Produce Application

Harrison Market Gardens

Owner: Ben, Bill and Jill Beyer

Address:
9024 Harrison Road
Winnebago, IL 61088
Winnebago County

daytime phone: (815) 980-0589
evening phone: (815) 629-2126

Application Date: 2013-12-28

Applicant Details

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown program: *
Your certification validates what we are doing and how we are growing for our CSA members, our U-pickers and our restaurant customers.
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: *
CNG
Have you ever been denied certification? *
no
How did you hear about Certified Naturally Grown? *
Former members

General Farm Information

Farm Acreage you want listed as Certified Naturally GrownTM:
Total Farm Acreage you actually GROW on: *
8
Number of above acreage that you own: *
11
Number of above acreage that you lease: *
4
Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? *
no
General Listed Acreage Breakdown
Veg Crops:
7
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:
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:
U-pick by seasonal subscription

Farmland Management and Practices

Primary Tillage System: *
Raised beds prepared by tractor rear tiller
Do you use Cover Crops? *
yes
If yes, please list: *
hairy vetch, red clover, buckwheat, winter rye
Do you use Compost? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): *
Produced on farm from dairy manure, horse manure and pine shavings. We add spent crops, grass clippings, leaves and anything green.
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 as new beds are formed
Do you use Manure? *
yes
If yes, please note general sources (local dairy, horse farm, etc.): *
local dairy farm
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 when we can get it.
What time of year do you apply the manure? *
winter
Do you apply any non-composted Manure within 120 days of veg-crop harvesting? *
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. *
lime when tests recommend. Alfalfa meal on strawberry beds.
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. *
We use a under belly basket weeder between the rows in our raised beds. Standard cultivation in sweet corn. The large tiller in the squash fields. Beet sweeps follow the tractor tires.
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. *
Potato and Japanese beetles are hand picked. We use row cover on cucurbits after a delayed planting. We allow the plants to fill 4" pots before transplanting.
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 have copper and oxidate available if blight seems likely, but have not used it for the past 3 years. We use foliar fish emulsion to keep up the brix levels and compost teas to enhance the health of susceptible plants.
Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: *
Well
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

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
Are they grown using Naturally Grown/Organic methods? *
yes
If they're not grown according to CNG methods, please list them here. This produce may not be sold as Certified Naturally Grown. (If they are, put "N/A") *
NA
Do you purchase any transplants from outside sources? *
yes
From which sources do you buy transplants? *
Dixondale onions
How have you confirmed with your supplier that the transplants are grown without synthetic fertilizers or wetting agents? *
no
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). *
onions, potatoes
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 and east are farmsteads. To the west and south are conventional fields with substantial fence rows. We have a grassy/natural buffer around our property, as well.

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:
Harrison Market Garden is under transitional status backdating to June 11, 2018. A neighboring conventional farm misused chemical herbicides which drifted onto Harrison Market Garden causing contamination. Harrison Market Garden does not use any prohibited substances in their own operation. They submitted a complaint to the Illinois Department of Agriculture which has since been resolved.