diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index faee38102..8fe09c6c2 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -80,4 +80,5 @@ group :development, :test do
   gem 'webrat'
   gem 'watchr'
   gem 'spork', '~> 0.9.0.rc'
+  gem 'factory_girl_rails', '~> 4.0'
 end
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index 70f01a3d1..0284230df 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -68,6 +68,11 @@ GEM
     eventmachine (1.0.0)
     execjs (1.4.0)
       multi_json (~> 1.0)
+    factory_girl (4.1.0)
+      activesupport (>= 3.0.0)
+    factory_girl_rails (4.1.0)
+      factory_girl (~> 4.1.0)
+      railties (>= 3.0.0)
     fastthread (1.0.7)
     friendly_id (4.0.9)
     fssm (0.2.9)
@@ -204,6 +209,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   compass-rails (~> 1.0.3)
   devise
   diff-lcs
+  factory_girl_rails (~> 4.0)
   friendly_id
   gravatar-ultimate
   haml
diff --git a/spec/factories/crop.rb b/spec/factories/crop.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..88eb6af2d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/factories/crop.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+FactoryGirl.define do
+
+  factory :crop do
+
+    factory :tomato do
+      system_name "Tomato"
+      en_wikipedia_url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato"
+    end
+
+    factory :maize do
+      system_name "Maize"
+      en_wikipedia_url "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize"
+    end
+
+  end
+
+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/models/crop_spec.rb b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
index b02726ca4..36f645451 100644
--- a/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/crop_spec.rb
@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@ describe Crop do
   context 'all fields present' do
 
     before(:each) do
-      @crop = Crop.new
-      @crop.system_name = "Tomato"
-      @crop.en_wikipedia_url = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato"
+      @crop = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
     end
 
     it 'should save a basic crop' do
@@ -36,10 +34,7 @@ describe Crop do
 
   context 'random' do
     before(:each) do
-      @crop = Crop.new
-      @crop.system_name = "Tomato"
-      @crop.en_wikipedia_url = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato"
-      @crop.save
+      @crop = FactoryGirl.create(:tomato)
     end
 
     it 'should find a random crop' do
diff --git a/spec/models/scientific_name_spec.rb b/spec/models/scientific_name_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7cfe62ea1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/scientific_name_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe ScientificName do
+  context 'all fields present' do
+
+    before(:each) do
+      @sn = FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays)
+    end
+
+    it 'should save a basic scientific name' do
+      @sn.save.should be_true
+    end
+
+    it 'should be fetchable from the database' do
+      @sn.save
+      @sn2 = ScientificName.find_by_scientific_name('Zea mays')
+      @sn2.crop.system_name.should == "Maize"
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'invalid data' do
+    it 'should not save a scientific name without a name' do
+      @sn = ScientificName.new
+      expect { @sn.save }.to raise_error ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid
+    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/index.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
index 6360bf20d..861806dec 100644
--- a/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/crops/index.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,16 +2,10 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "crops/index" do
   before(:each) do
-    assign(:crops, [
-      stub_model(Crop,
-        :system_name => "Maize",
-        :en_wikipedia_url => "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maize"
-      ),
-      stub_model(Crop,
-        :system_name => "Tomato",
-        :en_wikipedia_url => "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomato"
-      )
-    ])
+  assign(:crops, [
+    FactoryGirl.create(:tomato),
+    FactoryGirl.create(:maize)
+  ])
   end
 
   it "renders a list of crops" do
@@ -20,12 +14,12 @@ describe "crops/index" do
     assert_select "a", :text => "Maize"
     assert_select "a", :text => "Tomato"
   end
-  
+
   it "counts the number of crops" do
     render
     rendered.should contain "Displaying 2 crops"
   end
-  
+
   context "logged out" do
     it "doesn't show the new crop link if logged out" do
       render
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
diff --git a/spec/views/scientific_names/edit.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/scientific_names/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
index e0ebb532b..938f88c09 100644
--- a/spec/views/scientific_names/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/scientific_names/edit.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "scientific_names/edit" do
   before(:each) do
-    @scientific_name = assign(:scientific_name, stub_model(ScientificName,
-      :scientific_name => "MyString",
-      :crop_id => 1
-    ))
+    @scientific_name = assign(:scientific_name,
+      FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays)
+    )
   end
 
   context "logged out" do
@@ -17,8 +16,7 @@ describe "scientific_names/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
diff --git a/spec/views/scientific_names/index.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/scientific_names/index.html.haml_spec.rb
index 5708d6506..6866b5579 100644
--- a/spec/views/scientific_names/index.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/scientific_names/index.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -3,21 +3,15 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe "scientific_names/index" do
   before(:each) do
     assign(:scientific_names, [
-      stub_model(ScientificName,
-        :scientific_name => "Scientific Name",
-        :crop_id => 1
-      ),
-      stub_model(ScientificName,
-        :scientific_name => "Scientific Name",
-        :crop_id => 1
-      )
+      FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays),
+      FactoryGirl.create(:solanum_lycopersicum) 
     ])
   end
 
   it "renders a list of scientific_names" do
     render
     # Run the generator again with the --webrat flag if you want to use webrat matchers
-    assert_select "tr>td", :text => "Scientific Name".to_s, :count => 2
-    assert_select "tr>td", :text => 1.to_s, :count => 2
+    assert_select "tr>td", :text => "Zea mays".to_s
+    assert_select "tr>td", :text => "Solanum lycopersicum".to_s
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/views/scientific_names/new.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/scientific_names/new.html.haml_spec.rb
index 4a0822b03..8d79f0d0c 100644
--- a/spec/views/scientific_names/new.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/scientific_names/new.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "scientific_names/new" do
   before(:each) do
-    assign(:scientific_name, stub_model(ScientificName,
-      :scientific_name => "MyString",
-      :crop_id => 1
-    ).as_new_record)
+    assign(:scientific_name, FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays))
   end
 
   context "logged out" do
@@ -17,8 +14,7 @@ describe "scientific_names/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/scientific_names/show.html.haml_spec.rb b/spec/views/scientific_names/show.html.haml_spec.rb
index 7f2a38af4..5d086e978 100644
--- a/spec/views/scientific_names/show.html.haml_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/views/scientific_names/show.html.haml_spec.rb
@@ -2,16 +2,15 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe "scientific_names/show" do
   before(:each) do
-    @scientific_name = assign(:scientific_name, stub_model(ScientificName,
-      :scientific_name => "Scientific Name",
-      :crop_id => 1
-    ))
+    @scientific_name = assign(:scientific_name,
+      FactoryGirl.create(:zea_mays)
+    )
   end
 
   it "renders attributes in <p>" do
     render
     # Run the generator again with the --webrat flag if you want to use webrat matchers
-    rendered.should match(/Scientific Name/)
-    rendered.should match(/1/)
+    rendered.should match(/Zea mays/)
+    rendered.should match(@scientific_name.id.to_s)
   end
 end