Produce & Flowers

Falcon Microgreens Ltd

Owner: Jeff McClure

Address:
Laurel, MD

daytime phone: (918) 850-7470
evening phone: (918) 850-7470
Web site: http://www.falcongreens.com

Application Date: 2022-02-23

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
I am re-starting my farming business after a 12-year break and my produce was CNG back then. I want to continue with CNG as a way to distinguish my produce as being grown sustainably and to join a community of like-minded growers.
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: *
Certified Naturally Grown under the name JD Sprouts in Rogers, Arkansas. I believe this was in 2009 or 2010
Have you ever been denied certification? *
no
How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown? *
Was previously certified CNG
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? *
I learned to farm microgreens from a grower who attended the Hippocrates Wellness Institute. I took over his business and grew 80-100lbs of sprouts and microgreens each week in my sunroom for juice bars, sandwich shops, and a food co-op in NW Arkansas. I obtained CNG certification for this business and I believe I can do it again. Growing indoors in a grow tent with little to no interference from weather, insects, pollution, etc. helps to meet the requirements of CNG.

General Farm Information

Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM:
Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: *
10' x 5' indoor grow tent
Number of above acreage that you own: *
all
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
None
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
100%
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:
Microgreens to include: Sunflower, Pea Shoots, Broccoli, Salad Mix, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Kale, Chard, and Wheatgrass
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:
Direct to Consumer

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
Not Applicable. My microgreens are grown in a 10" x 20" tray for up to 15 days until harvested. They grow in a variety of mediums from coco coir, organic potting soil, food-grade surgical steel mesh, and/or silicon mesh grow mats.
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. *
I use 2 different fertility sources in the watering of my microgreens. Both sources are water solulable. 1. MasterBlend 4-18-38 Complete Combo Kit Fertilizer - Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potash, Magnesium, Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Zinc - Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium, Sulfate, Sulfur - Nitrogen, Calcium 2. Ocean Solution 2-0-3 All Natural Plant Nutrient Concentrate (OMRI Listed) - Nitrogen, Solulable Potash, Chlorine Each of these is available on Amazon for product review
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. *
I grow indoors in an enclosed grow tent with Non-GMO and organic seeds. Weeds do not get in my grow space. Additionally, the lifecycle of my produce is approximately 11 - 15 days from germination to harvest so if weed seeds were to get into my microgreen seeds and germinate together, I will notice a different plant growing in a tray that is supposed to have only one crop (i.e. sunflower greens). At harvest time, it will be very easy to distinguish anything growing in my trays that isn't supposed to and will be culled from the primary crop during harvest.
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. *
As I grow indoors inside an enclosed 10' x 5' grow tent, insects do not pose a big challenge for me. However, it is possible for a fly to get into my tent when the tent flat is open while I go in/out to manage the crops on a daily basis. I would attempt to shoo the fly out of the grow space and/or kill it when it lands. While insects are not a big concern in this environment and altitude (6,500 ft), I would hang flypaper in a non-growing area of the grow tent to manage flying insects.
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. *
The primary disease challenge for me would be mold on the seeds during germination and/or growing. To minimize any mold during seed soaking and germination I use a 3% solution of food-grade hydrogen peroxide either in the soak water or in the misting bottle while seeds germinate. If mold is present while microgreens are growing in their trays, I spot spray with the same solution of diluted 3% H2O2. If mold is still present at harvest time then I do not harvest that area. Other mold mitigation methods I used are humidity and temperature control in the grow tent, tent-wide air circulation with entry/exhaust fans, and tray fans that direct air currents over the plant canpopies.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
My water source is from an indoor tap. The water is triple-filtered and disseminated from a hose that is rated safe for drinking 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. *
I select seeds based on Organic or non-GMO availability, cost, shipping, and microgreen community recommendations...sometimes a seed company will have a poor lot of seeds and the growing community will let everyone know about it. I choose seeds from: 1. Tiensvold Farms 2. True Leaf Market Seed Company
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 grow in a 10' x 5' grow tent from Yield Lab. The grow tent is located in my finished basement. The tent itself is a buffer as is my house from roads, other crops, and residential yards.

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:
If the fertilizers I mentioned using are not acceptable I can easily grow without them. However, I hope at least the Ocean Solution is acceptable since it is OMRI Listed and allowed for use in organic production.