Country Life Special Section • Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Community
From Everson farm, DeJager is now statewide dairy booster
A busy year as milk Ambassador has already begun for 2014 NVHS grad
Farming
Nearly all sunshine for razz harvest Prices solid, crop coming through By Tim Newcomb tim@lyndentribune.com
on the DeJager farm, which features both the Holstein and Jersey breeds, have been good for 4-H and FFA projects and for fairtime showing. She and sister Jill, just a
WHATCOM — The 2014 Whatcom County raspberry harvest has a sunny outlook, especially if sunshine is what growers get for the remainder of what could be a drawn-out season. Jon Maberry, president of the Lynden-based Washington Red Raspberry Commission and grower at Maberry & Maberry Berry Associates, said the raspberry season started about a week to 10 days earlier than normal across the board, and with an extended bloom period, he expects a stretched-out harvest. With a sun-filled spring leading up to the summer, Maberry said the weather has been perfect early on, a nice change to the “pretty significant winter damage” plants around the county experienced. Multiple stretches of cold weather in the winter have growers bracing for a 10 to 15 percent crop loss by the end of harvest. “But so far the weather has been acceptable and warm temperatures are forecast,” Maberry said. “We are expecting probably an average to low crop this year, but quality should be good.” Of the main three varieties grown in Whatcom County, the Wakefield and Meeker ones “came through the winter pretty good,” but Chemainus was hurt the worst.
See DeJager on CL2
See Razz on CL4
By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
EVERSON — Janis DeJager was back home to the family’s Alm Road dairy farm last week, now wearing the title of Washington State Dairy Ambassador. But there’s no telling how long she will be able to stay home — or be gone doing her Dairy Ambassador duties for days at a time. After all, she will be making some 400 appearances on behalf of the Dairy Farmers of Washington in the next year. Janis said she feels “honored” and “excited” about the role bestowed on her — complete with a tiara and sash — at a coronation banquet in Everett on June 20. After three days of speeches, interviews and interaction, judges chose the Everson 18-year-old, just graduated from Nooksack Valley High School two weeks before, from among six young women contestants. Janis served the previous 2013-14 year as the Whatcom County Dairy Ambassador. She is already getting a taste of what her whirlwind year may be like, Janis said as she sat at the dining room of the family home on July 2. So far, she had spoken at a Darigold annual meeting in Bellevue, participated in a Farmers Fighting Hunger food
Gardening • CL2 Dairy • CL3 Berries • CL4
Janis DeJager gets up close to some of the dairy animals on her family’s Alm Road farm north of Nooksack. Janis will have a busy upcoming year as Washington State Dairy Ambassador. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune) collection drive in Tumwater and offered milk with cookies at a Bothell Country Village fundraiser. Back in Whatcom County, she had attended the Bouma Dairy open house featuring the first robotic milking units in the area.
For Janis, though, the dairying lifestyle feels totally familiar. Her whole life has been spent with dad and mom Pete and Shelli DeJager and siblings Rodney, Gary and Jill doing whatever it takes to keep
180 cows milked, fed, healthy and clean. “You see what happens on the farm every day. You hear your parents talk about it. It’s just part of the lifestyle,” she said. Some of the best heifers
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Country Life 2 • Wednesday, July 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
DeJager: About 40 appearances in a year Continued from CL1 year younger, do their part milking, feeding calves, cleaning stalls or driving a tractor, whatever is required at different times of the week or year. They and Shelli definitely give dad a break from the milking parlor each Sunday and on his birthday. Janis even adds in a job — although maybe not anymore — for a neighboring dairy farm. It all adds up to ready first-hand knowledge of the dairy industry that Janis now will have ample opportunity to share. The main spiel from the Dairy Ambassdor is a testimony to the nutritional value of milk and dairy products. Janis can take off on that topic easily, citing the nine essential nutrients to be found in milk for teeth, bones and general good health. This especially is important for children, but every person’s diet should have at least three servings of dairy products per day. That message will be delivered to countless groups of schoolkids as well as to adults including the Washington State Legislature on Dairy Day in January. She, representing Dairy Farmers of Washington, will also have a prominent presence at state championships in all sports through the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association. And Janis expects to have opportunity to talk at times about deeper topics such as the economics of dairy farming through both thick and thin times. Farmers right now are enjoying a high price of over $20 per hundred pounds of milk produced, but everyone knows that won’t last forever. Perhaps the strongest validation Janis can give as state Dairy Ambassador is this: She would like to be a farmer her-
