Produce & Flowers

Passion to Seed Gardening

Owner: Tanya Spandhla

Address:
4920 Griffith Road
Gaithersburg, MD 20882
Montgomery County

Mailing Address:
188111 Sparkling Water Drive, Apt. 101
Germantown, MD 20874

daytime phone: (301) 980-7214

Application Date: 2018-02-26

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
When I started my operation in 2015, I pledged to myself that I will not incorporate any chemicals or pesticides into my growing/production mantra, so in order to move along with my ambition to be a successful & sustainable grower, this is a next step ahead in the process I am looking forward accomplish, to grow and attract my customers who are mindful of where and what is in their 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? *
yes
If yes, please note which agencies and dates: *
CNG
Have you ever been denied certification? *
no
How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown? *
I heard it through: Douglas M. Weisburger Senior Planning Specialist, Sustainability Programs Manager, Green Business Certification Program
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 acres
Number of above acreage that you own: *
I am leasing from land owner
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
3
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
1
Fruit Crops:
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
2
Sugarbush:
Other Acreage:
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM *











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). *











Please Specify Other Markets:

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
Plower/Tiller once a year
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 -recycle corn stalks and incorporate it back into the soil as manure. Purchased organic 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". *
1-2 inches deep
Do you use Manure? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): *
Chicken 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". *
1-2 inches deep
What time of year do you apply the manure? *
Fall to Winter time and 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. *
Organic manure. For my own potting mix, I use *75-85% sphagnum peat moss, perlite, peat humus, earthworm castings and limestone to adjust pH
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. *
Generally its the thistle weed which is rampant most times and I just control it by digging out the weeds before they bloom and spread again.
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. *
Beetles - perhaps mexican bean beetle? - is the predominant one over vegetables. its not a very persistent problem farm wide and if it becomes an issue on my vegetables, I usually use row covers to protect my crop.
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. *
I have worms forming at the tip of corn ears when they are approaching ripening stage. So far i have not been able to mitigate this issue, so for the ones affected I just cut off the affected part when harvesting.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
I have a tank which i fill up with water from the land owner's well. Drip irrigation has not yet been installed.
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. *
To the east a wooded area of more 100 yards separates us from a field where corm/soybeans are grown. Land use to the north and west consists of trees and vegetation Land use to the south consists of house dwellings

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:
I am in the process of setting up a high tunnel this Spring. I am hoping for construction/installation to start and finish end of March into mid April 2018