BIA Home & Garden Show Preview 2023

Welcome to the 2023 Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®

Tribune Staff

LYNDEN — Not since March 2020 has Building Industry Association of Whatcom County (BIAWC) held its Home & Garden Show.

With the COVID-19 pandemic no longer the threat it had been the previous few years, the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, presented by BIAWC, is back, from April 28-30 at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 Front St., Lynden.

After years in the Henry Jansen Ag Center building, this year’s event moves into the heated Farm Pavilion and Expo building, and into the Phillips 66 Building.

As manager of the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, Selena Burgess said the BIAWC “does a fantastic job of putting on an event that showcases phenomenal businesses and speakers.”

“Seeing events that have not been happening for the last few years, return, is exciting for our facility,” Burgess said.

This year, the show is open 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, April 28; 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, April 29, and from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday, April 30.

In a January email to prospective exhibitors, Event Attendees Specialist Stephanie Marry said how excited she is to “have everyone back after two years.”

“Please join us in 2023 and get ideas for your home and gardens, and more,” Marry wrote.

New this year, the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show® boasts food trucks all weekend long to get your grub on.

SB Sharpening will be at the show for on-site sharpening of garden sheers, tools, knives, etc.

But there’s more at the largest Home & Garden Show north of Seattle with workshops, kids activities with special guests, beer garden, wine tasting, whiskey night, new vendor displays and live demonstrations, as well as fun and inspirational speakers, such as Ciscoe Morris, Seattle's favorite gardening expert.

The Outlaws Saloon Beer Garden is Ferndale’s watering hole. Outlaws will bring its wide selection of cold beer to the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show® this April.

Tickets at the door are $10. Discounted tickets are available online at biawc.com, $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and free for kids 15 and younger, as well as active and retired military personnel.

The Building Industry Association of Whatcom County is a private, nonprofit trade organization of builders, remodelers and other businesses related to the home building and construction industry.

Founded in Bellingham in 1978, BIAWC serves the interests of the industry in governmental affairs, professional development, social and networking opportunities and community service.

Visit biawc.com/home-garden-show-2023.

At a recent Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, Gerald and Cheryl Vander Kooi (above) were two of many visitors. (Below) The Whatcom County Home and Garden Show® on the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden is the largest home and garden show north of Seattle. Back from a two-year hiatus, this year’s event is April 28-30. (Lynden Tribune file photos)

Discount Fence owner lives out American dream

Larry Bergsma took a chance, started his own fencing business, feels lucky every day

By Sarah McCauley Staff Reporter

BELLINGHAM — After years spent working in the fencing industry, Larry Bergsma decided to start his own company in 2012 with the goal of resolving the issues he had witnessed firsthand.

“Worked in the industry all my life and didn’t feel like I got treated fairly at times,” Bergsma said. “I decided to start my own company with the intention to treat employees fairly and provide a quality product at a fair price to customers.”

Discount Fence, Inc. is now a thriving business with locations in Bellingham, Mount Vernon and Marblemount. Bergsma said he is proud to primarily serve Whatcom and Skagit counties, which he calls home.

“I’ve lived here for over 25 years, raised my kids here, and I enjoy being a local small business,” he said.

Bergsma and his team brings years of experience to

Roberto Escalante and Edison Bergsma (photo above) setting posts to height. From right to left, Larry Bergsma, his oldest son Edison, and Edison’s future boss Amos Bergsma, Edison’s oldest son (photo at right). (Courtesy photos)

Gary’s BBQ Supplies supports American-made products

By Elisa Claassen For the Tribune

LYNDEN — Gary Vander Giessen’s mother became ill when he was five, so he said he had to learn to cook for himself.

