Country Life Special Section • Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Gardening • CL3 Dairy • CL4 4-H • CL6
Agriculture
Agriculture
Former nautical artist turns to farms
National raspberry council coming to Lynden
Williamson, of Ferndale, will be in upcoming Lynden show By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
LYNDEN — James Williamson, a local artist of ships and nautical themes in the past, has now turned his attention to Whatcom County farming. The Ferndale-based painter will be at the March 17-19 Lynden Spring Craft & Antique Show with some of his latest watercolors. “For years I have been painting ‘tractor tugs’ for Foss Maritime,” Williamson wrote in an email. “Now I have taken all that ‘tractor tug’ experience and turned my attention to actual tractors.” His completed subjects so far are: an Advance Rumely steam engine, a John Deere Model B tractor spotted on a Lynden farm, a Farmall H tractor on a local tractor lot, and an old pickup truck in a landscape with Mt. Baker in the background. Williamson has been doing the craft and antique show for five years, both spring and fall. He mainly brought his nautical and marine history subjects, but his appreciative viewers requested that he do “farm art.”
National membership reflects a strong local flavor By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com
He has the ability to create paintings of machines. He attributes that to a degree in industrial illustration, after growing up in industrial Pittsburgh. “So it is easy to go from one subject to the other ... tugboats to tractors. Both are machines. The only difference is placing them on water or land,” he quips. “What ‘drives’ me to create more is the response I get from people. Many are excited to see such detailed paintings of tractors that oftentimes have special memories for the family. Others enjoy the Whatcom County landscapes I have created so far.” At the 30th annual spring craft and antique show, Williamson will talk about how he creates, discuss the history of his subjects and learn from visitors.
LYNDEN — The National Processed Raspberry Council, a national-level industry group formed in 2013, comes to Lynden for its next round of meetings on May 23-25. John Clark, veteran Lynden berry grower, is chair of the 12-member council, and at least four of six domestic producer members on the council are from Whatcom County, reflecting the dominance of local red raspberry growing. Ravinder Dhaliwal is vice chair, and Rolf Haugen and Adam Enfield are members. The full council, set up under federal law through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, also includes importers and foreign producers of processed raspberries that come into the United States, and one public at-large member. The exact locations of committee meetings the first two days and a full council meeting on May 25 are still being determined. Tom Krugman is the executive director of the National Processed Raspberry Council. “We chose Lynden for an obvious reason — it’s right in the heart of U.S. raspberry country and we want to make it as convenient as possible for as many industry members in Washington and British Columbia as possible to join us for this meet-
See Painter on CL5
See Raspberry on CL6
Local painter James Williamson has turned his artistic focus toward old farm scenes and equipment. (Courtesy photos)
Country Life 2 • Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Agriculture
New Small Farm Expo Saturday at Peoples Place Variety of experts and vendors to be on hand from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. WHATCOM — A free Small Farm Expo will be held on Saturday, March 12, at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This new event will include indoor and outdoor exhibits demonstrating the latest in agricultural technology, products and services, plus seminars by local veterinarians. Designed to be an informal meet-and-greet and networking event, visitors will find opportunities to engage with vendors, experts and other small farmers as well as discover new resources to help improve and expand healthy crops, animals, pastures and more. Whether you are a raising your prize horse, running 20 head of cattle, making some extra cash off duck eggs or trying to grow all your own food, this event offers something for everyone. Participants will be given the chance to connect with educational organizations, learn about the latest news affecting farmers, ask and answer questions, and network with others who share their concerns and desire to be successful. The venue is the Peoples Place building. These are presentations: • 11:30 a.m., Scratch and Peck Feeds, on feed requirements and S&P offerings. • 12 noon, Dr. Gale DeJong of Kulshan Veterinary, on hoof health, trimming and disease. • 12:45 p.m., Dr. Amber Itle, WSDA state vet, on protecting livestock and poultry from disease. • 1:30 p.m., Dr. Susan Kerr, WSU Extension livestock specialist, on establishing a herd or flock. • 2:15 p.m., Liam Shaw of Gallagher Fencing, on tools and benefits of using electric fence. Exhibitors will include: Whatcom Farmers Co-op, Kulshan Veterinary Hospital, Gallagher Fencing, Scratch
