Country Life Wednesday, January 15, 2020 • lyndentribune.com • ferndalerecord.com
IN BLOOM
Helping your plants survive the winter wallop
The historic barn on Noon Road south of Lynden couldn’t withstand the impact of time, and money wasn’t available to restore it, and so recently it was entirely taken down. Some years ago, it was the focus of an application to the Washington State Department of Historic Preservation, but that effort did not work out. (Courtesy photo/Tricia VanDyk)
MIELKE MARKET
Benchmark milk price falls
By Lee Mielke
$173 per ton, down $6 from October and dead even with a year ago. The November cull price for beef and dairy combined averaged $57.70 per cwt., down $3.20 from October although $5 above November 2018. It’s $13.90 below the 2011 base average of $71.60 per cwt. The U.S. dairy industry saw many ups and downs in 2019, including the loss of hundreds of dairy farms, despite milk prices reaching highs not seen in five years — which, ironically, came too little, too late for many. Cash dairy product prices at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange started 2020 mixed. The cheddar blocks climbed to $1.91 per pound New Year’s Eve, but closed the first Friday of the New Year at $1.89, up 6 cents on the holiday-shortened week and 47.25 cents above a year ago. The barrels hit $1.70 New Year’s Eve, but finished Jan. 3 at $1.6425, up 4.25 cents on the week and reversing four weeks of decline. Western cheese output is also active amid ample amounts of milk. Contacts reported discounted milk still available in parts of the region. Cheese orders slowed during the Christmas and New Year’s weeks, but retail demand leading up to the festivities pulled at cheese stocks. Cheese makers hope the pro football playoffs spur
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No Feeder Sale in January
the need for more cheese for pizza. Western butter manufacturing was active due to increased cream offers in the New Year’s week. Cream was moving to any processing plant that had room and was willing to take it. Butter inventories are adequate to satisfy the needs of buyers, says Dairy Market News, and demand for the holiday was good. Spot Grade A nonfat dry milk saw a Jan. 3 closing at $1.2325 per pound, unchanged on the week but 25.75 cents above a year ago. CME dry whey finished Friday at 31.5 cents per pound, also unchanged on the week but 17.5 cents below a year ago. The Northwest Dairy Association makes these price projections for the Class III price and Pacific Northwest blend price: Month Class PNW III Blend Dec. $19.37 $17.77 (current) Jan. $17.00 $17.40 Feb. $16.90 $17.30 March $17.20 $17.50 April $16.70 $17.40 May $16.80 $17.45 June $16.90 $17.60 July $17.00 $17.80 Aug. $17.10 $17.90 Sept. $17.20 $17.95 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly. Whatcom County has about 85 dairy farms.
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How to keep your green resolutions Statistically, almost three-fourths of New Year’s resolutionists have given up by the end of January, and only 8% actually achieve their goals (forbes.com). While these are discouraging numbers, with enough determination you can come to the end of 2020 a better, healthier, more sustainable you. • Start Small: It’s much easier to commit to baby steps instead of giant leaps. Instead of insisting to only walk everywhere from now on, pick one short trip that you usually take by car and walk, bike, or use public transportation instead. • Find Resources: The Internet is full of delicious healthy recipes that are environmentally friendly; discover a new website and dig in! • Keep Track of Your Progress: Seeing how far you’ve come will inspire you to go even further and will hold you accountable. Clean Green Solutions
Saturday, February 8th 12:30 pm
• Yard waste recycling by composting (grass clippings, brush & stumps) • Compost & soil material sales
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Cull Cattle, Small Animals & Poultry Dairy & General Livestock Sale Your Consignments Are Appreciated! FOR MORE INFORMATION OR FOR TRUCKING CALL: Barn: 360-966-3271 Pete: 360-815-0318 • Terry: 360-815-4897 eversonauctionmarket@comcast.net
greens are hard to beat for blooms in the dead of winter, and although the plants themselves are incredibly hardy — many hellebores can withstand temperatures as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit — the cold may damage their winter blooms beyond repair without the benefit of some snow to insulate them first. To insulate hellebores during a cold northeaster, cover them with a box, old nursery pot or other container (firmly anchored to the ground, be sure!) or even spray them with water just as the cold sets in to blanket them with a layer of ice for insulation. 4. Nandina: This small shrub boasts colorful evergreen foliage, with most varieties changing hues throughout the seasons. In mild winters, most nandina varieties turn some shade of red or burgundy, but in harsh cold, they may drop their leaves. Typically, nandinas will leaf out again