Sisters Janis and Jill DeJager, a year apart in age, have gone through all of the typical dairy farm experiences together. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune) self. She, Gary and Jill would love to find a way to carry on what their parents have started. “They’ve taught me pretty much everything I know. They’re amazing. They’re role models,” Janis said of her mom and dad. Meanwhile, this coming year will be devoted to the agenda laid out by the Washington State Dairy Women,
BELLINGHAM — The Bellingham Farmers Market and the Whatcom County Health Department have teamed up to promote a new incentive program at the farmers market called Fresh Bucks. Fresh Bucks allow SNAP participants to stretch their dollars to purchase more fresh, healthy food directly from local farmers. Through funding from the Sustainable Whatcom Fund of the Whatcom Community Foundation, shoppers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (also known as food stamps or EBT)
MOUNT VERNON — A field tour, research project updates and an agricultural community barbecue are all part of this year’s WSU Mount Vernon Field Day, to be held Thursday, July 10, at the Research Center, 16650 State Route 536. The annual event, which is free and open to the public, starts off at 3:30 p.m. with a walking field tour of nearly 100 acres of the center’s active research plots. A tractordriven wagon ride will also be available. Faculty members and graduate students will be available to talk about the center’s current research and Extension programs and how their work impacts the region’s growers, consumers, agricultural businesses and local economies. “We have had these field days here since the 1940s,
Summer bloomers for the forgotten month By Davis Vos
coordinators of the Dairy Ambassador program. Although she graduated from Nooksack Valley High School on June 6 with several scholarships to her credit, for now Janis will only take some Whatcom Community College courses if her schedule allows and hope to transfer to either Dordt College in Iowa or Cal-Poly in California for the 2015-16 school year.
These are previous Washington State Dairy Ambassadors from Whatcom County: 2004 — McKenzie Klein 1999 — Jana Visser 1991— Karen McKay 1984— Marike Nauta 1979 — Sara Shields 1975 — Janet Noteboom 1963 — Gretchen Veleke 1959 — Marilyn Snydar
Partnership helps low-income get fresh produce at farmers market
Mount Vernon research center hosts open house this Thursday
In Bloom
will have the first $10 they spend at the market matched dollar-for-dollar. The market operates on Wednesdays at Fairhaven Village Green from noon to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays at Depot Market Square downtown from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Fresh Bucks program will continue until grant funds are depleted. SNAP tokens and Fresh Bucks match tokens can only be purchased through the information booth at Depot Market Square on Saturdays. However, tokens may be redeemed at either market. The Fresh Bucks model is one of
and it is a great opportunity for us to show what we do to help the region,” said Steve Jones, WSU Mount Vernon Research Center Director. “It also allows us to thank the many people and groups such as the Port of Skagit County, the Northwest Agricultural Research Foundation, and the many growers and industry representatives that fuel our research and contribute to our mission.” Brief presentations will highlight the center’s eight research programs: plant breeding, small fruit horticulture, entomology, vegetable seed pathology, vegetable horticulture, vegetable pathology, weed science, and dairy and livestock. The Field Day will conclude with a chicken barbecue at 6 p.m. For those working toward pesticide recertification through the Washington State Department of Agriculture, attendance at this event counts for two credits. For more information, contact program assistant Kim Binczewski at 360-8486153.
a growing number of strategies recognized in public health for giving lowincome consumers the ability to afford more nutritious foods. A high percent of Fresh Bucks users statewide say the program has helped their families eat healthier. This is an important benefit since research indicates that a lower income is associated with poorer nutritional health outcomes. For more information on the markets, contact Caprice Teske at 6472060. For more on Fresh Bucks, contact Melissa Morin at 676-6724 #32027 or mmorin@whatcomcounty.us.
