Produce & Flowers

Riverside Specialty Farm

Owner: Larry Galligan

Address:
740 McKnight Ave.
West Fork, AR 72774
Washington County

daytime phone: (479) 200-5031

Application Date: 2018-02-19

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
I would like to be part of the CNG program because it gives credibility to our claim of following organic standards and practices. Additionally,certification allows us to supply produce for buyers who can only use CNG or Certified Organic produce.
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? *
Other producers, as well as articles on the web.
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: *
8
Number of above acreage that you own: *
17.5
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:
1/4
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
Sugarbush:
Other Acreage:
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM *











Please Specify Any Other Items:
I bale and use a portion of my winter Rye as straw mulch and may sell a portion.
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:

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
Conventional using tractor with implements and a TroyBilt tiller but working on using more conservation tillage. Crop rotation.
Do you use Cover Crops? *
yes
If yes, please list: *
Cereal Rye, Forage Pea, Red Clover Cowpeas
Do you use Compost? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): *
On farm, purchased complete, food waste from a local restaurant, and pressings from a local juicer.
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". *
Two inches depth on rows or beds
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. *
Nitron products (Johnson, AR) nature meal (feather meal, meat & bone meal) at planting, sulfate of potash and alfalfa meal), Nitron Alfalfa meal, Alaska fish fertilizer Neptunes harvest fish and kelp,
Have any chemical fertilizers been applied to the fields you are seeking Certification for in the last three years (36 months)? *
yes
If yes, as per the Certification regulations, it is acceptable to apply chelated chemical fertilizers to correct specifical micronutrient imbalances as listed on a recent soil test. Does the application of this fertilizer meet those requirements? *
no
If Yes, please specify types, amounts and application dates: *
Miracle grow Soluble fertilizer applied to plant starts in March and April 2016, half listed rate, and another application at transplant, once in April on tomatoes peppers artichokes broccoli. Discontinued using after that point.
Have any non-acceptable pesticides and/or herbicides been applied to these fields in the last 3 years? *
yes
If yes, then please specify type and most recent application date: *
Carbaryl for a bad stinkbug infestation in May 2016.
Do you use Professional Soil Testing services? *
no
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. *
Primary weed problems are Johnson grass and bermudagrass in summer and creeping weeds like Henbit and ground ivy in Fall/Winter. I manage using a combination of shallow cultivation (tiller, hand tools, hand weeding) in addition to mulches (straw/hay, woven ground cover) and cover cropping between rows. Flame weeding against fencing and seedbeds. I have used black plastic mulch once and while the weed control was good, I do not plan on using it again since removal is difficult and the waste has to be disposed of. I plan to establish blocks and experiment with reduced tillage and cover cropping to prevent disturbing the seedbed and cutting grass rhizomes.
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. *
Primary insect control methods are based on IPM principals including scouting, exclusion, and conservation biocontrol. I occasionally employ OMRI approved treatments and only apply according to labels. Aphids- surround WP, Dr. Bronners soap, scouting and natural enemies. Have applied Evergreen pyrethrin in a severe outbreak of aphids in high tunnel cucumbers. I timed it with high numbers of parasitized aphid mummies, so the adult wasps would emerge in suffiicient numbers to control aphids. Stinkbugs- trapping and exclusion. Rarely I apply Evergreen pyrethrin at recommeded rates and follow label; used twice in 2017. Lepidoptera such as tomato hornworm, fruitworm, or melon worm- alternate applications of BT or Monterey spinosad; Applied once for melonworm, twice for hornworms and armyworms in high tunnel in 2017. Cucumber beetle on cucumber, surround WP at recommended rates. Surround WP. Spotted wing drosophila in blackberry. Manage mainly through trapping as a scouting tool, and timely harvest of fruit and refrigeration (storage at 32-35 degrees causes nearly 100% mortality of eggs and larvae). Disposal of overripe berries. I have also used trap cropping, using a preferred host such as mature black radish by young kale and collards, and treated radish with a propane torch once bugs infested it. I plan to use trap cropping again for stink bugs and leaf footed bugs in 2018. I have a 96'x30' high tunnels which was constructed in March 2017. All openings are screened to minimize migration of pests. Tunnel is used for four season production. I plan to dunk many of my transplants in a slurry of Surround WP before setting out, in order to see if it helps deter early pests like aphids and thrips and enhance growth.
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. *
Botritis on artichoke- crop rotation and Bonide copper fungicide 2x in May of 2016. Southern blight on tomato- 2017 prompt removal and disposal of plant, irrigation management. Removal of soil at root crown to destroy reproductive material. Powdery mildew- surround WP and sanitation. Installing fans in high tunnel 2018 to promote air flow. Reduce tillage to prevent distributing spores throughout growing area. Most plants are on drip irrigation so overhead watering is rarely used unless applying fish emulsion or wetting new seed beds.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
Surface water from ephemeral stream on North border of my property, don't know name. Feeds into the West Fork of the White river ~1200' downstream. Municipal water from West Fork City utility. Currently installing well exclusively for irrigation,
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? *
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. *
I have a buffer on North side of property which consists of a riparian corridor for a stream, minimum distance of 100 feet from neighboring garden/pasture. I maintain a buffer of 25 feet minimum on south property line. My neighbor cuts hay off of his property but rarely fertilizes. If so, there is a drainage ditch on the property line which prevents flow to my main production area. I also have a minimum buffer of 400-500 feet on East line which consists of riparian corridor for the West Fork of the White River. West property line is McKnight Avenue and most production is set back a minimum of 100 feet from that main road. As far as I know the only herbicides applied are on power lines adjacent to White River, and there is no risk of drift. My property is bisected by the Arkansas Missouri railroad, which is built up minimum of 36" from field level and and has a 30' ROW on either side. Tall trees flank the ROW. The railroad herbicides the right of way occasionally but should be adequately buffered due to structure and treelines. My neighbor also has a 20' easement contiguous with the 30' railroad right of way which I have to leave open and free of crop, making an effective buffer of 50 feet which contains a band of mature trees.

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 started growing for market in 2016. Although we are in transitional status we have used mainly organic methods for years. I have a background in Entomology research and we try to use different ways to handle pest and disease issues. Conservation of soil and water are important to us and we intend to find ways to cut down on tillage, build soil and manage our water.