You can get help for raising horses and pigs and much more at this Saturday’s Small Farm Expo in Lynden. It’s a coordination effort by the Whatcom Conservation District and free and open to the public. (Courtesy photos) and Peck Feeds, Whatcom County Farm Bureau, Lighthoof Equine Mud Management, WSU Whatcom County Master Gardeners, WSU Whatcom County Master Composter Recyclers, Whatcom Conservation District, Sustainable Connections, Cloud Mountain Farm Center, Whatcom County Public Works, Whatcom County Department of Health, Glacier Pacific Solar, Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Grow Northwest, custom fencing and lifetime cattleman Don Hrutfiord, custom farmer Don Roosma, Exact Scientific Services, a WSU Extension
livestock specialist and a WSDA state veterinarian. Sponsored by the Whatcom Conservation District and Whatcom County Public Works, the event is open to the public. Free tarps and a free soil test will be available to qualifying farmers, while supplies last. For more details, visit www.whatcomcd. org/upcoming-events or contact Aneka Sweeney at 526-2381 ext. 103 or asweeney@ whatcomcd.org.
Please Recycle This Paper. Community
It’s time to sign up for CSA shares this 2016 season Sustainable Connections hosting a CSA Fair on Saturday, March 26
Proudly ... Supporting the communities we serve.
WHATCOM — Sustainable Connections invites the public to attend a CSA Fair on March 26 at Boundary Bay’s Beer Garden from 2 to 4 p.m. Community Supported Agriculture is a program allowing consumers to buy a share of the farm with a CSA membership at the beginning of a season and then receive a weekly box of the harvest from the farmer. Shares can be delivered to a house, picked up at a centralized location or even delivered to a workplace. Contents can include vegetables, fruit, dairy, meat, eggs, flowers, honey and specialty items. At the fair you can enjoy live music by The Nuages and savor a local beer while meeting Whatcom and Skagit farmers who are offering CSA in 2016. Individuals and workplaces are encouraged to attend and visit each booth, meet the farmers and ask questions. Copies of the newly released directory of 2016 farms offering CSA will be available at the fair as well. The CSA model works best when customers sign up in advance of the season, and many farmers are offering early bird discounts. A weekly share typically costs $20 to $25 per week and feeds two to four people. Some CSA farms accept EBT (food stamps) as payment, too. Sustainable Connections is hosting a member luncheon on Thursday, April 7, for businesses interested in learning more about CSA, and a Farm Fresh Workplace toolkit for employers is available on Sustainable Connections website.
Water quality workshop set LYNDEN — Early registration ends at midnight on March 12 for a March 16 fourhour workshop on “Water Quality - Upstream & Downstream” at WaterTec, 177 Birch Bay-Lynden Rd. Lunch is included in the price of registration ($20 early/$27 late). For more details, go to: http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/ edu/watertalks or call Chris Benedict at 778-5809. The Food Safety Modernization Act requires farm operators to monitor and potentially treat irrigation water
to reduce water-borne pathogens. Degraded water quality has resulted in the closure of commercial shellfish beds for which the cause is partially blamed on agricultural activities. These two facts underscore the important role that water quality, both upstream and downstream, plays in farming operations in western Washington. This workshop will discuss water quality as it relates to horticultural operations and will include talks that cover: FSMA rules and regulations, water quality testing, mechanical and chemical filtration, downstream water quality impacts, and practices to maintain downstream water quality.
