Naturally Grown Produce

What is Naturally Grown?

Some farmers in the FDMA use more natural means to raise crops and animals. Our category of Naturally Grown refers to methods of growing and processing foods that rely on the earth's natural resources. Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means such as beneficial insects and mechanical controls and natural products.  The farmers work to build natural nutrients in soil which help fertilize plants without reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Naturally Grown production is a category of Sustainable Agriculture.  This offers food produced within nature's own balanced and fertile system, and helps keep our air, soil, and water free of toxic chemicals.

Similarly, naturally raised animals are typically pasture grazed and feed naturally grown feeds.  This ensures the animals are humanely raised, that is, without synthetic hormones or antibiotics, and raised on land without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Many of the crops grown and animals raised meet the standards of the National Organic Program (NOP), but the farm has chosen to not participate due to the lengthy NOP certification progress and/or costly fee structure.  For more information see Organic Grown Produce.

What is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm?

Generally, all CSA farms operate in the following manner. "Shares" in the farm are purchased that entitle you to weekly deliveries of produce throughout the growing season (varies somewhat with each farm). Your weekly share is generally available on-farm for pickup and there are usually other sites as well to make it more convenient for you. You benefit from this arrangement by having access to the freshest and highest quality produce available, and the farmers benefit by having a guaranteed and reliable market for their diverse selection of produce. The growers will also receive the income up-front to match the time of their greatest expenditures.

This in turns encourages ecologically responsible farming practices that contribute to the improvement of the soil, the preservation of natural resources, and the production of healthy, nutritious food.

Listed below are farms using these environmentally sound methods of farming, which is also a category of sustainable agriculture.