Lynden farm joins American Angus Association WHATCOM — Double B Angus Farm of Lynden, operated by Branden and Heather Brink, is a new member of the American Angus Association, reports Bryce Schumann, CEO of the national breed organization headquartered in Saint Joseph, Mo. The American Angus Association, with nearly 24,000 active adult and junior mem-
bers, is the largest beef breed association in the world. Its computerized records include detailed information on more than 17 million registered Angus. The association records ancestral information, keeps production records on individual animals, and develops industry-leading selection tools for its members. These programs and services help members select and mate the best animals in their herds to produce quality genetics for the beef cattle industry and quality beef for consumers.
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mer, crocosmia might be just the fit. Third, summer is the time for re-bloomers to show off their stuff. Spring is the time of year when we cherish flowering plants — after all, who doesn’t love a good pickme-up after our dark, rainy winters? And while spring is great for enjoying blooming shrubs, many spring bloomers are “once and done.” Not so with one shrub, though. Sonic Bloom weigela raises the bar for springblooming shrubs. Unlike many weigelas that bloom just once (or only sporadically through summer), Sonic Bloom flowers in waves from May until the first frost. This great shrub also blooms on both old and new wood, so if necessary, it can be pruned immediately after the first bloom to manage its shape and size. Available in shades of red and pink, Sonic Bloom is sure to add some color to your garden all summer long. Now, many gardeners shy away from planting in summer and if you’re one of them, I understand your concern about watering. But rest assured that for most plants that is your only concern. Simply put, if you can water you can plant. Far too often gardeners shy away planting during pleasant, lazy summer weekends because they’re worried about plants dying when the only real concern is one that can be easily remedied. For added reassurance your summer-planted treasures will grow, soak the ground after transplant with Vitamin B-1 — available at local nurseries and garden centers — to encourage fast rooting and reduce transplant stress. Summer is a great time to plant, so take advantage of another exciting season and enjoy many of the year’s most beautiful plants. David Vos is the general manager of VanderGiessen Nursery in Lynden.
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In gardening, it’s the forgotten month: July. June still encompasses much of the spring planting season and by August many gardeners begin transitioning to fall flowers, but July stands alone, forgotten. Unfortunately, many gardeners — rightfully enjoying summer vacations or otherwise occupied with tending to their spring gardening purchases — overlook some of the most beautiful, carefree summer bloomers in the midst of summer. If you’re looking for something unique and colorful for your garden in July, here are some of my summer favorites. First, as a proud plant nerd, I’m always excited to hear about new developments in plant breeding. One of this year’s brand-new introductions is the echibeckia. A cross between echinacea (coneflower) and rudbeckia (black-eyed susan), this plant holds a lot of promise. Aside from the traditional yellow rudbeckias gardeners know and love, many other varieties in shades of orange, copper and brown simply won’t grow in our cooler climate — or if they do, they’re considered an annual. The echibeckia combines the colors of these less-hardy varieties with the tough genetics of echinacea, resulting in a plant that will winter over in cool climates and has excellent disease resistance. Moreover, echibeckias have huge, two- to three-inch flowers, are self-cleaning and bloom for up to three months. Time will tell how popular these exciting new perennials become, but as the first-ever crop begins to bloom in garden centers, check them out! A second plant you’ll find in bloom during July is one of my all-time favorites: crocosmia. The foliage looks like a grass, but the flower nearly defies explanation. In July, this unassuming plant produces long, delicate blooms comprised of neat rows of individual blossoms along each stem. Traditionally available only in red, crocosmia is now available in shades of orange and yellow as well. Crocosmia loves full sun, multiplies freely (although not so much as to take over a flowerbed) and attracts hummingbirds. If your garden could use an easy-care perennial that blooms in mid-sum-
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Country Life 3 • Wednesday, July 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
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Ferndale FFA teams win state
