Six Figs Farm LLC Livestock Application

Application Date:

City: Good Hope, GA

Please briefly tell us why you are applying to be part of the Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) program: We use regenerative agriculture and no pesticides. We believe that we are already following most of the rules of CNG, and Certified Naturally Grown is a clear, well-understood way to tell people what we're doing.

Are you currently third party certified for your livestock operation by any other organization (Organic, Biodynamic, etc.)? No

If yes, please note which certification and agency:

Have you held any certification/s in the past that you don't currently hold? No

Note which agencies and dates:

Have you ever been denied certification? No

If yes, please note which agencies, and reasons for denial:

How long have you been raising livestock and marketing your livestock products? 4 years

How did you learn to raise livestock? What has prepared you to farm successfully according to CNG standards? We started slowly, with 12 chickens. We read many books about the care and raising of chickens. As we learned, we increased our numbers, and then read more about duck and goose care, and started with ducks and geese. We only wanted to use organic feed, since we are bringing them through our growing areas, so we researched and asked around until we found a high quality organic feed.

Total number of acres you wanted listed as CNG : 17.25

Total farm acreage to be used for pasture and feed crops: 4

Do you have other acreage in "Conventional" Agricultural Systems? No

How many acres are in conventional agriculture?

List what crops/products/livestock you are growing conventionally, and explain why they are excluded from certification.

Pasture: 4

Hay:

Grain:

Other:

If indicated, please specify how 'other' acres are used:

Specify Any Other Items:

Specify Other Markets:

Please list all livestock for which you seek certification by type/breed, and indicate how many of each are on the farm today. For animals that have not yet been stocked for the season (e.g. poultry or piglets) please estimate how many you expect to have on farm during the upcoming season. Only list livestock that are (or will be) managed according to CNG standards. Buff Orpington chickens 30 Mixed chicken breeds 30 Pekin ducks 6 Golden Layer ducks 9 Mixed duck breeds 10 Toulouse geese 2 African geese 3

By typing my initials below, I affirm that all livestock listed on this application are raised according to Certified Naturally Grown standards. I further affirm that I will not represent ANY livestock products as Certified Naturally Grown if they have not been raised according to the standards required by Certified Naturally Grown. Any livestock treated with antibiotics or other prohibited substances will be quarantined and sold separately. All livestock are fed feed grown according to CNG standards - without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, and free of any genetically modified grains (GMOs). SA

Have all the livestock been raised according to CNG standards since the last third of gestation or since hatching? Yes

List, for each type/breed for which you seek certification, the date since which all your livestock of that type have been managed according to CNG standards. For poultry, indicate whether they have been managed according to CNG standards since the second day of life.

By typing my initials below, I agree not to market as Certified Naturally Grown any livestock or livestock products that have not been under continuous CNG management for at least nine months (or in the case of dairy products, for at least six months). I understand that if in the future I want to market as Certified Naturally Grown any livestock not named in this application, I may do so if the livestock has been raised according to CNG standards since the last third of gestation or, for poultry, the second day of life. Otherwise I shall contact CNG to obtain a variance. SA

Give brief details of your rotation practice for each type and/or group of livestock. (E.g. heifers strip grazing behind electric fence moved daily, 28 day rotation, poultry rotated weekly - 3 pens). We keep our chickens in electric fence, and move them every 5-6 weeks through our orchards and fields post harvest. We have approximately 600 feet of fencing, so they have a very large area- approximately 1/2 acre. The chickens are in a coop only while sleeping. The ducks and geese sleep in chicken tractors that are moved daily to fresh ground within the electrical fencing.

Do your ruminant livestock obtain at least 30% of their dry matter intake from grazed forage during the growing season?

Do your poultry either (a) have a MINIMUM of five square feet per bird of natural, grassy outdoor space OR (b) do they have at least two square feet per bird AND get moved at least one time per day to fresh new pasture? Yes

Do your livestock spend most of their time on pasture during the growing season? Yes

Is all feed grown according to CNG standards (without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or post-harvest fungal treatments)? Yes

For all livestock you seek to certify, please provide more information about the feed. Is it grown locally for you? Purchased in bulk at a mill? Bagged at the feed store? Is it Certified Organic? What brand, if any? We use Reedy Fork feed, which is certified organic, soy-free. We buy it bagged at a feed store.

Do you buy in some feed? Yes

Will you be sure to submit a Feed Form within two weeks? Yes

Describe your primary livestock pest problems 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. We prevent most problems by giving the chickens raw organic apple cider vinegar in their water approximately once a month, and keeping fresh clean water available. Flies are the biggest pest problem we have. Keeping fresh bedding down and lots of air flow in the coop has worked the best. Injured birds are kept safe and quarantined to heal, unless the injury is too great, in which case they are culled immediately. Sick birds are quarantined, and/or culled.

Provide details of all livestock owned by you, or grazed on your land, that are treated and quarantined on your property We don't have any livestock that we are treating or quarantining currently.

