By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Farming doesn't have to break your back, especially with the wonderful world of tools available in 2020.

Easy Digging Garden Tools offers a vast array of tough-working tools to help you get the job done, while supporting your health the whole way through. They are also a Business Ally of Certified Naturally Grown!

We interviewed Greg to learn more about his philosophies for tools, and how he supports direct-market farmers every day. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, Easy Digging Garden Tools!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

A beautiful day for a BCS at Dailey's Farm & Walk-Behind Tractors

Dailey's Farm & Walk-Behind Tractors is a Business Ally of Certified Naturally Grown that also happens to be the the second largest two-wheel tractor dealer in USA!

The Tennessee company offers lifetime support for the vast inventory they sell, plus deeply discounted everyday pricing. If you're local, you're also welcome to swing by the farm to try the equipment before you buy.

We spoke with Founder Richard Dailey to learn the story behind his work, and how he supports direct-market farmers every day. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, Dailey's Farm & Walk-Behind Tractors!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Kayla Clark, former apprentice with the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), was all smiles on Oggún

You've likely heard of the tractor disrupting the industry: it's called "Oggún."

CleBer's Oggún Iron Horse tractor is an open-source, modern replica of the Allis G that's revolutionizing farming around the globe. The company is also a Business Ally of Certified Naturally Grown!

This modern cousin of the Allis Chalmers Model G incorporates new features such as hydrostatic transmission, 3-point hitch, zero-turn radius, and an optional PTO. It's great for bed preparation, mowing, transplanting, and cultivating.

The tractor is designed specifically for small-scale, direct-market farms. It can be built with off-the-shelf parts that can be purchased from multiple vendors. The tractor's Open System Manufacturing (OSM) model means the CleBer/Oggún gives the design and parts lists to all customers. The simple technology means that a mechanic with a basic understanding of tractor service can execute repairs.

We spoke with Founder Horace Clemmons to learn the story behind this innovative tractor, and what's ahead for the game-changing company. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, CleBer/Oggún!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Sometimes, even the crops grown in the nourished soil of a Certified Naturally Grown farm need a boost.

Pacific Gro produces liquid fertilizer from fish, shrimp, and crab caught in, of course, the Pacific Ocean. Their bio-active fertilizer uses shrimp and crab shell in the fertilizer to increase yields. Plus, these shells are micronized in a liquid that will not clog fertigation emitters - an innovation unique to Pacific Gro.

We spoke with marketing director Warren Shoemaker to learn how the addition of shells can support soil health along with whole-farm health. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, Pacific Gro!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

There's a very strong chance that you have at least one book from Chelsea Green Publishing on your shelf. There's an even better chance that that book or those books are dog-eared, underlined, collaged with sticky notes, and all but falling apart after years of reference and careful study.

The 100% employee-owned company has long produced essential books on ecological agriculture, publishing for both the practice and the politics of sustainability since its founding in 1984. From Eliot Coleman's classics to Leah Penniman's guide from her Certified Naturally Grown farm, Chelsea Green has made a big impact on CNG farmers and the public alike.

This publisher's books are deeply practical, and always put forth with the goal of cultural change.

We are truly thrilled to welcome this pioneering company to the CNG Business Ally community.

To learn more about the rich history and mission of this Vermont-based organization, you won't want to miss our interview with Marketing Director Sean Maher!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

The full Farm2Door team

You've got to love a Business Ally that uses the words "farm" and "farmers" as proper nouns.

Barn2Door provides farmers with the marketing tools they need to succeed in today's online world. By creating e-commerce and mobile apps that prioritize farmers' unique needs, local chefs and consumers have increased access to food grown right in their communities.

We are so pleased to welcome this hardworking team into the CNG Business Ally community! Read on to see why see why farms become Farms in Barn2Door's book.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Seared cobia over indigo grits topped with lady pea salad finished with red pepper coulis at Georgia Sea Grill

We're proud to welcome Georgia Sea Grill as Certified Naturally Grown's very first restaurant Business Ally!

The establishment has been a pillar of Saint Simons Island since 1997, and in recent years the restaurant has honed in on sourcing ingredients as locally as possible. In fact, they even own a farm that has been Certified Naturally Grown since March of this year! Their Potlikker Farm on Blythe Island grows Southern staples like North Georgia Candy Roaster Squash, red peas, and peaches as well as tropical crops like bitter melon, dragonfruit, and turmeric.

Farmer Samuel McPherson, Chef Timothy Lensch, and owner Zack Gowen at Potlikker Farm

We are thrilled to welcome them into the CNG Business Ally community, and wish we could take a field trip to Saint Simons to savor some stunningly-plated CNG ingredients!

Read on to learn more about Georgia Sea Grille from owner Zack Gowen to explore the restaurant's history and mission.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator


Rob Cain with a watermelon grown using SEA-90

Sometimes, even crops grown in the rich soil of a Certified Naturally Grown farm need a boost. 

SeaAgri produces SEA-90, a combination of minerals and trace elements from natural crystals produced multiple times per year from sea water trapped in retention ponds located in a pristine estuary on the Sea of Cortez in Mexico (also known as the Gulf of California) This combination can help stimulate, feed and enhance micro flora populations in soil for healthier and tastier harvests. 

We spoke with company president Rob Cain to learn all about how elements from the sea can support the land. Welcome to the CNG Business Allies community, SeaAgri!

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator


Some of the Southland Organics team at work

Southland Organics in Bogart, Georgia supports natural farmers with solutions for soil fertility, weeds, pest pressure, and more. They also offer products for home lawns, chickens, and waste.

We are excited that they are not only a Business Ally, but Southland Organics' farm, South Miner's Eden, is now certified by CNG! "We strive to understand the challenges farmers face," says Sales and Marketing Specialist Brittany Kokalp. "We thought the best way to do that is to become one." 

We recently caught up with Brittany to explore the company's history, mission, and product lineup.

By Suzannah Schneider, Communications Manager and Certification Coordinator

Clear Flow Aquaponic Systems at Nelson and Pade, Inc.®, Montello, WI

It's always a treat to speak with someone who truly adores what they do!

Nelson and Pade, Inc.'s passion for aquaponics really comes across in our conversation with co-founder and co-owner Rebecca Nelson. Her near essay on her company's origin story reflects Nelson and Pade's dynamic history and sustained enthusiasm for innovation.

Rebecca Nelson and John Pade serve on our Aquaponics Advisory Council, whose expertise helped us meticulously develop our Aquaponics Certification in 2016. They are longtime allies in the truest sense, so we're thrilled to welcome them in our esteemed community of Business Allies.

Read on to discover more about the company's long history, wide reach, and to learn what Rebecca would do if she had a magic agricultural wand!