The Ferndale FFA team in the Sales and Service contest area won state recently and will go to nationals. The team members are, from left: Elizabeth Hand, Sophia Gould, Kirsten Kyllingmark and Katreyna Garrison. (Courtesy photo)
Farm milk price slips to $21.36 By Lee Mielke lkmielke@juno.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the June Federal Order Class III benchmark milk price on July 3 at $21.36 per hundredweight, down $1.21 from May. That price is still $3.34 above June 2013 and equates to about $1.84 per gallon to the farmer. The half-year Class III average now stands at $22.68, up from $17.74 at this time a year ago and $15.90 in 2012. Looking ahead, Class III futures settled as follows: July $21.38, August $20.58, September $20.32, October $20.25, November $19.81, and December $19.50. The June Class IV price is $23.13, up 48 cents from May and $4.25 above a year ago. The 2014 average now stands at $23.09, up from $18.17 a year ago and $14.90 in 2012. The four-week National Dairy Product Sales Reportsurveyed cheese price used in calculating this month’s prices was $2.0358 per pound, down 13.5 cents from May. Butter averaged $2.1874, up 14 cents. Nonfat dry milk averaged $1.8633, down 1.4 cents, and dry whey averaged 67.89 cents per pound, up fractionally from May. The California Depart-
ment of Food and Agriculture announced its June 4b cheese milk price at $19.07 per hundredweight, down another 27 cents from May after losing $2.39 last month, and $2.29 below the comparable Federal Order Class III price but still $3.16 above June 2013. That puts the midyear 4b average at $20.63, up from $16.05 at this time a year ago and $13.83 in 2012. The June 4a butter-powder price is $23.19, up 62 cents from May and $4.80 above a year ago. The 4a average now stands at $22.94, up from $17.94 a year ago and $14.73 in 2012. These prices include the CDFA-mandated price enhancement, but this will be the final month of that. As of July 1, all California prices will be under the old formulas. Cash cheese prices are below $2 per pound again. Cheese production is steady across the nation as manufacturing milk is readily available in most regions, according to Dairy Market News. Cheese plants are operating at or near capacity to take advantage of milk supplies. Despite fluctuations, cash butter ended up unchanged on the week at $2.39 per pound. Cash Grade A nonfat
dry milk closed Thursday at $1.7725, down 3.5 cents on the week. Four train cars were sold. NDPSR powder averaged $1.8796, up 0.6 cent, and dry whey averaged 68.31 cents per pound, up 0.4 cent. The preliminary June milk-feed price ratio was unchanged from the revised May level, according to USDA’s Ag Prices report. That ratio is at 2.24, unchanged from May, and compares to 1.52 in May 2013. The index is based on the current milk price in relationship to feed prices for a ration of 51 percent corn, 8 percent soybeans and 41 percent alfalfa hay. In other words, one pound of milk today can purchase 2.28 pounds of dairy feed of that blend. The June U.S. average allmilk price was $23.30/cwt., down from $24.20 in May but up from $19.50 in June 2013. June corn, at $4.37 per bushel, was down 34 cents from May and $2.60 less than June 2013. Soybeans averaged $14.10 per bushel, down 30 cents from May and $1 per bushel below a year ago. Alfalfa hay averaged $222 per ton, down $2 from May but $2 per ton more than in June 2013. The report shows the preliminary June cull price for beef and dairy combined averaged $105 per cwt., up $1
from May, and $23.40 per cwt. above June 2013. 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 June $21.36 $22.80 (current) July $21.40 $22.40 Aug. $20.50 $21.90 Sept. $20.30 $21.40 Oct. $20.25 $20.60 Nov. $19.80 $19.90 Dec. $19.50 $19.40 Jan. $18.80 $18.80 Feb. $18.30 $18.60 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly and associate editor of DairyBusiness Update. Whatcom County has about 100 dairy farms.
As there were neither minutes nor a treasurer’s report, we moved on to project reports. The following members stated their name, grade, school and main project and answered a few questions: Karibeth Engelsma, Rafe Wolfisberg and Luke Wolfisberg. On activity reports, everyone discussed the picnic/flower planting in late May. Then Lexi Neil talked about the Farmers Day Parade on June 7. To finish
up, Lathan VanderLeest talked about the dairy judging practice on June 14. In new business, the combined Washington State Jersey and Holstein shows will be held July 16-18 at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. The annual club picnic will be held on July 31, with a pizza dinner starting around 7 p.m. In
regard to fair preparations, we discussed decorating and putting up waterers, but we haven’t specified a date yet. Online entries for the fair are due by July 25. To finish up the night, Karen Steensma and Tony Lapsansky gave an amazing presentation on predators of unwanted birds on dairy and berry farms.
