6.10.15 Country Life by Lynden Tribune

Country Life

Gardening • CL2 Dairy • CL3 Berry recipe • CL7

Special Section • Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Africa trip turns into medical miracle

The word on crops: early, dry Commercial strawberry picking starts this week By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

WHATCOM — The prognosis on local crops may be covered in one word right now — maybe two. Early. And dry. Seed potato-growing Dick Bedlington Farms is an example for that Whatcom County industry. “I think everybody was done planting in May, and that’s never happened before in history, as far as I know,” said Scott Bedlington of the family operation. That was possible largely because the soil was dry and warm earlier than normal — and dryness may continue as a factor this whole growing season, with very low mountain snowpack and low river flow the reality across Western

Irrigating has started already for the 2015 season. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

states for 2015. “It’s really dry. We’re already two to three weeks early on irrigation,” Bedlington said. The local strawberry harvest for commercial growers is also early. It started Saturday, June 6, for Maberry Packing LLC, and got going with everyone else early this week, said Jon Maberry, spokesman. One concern is to have

enough migrant labor as well as school-age local workers in place for the early start of picking and processing, Maberry said. But he expected that to work out okay. In general, the quality of the dominant Hood variety looks good, he said. Earlier varieties of strawberry — including Honey Eye and Puget Reliance — from specialty and U-pick growers

have been at the retail sales stands delighting buyers for a few weeks now. Maberry said the much larger commercial raspberry harvest in Whatcom County will also be early by about two weeks, starting in the June 1720 range. Various weather factors from last year through the winter, essentially not enough wetness and cold, caused “forced dormancy” in some raspberry plants and then “they woke up too early,” Maberry said. That effect seems strongest in the well-established Meeker plantings, which may be off 10 to 15 percent in yield, he estimated, while the Wakefield and Chemainus varieties survived the weather challenges better. Lynden dairy farmer Tim Vander Haak, who was having a second cutting of grass silage harvested last week, agreed that the ground is dry and he started irrigating the Birch Bay-Lynden Road field for its next cutting.

Local couple supporting orphanages have life-changing experience By Tim Newcomb tim@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN — Peter Aleman’s kidneys were shutting down. His liver was shutting

Two locals vie for state dairy ambassador Janis DeJager of Everson ends her tenure at the June 27 Everett event EVERETT — Two entrants from Whatcom County are among the eight competing for state dairy ambassador in this 60th anniversary year of the program. Also, the outgoing representative, Janis DeJager, hails from Everson, where her family dairy farms on the Alm Road. Both Amanda Howe and Ellie Steensma served locally in the year leading up to the March 2015 selection of a new Whatcom County Dairy Ambassador.

• Amanda Howe of Lynden is a daughter of Stephan Ray Rittgers and Lorraine Laub. Age 19, she is a 2014 graduate of Lynden High School and has received awards in JROTC for academics and leadership. Amanda has worked for Arnold and Ted Feddema on their dairy farm and has shown animals in 4-H as well. She would one day like to be in a career as a sire analyst. • Ellie Steensma of Lynden is a daughter of John and Karen Steensma. Age 18, she just recently graduated from Lynden Christian High School where she participated in swimming, FFA, drama and choir. Ellie works on her family’s dairy farm where she has done a variety of jobs. She hopes to have a career in agricultural communications, nutrition or

the Alemans support orphanages in South Africa, sending money for multiple orphan centers and day care centers where children can get two meals a day. The operation works in conjunction with Doctors for Life International. Over the years, Peter has expanded his African missions, helping fund and run agricultural projects in Kenya and Uganda to help develop better growing techniques and gain resources for better crop growing.

Peter and Kim Aleman to this phto the day Peter was bitten by a tsetse fly in Africa.

food science. The other six contestants from around Washington are: • Nichole Buell, Snohomish County • Katie Jo Conley, Skagit County • Lydia Johnson, Lewis County • Ashley Rochlitzer, Inland Northwest • Olivia Russell, Snohomish County • Megan Sybrandy, Skagit County “Celebrating 60 Years of Commitment” will be the theme of this year’s state coronation event on Saturday, June 27, in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn, 3105 Pine St., Everett. Seating will begin at 5 p.m. in the grand ballroom, with the program starting promptly at 5:30 p.m.