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Country Life 3 • Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Getting ready for flower viewing
In Bloom
Get your lawn back in shape By David Vos
The daffodils are in their full glory in the Skagit Valley commercial bulb fields, and that means the tulips are not far behind. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is now always held exactly in the month of April, bringing 1 million visitors each year to see over 300 acres of tulips bursting into bloom. (Elisa Claassen/Lynden Tribune)
Webinar on nonpesticide options Fighting fruit fly WHATCOM — The Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, of Eugene, Oregon, will conduct a free webinar on fighting a fruit pest on Tuesday, April 12. Preregistration is required. The topic is “An All-Seasons Approach to Monitoring and Managing Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD).” This fly has become a problem in soft fruit, including berries, in the Pacific Northwest. The time is 10 to 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Register at: http://www.pesticide.org/ swd_webinar_2016. The webinar will be organized according to each of the four seasons, demonstrating what’s happening in the life cycle of SWD and effective techniques to monitor and
Calling all potato growers for best planting photo; prizes at state
reduce populations. Amy J. Dreeves of Oregon State University is the presenter. George Harris of Northwest Farm Credit Services will also talk about whole-farm revenue insurance, a crop insurance program that provides a new opportunity for specialty crop and diversified farms to secure coverage. Dreves and Sharon Selvaggio of NCAP will also talk about minimizing pesticide risk, minimum residue limit requirements for selected export countries and required pesticide buffers along salmon-bearing streams. They will take questions from viewers. A Spanish translation of the webinar will be available online by early summer. The center can be reached at 541-344-5044.
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — To reward potato farmers for the long hours and hard work that come with planting season, Protassium+ invites growers to participate in the #TaterCreator Photo Contest and share a photo of potato planting via Facebook or Twitter. The contest started March 7. Through April 10, the first 100 photo entries will receive a pair of leather-palm work gloves. The five most popular #TaterCreator entries will each win a $100 Visa gift card; one grand prize winner will receive a Yeti Hopper 30 portable cooler. Anyone age 18 and over can enter by posting a potato planting photo to Facebook and/or Twitter using hashtag #TaterCreator. The photo receiving the most “Likes” and/or “Favorites” via Facebook and Twitter, respectively, for the duration of contest is the overall winner. Photos must show potato planting (or activities or a context relating to potato planting), but creative and unconventional photos are encouraged. To see all of the #TaterCreator photos and complete rules, visit https://www.facebook.com/protassiumplus.
• • • •
F R EE!
After one of the warmest, driest summers on record last year — followed by a mild, wet winter — your lawn might need a lot of work this spring. Now is the time to get started, so here are my tips for reestablishing your yard in time for summer. First, it’s time once again to deal with moss in your lawn. I’m regularly asked when the right time is to kill moss. The fact is, it’s never a bad time to kill it, so I recommend applying ferrous sulfate as the first step in any lawn care plan for the year. Don’t forget to follow up with Super Sweet lime to discourage moss regrowth. Lawns treated twice a year with lime have less moss, grow lusher and generally require less fertilizer. Second, now is the time to address one of the most problematic grassy weeds we deal with in the Pacific Northwest: poa annua. Commonly called “annual bluegrass” or simply “poa,” this weed is often mistaken for crabgrass. In reality, poa isn’t anything like crabgrass — it looks different, grows differently and shows up at a different time of year than crabgrass. So, what is poa? If you look around your yard, you’re bound to see it this time of year. In fact, it might be the only green thing that’s not moss in some areas of your lawn at present. Poa is a fastgrowing grass with a slightly wider blade than most desirable lawn grasses. It’s a lighter shade of green than many other grasses and develops a small white seed head very quickly and at a very low height, making it difficult to mow off even with a closecutting mower. For years, the best deterrent for poa was a preemergent weed killer like Halts crabgrass preventer. While still a good option for preventing poa in lawns, the fact is that many of us already have poa established in large portions of our yards. Thankfully, there’s a new kid on the block in weed control that works as both a preventative weed control product and weed killer for existing patches of poa. Crabgrass Plus from Bonide is designed to attack both grassy and broadleaf weeds and prevent weeds from getting established in your lawn for several months, meaning one springtime application may keep your lawn weed-free into mid- or late summer. I tried it on my own lawn last year and saw great results in managing poa and nearly every other weed. Third, it’s time to address
