Produce & Flowers

Full Earth Farm

Owner: Katie Harris & Aaron Suko

Address:
Quincy, FL

daytime phone: (850) 567-1493
Web site: http://www.fullearthfarm.com

Application Date: 2010-10-10

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
To have an organic certification that is less expensive and more community based then the USDA certification.
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? *
The farm who mentored us is CNG certified and love it.
How did you learn to farm, and for how long have you been farming for market? What has prepared you to farm successfully according to CNG standards? *

General Farm Information

Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM:
Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: *
3
Number of above acreage that you own: *
3
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
0
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
1
Fruit Crops:
0
Hay:
0
Grains/Beans:
2
Sugarbush:
0
Other Acreage:
0
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM *











Please Specify Any Other Items:
pecans
Please check all markets you grow for (this will be displayed on your farm profile to help potential buyers find you). *











Please Specify Other Markets:
online market soon

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
To prep the field we harrow in cover crop and do an initial till to prepare the beds. We do not use the tiller to control weeds or other such uses, just to prep beds.
Do you use Cover Crops? *
yes
If yes, please list: *
Rye, vetch, iron and clay peas, buckwheat
Do you use Compost? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): *
On farm inputs and collected local inputs such as manure.
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 cubic yard/ 100' bed/ season
Do you use Manure? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): *
horse farm and grass fed cow farm (collected from field).
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". *
we compost it before using it
What time of year do you apply the manure? *
when we apply compost (it's part of the compost)
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. *
we use lime, greensand. azomite, kelp (when prepping field in amounts suggested by an agronomist), worm castings (potting mix and when transplanting), Espoma plant tone or other similar organic fertilizers (Fertrell products) in potting mix and on beds with crops that require a lot of nitrogen (applied at time of bed prep or side dressed if needed)
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? *
yes
Describe your primary weed problems AND methods of control. Do not answer "none". You MUST indicate either actual weed challenges and/or LIKELY challenges, and you must ALSO indicate how you manage (or would manage) them. If you indicate a product, also specify how often it's used. *
Purple nut sedge in warm weather and the only remedy is to pull it by hand and use allopathic cover crops in our rotation.
Describe your primary insect challenges AND methods of control. Do not answer "none". You MUST indicate either actual pest challenges and/or LIKELY challenges, and you must ALSO indicate how you manage (or would manage) them. If you indicate a product, also specify how often it's used. *
The main problem has been stink and squash bugs which we burned the attacked plants and used a little neem oil (an OMRI listed brand) on the next round of squash. We were infested and eventually let our squash just die, sadly.
Describe your primary disease challenges AND methods of control. Do not answer "none". You MUST indicate either actual disease challenges and/or LIKELY challenges, and you must ALSO indicate how you manage (or would manage) them. If you indicate a product, also specify how often it's used. *
Tomato blight and other funguses that are inevitable in Florida. We just use proper timing to avoid these hitting at a crucial time. We haven't sprayed anything for this. Might try compost or worm tea next spring.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
well on site.
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

How do you select your seeds? CNG standards call for growers to make a good faith effort to locate organically grown seeds by contacting at least 3 major suppliers. *
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
Do you purchase potting soil, or do you mix your own on the farm? *
What ingredients does your potting mix contain? If you purchase a mix, please also indicate which product. *
Are all of your transplants grown according to CNG standards, without synthetic fertilizers or wetting agents? *
yes
If any transplants are not grown according to CNG standards, please list them here. (If they all are, put "N/A".) This produce may not be marketed as Certified Naturally Grown. *
Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources? *
yes
From which sources do you buy transplants? *
Just Fruits and Exotics in Medart, Fl
How have you confirmed with your supplier that the transplants are grown without synthetic fertilizers or wetting agents? *
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). *
Strawberries, although half of them we collected from last year's plants and would be certifiable.
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.) *
Perennial peanut field. I am not sure what they use, I know round up initially, but they seem to be mindful of windy days and don't spray those days. When they sprayed round up we saw no evidence of drift on our crops.
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. *
The peanut field is about 100' feet South-West from the main fields, and west/ northwest from a smaller plot that has a 100' buffer as well as several trees between.

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:
A few weeks ago I certified Turkey Hill Farm in Tallahassee, FL does this count for my yearly inspection requirement?