A New Year, A Fresh Start:
NEXT FEEDER SALE
EVERY MONDAY 12:30pm
By David Vos
the following season and quickly recover, but those used in pots may freeze and die. To protect potted nandina, move pots into a covered but unheated space such as a garage or shed for the duration of sub-freezing weather. For those planted in ground, water well before a cold snap and don’t fret if they drop their leaves; simply water and fertilize the following spring and they will likely recover. For future plantings, place nandina in southor west-facing locations protected from northeast winds to minimize winter damage. 5. Roses: To mulch or not to mulch — that is the question! In most cases, winter mulching is unnecessary in our area, but if you have a particularly tender plant, pile some bark mulch or well-drained compost around the base of the plant to protect the bud union (graft) and insulate the roots from cold. Just be sure to pull the mulch away from the plant in early spring to prevent it from attempting to root out into the mulch and to allow water and nutrients to properly penetrate the soil. Who knows, mild temperatures and springlike weather may soon return, but better to be prepared than caught offguard. May your winter preparation efforts reward you with a healthy, thriving garden come spring!
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As those in the dairy industry know all too well, what goes up will inevitably come down, especially when it comes to milk prices. But the news isn’t all bad. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the December Federal Order Class III benchmark milk price Jan. 2 at $19.37 per hundredweight (cwt.), down $1.08 from November’s fiveyear high, but still $5.59 above December 2018 and the highest December price since 2007. That settled the 2019 Class III average at $16.96, up from $14.61 in 2018 and $16.17 in 2017. USDA has projected the 2020 average at $17.65, so expectations for 2020 milk prices are still high. But much depends on consumer demand, global trade and the price of feed. The Jan. 3 Class III futures settlements predicted a January price of $16.93, February $17.02 and March at $17.25. The January price was the low for 2020, with the peak being $17.65 in September. The December Class IV milk price is $16.70 per cwt., up 10 cents from November, $1.61 above a year ago and the highest Class IV price since August. Another higher All Milk Price and lower feed prices pushed the November milkfeed price ratio higher for the fifth consecutive month. The USDA’s latest Ag Prices report put the ratio at 2.61, up from 2.39 in October and 2.21 in November 2018. The US All-Milk Price averaged $21 per cwt., up $1.10 from October and $3.80 from November 2018. The national average corn price averaged $3.68 per bushel, down 16 cents from October but 27 cents above November 2018. Soybeans averaged $8.59 per bushel, down a penny from October but 23 above a year ago. Alfalfa hay averaged
Mild though our winter started, with the arrival of snow and cold temperatures around Northwest Washington over the weekend, we’re reminded that it’s not time to think about spring just yet! With a solid six weeks of potential winter weather yet to come, it’s not too late to winterize some of the plants around your garden. Whether you take steps to protect your plants yet this week or make a mental note of what to do before the next cold spell, here are five common plants that may benefit from some winter protection. 1. Lemon cypress: Commonly used as a vertical element in containers, lemon cypress are hard to beat with their narrow upright form and soft, chartreuse foliage. Unfortunately, that delicately textured foliage is susceptible to winter damage, particularly from desiccating northeast winds. To keep your potted lemon cypress happy, move containers to a south- or west-facing side of the house. Doing so will protect the plants from drying winds and keep them slightly warmer, especially on sunny days. Ensure that the pots stay watered through winter, particularly if they’re tucked under the eaves of the house. And in the event we do dip into single digits, move your pots indoors for the duration of the coldest temperatures — as even in a sheltered spot next to your house, lemon cypress may not survive single-digit weather. 2. Lithodora: This evergreen groundcover blooms with brilliant blue flowers in spring and early summer, but is also susceptible to winter damage. Although the roots are hardy, cold winter winds can “freeze dry” the foliage, requiring the plant to sprout all new branches the following spring. Prior to cold, windy weather, you may wish to cover your lithodora with burlap or an old blanket to provide some insulation, or spray with an anti-desiccant like Bonide Wilt Stop to prevent the foliage from drying out. 3. Hellebores: These winter-blooming ever-
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