that area of your yard that died out last year and simply didn’t green up again last fall. There are two primary factors that could be at play in what happened: fungus and drought. If your lawn died out before the hot, dry weather set in, or continued to die back even after the rains returned last fall, you may have fungus issues to deal with. Granular fungus control products stop the spread of any fungal spores, but may need to be reapplied two or three times to effectively eradicate the disease. The more common problem in most yards is entirely drought-related. While dry summers aren’t rare for us in Washington, last year was exceptional, and the weather was simply too dry for grass to survive without at least oncea-month watering. If you have areas of your lawn that haven’t greened up this winter, the sad fact is they won’t — period. Save replacing your lawn entirely, there is a less labor-intensive and cheaper alternative. First, thatch the dead areas heavily to remove as much dead grass as possible. Then, aerate your lawn to punch holes in the turf, preferably with a machine that removes a plug of sod rather than just poking a hole. Next, spread a light layer of topsoil or a plant-based compost such as Green Earth compost over the entire area — as little as a quarter inch is adequate. Finally, spread new grass seed and starter fertilizer and water in. Grass seed doesn’t typically sprout until early April in our area, so plan this job for some time in April or May. And if you’re planning to use a weed killer like what I described above, you may need to wait for a month or more after using it to seed new grass anyway. With the weather extremes we’ve had in the last year, your yard may have taken a beating. But take heart that you’re not alone, and with the right products and knowledge, you can get back to enjoying a lush, green lawn. David Vos is the general manager of VanderGiessen Nursery in Lynden.
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Country Life 4 • Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Pre-orders being taken for native trees, shrubs WCD plant sale will be March 26 BELLINGHAM — The Whatcom Conservation District’s annual sale of low-cost native plants will be on Saturday, March 26, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Roe Studio of Whatcom Community College. This year, 40 different species of native bare-root trees and shrubs, along with a variety of potted perennials, will be available. Some of the species are Alaska yellow cedar, Western hemlock, Pacific dogwood, paper birch, blackcap raspberry, red flowering currant, Pacific madrone and western azalea. Several local nursery vendors and environmental organizations will be on hand to provide even more plant purchasing options. The event includes a variety of fun, earth-friendly educational opportunities, entertainment and food. The district is currently accepting pre-orders. Plants are sold in bundles during this pre-order period. Pre-orders must be received at the WCD office, 6975 Hannegan Rd., by Monday, March 14, and
require a $100 minimum purchase. A 50 percent deposit is due upon pre-order placement. Payment can be made by cash, check or credit card. Pre-order pick up will be available before the open sale on Friday, March 25, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the site of the sale. Orders can also be picked up at the Saturday sale. Order forms and plant descriptions are available on the website www.whatcomcd. org or requested from the WCD office at 526-2381 or email WCD@whatcomcd.org. Plants can be purchased individually at the open sale. All day-of sale purchases are on a first-come, first-served basis. The purpose of the annual plant sale is to promote stewardship and conservation of natural resources. Planting native trees and shrubs can provide many positive benefits to one’s property and the natural environment such as improved water quality, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, reduction of wind and soil erosion, cleaner air, reduction of energy costs, and beautification. Proceeds from the sale support WCD conservation education programs.
MiElkE Market
Benchmark milk price up 8 cents, for now The February Federal Order Class III benchmark milk price was announced Friday, March 4, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at $13.80 per hundredweight (cwt.). That’s up 8 cents from January, but $1.66 below February 2015. It is 75 cents above California’s comparable 4b milk price. It equates to about $1.19 per gallon, up a penny from January and 14 cents above a year ago. Unfortunately, the Class III price is poised to head back down. The March futures contract settled Friday at $13.78, April at $13.53, May at $13.53 and June at $13.63. The peak for the year is only $15 in November. February’s Class IV milk price is $13.49, up 18 cents from January. But it is 33 cents below a year ago and the lowest February Class IV since 2010.
