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  • From: Todd Lister <toddlister1 AT gmail.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] CNG
  • Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 18:30:41 -0400

So based on that one experience you have confidence in USDA cert? And your personal situation is based on your belief you do it right. and your customers know it. So your customers have faith in your food because you tell them your practices are righteous? That's cool!
I am proud to be CNG. As you stated, there are dishonest people in every occupation. And corp ag has no influence on the USDA? I know a lot of CNG farmers and all of them want to grow sustainably  and I believe only a totally uninformed person not interested in sustainable growing could think PT lumber is acceptable. In my opinion the gains from being CNG are not monetary enough to prompt many cheaters.
Cheaters fear being cheated.
Good luck
Todd

On Thu, Jun 3, 2010 at 9:53 AM, Kate Halstead <rockyprairie AT earthlink.net> wrote:
My one and only experience with CNG was negative. A farmer I know was very
proud to show off their newly gained CNG status. This surprised me no end
since I had just visited their greenhouse, in which each and every raised
bed was made out of pressure treated lumber. This was a number of years ago,
so was definitely the kind that leaches arsenic.

Upon further query I learned that a mutual fiend had done their
'inspection', and had of course signed them off with no problems. Not sure
about you folks, but I'd go to Safeway before I'd eat greens grown in
pressure treated raised beds.

That experience brought me right back to the need for completely independent
third-party certification folks can actually trust. Now while I won't
subscribe much more than ignorance as opposed to outright dishonesty in the
above scenario (which didn't end when I pointed out the problem with the
lumber, was told I didn't know what I was talking about), it does point out
the glaring need to have folks everyone can trust doing any
certification...if that's what your particular consumer audience demands.

And since I've come across outright dishonest folks at farmers markets time
and again reselling produce from lord knows where, lying about their use of
sprays, etc. I have to face the fact that as many dishonest
farmers as one might find in most other occupationsthere are just and certain safeguards
should be in place to level the playing field for the vast majority of folks
playing by the rules.

Personally, I'm thankful to know my customers and have a level of trust that
doesn't demand third-party certification of my practices. But I know that as
our business grows that will become necessary as my inability to 'know my
customers' recedes with volume.

Kate
Western Washington, zone 7


-----Original Message-----
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Garth & Kim
Travis
Sent: Monday, May 31, 2010 3:20 PM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] CNG

Greetings,

We have found the same things, in the market certification doesn't mean
anything.  Whether or not you allow farm inspections, and taste make all the
difference.  Customers get to know really quickly who cheats, their bodies
react to the chemicals.  Taste is the number one seller, you have to have
that first.

Bright Blessings,
Garth & Kim Travis
www.TheRoseColoredForest.com
Bedias, Texas

Barking Cat Farm wrote:
> Hi Todd, thanks for the response. In our market, we have yet to see a need
to certify organic or CNG because of our relationship with our customers. It
sounds like in your area with a CNG only market, it really makes sense.
>
> If anyone else has thoughts on why CNG works for them, I'd still love to
hear more. We haven't ruled it out, but neither have we ruled it in.
>
> Kim
>
>
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