Country Life Special Section • Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Fame for local cow
Gardening • B2 Dairy • B2 Fair photos • B3
Darigold to move Seattle offices upscale in 2017
Headquarters will be in Georgetown Squared. (Courtesy photo)
Lease of longtime Rainier Avenue building is up; Georgetown Squared new site
Sabrina the cow spends her last day grazing at Edelweiss Dairy on Aug. 12, 2016. The local Jersey has been cast on the reality TV show “Alaskan Bush People” and will spend the remainder of her life in Alaska. (Ashley Hiruko/Lynden Tribune)
Reality Show ‘Alaskan Bush People’ casts local Edelweiss cow By Ashley Hiruko reporter@lyndentribune.com
EVERSON — There’s a new celebrity in town. Sabrina, the cow, has been cast for the reality show “Alaskan Bush People.” The documentary-style show airs on the Discovery channel and focuses
on the lives of the Browns, a family living off of the land in a desolate region in Alaska. On Aug. 12, Sabrina’s owner, Jan Wolfisberg, made the journey to take Sabrina to her new home in a much colder climate. The pair traveled over 1,600 miles by car and ferry to Juneau, Alaska. Jan Wolfisberg then stayed with the family and crew to teach them how to properly care for the prizewinning cow before venturing back home. Hans Wolfisberg, Jan’s father and owner of Edelweiss Dairy, was first contacted by
producers of the show. They were in need of a cow, and the Wolfisbergs were in supply. “I wasn’t sure if it was just a joke,” Hans Wolfisberg said about the initial call. After moving to Alaska, Sabrina would stay with the Brown family for a month while video footage was shot, before being adopted by an Alaskan local to live out the remainder of her life. “She’s going to be the quote, unquote family’s source of protein for milk and butter,” Jan Wolfisberg said. “They’re going to be self-sufficient; the
cow’s going to be the family pet.” Foreseeable challenges both Hans and Jan Wolfisberg mentioned will be protecting the cow from predators, like bears, and finding suitable feed. When it came to choosing a cow to sell, there was one obvious choice: Sabrina. “The reason why this cow would work so well is because she’s older, tame and calm,” Jan Wolfisberg said. “She’s halter
See Sabrina on B2
SEATTLE — Darigold will move its corporate headquarters to the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle next year, the dairy products company announced Aug. 2. The new site is a few miles away from the current location on Rainier Avenue, which has been Darigold’s base of operations for many decades. Staff will relocate in spring 2017 to Georgetown Squared at 5601 6th Ave. South. “With the lease expiring on our current building, we took the opportunity to look at upgrade options,” said Stan Ryan, Darigold president and CEO. “I’m excited to increase the quality of our work environment at the new location. The new building will provide a highly collaborative space, which will stimulate teamwork.” Employee feedback was sought during the evaluation
of a move. For now, renovations continue at Georgetown Squared, a building of 280,000 square feet in a district south of downtown, with Darigold’s portion of construction to start late this year. Georgetown Squared bills itself with a “work outside the lines” slogan. The big building offers collaborative open space for all tenants, floorplates that go upward from 60,000 square feet, and unobstructed views of downtown Seattle and Mt. Rainier. Darigold has been in the dairy business in the Northwest for generations, as it has been farmer-owned since 1918. “Our co-op’s farm families are proud to bring service and quality to everything they do,” Ryan said. “The dedication of our farmers and employees continues as we will celebrate our 100th anniversary in the new location in 2018.” Darigold is the marketing and processing arm of the Northwest Dairy Association cooperative of about 500 dairy farm families. Darigold operates 11 processing plants in the Northwest, including a milk drying facility in Lynden.