California’s 4b cheese milk price is $13.05 per cwt., down 3 cents from January and 73 cents below a year ago. The 4a butter-powder price is $13.28, up 2 cents from January but 18 cents below a year ago. The first Global Dairy Trade auction of March reversed four sessions of decline, but the gains on powdered products were pretty
much “muted,” according to HighGround Dairy’s Eric Meyer on Friday’s DairyLine show, offset by continued weakness in butterfat items and cheese. Meyer foresees a continued flat U.S. domestic market in cheese, as stocks are “overwhelming,” as are butter inventories. Block cheddar cheese closed the first Friday of March at $1.52 per pound, the highest level since Dec. 3, 2015, up 4 cents on the week, but 4 cents below a year ago. The barrels finished at $1.46, up 3 cents on the week and 3.5 cents below a year ago. Cash butter fell to $1.9575 per pound on March 1, the lowest level since last July 30, but rallied later in the week, clawing its way back above $2. It jumped 2 cents Friday and closed at $2.04 per pound, up 6.25 cents on the week and 29 cents above
a year ago. Spot Grade A nonfat dry milk climbed to 78 cents per pound March 2, its highest price since December, then fell 4 cents to close the week at 74 cents, down 2 cents on the week and 36 cents below a year ago. 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 Feb. $13.80 $13.60 (current) March $13.85 $13.50 April $13.60 $13.60 May $13.60 $13.60 June $13.65 $13.75 July $14.00 $14.05 Aug. $14.45 $14.35 Sept. $14.75 $14.60 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly. Whatcom County has about 100 dairy farms.
Farm life in March mood
Whatcom Food & Farm Finder connects to local agritourism WHATCOM — The 2016-17 Whatcom Food & Farm Finder and the NW Washington Culinary Agritourism Map will be released on April 2, opening day of the Bellingham Farmers Market. Produced and published by Sustainable Connections, this free guide to local farms and food is made possible by support and contributions from Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham, Industrial Credit Union, Bellingham Farmers Market, and Haggen. This year’s map contains a brand-new section: CSA Farms and Home Delivery, helping residents find easy and convenient ways to eat local. The Whatcom Food & Farm Finder is distributed to more than 350 locations throughout Whatcom and neighboring counties after it makes its debut. It will also be available online at www.eatlocalfirst.org. The NW Washington Culinary Agritourism Map is a popular condensed version of the guide, and helps promote Whatcom and Skagit counties as premier destinations for foodie and farm exploration. The map is designed to help connect visitors with local farm adventures, farm-to-table dining options, farmers markets, wineries, breweries, lodging and more. Inside the Whatcom Food & Farm Finder, 133 local businesses offer everything from apples to zucchini, locally made spirits to heritage animals and specialty cheese, fine dining to casual fare and one-stop shopping locales. It also contains a fold-out map for easy navigation.
Even if March is “only good for holding the rest of the year together,” it does bring moody skies and final feelings of winter before the warming renewal of spring. (Elisa Claassen/Lynden Tribune)
Businesses can get federal aid for summer 2015 drought losses SACRAMENTO — April 5 is the deadline to apply for SBA federal loan assistance for non-farm businesses related to last summer’s drought in Washington State. Low-interest loans can offset economic losses due to reduced revenues caused by the drought. Whatcom is listed by the U.S. Small Business Administration as one of 18 counties primarily affected. Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural co-
operatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. The interest rate is 4 percent for businesses and 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Apply online using the Electronic Loan Application via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ ela. Or get disaster loan information and application forms from SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling (800) 6592955 or emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.