That is why the Alemans were there in November 2014. Supporting a project done in conjunction with Ed and Aileen Brandsma, also of Lynden, the Alemans started their trip in Uganda. But this trip started with a little adventure instead of all work. They traveled along the Nile River on a safari with some friends who were living in the area. Tsetse flies, though, changed the course of the trip for the Alemans — and the course of Peter’s life. “We all got bit by these

down. He was “as yellow as a banana.” For the then-50year-old from Lynden, the seventh trip to Africa in the past eight years was looking like his last. Aleman calls it a “miracle” he is alive and well, back home in Lynden. Even with an ordeal like no other in a November 2014 trip to Africa, he’ll return. Peter and his wife, Kim, moved to Lynden about seven years ago. Peter still owns and runs his agricultural company, BioGro, in the Yakima Valley. That’s where the Africa story starts. Through BioGro,

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Country Life 2 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

In Bloom

Aleman: Will return to help even more Summer gardening Continued from A1

By David Vos

tsetse flies,” Peter said. “There were seven of us and everyone got bit multiple times. Unknown to us, I got bit by one that had parasites.” After finishing the work in Uganda, the couple went to Kenya for six days. It was there that Peter noticed a big bump on his finger with an obvious bite in it. Thinking it was a spider bite, Peter and Kim still went to visit a customer and friend working in Ethiopia. “I’m starting to get a fever,” he said. “The problem was we were in Ethiopia and they don’t have the airlines and flights we have and I just couldn’t get out of Ethiopia. I knew I was getting really sick and we should go to a good hospital, but there just was not one up there.” Getting sicker, Peter left the town of Lalibela and went to the capital city, Addis Ababa, as the bump kept growing, eventually covering the bottom half of two fingers and his knuckle. The original diagno-

It’s June, and although the warm, dry weather feels more like July, it’s still technically spring. By now, your garden is likely planted, your flowers are growing and you’re beginning to see the fruits of your labors as plants do what they do best: look beautiful! As summer nears, here are a few tips for keeping your garden looking its best and a couple of plants sure to give you added color throughout the coming months. Rose bushes are one of the most beautiful shrubs you can choose for your garden. With summer-long color, powerful fragrances and the romance of a fresh-cut bouquet, they’re unmatched in beauty. But like all treasures, roses come at a price — insects love them and diseases like black spot and powdery mildew are ever-present foes. Minimize the cost of beautiful roses this summer by applying Bayer Rose & Flower Care now and every six weeks through the growing season. This liquid systemic fertilizer, insecticide and disease control is a superior no-spray product that will take the effort out of growing roses and give you healthy, productive plants all season long. As we get into summer, routines change, but as far as your yard is concerned, it’s business as usual — and I’m guessing your lawn might be hungry by now. Chances are, a couple of months ago, you fed the lawn for spring and enjoyed a nice green-up. But now, as we get into summer, it’s important to feed once again. Remember, Scotts Turf Builder with Moss Control is a great fertilizer for greening up the lawn without encouraging too much growth (read: mowing). Or, if your lawn would benefit from added nitrogen, Scotts Turf Builder will satisfy your lawn’s hunger with the additional benefit of micronutrients not found in generic lawn fertilizers. If your lawn is patchy or thin in spots, now is also a great time to overseed those areas. Rake through the bare or thin areas to gently loosen the soil, then spread some grass seed and starter fertilizer and cover with a light layer

Peter Aleman meets with farmers in Africa.

sis of a spider bite and then, later, malaria were both inaccurate and after over a week in Ethiopia, things weren’t well with Peter. “I’m just out of it,” he said. “My liver is shut down. I’m as yellow as a banana. My kidneys are shutting down.” In Addis Ababa, Peter was diagnosed — correctly — with sleeping sickness and when word reached the doctors he worked with in South Africa, they were able to airlift him there. “As I’m going down there, these parasites built up a really high number in my blood,” he said. “I have the highest level of parasites ever recorded in South Africa. It just kind of shows to me how much of a miracle it really all was.” By the time Peter reached Johannesburg, his body was experiencing five different failures, including respiraAleman was weak eight weeks tory, liver and kidney. “I after entering the hospital. was far gone,” he said.

