In 2016, Health By Plants in Pine River, WI, applied to become Certified Naturally Grown but, like many farmers just starting out, farmers David and Allison were unable to cover the full certification dues. They both worked full time jobs in addition to running a farm, and did not expect to turn a profit until the summer of 2017. Until then, they planned to run crop trials, grow food for their friends and family, research the market landscape and test out a trial run of their first CSA season.

Many beekeepers turn to CNG's apiary certification standards for guidance on natural beekeeping. This spring we published the third edition of our Handbook for Natural Beekeeping, a handy booklet presenting these standards, including the latest updates. 

Here at CNG, we’re always cooking up new plans to make our certification more recognizable and valuable, and when we’re not doing that, we’re keeping track of our 700+ members. Here’s some fascinating tidbits about our current, talented group.

We are announcing a special offer for farmers who join CNG this spring. CNG certification will boost your farm's marketing, and link you to a national network of like-minded producers. And if you act soon, there's a nice packet of gifts for you valued at $40!

To be eligible for this New Member Gift Packet...

Photo from Ajo Center for Sustainable Agriculture in Ajo, Arizona, showing their inspection with Frank Martin of Crooked Sky Farms.

Peer reviews are a pillar of our certification programs. They help ensure CNG production standards are being met, while at the same time they strengthen local farming networks and create learning opportunities. 

We’ve designed 20 banners since we began designing marketing materials for farmers last May. We’ve also designed 7 sets of business cards, 2 Every Door Direct postcards, and yard signs. It fits in with our belief that signage helps CNG farmers stand out at the market, making their certifications more valuable!

We had an action-packed winter at CNG, certifying 51 farms since September and renewing hundreds of longtime members. We are pleased to announce several new initiatives to strengthen our community of farmers, markets, and supporters. Not subscribed to our newsletter yet? Click here to get the Harvest Quarterly delivered to your inbox.  

Our very first T-shirts have been a huge hit, both online and in-person at our winter conferences. It's so exciting to see a project that was suggested to us many times by our farmer members and supporters over the years come to fruition!

The #CNGgrit photography project is well underway. With this project, we're documenting both the beauty and the grit--the determination and plain ol' sweat that it takes to get the job done. The project is twofold: we're sharing photos that our CNG member farms post on social media on our Instagram feed (@cngfarming) and we're also sending volunteer professional photographers out to CNG farms, in hopes of providing them with photos they can use in their marketing endeavors.

Photo by Isabel Grudowski, 2013

Beautiful, vibrant photos of your farm or apiary are some of your most important marketing tools. They serve as powerful visuals everywhere from your online marketing strategy to banners, business cards, and postcards.