Election Tuesday for Conservation District board LYNDEN — The election for a seat on the Whatcom Conservation District Board is on Tuesday, March 15, in the district’s office at 6975 Hannegan Rd. Polls are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. All registered voters residing within Whatcom County may vote in person on that day only. Participation in
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Country Life 5 • Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Lynden one of four equestrian vaulting national qualifying sites
Painter: Sizes range Continued from CL1 He will offer limited-edition images in a variety of print sizes, from 8-by-10-inches to 22-by-28 and even larger, both framed and unframed artwork. He will also bring a few originals, although he’s not sure which ones yet. He can be contacted in his studio at 734-5497. The show hours in the fairgrounds’ Expo Building are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors (60+) and free for age 12 and under. Parking is free.
Sponsoring team is from Warm Beach Camp LYNDEN — Equestrian vaulting, the sport of dance and gymnastics on horseback, comes to the Northwest Washington Fair and Events Center April 1-3. The “Vault into Spring” competition is sponsored by the Warm Beach Vaulters from Warm Beach Camp south of Stanwood. The Lynden event is the first of four selection trials recognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation to determine the U.S. National Team for the World Vaulting Championships in Le Mans, France. Many of the top athletes in the sport will compete as well as vaulters of all ages. All levels of competition will be on display, from beginners on a horse at a walk to thrilling teams of vaulters at a canter. Vaulting combines athleticism, artistry and horsemanship in truly creative and amazing ways. Individual vaulters perform compulsory exercises testing a vaulter’s balance, harmony with the horse, athleticism and control. Freestyle routines are choreographed routines comprised of moves the vaulters enjoy and perform well. Vaulters, who choose their own music and costuming, are scored on athleticism, harmony with the horse, creativity and artistic interpretation. Competitive vaulting requires a high degree of commitment and skill. It is an exciting spectator sport. The Warm Beach Vaulting Team has grown out of the 20-year-old Warm Beach Camp vaulting program. The team started practicing in 2006 and has been traveling to compete in diverse places such as Colorado, Kentucky, California and British Columbia. The Warm Beach Trot Team was the national champion in 2007, and the Canter
Gymnastics on a moving horse can be a sight to amaze. (Courtesy photo) B Team claimed a national title in 2013. Two Warm Beach vaulters joined the U.S. National Team for the 2015 Junior World Championships in
Ermelo, the Netherlands. The “Vault into Spring” competition is open to the public at no charge. The hours will be 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. A silent auction will be running on Saturday, also open to the public.
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Country Life 6 • Wednesday, March 9, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com
Raspberry: A first visit by 3-year-old group to Lynden Continued from CL1 ing,” wrote Krugman in The Raspberry Scoop online newsletter sent out on Monday. It will be the first time the 3-year-old group comes all the way to Lynden. Several meetings so far have been held in the Seattle area. On the agenda are approving a budget and plan for the 2017 fiscal year, wrote Clark in the newsletter. “If you are a member of the processed raspberry industry, it’s important for you to join us. Why? Because your dollars are funding the activities of the NPRC and the May meeting will be a perfect time for you to see exactly how your money is being put to work,” Clark said. Both growers and importers pay a penny per pound of berries brought to the U.S. market. The meetings will be public. More details will be sent out as the dates approach. It’s now nearly midway through the 2016 fiscal year, and the group is excited about progress being made on research and promotion fronts, the newsletter reports. Momentum is being built reaching dietitians, food manufacturers and food service leaders about the health benefits of red raspberries, according to Krugman. The word can be spread by inviting people to the council’s meetings or following the NPRC on social media and sharing posts. The website is at http://www.redrazz.org. These are platforms: Facebook: @redrazz // Twitter: @red_razz // Pinterest: @razzrecipes // Instagram: @red_raspberries. Over the past two years, NPRC has produced three videos that vividly capture the essence of the processed raspberry farming community and techniques used to bring processed raspberries to market. “We are officially rolling out these videos over a four-week social media campaign to share our story with the world,” the newsletter says. Stay up to speed on the video launch by “liking” @redrazz on Facebook. One scientific study on the anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and metabolic stabilizing properties of red raspberries was published in the January issue of Advances in Nutrition. Red raspberries are naturally rich in polyphenols, and as a result of research recently published in Free Radical Biology and Medicine and The Journal of Functional Foods, scientists are now beginning to understand how and why these polyphenols may offer human health benefits. At the average consumer level, recent boosts for red raspberries have been in these media: Yahoo News, Fitness Magazine, Orlando Family Magazine, Dallas Morning News, Meal Makeover Moms and Fresh Plaza.