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“All the nurses were calling me miracle boy and Lazarus. They were all happy. I was happy.” Peter spent four weeks in ICU, taking him to near the end of December. He was released from the hospital on Jan. 15, having lost 60 percent of his muscle mass and unable to walk. The doctors Peter had helped support through his orphanage work were able to get him to their mission, where he stayed for another month of recuperation. By the time Peter returned home in mid-February, he was on a recovery track and enjoying the “awesome feeling” of being home again. “It is a long road,” he said. “I still have a lot of nerve pain and issues with my entire right side because of the nerves. When you lose all that muscle you damage a lot of nerves. It is all good, I’m here. I have a hard time complaining. I just really know it is a miracle I’m here.” Peter, who regularly sleeps in mosquito netting when in Africa to help pro-

tect against malaria, said the major ordeal hasn’t soured him on Africa. “We’re ready to go,” he said. “We know we have to go there.” He said the reason is hard to explain. Simply put, every trip they take is an “amazing experience” that lets them get to know a different group of people and how they live. Every time the Alemans visit, they try to take people with them so they can share the experience and — in the case of the Brandsmas — show them the good they are doing. The next Africa trip is tentatively scheduled for November of this year. When on the Nile, before the bite, Peter picked up a rock for each grandkid, hoping to return with them and watch them throw the rocks back in. November may not be that rock-throwing trip. “I look at those rocks and … ‘nah,’” he said. “If we do go (to the Nile), I’m going in a bee suit.” But Peter’s going back to Africa.

of crumbled peat moss. Keep it watered regularly to encourage germination — with our warm soil temperatures, you should see seeds sprouting in about a week. Now, maybe you’re still in planting mode — sure, spring was early this year, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to plant. If you’re still looking to fill some planters or add a splash or two of color around the yard, there are plenty of options. One flower you simply can’t go wrong with is the trusty geranium. But just because it’s a dependable old stand-by doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting. Two of my favorite varieties I’ve come across over the last several years are sure to provide color and interest in your garden. Tango Orange is about as true an orange as you’ll find in geraniums — a beautiful shade that will have your neighbors talking. Calliope Dark Red has large, deep crimson flowers and a semi-trailing growing habit, making it a great modern replacement for messy, oldfashioned ivy geraniums. Another flower great for filling those last spaces in the garden is calibrachoa. Now, you’ve seen this plant used in hanging baskets and planters for years, but have you ever tried it in the garden? As a garden plant, calibrachoa (also known as million bells) makes a nice groundvcover, each plant spreading out to about 18 inches. Finally, enjoy. Gardening is meant to be fun, and if you make it all about work, you’ve missed the point. Take some time each week to simply admire. Your garden is a beautiful place; don’t miss out! Davis Vos is the general manager of VanderGiessen Nursery in Lynden.

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Country Life 3 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

MiElkE Market

Milk price edges up June Dairy Month starts in positive territory, pricewise, though well below a year ago. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the Federal Order Class III benchmark May milk price at $16.19 per hundredweight (cwt.), up 38 cents from April, but $6.38 below May in the 2014 banner year. The price equates to about $1.39 per gallon, up from $1.36 last month. It is $1.56 above California’s comparable 4b cheese milk price. The five-month Class III price average stands at $15.84, down from $22.94 at this time a year ago and $17.69 in 2013. Class III futures portend more climb to come. The June contract settled June 5 at $16.70. July’s price is $16.91; August, $17.08; September, $17.26; October, $17.21; November, $17.26; and December, $17.10. That would put the year’s average at $16.56. The May Class IV price is $13.91, up 40 cents from April but $8.74 below a year ago. The five-month Class IV average stands at $13.65. There wasn’t much encouragement in last week’s Global Dairy Trade auction, which saw the weighted av-

Dairy Continued from CL1 For ticket details, contact Gloria Edwards at gloria. wsdw@hotmail.com or phone 360-273-7313. Tickets will not be sold at the door. The Washington State Dairy Ambassador Program provides a professional and educational opportunity for young women in Washington State. The young women chosen to serve as Washington’s Ambassadors for Milk receive a college scholarship, internships and extensive communications training. “It will soon be time to say good bye and thank you to our 2014-2015 State Dairy Ambassador Janis DeJager and the State Alternates Marissa Apperson (Rochester) and Marcy Bartelheimer (Snohomish),” said Tammi Schoenbachler, state ambassador advisor. “They have done a fantastic job of representing the Dairy Farmers of Washington over

