Special Focus This Quarter: Black Farmers of CNG

The current moment has us looking closely at what role Certified Naturally Grown can play to help overcome racial inequity, particularly within our farming and food systems. Our inquiry is in the early stages, but in the spirit of elevating Black voices, this Harvest Quarterly is dedicated to featuring some of the Black CNG farmers we are proud to have in our community, plus the usual task of welcoming our latest crop of newly-certified members. The other content we had originally intended to share here can wait, and will be included in our next monthly update, in our Naturally Grown News. (Sign up here to get our updates delivered to your inbox.)

A Whopping 84 Newly-Certified Farmers and Beekeepers

Not everyone who applies to CNG qualifies to complete the certification process. So we are delighted to welcome and congratulate the 84 producers who achieved this distinction since the end of February, including bumper crops from Georgia and Virginia, with 14 and 8 new members from each respectively. Read more to see all of our newly-certified producers listed below alphabetically by state and province. 

Father and son work side-by-side on hard-won land that’s been in the family since 1874

The roots run deep at Bugg Farm, where Addis Bugg Junior is the sixth generation on his family farm in the western Georgia hamlet of Pine Mountain. His great great great grandfather T.J. was brought to the land as a slave, and worked hard to purchase 1,000 acres after emancipation. The Buggs have continued to grow vegetables and raise cattle on the same land since 1874. 

At Lockard's Produce, Debra Lockard farms the same land that her parents and grandparents took care of. Today, Debra feeds the community in many ways--mentoring young farmers, teaching young growers, and of course, growing nutrient-dense food.

You can see the hard work and pride that goes into Dodo Farms just by looking at their farmstand at the Crossroads Farmers Market in Takoma Park, Maryland. There you'll see Olaniyi Balogun brimming with passion for farming, a pursuit he brought with him from Nigeria in 2016. Read below to learn more about his farming journey.

Nisani Farm celebrates the legacy of Belizean women farmers, a history that Ann Codrington continues on her farm in central Virginia. The name of her farm embodies that history -- "nisani" means "our daughter" in the Garifuna language of Belize. Ann and her family grow fresh vegetables year-round, in unheated high tunnels that help them produce less common crops like ginger and turmeric. Ann joined the CNG community in 2017, and she recently shared her story with us--read our interview with her below! 

Keeping safe at the market calls for new practices, and new signs. So we made a few!

These signs cost only $1 each. 

CNG producers may order these signs in the CNG store. Note that (as always) you'll need to be logged in to your certification account to see marketing items like these, since they are only available to Certified Naturally Grown producers, not the general public.

The idea for this helpful new CNG perk came from one of CNG's newest members: Sarah Turkus of Flower Hill at Osamequin Farm, CNG since April 2020. Thank you Sarah!

If your farm isn't yet Certified Naturally Grown, we encourage you to consider joining CNG today. Together we're stronger!

Certified Naturally Grown is currently developing online instructional materials and video lessons in partnership with Organic Growers School on Soil Health, Pest & Disease Management, and Weed Management. We seek experienced farmers with a robust understanding of vegetable production practices that work in alignment with ecological principles. Two to five selected farmers will be filmed by a small crew on their farms as they provide instruction on farming practices that relate to the curriculum topic(s).

Please share this post with farmers you know in the United States. We strongly encourage applications from groups that have historically been underrepresented, including but not limited to people of color and women.

This is a paid, temporary, contract position to be carried out this summer.

The deadline to apply is Friday, June 5th.

Farmers win when new technologies lighten their work load while improving crops and soils at the same time. So we're happy to introduce FilmOrganic, offering a full line of biodegradable mulch films for producers looking to boost yields, reduce their environmental footprint, and improve efficiency. 

We spoke with co-founder Roger Tambay to learn how the company was founded on a commitment to farmers' success and ecological sustainability. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, FiilmOrganic!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

We know good organic feed can be hard to find. If you're in the south, particularly North Carolina, Reedy Fork Farm has you covered. They're not only a grain mill, but raise their own livestock as well, so they know the business. 

We spoke with Melissa Blanchard to learn more of the rich history of this local institution, and how it's evolved into a premier organic grain supplier. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, Reedy Fork Farm!

This garden thrived during a season of drought with a boost from 4G Soil Solutions

4G Soil Restoration is a Business Ally of Certified Naturally Grown with an unlikely history. Their chief product is a soil amendment that improves microbial activity, which in turn boosts crop resilience, quality, and abundance.

We spoke with one of the company's representatives, Tom Wafford, to get the inside story on how the evolution of their product arose from a seemingly unrelated industry.