The raspberry fields of Whatcom County are about to awaken from their winter dormancy. (Courtesy photo) NPRC will have lunch with Meredith Media Publishing in New York City on March 15, followed by a meeting with National Restaurant Association nutrition executives in Scottsdale, Arizona. For a fourth consecutive year, NPRC will sponsor an exclusive conference April 8-10 in Portland, Oregon, reaching some of the nation’s most influential registered dietitians. Growers Mark and Ronda Van Mersbergen of Lynden will be involved along with Krugman in presenting various processed raspberry recipes and assisting in a culinary demon-
4-H Report COUNTRY PARTNERS Reporter: Kelly Klem Spring is on the way, and nothing is more of a reminder of that than the constant heavy rain showers we’ve been having with a mix of fabulous rainbows in between. These rainbows have provided great opportunities for photographers at 4-H levels and professional alike. It would seem as though some of us are getting a head start on our fair entries. Spring is notorious for being the season of celebrating new life, but what about celebrating those of us who aren’t exactly spring chickens? This month, our club is celebrating the birthdays of those in our club young and old alike. There will be an ice cream social and a secret gift exchange, and with this group of kids there’s really no telling what you’ll get. Now, our club is not all just parties and games — although nobody’s complaining either way. We’ve continually been plowing our way through our annual fair planning schedule making progress with our fair decorations and market animals. Everyone has placed an order for coffee at one point or another; not everyone has placed an order for a pig. However, we’re crossing our fingers that we get a healthy batch of piglets and a good deal on shipping. With our orders placed and calendars marked, we’re starting the slow acceleration into the rush of 4-H shows and the August fair. However, I think that we’re on the right track and I’m proud of my club for that.
stration. On April 15-18 with the Oregon Raspberry and Blackberry Commission NPRC will work with product developers for food manufacturers to educate on the benefits and advantages of processed raspberries, latest research and plant breeding trends. The Lynden-based Washington Red Raspberry Commission continues to be the entity directing research focusing especially on better horticulture and pest control for Pacific Northwest growers.
Taco Time gives $20,000 to help Bellingham farm feed schools
Tree seedling sale March 19 at fairgrounds
RENTON — Taco Time NW Foundation announces that $100,000 in grants have been awarded to five local nonprofits in four Puget Sound area counties. Over the past 18 years, Taco Time NW has donated more than $2 million to local charities. A Whatcom County recipient is Common Threads Farm, of Bellingham, receiving $20,000 to support a schoolbased Education Corps project locally. Taco Time NW launched the foundation in 2014 as an organized charitable giving endeavor with a mission to nourish the minds and bodies of families in Western Washington by awarding grants that provide access to nutritious food and educational programs supporting healthy lifestyles. The foundation has granted a total of $200,000 to date.
LYNDEN — The Whatcom County Farm Forestry Association will hold its annual tree sale from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 19, in the Jansen barn of the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds. Seedlings will be 90 cents each. Proceeds of the sale support forestry education events and local youth activities, said member Tom Westergreen. Species for sale will be: Sitka Spruce, Giant Sequoia, Fraser Fir, Deodar Cedar, Western Hemlock, Noble Fir, Japanese Larch, Norway Spruce, Grand Fir, Ponderosa Pine, Western Red Cedar, Colorado Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir, Incense Cedar and Mugho Pine. For more information, call 671-6988.