erage for all products offered drop 4.3 percent, following a 2.2 percent decline in the May 19 event, and a 3.5 percent decline May 5. This is the sixth consecutive session of loss. All products offered were down, led by butter, down 10.0 percent. Anhydrous milkfat was next, down 7.4 percent. Buttermilk powder was down 7.0 percent, lactose 6.9 percent, rennet 4.4 percent, whole milk powder 3.1 percent, and skim milk 1.3 percent. No cheese was offered this week. FC Stone reports the average GDT butter price Tuesday equated to about $1.1882 per pound U.S. Contrast that to Chicago Mercantile Exchange

butter which was over $2 on Monday but closed Friday at $1.90 per pound. GDT skim milk powder is down to 89.92 cents per pound U.S., and the whole milk powder average is at $1.0473 per pound U.S. CME Grade A nonfat dry milk price closed Friday at 88 cents per pound. The “global chickens may be coming home to roost” is one summarizing way of putting it. Dan McBride of the Northwest Dairy Association made these price projections for the Class III price and Pacific Northwest blend price: Month Class PNW III Blend May $16.19 $15.35 (current) June $16.65 $15.90 July $17.10 $16.15 Aug. $17.30 $16.40 Sept. $17.50 $16.50 Oct. $17.45 $16.35 Nov. $17.45 $16.35 Dec. $17.30 $16.15 Jan. $16.80 $15.95 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly and associate editor of DairyBusiness Update. Whatcom County has about 100 dairy farms.

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the county ambassador and an alternate if they had met all the requirements by attending the required workshops and orientation and done the appropriate number of school and other presentations, said Gloria Edwards, events coordinator for the state program.

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C4 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com

Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com • C5

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Country Life 6 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Fair Foundation touts winners

Celebrating 80

WHATCOM — Five scholarships of $1,000 each have been awarded to Whatcom County 2015 high school graduates by the Northwest Washington Fair Foundation. Winners must use the money in an agricultural or related field of full-time study at any accredited institution including four-year university or college, community college and vocational/technical school in the 2015-16 school year. The application process included a written essay and an interview. The Northwest Washington Fair Foundation, organized in 2012 as a nonprofit, exists “to financially support agricultural education, and the enhancement and preservation of the Northwest Washington Fair.” Besides scholarships, funds raised also provide gate admission for disadvantaged groups and build toward a future agriculture educational center and museum. The winners are: • Juan Gavette, son of Derek and Debi Gavette, Lynden High School.

Farmers Equipment Co. of Lynden was the place for kids’ games, eating lunch, winning door prizes and just celebrating the 80 years of the local company on May 30. (Courtesy photo)

Juan is in the Lynden FFA chapter and Whatcom Showmen 4-H Club and has been heavily involved in various contests and FFA Career Development Events. He competed in both state and national speaking and livestock evaluation contests. He has shown competitively at many livestock shows in Washington and Oregon with cattle, sheep and goats. He has been recruited for the livestock judging team at Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, Oregon. After two years there he hopes to transfer to a university to earn a speech communications degree and hopefully continue livestock judging at the collegiate level. • Trey Shagren, son of Craig and Shari Shagren, Lynden High School. Trey has been showing his family’s draft horses his whole life at the Northwest Washington Fair and at fairs in Oregon and Canada. Trey has been in Lynden High School basketball and football the past four years and played in five state championship games.

He will attend Whatcom Community College to study education and hopes to be able to continue his love for the horses and sports. • Jill DeJager, daughter of Pete and Shelli DeJager, homeschooled and receiving her high school diploma from Crossroads Christian Homeschool Program. Jill lives on the family 150cow dairy farm in the Everson area with her family. She has been showing dairy animals in 4-H at the Northwest Washington Fair and at numerous fairs across the state since she was 9 years old. She has been actively involved in her 4-H club for 13 years and held numerous officer positions. This fall, she will attend Whatcom Community College to earn the associate’s degree and then transfer to Dordt College in Iowa to major in agricultural business. Her career goal is to own and operate her own dairy farm. • William (Liam) Kroontje, son of John and Lesa Kroontje, Lynden Christian High School. Growing up on a small family farm, Liam was able to be

