Film Series + Expert Exchange + Discussions

Please join us for this series of six live sessions, guaranteed to boost understanding of best practices for vegetable production according to CNG standards and connect you to our nationwide network of ecological farmers.  

Certified Naturally Grown's peer-review certification model is attractive to many farmers. Not because it’s easier - it actually can be a real logistical challenge. Rather, peer reviews actively foster valuable knowledge exchange and mutually supportive farmer networks. 

We have been exploring ways to boost the inherent value of our peer inspections, all while streamlining the process of identifying an appropriate inspector and navigating the logistical challenges posed by the COVID-19 epidemic.

Today we’re pleased to announce one outcome of this effort - CNG’s first cohort of Senior Remote Inspectors (SRIs). 

If you take a year off farming to live in Japan, you might just encounter a tool that small-scale diverse vegetable farmers in the United States would find extremely useful. That's what happened to John Hendrickson, founder of Small Farm Works. 

Paper pots and paper pot transplanting equipment were originally pioneered by a major Japanese sugar company growing sugar beets more than 30 years ago. Since then, other types of paper pots and transplanters have evolved. Since John began importing the Chainpot Transplanter, many a farmer's jaw has dropped when they first witness this incredibly efficient approach to putting seedlings into soil.

We spoke with John about his company and some additional farm tool innovations he'll be introducing to American farmers. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community Small Farm Works!

Lindsay Howells has been farming in Oregon City, Oregon since 2016, and demonstrates her care for the land through farming. She grows an astounding array of produce on just 1/3 acre--including a unique variety of garlic that her customers have completely fallen in love with. 

Congratulations to These 50 Newly-Certified Farmers and Beekeepers

We are delighted to welcome these 50 farmers and beekeepers who have completed all the requirements for CNG certification since the end of June. They are listed below alphabetically by state and province.

Sending big thanks to the Certified Naturally Grown garlic farmers who shared their input to help create these two new signs! 

Hoe in hand, hand weeding the garlic. Goeffrey Yockey (right) and Jaykob Dolquist (left)

We wanted to learn a little more about what it's like to be a Certified Naturally Grown garlic farmer, so we spoke with Jana Yockey of Garlic Gods in the Magic Valley region Idaho, which became certified in June of 2020. With a farm name like that, we knew they'd have some insight to share!

Certified Naturally Grown is pleased to be partnering with Organic Growers School on a multi-year project to offer courses on production methods for ecological farmers. We will have more information to share about that soon. Meanwhile...

We thought many in our community would be interested to learn about their upcoming 7th Annual Harvest Conference. It is being offered online for the first time this September 11 & 12, which makes it easier for all members of the CNG community to participate! Read on to learn more about this and other educational opportunities with Organic Growers School!

Vera and Slava Strogolov are scientists and beekeepers who believe that microbes can change the world. They put their passion into practice through their business, Strong Microbials, the first company to create probiotics for honeybees. Welcome to our Business Allies community, Strong Microbials!

Flashback to another time (Autumn, 2019): Two farmers inside a tunnel completing a peer inspection, without masks 

When we asked the Certified Naturally Grown membership how we could better support them during the COVID-19 Pandemic, the number one request was for flexibility with CNG's peer inspection requirement. People were concerned about the health risks posed by such a contagious virus. We wanted to help keep our members healthy, so we've granted flexibility with inspection deadlines as a stopgap solution.

But for the long run, it was important to investigate alternative, safe approaches to conducting peer inspections - ones that would protect the health and safety of our members. It seemed very unlikely the pandemic would just disappear in a few months. So we began to explore the option to conduct remote inspections via video call, where the farmer receiving the inspection gives a live virtual tour of their farm and fields questions from their peer inspector who is at another location.