are little doesn’t mean they go unchecked! Keep reading to make sure you’re up to snuff on your Certified Naturally Grown standards for microgreens.

⠀Microgreens versus Sprouts

While both sprouts and microgreens refer to crops that are harvested without roots at a very young age, they have a key distinction: sprouts are crops that germinate and grow without soil, while microgreens are grown in a soil medium.

⠀If I grow sprouts, what do I need to know?

If you grow sprouts, we would require an annual water test. As with our Aquaponics Standards, the annual test should pay particular attention to levels of chloride, chloramine, and heavy metals. Additionally, seeds used for edible sprouts always must be certified organic or Certified Naturally Grown.

⠀Soil Media

We define soil as, “Organic matter that is rich in plant-available nutrients that can sustain plant life with no additional inputs.”
In the case of microgreens, the soil medium is often a potting mix or coconut coir.

⠀Prohibited Substances in Growing Media

• Ash from manure burning
• Chemically-processed minerals, including quick lime and sugar lime
• Compost with sewage sludge
• Glossy paper or paper with colored ink
• Rockwool
• Synthetic compost starter
• Synthetic fertilizers such as:
  • Ammoniacal nitrogen
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Synthetic nitrates
  • Synthetic phosphates
  • Urea and uric acid
• Synthetic wetting agents
  Learn more about our Allowed & Prohibited Substances for Produce here.

⠀Seeds

The same rules for our field vegetable seeds apply to microgreens seeds, for the most part. These rules are:
1. No GMOs. Never ever.
2. No chemically-treated seeds.
3. CNG members must use seeds that are Certified Naturally Grown or certified organic whenever they are commercially available. Seeds used for edible sprouts always must be certified organic or Certified Naturally Grown.
For microgreens, however, if you check with at least 3 major seed sources and still can’t find the variety you need, you can use conventionally grown seed (as long as it’s not GMO or chemically-treated, of course). Some microgreens varieties are so new to the market that only one major seed vendor sells them, and there is no available organic variety just yet. As microgreens gain traction, more organic seed varieties will become available and you would be required switch to an organic variety.
The following seed companies offer CNG or Cert Organic microgreens seeds. Please note some of these sources also offer non-organically grown seed varieties, so be sure to double check before placing your order.
Don’t see your favorite seed supplier on the list? Let us know and we can add them!
Osborne Quality Seeds
Based in Washington
True Leaf Market
Based in Utah
Harris Seeds Organic
Based in New York
Fruition Seeds
Based in New York
High Mowing
Based in Vermont
Hudson Valley Seed Company
Based in New York
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Based in Maine
Sand Hill Preservation Center
Based in Iowa
While the below companies don’t offer microgreens seeds specifically, you can certainly source from them as most seeds can be grown as microgreens.
Victory Seeds (CNG)
Family business devoted to preserving open-pollinated and heirloom varieties
Based in Oregon
Fedco Seeds
Based in Maine

⠀Pests and Disease

Pests and disease may seem like less of an issue with microgreens than field vegetables. After all, you’re growing in a closed environment such as a greenhouse! But, because of this closed and controlled system, problems are often “all or nothing”: you have no disease or pest pressure until suddenly the issues arise all at once! As such, maintaining good hygiene and keeping a close watch on your microgreens is essential. A sterile medium, a clean source of water, and good air circulation will go a long way to ward off disease.
Though geared more toward our field vegetable producers, our CNG 101 training videos on Vegetable Pest Management and Vegetable Disease Management can be helpful tools in reviewing best practices for producing microgreens. Click here to sign up to receive these videos immediately in your inbox!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

CNG peppers, tomatoes, flowers, lettuce, kale and more at Banner Greenhouses 
Banner Greenhouses isn’t just certified by Certified Naturally Grown, but they’re a Business Ally of CNG, too!
This Nebo, North Carolina business is the definition of #CNGproud. They have over 19 acres in production, each bursting with vegetable, herb, and flower transplants. Banner Greenhouses may be in the business of tiny plant “plugs,” but these millions of plugs make a big impact – especially when they’re grown under Certified Naturally Grown standards that work in harmony with the nature.
We are proud to have such a strong connection with this enthusiastic Business Ally!
Are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG): How did Banner Greenhouses get started?
Jeff Mast (JM): Banner Greenhouses was started 25 years ago by a Christmas tree grower here in North Carolina. A few years later, the business was bought by a family in Kalamazoo, Michigan. That family still owns our business today, and has a long history in greenhouse work. I have been involved with the company for the last 15 years, and oversee the day-to-day business here at Banner Greenhouses.
We began to grow organically in the last seven to eight years. We started to play with different crops: tomatoes, bell peppers, green beans, beets, and pac choi – to name a few. At the same time, we continue to grow conventional flowers. 
Our current total production area is 19.5 acres, and we grow in both greenhouses and outdoor areas.
CNG: What are Banner Greenhouses’ core values?
JM: We are committed to excellence in our products. That always comes first. Then, we have a sort of triangulation between the crops, the customer, and the company. It’s a balancing act. In addition, we have become increasingly interested in and cognizant of the impact our work has on the environment. The environment informs everything we do.
CNG: How did you make the decision to support CNG as a Business Ally?
JM: It seemed like a simple, natural extension of our CNG certification. Plus, becoming a Business Ally helps us reach out to potential new customers.

