Setting a STANDARD
Hobby Farms|November - December 2022
Certified Naturally Grown offers a grassroots option for responsible agricultural production and guidance.
ANNIE MAXWELL
Setting a STANDARD

Across the world, trillions of honeybees are hard at work, pollinating vital crops and turning nectar into honey. In various locations near Wilmington, Delaware, more than a million of those bees return home to "microapiaries" under the care of Stephanie Grant.

"I am selective in my locations, as the properties cannot be treated with synthetic herbicides or pesticides," she says. "There needs to be an abundance of natural resources, including a variety of pollen and nectar sources, as well as a water source, and I need to ensure that the safety of the bees and people are always at the forefront. I believe we need to use nature and work with it, not against it." This belief system is what led Grant to pursue Certified Naturally Grown certification for her Sassy Bee Honey two years ago. Largely described as a grassroots alternative to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Certified Organic label, Certified Naturally Grown producers see it as that and more.

"I read the acronym somewhere online, and I did not know what it was, so I researched it," Grant says. "As I read, I thought it was completely in line with my current philosophy and many of the practices I already followed. I did have to make a few modifications to become certified, but they were changes that are for the betterment of the bees, so I was completely on board."

For beekeepers, USDA Certified Organic approval is difficult. To start, the National Organic Program doesn't have an apiculture standard, rather it relies on the livestock standards, a few items on the allowed synthetic-materials list, plus some "draft guidance" standards that have been issued but not made official by the National Organic Standards Board. Because bees can travel miles to forage, a USDA Certified Organic operation must prove their bees forage from plants not treated with prohibited materials in a 1.8-mile radius, which is difficult to come by.

この記事は Hobby Farms の November - December 2022 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

この記事は Hobby Farms の November - December 2022 版に掲載されています。

7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。

HOBBY FARMSのその他の記事すべて表示
The RISE of Opportunist WEEDS
Hobby Farms

The RISE of Opportunist WEEDS

Be prepared to see increasing changes in weeds we fight, such as poison hemlock and poison ivy, and in the crops we grow.

time-read
3 分  |
January - February 2025
LIVESTOCK Health
Hobby Farms

LIVESTOCK Health

Prepare yourself for how to spot symptoms of illness in your farm animals so that you can get them help before it's too late.

time-read
6 分  |
January - February 2025
CUT FLOWER Farming
Hobby Farms

CUT FLOWER Farming

If you're considering growing flowers for sale, brush up on these five key things to know before diving in.

time-read
3 分  |
January - February 2025
WINTER Survival
Hobby Farms

WINTER Survival

Keep your land, animals and yourself in good shape this winter with this helpful advice.

time-read
5 分  |
January - February 2025
COVERAGE CONCERNS
Hobby Farms

COVERAGE CONCERNS

Avoid common insurance mistakes for rural and hobby farm businesses.

time-read
7 分  |
January - February 2025
FARMER'S GUIDE Berries
Hobby Farms

FARMER'S GUIDE Berries

Set the stage for tasty strawberries, blueberries and brambles with these soil-boosting garden tips.

time-read
6 分  |
January - February 2025
Preconditioning CALVES
Hobby Farms

Preconditioning CALVES

Follow our step-by-step guide to get more money for your calves.

time-read
7 分  |
January - February 2025
Soil Conservation
Hobby Farms

Soil Conservation

Often, outside of having a specific problem that needs to be addressed, soil conservation isn't something every farmer readily thinks about. Yet conserving the soil should be at or near the top of every farmer owner or manager's list of concerns because absent the prevention of soil erosion, we have the opportunity for another dust bowl.

time-read
4 分  |
January - February 2025
Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes
Hobby Farms

Year-Round Lettuce & Salad Mixes

It's easy to think of salad greens as just a spring- or fall-garden crop, but it's possible to enjoy freshly harvested lettuces, mustards and more from your own garden year-round.

time-read
6 分  |
January - February 2025
Barn Improvements
Hobby Farms

Barn Improvements

Days are never long enough for a farmer. From dawn to well into the night, tasks arise that often require immediate action. Having to search for tools or equipment is an enormous time waster and incredibly frustrating when you can't find what you need, especially when you know you have it.

time-read
3 分  |
January - February 2025