diff --git a/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb b/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
index 4ad458503..ef9051ba5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/crops_controller.rb
@@ -4,37 +4,23 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :authenticate_member!, except: [:index, :hierarchy, :search, :show]
   load_and_authorize_resource
   skip_authorize_resource only: [:hierarchy, :search]
+  respond_to :html, :json, :rss, :csv
+  responders :flash
 
   # GET /crops
   # GET /crops.json
   def index
     @sort = params[:sort]
-    @crops = if @sort == 'alpha'
-               Crop.includes(:scientific_names, plantings: :photos)
-             else
-               popular_crops
-             end
-    @paginated_crops = @crops.approved.paginate(page: params[:page])
-
-    @has_requested_pending = Crop.pending_approval.where(requester: current_member).count if current_member
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html
-      format.json { render json: @crops }
-      format.rss do
-        @crops = Crop.recent.includes(:scientific_names, :creator)
-        render rss: @crops
-      end
-      format.csv do
-        @filename = "Growstuff-Crops-#{Time.zone.now.to_s(:number)}.csv"
-        @crops = Crop.includes(:scientific_names, :plantings, :seeds, :creator)
-        render csv: @crops
-      end
-    end
+    @crops = crops
+    @has_requested_pending = current_member.requested_crops.pending_approval.size if current_member
+    @filename = filename
+    respond_with(@crops)
   end
 
   def requested
-    @requested = Crop.pending_approval.where(requester: current_member).paginate(page: params[:page])
+    @requested = Crop.pending_approval
+      .where(requester: current_member)
+      .paginate(page: params[:page])
   end
 
   # GET /crops/wrangle
@@ -52,29 +38,20 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
     @crops = @crops.paginate(page: params[:page])
 
     @crop_wranglers = Role.crop_wranglers
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html
-    end
   end
 
   # GET /crops/hierarchy
   def hierarchy
     @crops = Crop.toplevel
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html
-    end
   end
 
   # GET /crops/search
   def search
     @term = params[:term]
-    @matches = Crop.search(@term)
+    @matches = Crop.approved.search(@term)
     @paginated_matches = @matches.paginate(page: params[:page])
 
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html
-      format.json { render json: @matches }
-    end
+    respond_with(@matches)
   end
 
   # GET /crops/1
@@ -85,19 +62,7 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
 
     respond_to do |format|
       format.html # show.html.haml
-      format.json do
-        # TODO RABL or similar one day to avoid presentation logic here
-        owner_structure = {
-          owner: {
-            only: [:id, :login_name, :location, :latitude, :longitude]
-          }
-        }
-        render json: @crop.to_json(include: {
-                                     plantings: {
-                                       include: owner_structure
-                                     }
-                                   })
-      end
+      format.json { render json: @crop.to_json(crop_json_fields) }
     end
   end
 
@@ -108,10 +73,7 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
     @crop.alternate_names.build
     @crop.scientific_names.build
 
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html # new.html.haml
-      format.json { render json: @crop }
-    end
+    respond_with @crop
   end
 
   # GET /crops/1/edit
@@ -127,34 +89,25 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
 
     if current_member.role? :crop_wrangler
       @crop.creator = current_member
-      success_msg = "Crop was successfully created."
     else
       @crop.requester = current_member
       @crop.approval_status = "pending"
-      success_msg = "Crop was successfully requested."
     end
 
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @crop.save
-        params[:alt_name].each do |index, value|
-          create_name('alternate', value)
+    if @crop.save
+      params[:alt_name].each do |_i, value|
+        create_name('alternate', value)
+      end
+      params[:sci_name].each do |_i, value|
+        create_name('scientific', value)
+      end
+      unless current_member.role? :crop_wrangler
+        Role.crop_wranglers.each do |w|
+          Notifier.new_crop_request(w, @crop).deliver_now!
         end
-        params[:sci_name].each do |index, value|
-          create_name('scientific', value)
-        end
-        unless current_member.role? :crop_wrangler
-          Role.crop_wranglers.each do |w|
-            Notifier.new_crop_request(w, @crop).deliver_now!
-          end
-        end
-
-        format.html { redirect_to @crop, notice: success_msg }
-        format.json { render json: @crop, status: :created, location: @crop }
-      else
-        format.html { render action: "new" }
-        format.json { render json: @crop.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
       end
     end
+    respond_with @crop
   end
 
   # PUT /crops/1
@@ -164,47 +117,33 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
 
     @crop.creator = current_member if previous_status == "pending"
 
-    respond_to do |format|
-      if @crop.update(crop_params)
-        recreate_names('alt_name', 'alternate')
-        recreate_names('sci_name', 'scientific')
+    if @crop.update(crop_params)
+      recreate_names('alt_name', 'alternate')
+      recreate_names('sci_name', 'scientific')
 
-        if previous_status == "pending"
-          requester = @crop.requester
-          new_status = @crop.approval_status
-          Notifier.crop_request_approved(requester, @crop).deliver_now! if new_status == "approved"
-          Notifier.crop_request_rejected(requester, @crop).deliver_now! if new_status == "rejected"
-        end
-        format.html { redirect_to @crop, notice: 'Crop was successfully updated.' }
-        format.json { head :no_content }
-      else
-        format.html { render action: "edit" }
-        format.json { render json: @crop.errors, status: :unprocessable_entity }
+      if previous_status == "pending"
+        requester = @crop.requester
+        new_status = @crop.approval_status
+        Notifier.crop_request_approved(requester, @crop).deliver_now! if new_status == "approved"
+        Notifier.crop_request_rejected(requester, @crop).deliver_now! if new_status == "rejected"
       end
     end
+    respond_with @crop
   end
 