4-H Reports
The Ferndale FFA team in Veterinary Science won state and will go to nationals in Louisville this fall. From left are: Mrs. Abbott, Emily Harting, Erin Abbott, Catie Juneau, Kendra Hansen, Melissa Rauch and Mr. Torretta. (Courtesy photo)
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BARNYARD KIDS Reporter: Luke Wolfisberg On June 26 the Barnyard Kids 4-H Club held a meeting. As our president was absent, secretary Katelyn Oostra called us to order at 7:12 p.m. For roll call, people answered with their favorite part of summer. The Northwest Washington Fair was the favorite. The Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H Pledge were led by Sarah Lagerwey and Jenna Dickinson, respectively.
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Country Life 4 • Wednesday, July 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Sandra Matheson keeps up family beef cattle raising By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
WHATCOM — Even with high-voltage lines overhead and the busy Smith-Guide Meridian roads’ intersection nearby, the Matheson family property is still good for raising beef cattle. So Sandra Matheson does it, tending to all aspects of about 100 head of Simmental and Angus mix on 140 acres straddling both sides of the Guide. “This has always been my love. It’s pretty much been my project,” she said. It’s where her parents, Lloyd and Theresa Matheson, came about 60 years ago and, in addition to farming, started a corner store known as Matheson’s Market. Most choice frontage has gone to other uses by now. But Sandra, a retired veterinarian, likes to apply good practices in pasture management and sustainability to the land and produce highquality grass-fed beef that can be sold to discerning buyers at the Community Food Co-op in Bellingham and also from her own roadside farm stand each Saturday. That is, if she can get the slaughter and meat packing services she needs — which is why she is deeply involved in and committed to the goals of the North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative (see adjoining story). Matheson uses the only USDA-inspected operation in
northwest Washington, Keizer AA Meats of Lynden. But there should be more slaughter houses to meet the need, she believes. “We’re looking for options to market our brand,” she said. She is currently the acting president of the 27-member meat packers cooperative, which came together in 2011. About half of the members are from Whatcom County. The mobile meat processing unit that won USDA funding has not actually been ordered yet from TriVan, she said. That is to allow a little more time to build up co-op membership and equity. But she hopes the unit can be built and in service by sometime in 2015. It is a perfect match that Del Fox Meats is willing to manage the unit and then provide the meat cutting and wrapping, Matheson said. Matheson is primarily oc-
cupied as a holistic management educator. She is part of a team of the nonprofit Pacific Northwest Center for Holistic Management that advises businesses and farmers toward greater sustainability. On her own land, she does strip pasturing. That requires moving an electric fence every few days to allow the grazing cattle into just what area they need while the rest of the field can properly rejuvenate. “By managing this property, I’ve made huge strides in improving the land,” she said. She doesn’t use chemical pesticides or fertilizers. She makes her own silage and hay. In addition to beef cattle, Matheson has another type of creature she raises — four yak. And she is looking into doing some cross-breeding of yak with cattle. Moreover, at the Northwest Washington Fair in August, she is a superintendent of 4-H performing arts.