“As a small child I was always fascinated with food, from tortillas to prime rib I was always cooking something,” he wrote. “TV was my babysitter and I learned a lot from (wellknown chefs) Graham Kerr and Julia Child. My father was a very industrious man but he also had a passion for food and with one arm could cook up a full meal in half an hour. I guess he was the original Rachel Ray. My father also loved to fish and once a year we made our trip to Camano Island to get our fish fixed for the year. When he was a small boy he wandered down to the Fishtrap Creek where the local Indian tribe the Nooksacks were gathering, smoking and drying their fish for the year. This is where I was first introduced to smoking foods. There are lots of recipes for smoking salmon but my favorite is still plain salt, smoke and salmon.”

Starting with a family background, Vander Giessen grew from there. About 15 years ago

the Lynden resident discovered the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association (PNWBA). He found a group of people passionate for good food.

“I have always had a passion for BBQ and this looked like fun,” Vander Giessen wrote. “Taking a judging class was my first step and soon we were traveling weekends to judge BBQ.”

When his wife Linda suggested that he find a way to pay for his hobby, it became a business: Gary’s BBQ Supplies was born.

“I knew I couldn’t compete with large box stores and I really wanted to support Americanmade products and companies with an emphasis on quality,” he said. “A few years later, I was introduced to the legendary Yoder brand.”

Until recently, Yoder was a little known company. The Yoder YS640 was named Smoker/Grill of the year for 2023 by People magazine.

“I am very excited to carry these lines of products. It’s not a problem to sell items that you believe in and have faith in,” he said. “If you’re looking for an offset smoker, loaded smoker, or covered grill, we have tons of incredible options for you to choose from.”

Vander Giessen plans to bring his personal Yoder YS640 to work with at the show as well as several other small smokers for show goers to have options. He also offers a bit of a caveat: “I am cooking while we are at the show, and if anyone wants me to cook something for them, they should stop by with some meat.”

Evan Wiederspohn, a 16-yearold pitmaster, and his father Brandon Wiederspohn will demonstrate on Yoder Grills both Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29 in the booth at this year’s Home and Garden Show at the

Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 Front St., Lynden.

Evan, at age 15 won many grand championships in the PNWBA, has a recipe on the menu at Famous Dave’s BBQ Restaurant nationwide.

On Sunday, April 30 at the Home and Garden Show, Celebrity Chef Tim West will demonstrate Yoder Grills. West is a proponent of the slow food movement and has been a speaker on Ted Talks.

The Gary’s BBQ Supplies website has a variety of recipes, including homemade Alabama

white sauce, cheese stuffed bacon wrapped meatballs, Asian beef fridge jerky, turmeric grilled pears with a link to a YouTube video showing how to grill.

Gary’s BBQ Supplies is at 1511 Front St., Lynden. Available by appointment Sunday through Friday.

For more information, call 360-223-1009 or visit garysbbqsupplies.com.

Also visit Gary’s BBQ Supplies at this year’s Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, April 28-30.

Gary Vander Giessen is accustomed to packing up his BBQ equipment and going to shows and competitions to judge and demonstrate BBQ. (Courtesy of Gary’s BBQ Supplies)

Bergsma: Discount Fence owner lives out American dream

Continued from C5 every project they work on. Each of his employees has over five years of experience, with his manager, Roberto Escalante, holding over 25 years of knowledge in the business. He even works with his oldest son who has been working on fences since he was 8.

“I feel lucky every single day,” Bergsma said. “The American dream is alive and well.”

His favorite memory from over the years of running Discount Fence was when he put in a bid and won a state contract to build a fence for his old grade school in Monroe.

“I took my eldest son Edison with me,” Bergsma said. “It was awesome to build it with him and I’ll always remember that experience.”

His best advice for fence maintenance is to make sure it’s looked at once each year, at the very least.

“For any type of fence except vinyl, clear dirt away from the base of your posts to prevent moisture from holding,”

Bergsma said. Discount Fence offers a wide range of products from wood, vinyl, chain-link and metal fences, as well as security solutions such as barbed wire, razor wire, security fencing, and secured gates.

And they provide services such as fence installation, repairs, supplies, and do-it-yourself packages for residential, commercial, and industrial customers, according to the company’s website.

“We will try to work within your budget and timeline to provide the best fencing solution available,” the website states.