   # DELETE /crops/1
   # DELETE /crops/1.json
   def destroy
     @crop.destroy
-
-    respond_to do |format|
-      format.html { redirect_to crops_url }
-      format.json { head :no_content }
-    end
+    respond_with @crop
   end
 
   private
 
-  def popular_crops
-    Crop.popular.includes(:scientific_names, plantings: :photos)
-  end
-
   def recreate_names(param_name, name_type)
     return unless params[param_name].present?
     destroy_names(name_type)
-    params[param_name].each do |index, value|
+    params[param_name].each do |_i, value|
       create_name(name_type, value)
     end
   end
@@ -229,4 +168,28 @@ class CropsController < ApplicationController
                                                       :_destroy,
                                                       :id])
   end
+
+  def filename
+    "Growstuff-Crops-#{Time.zone.now.to_s(:number)}.csv"
+  end
+
+  def crop_json_fields
+    {
+      include: {
+        plantings: {
+          include: {
+            owner: { only: [:id, :login_name, :location, :latitude, :longitude] }
+          }
+        },
+        scientific_names: { only: [:name] },
+        alternate_names: { only: [:name] }
+      }
+    }
+  end
+
+  def crops
+    q = Crop.approved.includes(:scientific_names, plantings: :photos)
+    q = q.popular unless @sort == 'alpha'
+    q.paginate(page: params[:page])
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/models/member.rb b/app/models/member.rb
index 2700c9361..2c2c20502 100644
--- a/app/models/member.rb
+++ b/app/models/member.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Member < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   has_many :photos
 
+  has_many :requested_crops, class_name: Crop, foreign_key: 'requester_id'
   has_many :likes, dependent: :destroy
 
   default_scope { order("lower(login_name) asc") }
diff --git a/app/views/crops/index.html.haml b/app/views/crops/index.html.haml
index f0abebab9..e671f4628 100644
--- a/app/views/crops/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/crops/index.html.haml
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
   = submit_tag "Show", class: 'btn btn-primary'
 
 .pagination
-  = will_paginate @paginated_crops
+  = will_paginate @crops
 
 .row
-  - @paginated_crops.each do |crop|
+  - @crops.each do |crop|
     .col-md-2.six-across
       = render partial: "thumbnail", locals: { crop: crop }
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
     = link_to 'New Crop', new_crop_path, class: 'btn btn-primary'
 
 .pagination
-  = will_paginate @paginated_crops
+  = will_paginate @crops
 
 
 %ul.list-inline
diff --git a/spec/features/crops/creating_a_crop_spec.rb b/spec/features/crops/creating_a_crop_spec.rb
index b97866fd8..2b1300485 100644
--- a/spec/features/crops/creating_a_crop_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/crops/creating_a_crop_spec.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ feature "Crop - " do
       click_button "Save"
     end
 
-    expect(page).to have_content "Crop was successfully requested."
+    expect(page).to have_content 'crop was successfully created.'
+    expect(page).to have_content "This crop is currently pending approval."
     expect(page).to have_content "Jasminum sambac 2"
     expect(page).to have_content "Matsurika"
   end
diff --git a/spec/features/crops/crop_wranglers_spec.rb b/spec/features/crops/crop_wranglers_spec.rb
index e17c35266..eafc7039f 100644
--- a/spec/features/crops/crop_wranglers_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/crops/crop_wranglers_spec.rb
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ feature "crop wranglers", js: true do
       fill_in 'en_wikipedia_url', with: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize"
       fill_in 'sci_name[1]', with: "planticus maximus"
       click_on 'Save'
-      expect(page).to have_content 'Crop was successfully created'
+      expect(page).to have_content 'crop was successfully created.'
       expect(page).to have_content 'planticus maximus'
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/features/crops/request_new_crop_spec.rb b/spec/features/crops/request_new_crop_spec.rb
index 3d2f76e5f..9cccac4f8 100644
--- a/spec/features/crops/request_new_crop_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/crops/request_new_crop_spec.rb
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ feature "Requesting a new crop" do
       fill_in "Name", with: "Couch potato"
       fill_in "request_notes", with: "Couch potatoes are real for real."
       click_button "Save"
-      expect(page).to have_content "Crop was successfully requested."
+      expect(page).to have_content 'crop was successfully created.'
+      expect(page).to have_content "This crop is currently pending approval."
     end
   end
 
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ feature "Requesting a new crop" do
       expect(page).to have_content "En wikipedia url is not a valid English Wikipedia URL"
       fill_in "en_wikipedia_url", with: "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San_Suu_Kyi"
       click_button "Save"
-      expect(page).to have_content "Crop was successfully updated."
+      expect(page).to have_content "crop was successfully updated."
     end
 
     scenario "Rejecting a crop" do
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ feature "Requesting a new crop" do
       select "rejected", from: "Approval status"
       select "not edible", from: "Reason for rejection"
       click_button "Save"
-      expect(page).to have_content "Crop was successfully updated."
+      expect(page).to have_content "crop was successfully updated."
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
index a11cbcb76..f8a33c738 100644
--- a/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@ describe "crops/index" do
     @tomato = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
     @maize  = FactoryGirl.create(:maize)
     assign(:crops, [@tomato, @maize])
-    paginated_crops = WillPaginate::Collection.create(page, per_page, total_entries) do |pager|
+    crops = WillPaginate::Collection.create(page, per_page, total_entries) do |pager|
       pager.replace([@tomato, @maize])
     end
-    assign(:paginated_crops, paginated_crops)
+    assign(:crops, crops)
   end
 
   it "shows photos where available" do