CNG: How did you decided to add Certified Naturally Grown certification to your USDA Organic certification?

JM: We didn’t find out about CNG until this year, or we would’ve been CNG sooner! Becoming Certified Naturally Grown was a no-brainer for us. It is compatible with our existing production practices. CNG is also an excellent marketing tool. Plus, we feel the peer review system for inspections is very important. Quite frankly, it’s another thing entirely to report about your practices to your peers. It’s hard to fool a farmer who does the same things you do! To date, there have been no negatives to the process of being CNG. It’s been un-complicated, and adds another level of transparency and integrity to our products and company. We feel it’s a win-win. We’re proud of our new alliance with CNG.
CNG: What are some exciting developments at Banner Greenhouses our CNG community can look forward to in the future?
JM: We now have hemp plugs, which is a brand new frontier for us! We’re learning something new every day.

We are also expanding our grafted tomatoes to start shipping them nationally, and we’ve started growing watercress by vegetative reproduction.
CNG: If you had a magic agricultural wand, how would you use it to improve farm systems in America?
JM: That’s a big question!
Local food grown under Certified Naturally Grown and organic standards is a movement, not a fad. I want folks to understand that. I want to increase knowledge sharing on the health benefits of vegetable-based diets, and organically-based diets. These two ideas will drive opportunity for farmers. I also want to improve issues around land access for farmers. Finally, I’d like to make sure that farmers hone their business sustainability skills, not just their sustainable farming skills. Farmers need to make sure they really know their market.
CNG: Is there anything else CNG growers should know?
JM: While we grow food to build a profit, we work to build our community by providing them access to young plants to start their farms. I am proud of how many meals are produced by our millions of plants, and how many people are affected by the food we grow in a healthy way.
…are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Mary and the Giant Pumpkin
Moscow Food Co-op is not only part of our Guide to Exceptional Markets (GEMs), but they’re a Business Ally of CNG, too! 
This Idaho co-op is a GEM because they clearly indicate which vendors or products are CNG-certified in its 46 year-old organization. If you’re a local shopper, you’ll notice CNG stickers on produce grown by local CNG farms!
We are really looking forward to having a presence at Moscow Food Co-op’s annual Farmer Mixer this fall, where the co-op’s farmer vendors are invited to come together and learn from one another.
As a Business Ally, Moscow Food Co-op has made a financial contribution to our grassroots organization to help keep CNG affordable for direct-market farmers. 
We wish we lived closer so we could swing by their exceptional deli hot food bar daily for lunch! Meantime, we spoke with Moscow Food Co-op’s Market Manager, Alycia Rock, to learn about the co-op’s rich history and how CNG makes a difference for both its vendors and eaters.
We are proud to have such a strong connection with this Exceptional Market!
Are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 
Certified Naturally Grown (CNG): How did Moscow Food Co-op get started?
Alycia Rock (AR): Counterculture ideas and increasing concern about soil, water, and air pollution spurred the formation of natural food cooperatives all across the country in the late 1960s and early 1970s. So too in Moscow, Idaho, when friends Rod Davis, Jim Eagan, and Dave and Katie Mosel decided to start a natural foods store to address their concerns about rising food costs and the environmental impact of corporate food production. First called the Good Food Store, our founders opened our doors at 112 East Second Street with an inventory that consisted of peas, lentils, cheese, spices, and a few miscellaneous items. We were run entirely by volunteers, and in our first month sales totaled $126.88. In the second month sales grew to $1,000 – it was clear that Moscow wanted its Good Food Store!
Then, with 25 members and a few grants and individual loans in place, the Good Food Store officially became a nonprofit cooperative association with the state of Idaho on April 25th, 1974.
CNG: What are Moscow Food Co-op’s core values?
AR: As noted by the International Cooperative Alliance, “Co-operatives are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity.” For over 40 years, we have promoted our cooperative identity by being good stewards of the earth and each other. Through providing healthy food, we have created a healthier planet and a stronger, healthier community. We have built our cooperative community based on the recognition that we are stronger together. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others.
CNG: How did you make the decision to support CNG as a Business Ally?

AR: Our customers care about how their food is grown, and our vendors are looking for an alternative to expensive and inconsistent USDA organic certification. We understand our vendors value communicating they are using chemical-free or reduced chemical and/or sustainable growing methods, and we know they appreciate being validated and certified for those efforts.
As noted on the CNG website, becoming certified also provides farmers with the opportunity to network and receive feedback from similar growers. There is a great sense of belonging within the CNG movement.
CNG: How does Certified Naturally Grown support Moscow Food Co-op customers?