Check out their booth at the April 2830 Whatcom County Home and Garden Show® where you can see fence displays, free advice and info. Plus, take a look at Bergsma’s very own patent pending Forever Mesh fence, which has zero maintenance and is the same price as wood deco mesh but lasts twice as long with vinyl posts and rails instead of wood.

Visit their Bellingham location at 2236 Pacific St., or visit discountfencewa.com.

Also visit them at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show ®, April 28-30.

Black Forever Mesh Fence (Patent Pending) uses vinyl posts and rails with heavy deco wire, lasting twice as long as with wood. (Courtesy photo)

Being at show is next step for blade sharpening business

SB Sharpening is carefully grown by Brooks couple

By Cal Bratt

For the

Tribune

FERNDALE — Toni and Wayne Brooks wanted to build their new business carefully and not make mistakes.

So in four years of owning SB Sharpening, based on Paradise Road, Ferndale, they have quietly taken deliberate steps in training, pricing and customer service to make sure it all measures up to high standards.

They didn’t advertise much, instead relying on word-of-mouth endorsement of the blade sharpening business.

They decided to be at the Lynden dog show for two days, out of which came $2,500 of business.

They realized they really had a service in demand and only needed to ramp up their visibility.

And so SB Sharpening will be at the Whatcom County Home Show for the first time ever and see what comes of it.

“There’s no sharpener like us in Whatcom County that does everything,” Toni said.

That “everything” is true, meaning blade sharpening for professional tailoring and cosmetology services, for restaurants and on to animal grooming shears of all kinds and the yard tools that dig into the soil. The website, sbsharpeningbybrooks.com, details it all.

Toni is the main face of the business for now, as Wayne continues to finish out a career in the oil refining industry. They may be able to build SB Sharpening even more in his retirement.

They have created a 40-by-60-foot shop building at home with ample work space for the future. They have added a sharp-looking trailer that advertises the business as it goes around to wherever, and “we sharpen right there,” Toni said. She is building relationships with business clientele.

A year ago, the couple went to a weeklong training conference in Georgia earning them certification in the blade sharp-

ening field.

These folks are solidly rooted. The Brooks household has raised seven children plus helped some foster kids. Toni says the goal was to “stay local and try to build a business here.”

Beyond the sharpening main component of the business, the couple also offers sales of certain high-quality blades and shears and the protective storage and sheaths for sharpened blades.

Items that need sharpening can also be dropped off at 1293 Paradise Road by using prior online check-in. Reach Toni directly at 360-820-3474.

For more information, visit sbsharpeningbybrooks.com.

Visit SB Sharpening at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, April 28-30.

The wellequipped trailer of Wayne and Toni Brooks includes an all-automatic blade sharpening machine, right. The trailer is ready to go wherever there is business to be done. (Cal Bratt for the Tribune)

'Home is where the heart is' at Greenhouse

By Elisa Claassen For the Tribune

BELLINGHAM — At the corner of Holly Street and Cornwall Avenue in Bellingham, Greenhouse has large windows that show indoor and outdoor décor, kitchen items and gifts.

BreAnne “Bre” Green, formerly director of sales at Haggen, said she saw that Greenhouse Home’s founders Chris Foss and Foster Rose announce they intended to retire and close the store.

Greenhouse had been for sale but none of the potential buyers had been a good fit for them, Foss and Rose had said.

Suddenly, Bre and her husband Eric announced their interest. The couple said they didn’t want the community to lose the store. Now owners of the business, Greenhouse has 16 employees, most are full time. Not only do the Greens hand select items for the store, but they also continue to expand its offerings.

In her 50-year blog, Bre Green wrote: “Here at Greenhouse, we believe that home is truly where the heart is.

"From home decor and furniture to cookware and kitchen accessories, we have everything you need for your home and even more for your life.

"Your home is an expression of your personality and we want to help give your home the attention it deserves. We pride ourselves on forming intimate relationships with our customers to make sure each and every purchase is made with confidence; knowing we

stand behind all of our products.”

