Produce & Flowers

Tuscumbia Valley Farms

Owner: Gyasi Kellam

Address:
205 Dawson Store Rd
Tuscumbia, AL 35674
Colbert County

daytime phone: (615) 397-1604
evening phone: (615) 397-1604

Application Date: 2018-12-31

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
I do not use any pesticides and grow using natural practices. I believe that the CNG certification will help in my produce marketing efforts.
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? *
I searched that internet for organic certification.
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: *
5
Number of above acreage that you own: *
0
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
5
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
3
Fruit Crops:
1
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
Sugarbush:
Other Acreage:
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM *











Please Specify Any Other Items:
In the future, I plan on doing aquaponics, but that will not be in use until around July of Next year.
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: *
I use a front time tiller, tractor plow and cultivator to till the land. Currently, I use a 30x72 greenhouse and the rest is open land.
Do you use Cover Crops? *
no
Do you use Compost? *
no
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. *
None. I had a soil test done by Auburn University and the nutrient levels in my soil samples were good enough to not require soil amendments.
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. *
I use a black landscape lining to suppress weeds. I also use a garden hoe and a tiller to keep the weeds down in the furrows between the crops.
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. *
I have had issues with ants, leafleag bugs, small black beetles(I'm not sure of what they are), and hornworms. The ants did not eat my crops, they just nested beneath my landscape liner. I used neem oil on the leaf leg bugs and that seemed to get them away for a while. I treated the bugs late in the season, so they stayed away from some of the spots, but since it was late in the season, I really didn't monitor the effectiveness very closely. The small black beetles were aggressive. They were eating some turnip greens that I planted. I did not treat them, so they got way out of hand. I tried some neem oil on them. It was somewhat effective, but the oil still did not completely get rid of them. For the horn worms, I just would pick those off by hand.
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. *
Last year was basically my test year. The land that I'm using has not been farmed in over 15 years. I set up a high tunnel and planted other crops on the land outside the high tunnel. The challenges that I will face will be the same pests as last year. I was given a suggestion to use some murphys oil soap by a neighboring farmer. I have not used that, and don't know if that would be an acceptable method. If not I will not use. I am planning on using more neem oil or an non toxic organic insecticidal soap. I don't plan on growing mostly tomatoes in the upcoming year. I didn't really have a pest problem with them, with the exception of the horn worms.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
I use the city water for my irrigation. I also plan to supplement that water supply with rainwater(which will be collected by gutters from my high tunnel). I will filter the rainwater that is collected. The irrigated water will be distributed via drip 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? *
yes
From which sources do you buy transplants? *
I bought some organic strawberry plugs from Johnny's Seeds.
How have you confirmed with your supplier that the transplants are grown without synthetic fertilizers or wetting agents? *
The transplants are certified organic. I have receipts to specify that as well as the description that is on the product website.
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). *
All transplants are organic and meet the standards.
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 north of my growing area the closest road is probably 1/4 a mile away. There is a cattle farm adjoining my property, but it is approximately 800 yards away. To the west of the property, there is a tree line about 300 feet away from my crops. The tree line is approximately 250 yards wide and at the end of it there is a train track, on the other side of that there is a church and a residential property. To the west there is approximately 20 acres of forest before the adjoining property is reached.To the south, there is approximately 250 yards to the street. The property is surrounded by residential properties on all sides except the North, where there are some cattle.

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:
My farm is new. I currently plan on using a maximum of five acres, but if things go well, I can expand.