AR: It helps customers navigate and trust their vendors, and helps them make decisions about what food they want to eat. It also helps them support and understand growers who may need an alternative to USDA certification but who still use land which has been “free of prohibited pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers for at least three years from the date of the first saleable harvest this year.” Including CNG products allows our customers to feel comfortable with their purchases. 
CNG: What are some exciting developments at Moscow Food Co-op our CNG community can look forward to in the future?
AR: The Moscow Food Co-op has a lot going on each year! For instance, we are expanding our bakery operation to a new space and adding some exciting new products. We are constantly on the lookout for new businesses, new local producers, and new farms to support. We of course are scheduling more events and classes for our customers, and striving to supply the best deli hot bar food in Moscow! We’re always building and learning, so following us on social media and subscribing to our eNewsletter is definitely the best way to stay on top of all the Co-op’s news and information moving forward.
CNG: If you had a magic agricultural wand, how would you use it to improve farm systems in America?
AR: It’s a dream of ours that everyone has access to locally grown, sustainable options for produce and food. We try to reduce the mileage between farm and table and offer options that keep our local community and economy thriving.
CNG: Is there anything else CNG growers should know?
AR: Growers should know that the Moscow Food Co-op is on their side! We value their time and efforts, and we always aim to treat them fairly and open all lines of communication. We want to make sure we can provide a platform for their products and get their goods to more and more local people, and we want to share with them all the information we have!
…are you interested in featuring your like-minded company on our blog? 

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

We’re proud to announce that we just sent out the second edition of our print newsletter, Growing Above and Beyond! Read on for a sneak peek of the articles, and learn how to snag your very own copy.
Our print newsletter is exclusively for folks who have donated to Certified Naturally Grown in recent years, and features behind-the-scenes stories about member farmers and beekeepers.
Francis Ngoh of Rock Run Creek Farm, VA
In this issue, you’ll read about how Francis Ngoh discovered his second career as a mushroom grower in Goldvein, Virginia. Turns out, farming isn’t too different from engineering! You’ll also learn about the compassionate ethos that weaves through every aspect of Shady Grove Farm U.P.’s longstanding and diverse farming operation in Gwinn, Michigan (psst, there’s an adorable lamb photo in this story!). Plus, you’ll hear how Zach and Ilana of Levity Farm in Alpharetta, Georgia are making farming more sustainable for farmers, not just the earth.
Ilana Margulis and Zach Richards of Levity Farms, GA
We are also delighted to announce our top four states with the most CNG-friendly markets – but we’re not giving away any secrets! You’ll have to become a friend to see for yourself if your state made the cut.
Are you curious to learn the full story? It’s not too late to get your copy!

To be eligible to receive Growing Above and Beyond…

Join CNG as a Friend with a gift of any amount.
Consider becoming a Sustaining Friend. Just sign up to make regular monthly donations of any amount and you’ll enable us to continue growing strong through the lean winter months.

We’re proud of our new publication, and we look forward to sending a fresh copy to your mailbox! For any questions about your issue, don’t hesitate to reach out to suzannah@naturallygrown.org.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

The Pastures of Rose Creek, Watkinsville, GA
Here at Certified Naturally Grown, we’re different than other certifying bodies in quite a few ways. Not only do we use a peer-review approach for our grassroots certification, but we also have a different perspective on Transitional Status for farms where synthetic inputs may have been used in the past. 

With Certified Naturally Grown, farmers don’t have to wait three full years after the last known use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, or prohibited beekeeping treatments before applying to Certified Naturally Grown.
As soon as a farmer or beekeeper is able to commit to CNG standards, they can pursue certification.
Here are some common scenarios in which farmers seek Transitional Status:

• You’ve just purchased land. You’re experienced and ready to adhere to CNG standards, but the prior farmer used conventional practices, or perhaps you’re not sure how the land was managed. 
• You’ve used synthetics for one or two troublesome crops in years past, but now you feel ready to fully commit to following CNG standards.
• You’ve used synthetic herbicides in seasons past to control weeds, but you’ve decided you want to ditch the chemicals and have a game plan for doing so.
  Such farmers do have a “Transitional” designation on their online applications, on their certificates, and they must indicate that they have “Transitional Status” on their Declaration. The specifics of why the land has transitional status is indicated on the farm’s online application, so the reasons for this status are fully transparent.

Farmers with Transitional Status have full benefits of membership, including an online profile, access to marketing materials, use of the CNG logo, and many other advantages.
By taking this approach, we aim to balance our emphasis on transparency while allowing our farmers to gain recognition for their current practices. We want to encourage farmers to verify to their community that they’re responsible stewards of their land, public health, and the environment at large by becoming Certified Naturally Grown.
Sign up here to learn more about the perks of joining Certified Naturally Grown. We’ll be in touch soon!
Or get in touch with any specific questions here.