Produce & Flowers

My Mustard Seed, LLC

Owner: Tresor Thomas

Address:
St Leonard, MD

daytime phone: (410) 449-0204
Web site: http://www.my-mustard-seed.com

Application Date: 2021-03-16

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
We are local growers of Microgreens made with Non-GMO Organic seeds. Our mission is to inspire communities to take control of their wellness through plant based products and traditional services. Our goal is to implement more wellness products and we would like to add a certified label to these products. These products will include Microgreen spices & juices to start. Our base product is fresh cut Microgreens.
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? *
Google Search
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: *
200 sq ft
Number of above acreage that you own: *
1 acre
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
0
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
200 sq ft
Fruit Crops:
Hay:
Grains/Beans:
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:
Online Shop

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
We plant in containers with organic potting soil. New soil is used with each planting and the unwanted soil from harvest is sent to the recycle center or composted for personal use.
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. *
Nature's Care Organic & Natural potting mix (Peat moss, coconut coir, perlite, alfalfa meal, bone meal Earth Castings and Kemp Meal)
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? *
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. *
We grow indoors and do not have weed challenges.
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. *
We utilize natural methods indoors such as keeping bottles of soapy water for spraying, coffee grounds, cayenne pepper, mint leaves, cucumber peels and citrus oil.
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. *
Ecoli - A water test is done annually through the county and we file those reports. We grow mint plants and utilize a peppermint oil in our growing space. We also use food grade hydrogen peroxide solution mixed with water & neem oil for the plants and hydrogen peroxide as a cleaning agent. A thermometer along with dehumidifier, humidifier, fans and a/c unit is used to control environment temperatures. The vermiculite in our soil mixture helps with seed moisture and water retention. The perlite in our soil mixture helps with air retention.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
Public water (Filtered) - Backup is bottled spring 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. *
We order seeds through Trueleaf Market or Johnny Seeds. They are a certified NON-GMO Organic seed vendors.
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. *
We grow indoors, therefore there is no risk of contamination. We are on a corner lot with an acreage of land. The closest home is roughly 50 feet away.

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 Mustard Seed, LLC is a vertical farm that produces in a sunroom like setting. We have received our food safety certification through the UMD GAP Training and in the process of completing our GAP certification.