Produce & Flowers

Happy Ranch Farm LLC

Owner: Sara Kanamine

Address:
PO Box 2
Old Fields, WV 26845
Grant County

daytime phone: (304) 813-1576
evening phone: (304) 813-1576
Web site: http://www.happyfarmersmarket.com

Application Date: 2020-09-07

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
We have been healing the land since 2017 towards organic certification. The requirements to have all of our crops, in all of our growing lots, is financially unsustainable. The next best thing we can do, in addition to continue zero chemical use, is to be Certified Naturally Grown.
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? *
Another farmer.
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: *
1
Number of above acreage that you own: *
121
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:
.5
Hay:
1
Grains/Beans:
0
Sugarbush:
0
Other Acreage:
0
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:
Online market.

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
Garden fork.
Do you use Cover Crops? *
yes
If yes, please list: *
Buckwheat, clover, winter rye.
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. *
use cover crops (red clover, winter rye, peas, buckwheat, etc), then mow them, and use a garden fork to till into the soil. I rotate my crops and allow lots/fields to be "fallow" for a season to a year. I use a garden fork to turn over the soil. I do not add any compost or manure to the soil. My approach is to see how things improve through the natural means of soil care. I have done soil testing for the last three years. At this time, I do not have a need to add amendments to my soil. The soil test results provide information as to where I can successfully plant different crops.
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. *
Locust, native plants, and multi-floral rose. Cut tree roots, cut plants, pull/remove root system.
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. *
Squash bugs, beetles, and grasshoppers. Hand management of bugs (squash) or direct bugs travel path towards chickens. An occasional use of food grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled on the plants or around the base of the plant.
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. *
Mold/mildew - change time of watering, improve watering method.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
Well water.
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. *
Some seed saving. Purchase seed from Baker Creek, Johnnys, Seed Savers, and Country Seeds.
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? *
no
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 am the ONLY resident/farmer on this mountain. There are no public utilities on this mountain (no electric, no cable, no phone, no water) so there is no concern of commercial maintenance spraying. There are no other agriculture business on this mountain. There are woods, valleys, and ridges between Happy Ranch Farm and other places.

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:
The farm is very isolated/rural and the chance of drift or any other form of contamination is almost nil. We do almost everything by hand from bug/weed control, to turning the dirt, to planting seeds. We are GAP/FIZMO trained, but not certified. (Practices are used.) We do not use any chemicals in our farming operation. (Organic practices are used.) We are WV Grown certified.