Regional meat processing unit to be built by TriVan MOUNT VERNON — The Northwest Agriculture Business Center has been awarded $123,633 in grant funding to support the North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative in its purchase of a mobile processing unit. This unit, to be built by TriVan Truck Body of Ferndale, will provide on-farm USDAinspected harvest for livestock producers located in Island, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. The funds will come via a Rural Business Enterprise grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This program’s purpose is to support rural economies and provide economic opportunities for agricultural producers. The Northwest Agriculture Business Center also serves as a USDA-designated Rural Cooperative Development Center with a similar purpose to improve rural economies through development. The cooperative is partnering with Pat and Dawn Cairus, owners of Del Fox Meats, a processing company located in rural Snohomish County near Stanwood. Del Fox Meats will provide contracted services to operate the mobile unit and will build a USDA-inspected plant to process the harvested meat into finished products. “Cooperatives provide a structure in which a group of producers can own and control the business. This can give the producers greater control
over the costs of production as well as economies of scale for marketing and distribution of finished products,” said NABC project manager Jeff Voltz. Cooperatives also allow the opportunity to authentically personalize market relationships, as producers are the owners and the faces of their businesses. Over a million people reside in the four counties where the 27 members of the North Cascades Producers Cooperative farm. Based on national consumption data provided by the USDA, it’s possible to reasonably estimate that the population of Island, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties consumed the equivalent of 140,000 beef cows, 300,000 hogs and 28,000 lamb in 2012, Voltz estimates. More than 98 percent of this meat comes into these counties from outside the Puget Sound region. That means there could be a burgeoning market demand for locally produced products and a huge market opportunity for local meat production, Voltz says. In Whatcom County, Sandy Matheson comes from a family farming tradition of raising pastured beef. She is now a North Cascades Meat Producers Cooperative member. “Matheson Farms has been a part of our family for more than 50 years. During this time we have experienced the increasing crush of development throughout the region as well
as intense consolidation in the beef industry. This combination has led to few options for processing and markets for the sale of our beef. It is heartening to see the strong and increasing public desire for locally produced meat and we believe that our cooperative effort could enable local producers to fulfill this new and growing demand,” Sandy Matheson said. “Individually, farmers don’t have the time or level of expertise to organize a multi-farmer owned organization or to figure out how to coordinate production and relationships with markets and institutions. That’s where NABC comes in and provides incredible value that can help us get organized, connect us to the market and re-create many of the infrastructure needs that have disappeared from our region,” she said. Since 2009, the thrust of the Northwest Agriculture Business Center has been to develop a “food hub” to leverage market trends and create a more equitable and efficient agricultural infrastructure for the marketing, aggregation, distribution, and value-added processing of northwest Washington farm products. NABC is part of the Farm to Table project, a partnership bringing fresh, local produce to programs serving children and older adults in Seattle and King County. NABC is based in Mount Vernon. For more details, visit www. agbizcenter.org.
Razz: Berry harvest promising Continued from CL1 Maberry said that early in the season the indications are that berry prices will be solid, on par with last year or even a touch higher across the board. While the county’s larger farms, such as Maberry, Enfield, Rader and Clark, pick for the premium pack of individually quick frozen berries, the secondary pack of straight packing and puree and the bottom end of juice berries are all showing solid prices, he said, good news for every type of berry grower in the county. An extended season helps growers with their ability to stretch out their processing and packing efforts, giving them “more opportunity to utilize our equipment,” but also providing challenges in labor costs and “some other things we deal with,” Maberry said. Blueberry growers are also expecting an early season, with the earliest variet-
Ripe berries are ready locally. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune) ies ready between July 15 and 20 instead of the final week of July as is more customary. M&MBA is a collabora-
tion of the Maberry Packing and Curt Maberry Farm to grow, process and market their berries.
Grower: Raspberry quality off to excellent start Prices also good; now growers will see about weather, any winter damage By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
LYNDEN — The local raspberry season is off to a good start, agreed veteran berry grower John Clark, but he remains wary of how it will end. “It looks pretty good at this point. But it kind of depends on what direction the weather goes over the next few weeks,” said the Birch BayLynden Road-based grower. He would prefer to see the weather continue just as it has been lately, without much
rain and temperatures averaging in the low 70s. He doesn’t want to see a hot stretch in July. Since Clark’s Berry Farm also grows strawberries, he is freshly aware that that season lasted just a quick 15 days. “It came on really fast and furious, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see raspberries go in the same direction,” Clark said. So far, the quality is excel-
lent in his fields where harvesting machines started June 30. Another uncertain factor beside the weather ahead is whatever effect there may be from winter damage, Clark said. The consensus is that yield may be off 10-15 percent in 2014 from normal, he said. Prices will be up for the different grades of processing. “They will be stronger than last year,” he predicted.
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