involved in Barnyard Kids 4-H Club and enjoyed being part of the Northwest Washington Fair for many years showing dairy. He served as 4-H club officer, including president for two years. He owns his own small herd of Holstein cattle. Liam also works, plays soccer and makes music. Liam will be in Alaska for another season of sockeye fishing before pursuing a business degree at Trinity Western University. • Jacob VanBerkum, son of Harold and Keven VanBerkum, Lynden Christian High School. Jacob grew up loving to work on his family’s dairy farm. He will attend Dordt College this fall to major in agri-business. Jake’s goal then is to return to Whatcom County to continue the family tradition of dairy farming. He played on the football and basketball teams and also participated in FFA for four years, competing with teams at both the state and national level three times. Jake also showed dairy cattle and swine at the Northwest Washington Fair.

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Country Life 7 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Food & Garden

Cuttin’ grass

Tasty treats for nutritious berries

by Melissa Horton There’s no taste quite as sweet as a juicy, red berry plucked right from the vine. My family eagerly anticipates the arrival of berry season, and we are thrilled that it is finally here! Berries are always a joy of summertime. We pick them by the bucketful, eating as we go, and use them in all kinds of yummy recipes. The most wonderful thing about berries, is that they are as healthy as they are tasty. I love it when something that tastes so delicious is good for me too! According to the Nutrition Clinic at Iowa State University, berries (especially blueberries, raspberries and strawberries) are high in antioxidants. Those antioxidants help fight disease, and the effects of aging. (Who needs expensive lotions and potions when you can just eat a handful of ripe, succulent berries?) Including berries in your diet can help ward off cancer, heart disease and stroke. And they are packed full of fiber, vitamins and minerals while remaining a low calorie treat. The recipes I’m sharing today highlight the scrumptious flavor of our local berries. Berry Upside Down cake pairs a light lemon cake with a strawberry/blueberry topping. It’s a super easy alternative to regular strawberry shortcakes. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream for a truly luscious dessert. Mixed berries with Chocolate Mascarpone Cream allow the flavor of the fruit to shine through with just the little addition of an extra creamy

Berry Upside-Down Cake • 1/4 cup butter, melted • 1 cup brown sugar • 2 cups sliced strawberries • 1 1/2 cups blueberries Combine melted butter and brown sugar in a 9” x 9” cake pan. Stir around to coat bottom of pan. Add berries, pressing down slightly into sugar mixture. For the cake: • 1/2 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 2 eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest • 1 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice • 2 cups flour • 3 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 3/4 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice; beat thoroughly. In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture; beat well. Add half of the cold water to the egg mixture and beat well again. Repeat with the other halves of the flour and water. Pour cake batter over the berries in the pan. Bake at 350 degrees or 55 to 60 minutes. When a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, remove from oven. Allow to stand 3-4 minutes, then loosen sides from pan with a knife. Place platter over cake, and invert over the platter at once. Best served warm.

Mixed Berries with Chocolate Mascarpone Cream • 1 1/2 cups blueberries

chocolate topping. Mascarpone cheese is a slightly sweet, soft Italian cheese often used in tiramisu. Its inclusion in this simple recipe adds just a little decadence to a bowl of plain berries.

Berry farms around the county have begun picking strawberries, and many farms, including Barbie’s Berries of Ferndale where we like to pick, are expecting to start picking raspberries around

Grass for silage is taken off a Birch Bay-Lynden Road field for dairy farmer Tim VanderHaak on Friday. Because of the dryness, VanderHaak promptly began irrigating this land for its next cutting. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, halved • 1 1/2 cups raspberries • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream • 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract • 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar • 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

Tribune)

New co-chair for Agriculture / Water Quality Advisory Comm.

Mix berries together and place in 4 individual bowls. Whip together cream, mascarpone cheese, vanilla, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder until light and fluffy like whipped cream. Place a large dollop of cream mixture over each serving. Serve immediately. The cream and berries can be prepared ahead of time and stored separately in refrigerator. Top berries with cream just before serving.

the end of this week or beginning of next week. Call your favorite picking spot to find out when their harvest seasons begin and enjoy the fresh flavor of Northwest summers! Enjoy!

