Produce & Flowers

Little Halawakee Farm

Owner: Katharyn Privett-Duren

Address:
Opelika, AL

daytime phone: (334) 703-4904
Web site: http://littlehalawakeefarm.org

Application Date: 2021-01-16

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
We are a micro farm, growing primarily within a high tunnel(funded by a grant from Alabama). We utilize only organic and sustainable practices on all of our land. We work very hard to promote ecological balance and have built quite the little oasis of butterflies, native bees, and other pollinators. It would be wonderful to become more involved in our local community. One of our dreams is to become a teaching micro farm--especially as an outreach for this area that teaches our rural community how to grow food without pesticides, herbicides, and invasive techniques.
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? *
A friend of mine shared Joy Haven Farm (in Shorter Alabama) on her Facebook page. We read their mission and found your site.
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: *
1/4 acre
Number of above acreage that you own: *
1.79
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
0
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
1/4
Fruit Crops:
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
1/4
Sugarbush:
Other Acreage:
Please check all items you grow and will market as Certified Naturally GrownTM *











Please Specify Any Other Items:
We specialize in turmeric and yacon.
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: *
Hand-tilled, minimal.
Do you use Cover Crops? *
yes
If yes, please list: *
Clover, Daikon radish
Do you use Compost? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): *
Our own food-sourced compost, leaves, clover.
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? *
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 do not use lime, but use baking soda and hardwood ash from our woodburning stove. We only use these if we need to raise the ph, or if we need to increase potassium (rare) and only after sending our soil samples to Auburn University. Again, we lean toward rich organic matter. We have tried trench-composting and will continue that method whenever we leave a space fallow. We use "nitrogen-fixing" plants in rotation (beans) for all spots in the garden. We also are considering adding borage to our farm as a "green manure" crop.
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. *
General weed issues (vetch, grass, etc.). We line the rows in plastic, hand-pull the stray weeds. We DO NOT use any other methods.
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. *
Japanese beetles (we hand pick these in the morning and place in a bucket of soapy water) Squash borers (we have turned to only luffa, butternut, and Seminole squashes for resistance) Some aphids (we have released lady bugs, planted marigolds) All other pests: we plant around the life cycle's of bugs (succession planting), using this method to avoid serious damage.
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. *
We DID grow tomatoes, but the viruses became too much for us. We no longer grown them. Powdery mildew, especially in the nursery: pruning, increased ventilation, baking soda/water spray, and in extreme situations: neem oil. We used neem oil twice in 2020. However, we do not use neem outside, as it does injure pollinators. Roses: Black spot is inevitable. We prune, replace mulch, and spray a milk mixture to kill this fungus. It's an ongoing job. In addition, we utilize companion gardening. Our primary issue will always be fungal. We spray a natural chamomile tea on plants early in the morning several times per week. In addition, while we have not yet suffered blight, our plan is to keep a healthy soil with lots of organic matter and good drainage to fight possible issues.We work to keep good air flow between plants, we wash our tools and hands, and we grow disease resistant varieties. We keep debris and plant matter cleared from our growing space. We practice solid plant rotation. This is our recipe for natural blight/fungus protection: Step 1: Mix 3 tablespoons baking soda with 1 gallon of water. Step 2: Mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil. This helps the spray to stick to the leaves. Step 3: Mix in 2 drops of (gentle, like Planet Natural) dish soap to help emulsify (mix) everything. Step 4: Spray on tops and bottoms of leaves till dripping.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
We have a natural well and micro irrigation. The water is tested twice per year.
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. *
I have saved my seeds for ten years. When we want more, we buy from southernexposureseed.com and choose the OG from the legend. We have also bought from Baker Creek Seed and Seed Savers Exchange.
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? *
Mix
What ingredients does your potting mix contain? If you purchase a mix, please also indicate which product. *
Seedlings: 2 parts compost; 2 parts peat moss; 1 part vermiculite We did try coconut coir last year and prefer it to peat as it is more sustainable. We plan to look for affordable prices this month.
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. *
N/A
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. *
North: around 100 yards to the county road (but about 60 or more to a residential trailer). South: 200 yards to house, separated by woods and empty field and pond. East: about 180 yards of field separates us from an occupied house (ignoring abandoned building) West: 75 yards of woods and a creek valley separate us from the next residence. There are no known crops/farms in our area to our knowledge.

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 are a micro farm and are attempting to become a teaching farm. We are just getting started and are not a major operation at this time.