Started in 1972, Greenhouse celebrated the big anniversary in 2022. The business started small, opening with only $1,500 in borrowed capital and a passion for tropical plants. It now maintains three floors of stock as well as special services: making gift baskets, home design and consultation, and home staging for the real estate world.

Bre manages the store on a daily basis while Eric continues his 20th year in real estate. Their combined mission, she wrote, is to deliver the highest level of customer service to each and every person, whether it is in the store, bringing value to a seller’s home with staging, or showing future buyers the endless possibilities of how to make a house a home.

While the black-and-white farmhouse theme has been prevalent in recent years, Bre said she will be leading a workshop on Saturday to speak of updating décor with color while on a budget. “You can add warmth with small things.”

During the home show, the Greenhouse will offer a 15% off coupon, Bre said, that can be used for purchases both at the show and at the store. Their booth will be stocked with bestsellers from each department at the store.

Greenhouse is at 1235 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham. Hours are from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit greenhousehome.com. Also visit Greenhouse at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®.

BreAnne “Bre” Green is the co-owner of the Greenhouse in downtown Bellingham. The Greenhouse offers a wide assortment of hand-selected home decor items and services. (Courtesy of The Greenhouse Home)

Providing energy for the community since 2002

Western Solar serves commercial, residential, nonprofit customers

By Nathan Schumock Sports Editor

WHATCOM COUNTY — Western Solar has been a staple in the Whatcom solar industry, providing quality care to their customers since 2002.

Western Solar prides itself on customer satisfaction. Design Manage Trish Merriman said their mission is to be a resource for people looking into the solar market and helping them decide what the next best steps will be.

“We give them the most comprehensive information we can and find the best solution for them,” Merriman said. “We want them to really value their decision to go solar and especially go solar with us.”

Western Solar provides services for both commercial and residential customers and gives help to nonprofits looking for funding or donations.

Another one of their mission points is to provide knowledge and awareness of the positives of green power. Director of Sales and Business Development Evan Bush said, “On the environmental front and renewable energy front, we are here because we care about the impact we have on the world around us.”

The Western Solar website says, “We hope to elevate the case for renewable energy in our region and contribute to decreasing our country’s dependence on fossil fuels and its contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions.”

Along with the positives Western Solar provides on the environmental front, they also inform customers about financial benefits.

Merriman said they tailor their solar models to each customer and help them find the best way to save money in the long run.

“It is not just a one-size-fits-all,” Merriman said. “It is a custom design system.”

Although Washington is not the sunni-

est state in the country, solar power still has its benefits. General Manager Eric Blatz explained that solar uses a net metering system that saves a lot of energy from the sunny period in Washington and then expels those credits during the winter and non-sunny periods of the year.

With net metering, there is also the potential to save money. According to the Western Solar website, any excess electricity will be sent back to your utility and you will gain full retail credit on your electric bill.

“We have our foot firmly planted in traditional technology with our eyes toward the future,” Bush said. “New technologies coming on the horizon like home battery storage and EV charging technologies that we will provide solutions for our customers. This has become viable technology that we can stand behind.

Visit Western Solar at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, April 28-30.

The Vashon Transfer Station completed with Western Solar’s product. Top photo from left, Alex Jaramillo, Robbie Enriquez, Max Paget, Jade Dorman, Alec Watkins, and Dana Hickenbottom. Below, Western Solar employees install solar panels on a house. (Courtesy of Trish Merriman)

Vista Materials makes mulch, soil, wood chips from recycled pallets

By Nathan Schumock Sports Editor

FERNDALE — Vista Materials has just opened for business in Ferndale to provide for all mulch and gravel needs.

Vista Materials is a landscape supply yard that is a member of the Perry Pallet Company, which is right across the street. Perry Pallet Company has been in business since 1995 and has been supplying pallets to companies around the Pacific Northwest.

All of the pallets are made of recycled wood that they repurpose and distribute. It is essentially a recycling plant but for wood.