Primary Tillage System: We bring our chickens, ducks and geese into the area, and allow them to break it down, fertilize, and dig up pests. We plant clover, and other cover crops We till, one time, and plant We lay our drip irrigation, then mulch over that We plant cover crops around and in the pathways

Do you use Cover Crops? Yes

List cover crops: White and red clover, field peas, buckwheat, oats, marigolds, mustard, flax

How do you prevent manure runoff in your fields, livestock housing areas, and pastures? We don't ever have a build up of manure that is large enough in any area to cause problems. We base how long we keep our birds in each area on soil test results. We mulch our plants after moving our birds and replant cover crops.

Do you use Compost? Yes

Note the general sources (on farm, purchased complete, local grass clippings, local dairy, etc.): on farm

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 in the high tunnel

Please list any other brought in fertility sources that you use (rock powders, lime, alfalfa meal, fertilizer mixes, etc.) For each product, list the full name, manufacturer, and OMRI status. Browns Fish Fertilizer, OMRI listed Allganic Soluble Potassium Sulfate OMRI listed Growers Secret Nitrogen OMRI listed

Have any chemical fertilizers been applied to the fields you are seeking Certification for in the last three years (36 months)? No

As per the Certification regulations, it is acceptable to apply chelated chemical fertilizers to correct specific micronutrient imbalances as listed on a recent soil test. Does the application of this fertilizer meet those requirements?

Specify types, amounts and application dates:

Have any non-acceptable pesticides and/or herbicides been applied to these fields in the last 3 years? No

Specify type and most recent application date:

Describe your primary weed problems and methods of control. If you indicate a name brand product, specify the product name, manufacturer, OMRI status, and how often it's used. Pasture grasses, and many other deep-taprooted weeds. We mulch around our plants, pull weeds where necessary, and plant cover crops wherever possible. We use a stirrup hoe for larger areas, and pull by hand in smaller areas. We try, whenever possible to catch the weeds when small, and not let them go to seed. In addition, we use weedeating and mowing.

Describe your primary plant pest problems and methods of control. If you indicate a name brand product, specify the product name, manufacturer, OMRI status, and how often it's used. We keep our pest load down by moving our birds through our areas. They dig up and eat overwintering pest larvae. In addition, we attempt to keep a healthy ecosystem and healthy plants, which discourages many pests. We mostly have issues with the following: Leaf footed bugs and stink bugs- with all our plants- early mornings, we bring a bucket of soapy water, and knock them into the bucket. We do about 1/4 of our growing area each morning, and this keeps the population low. SWD- with our elderberries- we shorten the berry harvest window by harvesting elderflowers- this gives the SWD less time to propagate, and we use the elderflowers for products we make and sell. We harvest the elderberries daily, and make sure none become over-ripe. Hornworms- night time UV light, hand picking and feeding to the chickens. Pickleworms- we're considering using BT this year. We have not in the past, as we haven't grown cucumbers or squash for sale. Ambrosia beetles- figs- our figs that are not protected in the high tunnel have had a hard time with the weather, and are stressed. We saw the first ambrosia beetles, and chose to cut all our stressed figs to the ground, and burn them. This way, the figs will regrow from their roots, and hopefully we will not have any more issues with the ambrosia beetles this year. We had to cut about 35 of them to the ground last year, and because the root systems are strong, most grew back and gave us a crop.

Please list the water source you use for crop irrigation. If source is public river, pond or lake, please note the name: well water

Are there any known contaminants in the irrigation water? No

Provide more details about the contaminants in the irrigation water.

Do you purchase or grow using any Genetically Modified seeds? No

Do you use any chemically treated seeds in your operation? No

List types of seeds, and note reason for purchasing treated seed.

By typing my initials below, I understand that the use of chemically treated seeds is not allowed under organic and Certified Naturally Grown guidelines. I will not label, or in any way lead consumers to believe produce grown from treated seeds are Certified Naturally Grown. SA

Is there any likelihood of Chemical/Spray drift contamination of your fields? No

Please state the source (conventional farm field, golf course, etc.) and any details you can provide (type of pesticide, fertilizer, herbicide used, and/or what used for).

Do you have an adequate buffer to protect yourself from potential contamination? Yes

Describe your buffer. Be as specific as possible and include buffer widths. 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. We do not have farms on either side of us that grow plants. They keep horses and other animals. We have a buffer of 30 feet on each side of our property, towards our neighbors.

List at least one person who you could ask to conduct your farm's inspection. D & B Farms- Brianna Boyd

I will not label, or in any way lead consumers to believe that produce not raised in accord with CNG standards is Certified Naturally Grown. SA

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 will abide by the trading and repeat rules within the CNG Inspection Guidelines. SA

I have reviewed the Certified Naturally Grown Livestock Standards, I understand them, and I will abide by them. I understand that if I have any questions I may contact CNG for clarification. SA

You may use this space to tell us anything else you think we should know about your farm: We farm using regenerative agriculture. We move our birds through our orchards and fields post- harvest to increase the fertility of the land and lower our pest load. Our birds are fed only certified organic feed, and given plenty of space outdoors, year round.