SPOKANE — Continuing to build partnerships remains a key goal as a new co-chair is appointed to the Agriculture and Water Quality Advisory Committee. Maia Bellon, Washington State Department of Ecology director, created the committee in 2014 to expand upon and improve working relationships with agricultural landowners and livestock producers. The aim is to provide an open forum for dialogue ensuring both water quality protection and a healthy agricultural industry. Vic Stokes, past president of the Washington Cattlemen’s association, co-chaired the committee for the past 16 months. He is stepping down to focus on his family ranch in

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the Methow Valley. “Vic’s leadership and guidance helped us make progress and get through tough conversations. I’m grateful for his service to ensure that together we identify long-term solutions to protect clean water and keep working lands working,” said director Bellon. “Our work is far from finished and I’m committed to continuing the exchange of information,” Bellon added. “I look forward to continuing the dialogue as Aaron Galloday steps into the co-chair role.” Galloday is a diversified farmer from Grant County and currently serves as the first vice president of the Washington State Farm Bureau. The Farm Bureau is an independent organization that represents farm and ranch families through county, state and national forums. There are more than 6.5 million member families nationally and more than 41,000 member families in Washington state.

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Country Life 8 • Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Dairy

Two Lynden dairy digesters on scientists’ spring tour Vander Haak, Edaleen digesters among 7 locally Editor’s Note: This article is a reprint from Dairyland News, a bimonthly online post from the Washington State Dairy Products Commission. Articles are reviewed and approved by those quoted or referenced.

Lynden Christian’s FFA Farm Business Management Team won first place in state. From left are: coaches Mike Ruble and Curt DeHaan, Aunna Weinert (top individual), Clayton Polinder, Zach Steensma (tied for second individually), Patrick Kelly (fourth) and Brittany TeVelde (fifth). (Courtesy photo/Becky Van Hofwegen)

Lynden Christian’s FFA Milk Quality and Products Team won first place in state. From left are: Kobi Lautenbach (second high individual), Karibeth Engelsma (third), Elea Van Weerdhuizen (fourth), Maria Brommer (ninth) and Ryan Vandenberg, and coach Gerrit VanWeerdhuizen. (Courtesy photo/Becky Van Hofwegen)

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WHATCOM — The Edaleen and Vander Haak dairies near Lynden attracted 80 manure resource recovery experts from the biennial Waste to Worth Conference this spring for tours of their anaerobic digestion systems, organized by Washington State University animal scientist Joe Harrison. They saw firsthand how these manure digesters convert dairy cow manure into electricity and usable byproducts such as compost, peat moss and nutrient-rich fertilizers. About seven anaerobic digestion systems are in operation in the Whatcom region. Craig Frear is a WSU assistant professor specializing in digestion systems and related manure management technologies at the WSU Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources. Frear led several of the tours along with dairy farm staff and representatives of Regenis Corporation, supplier of operations and maintenance for digesters. “It was an eye-opener

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for these experts to see how dairy producers are doing some cutting-edge work with digesters, producing not only electricity but other by-products — and getting carbon credits as well,” Frear said. Experts learned how the Vander Haak dairy invested in the state’s first manure digester in 2005, and since then has increased electricity output by 25 percent, enough to power 400 Whatcom homes every year. The Vander Haaks have also retooled the digester to reduce odor and now take commercial food waste as well as cow manure to make nutrient-rich fertilizers. Edaleen Dairy continues to embrace new technologies. Its digester, commissioned in 2012, produces 750 kilowatts of electrical energy, sufficient to power about 700 homes. “Incorporation of anaerobic digesters on smaller dairies of, say 400 cows or less, is very difficult due to economics,” Dr. Frear said. “But researchers are looking at other valued means for processing manure on these smaller dairies, such as innovative compost systems that harness the compost heat and carbon dioxide for installation of greenhouses

and the extra produce and revenue they can yield.” The biennial Waste to Worth Conference is a project of the Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC) eXtension, a communications collaborative for land-grant universities. The conference focuses on sustainability in animal agriculture with breakout sessions about the latest practices in animal agriculture and environmental sustainability. This year’s conference was held March 30 to April 3 in Seattle and was co-chaired by Dr. Harrison. “The idea of the conference is to provide new versus recycled information,” Harrison said. “We had 280 scientists, researchers and others register, and my sense was they felt this was one of the most valuable conferences they attend,” he said. Frear believes the conference is growing in reputation and size. “It is geared mostly to bring extension and research scientists together to share processes, particularly those related to manure and other organics management, and an opportunity for all of us around the country to see what is going on in the industry,” he said.

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