The plants combined have about 10 acres of developed land. The company owns more land than 10 acres, but it is not all in use right now.

Vista Materials officially opened its doors on March 10. They provide numerous kinds of mulch that can be used for different purposes. Vista Materials sells landscape mulch, natural woodchips and soil. They also have different sizes of gravel that customers can purchase for their projects.

All of the mulch is made from pallets that were broken. So they will take all of those broken pallets and recycle them through a machine to create mulch that they sell to customers.

While they have always sold

mulch under the Perry Pallet name, they rebranded as Vista Materials and built a convenient yard for customers to come pick up what they need.

Along with their mulch, they also provide certified playground chips for schools which differentiates them from other mulch providers.

The next closest certified playground chip provider is in Longview, which is over three hours south of Whatcom County or Abbotsford, where you would need to cross the border.

Vista Materials serves as a convenient option for schools looking for playground chips.

Mike Winters, supervisor of Vista Materials, said they also sell firewood and are keeping track of different trends in customer needs so they can adjust what they have to sell.

“I think it is a great location, great need that is getting covered and it is exciting to be a part of and see it take off,” Winters said. “It will be interesting in another five years to see where it is at as it grows.”

To shop and research more about the services that Vista Materials provides, visit vistamaterialsinc.com.

Also visit Vista Materials at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, April 28-30.

A collection of the mulch and soils (top) that Vista Materials provides. Piles of broken pallets will be recycled and turned into mulch for customers. (Nathan Schumock/ Lynden Tribune)

Asphalt NW brings 100-plus years of paving experience

By Sarah McCauley Staff Reporter

LYNDEN — Although Asphalt NW just opened earlier this year, the team behind the business carries a wealth of experience in paving. Owner Loren VanderYacht has been paving in Whatcom County since 1992.

“I love the relationships that I have formed with customers over the years, many of which have become close friends,” VanderYacht said. “It is very rewarding to continue to do projects over and over for the same clients, based on our relationship and trust built over the years.”

The 10-person crew gets up early every day to tackle a variety of projects ranging from driveways, parking lots, pickleball courts, streets, patch repairs, and just about anything else requiring asphalt, according to VanderYacht. And all together the crew has a combined total of over 100 years of paving experience.

Asphalt NW offers free estimates as

well as free pavement evaluations with recommendations on how to best maintain your asphalt pavement. They service all of Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and Island counties.

Services range from asphalt overlay to installation to grading.

Asphalt overlay consists of paving a second layer of asphalt over an existing layer. The team also provides grading services, which has to do with how well water drains from an asphalt surface.

“There are two main factors that will

EXCAVATI NG, I NC.

Derek DeKoster Cell – 360.815 7129

make the difference between a quality, long lasting asphalt paving project and one that will only last a year or two,” according to their website.

They list the first as being the quality of your base material known as road base, and the second factor being how well water drains from your asphalt surface.

Making sure that your asphalt project is properly graded will save money in your investment over the future of your asphalt maintenance.

Each day can look pretty different for

the team as they consider all the factors that impact projects, such as the weather.

“A typical day starts very early in the morning so we have time to determine what the weather is doing and whether or not it is favorable for paving,” VanderYacht said. “If the weather is too wet, we need to have time to shut down the asphalt plant as well as call the crews off for the day.”

Perhaps it’s this attention to detail that sets them apart and has built such a strong customer base for the young business.

According to Asphalt NW’s website, the secret to their customer loyalty is their “commitment to exceptional service. No matter what the size and scope of your asphalt paving project, we will devote a highly personalized level of attention.”

Visit Asphalt NW at the Whatcom County Home and Garden Show®, April 28-30. Stop by their booth to get a free estimate for your next paving project.

Visit their offices located at 6873 Guide Meridian Road in Lynden, or visit asphaltnorthwest.com.

Tera Allard is available to help both homeowners & contractors with any of their cabinetry needs. She would be happy to give you a free estimate for your new construction or remodel project.

Photos courtesy of Casali Remodeling and MK Daughters Photography