diff --git a/spec/factories/crop.rb b/spec/factories/crop.rb
index 88eb6af2d..900141e1a 100644
--- a/spec/factories/crop.rb
+++ b/spec/factories/crop.rb
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ FactoryGirl.define do
 
   factory :crop do
 
-    factory :tomato do
+    factory :tomato do |t|
       system_name "Tomato"
       en_wikipedia_url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato"
     end
 
-    factory :maize do
+    factory :maize do |m|
       system_name "Maize"
       en_wikipedia_url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize"
     end
diff --git a/spec/factories/scientific_name.rb b/spec/factories/scientific_name.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7bb3e4cd9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/scientific_name.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+  factory :scientific_name do
+    factory :zea_mays do
+      association :crop, factory: :maize
+      scientific_name "Zea mays"
+    end
+    factory :solanum_lycopersicum do
+      association :crop, factory: :tomato
+      scientific_name "Solanum lycopersicum"
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/factories/user.rb b/spec/factories/user.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d5d3dc5cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/user.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+
+  factory :user do
+    username "user1"
+    password "password1"
+    email "user1@example.com"
+    tos_agreement true
+
+    factory :confirmed_user do
+      confirmed_at Time.now()
+    end
+
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/spec/views/crops/edit.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/crops/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
index 51f442e4e..c400c83a0 100644
--- a/spec/views/crops/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/crops/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "crops/edit" do
   before(:each) do
-    @crop = assign(:crop, stub_model(Crop,
-      :system_name => "MyString",
-      :en_wikipedia_url => "MyString"
-    ))
+    @crop = assign(:crop, FactoryGirl.create(:maize))
   end
 
   context "logged out" do
@@ -17,14 +14,12 @@ describe "crops/edit" do
 
   context "logged in" do
     before(:each) do
-      @user = User.create(:email => "growstuff@example.com", :password => "irrelevant")
-      @user.confirm!
+      @user = FactoryGirl.create(:confirmed_user)
       sign_in @user
       render
     end
 
     it "renders the edit crop form" do
-      render
       # Run the generator again with the --webrat flag if you want to use webrat matchers
       assert_select "form", :action => crops_path(@crop), :method => "post" do
         assert_select "input#crop_system_name", :name => "crop[system_name]"
diff --git a/spec/views/crops/new.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/crops/new.html.haml_spec.rb
index 0565ef03b..d92ef4fb0 100644
--- a/spec/views/crops/new.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/crops/new.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "crops/new" do
   before(:each) do
-    assign(:crop, stub_model(Crop,
-      :system_name => "MyString",
-      :en_wikipedia_url => "MyString"
-    ).as_new_record)
+    assign(:crop, FactoryGirl.create(:maize))
   end
 
   context "logged out" do
@@ -18,8 +15,7 @@ describe "crops/new" do
   context "logged in" do
 
     before(:each) do
-      @user = User.create(:email => "growstuff@example.com", :password => "irrelevant")
-      @user.confirm!
+      @user = FactoryGirl.create(:confirmed_user)
       sign_in @user
       render
     end
diff --git a/spec/views/crops/show.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/crops/show.html.haml_spec.rb
index 384b87fdb..2e165c8ab 100644
--- a/spec/views/crops/show.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/crops/show.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,15 +2,9 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "crops/show" do
   before(:each) do
-    @crop = assign(:crop, stub_model(Crop,
-      :id => 1,
-      :system_name => "Corn",
-      :en_wikipedia_url => "http://en.wikipedia.org/Maize"
+    @crop = assign(:crop, FactoryGirl.create(:maize,
+      :scientific_names => [ FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays) ]
     ))
-    @crop.scientific_names.create(
-      :scientific_name => "Zea mays",
-      :crop_id => 1
-    )
   end
 
   it "shows the wikipedia URL" do
@@ -31,7 +25,7 @@ describe "crops/show" do
 
   it "links to the right crop in the planting link" do
     render
-    assert_select("a[href=#{new_planting_path}?crop_id=1]")
+    assert_select("a[href=#{new_planting_path}?crop_id=#{@crop.id}]")
   end
 
   context "logged out" do