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B2 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com • Wednesday, August 17, 2016
In Bloom
Sabrina
Keep your garden going strong yet
By David Vos
Welcome to late summer, that magical time of year when your garden looks the best it has all year … or doesn’t. Early heat in spring pushed gardens in our area into overdrive, and while the rest of summer has been more seasonable, your plants may be looking worn. To keep your plants going strong into fall — or for some ideas of replacements for your containers — here are some suggestions. If you grow flowers around your house, one of the main culprits you’re likely to battle are aphids. Aphids typically appear either black, brown or green, but as they shed their old “skin” they leave behind white shells as well. Look for aphids where you see disfigured foliage at the growing tips on the ends of branches; they tend to feed on fresh new leaves. Thankfully, for as fast as they multiply, aphids are easy to kill. If you spot them on your plants, spray with an all-purpose insecticide. Then, treat your containers or baskets with Bayer Insect Control Plant Spikes to prevent future infestations. Insert the spikes into the soil of your basket and enjoy bug-free plants for up to eight weeks — at this point of the year, that’s the rest of growing season! A second nemesis your plants face in late summer is powdery mildew. Thanks to mild temperatures and higher humidity in July, mildew is run-
ning rampant through gardens. Unchecked, the dusty gray appearance of mildew on the leaves of your plants can kill, so I recommend spraying with Bon-Neem from Bonide. This easy-to-use organic spray is safe for both flowers and vegetables, and it’s very effective in controlling diseases as well as several types of insects. For controlling powdery mildew, you may have to spray your plants multiple times at one- to two-week intervals until the disease is under control. Additionally, avoid watering overhead when possible; wet leaves on the dense foliage of plants at this time of year create ideal conditions for disease development, so focus your watering at the base of the plants. If some of your plants are already beyond saving — or, admit it, you’re just tired of them and want something fresh! — grasses are great pot fillers for the late summer transition to fall. Not only do they provide color and texture, many vari-
eties can be transplanted out into your yard later on and give you color for years to come. One of my favorite grasses for this time of year is Japanese blood grass. This short upright grass boasts fiery red tips by mid-summer, continuing to redden as the summer wanes. In flowerbeds, it slowly spreads, so give it room to grow or bury it in a pot to limit its growth. A second grass-like plant I love is Leatherleaf sedge. This tan-hued plant is technically not a grass, but with fine blades it has all the appearances of a grass with the added benefit of being evergreen. Enjoy it in a pot all through autumn and winter and move it to a permanent spot in a flowerbed sometime next year. One other grass that can’t be beat for late summer and autumn color is purple fountain grass, with deep burgundy foliage and fluffy seed heads in late summer and autumn. It’s a perfect centerpiece for containers, but unfortunately it rarely winters over in our climate, so enjoy it as an annual. Just because your plants may not be in prime condition anymore doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. With a little extra love — and maybe some new pops of color in those containers beyond help — you can enjoy your garden yet for months to come. David Vos is the general manager of VanderGiessen Nursery in Lynden.
MiElkE Market
Dairy prices heading higher Class III price is highest since November 2015 By Lee Mielke lkmielke@juno.com
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the July Federal Order Class III benchmark milk price at $15.24 per hundredweight (cwt.), up $2.02 from June but $1.09 below July 2015. It’s the highest Class III price since November 2015 and equates to about $1.31 per gallon, up from $1.14 in June. The seven-month Class III average is now at $13.73, comparing to $16.04 at this time a year ago and $22.52 in 2014. Aug. 5 Class III futures predicted an August price of $17.10 per cwt., September
$17.16, October $16.92, November $16.47 and December at $16.08. The July Class IV price is $14.84, up $1.07 from June, $1.69 above a year ago and the highest Class IV since December 2015. The 2016 Class IV average now stands at $13.42, down from $13.62 a year ago and $23.19 in 2014.
California’s July Class 4b cheese milk price is $14.67 per cwt., up $1.64 from June but 31 cents below a year ago. It’s the highest 4b price since October 2015, but still 57 cents below the comparable Federal Order Class III price. The seven-month average stands at $13.02, down from $14.41 at this time a year ago and $20.35 in 2014. The July Class 4a butterpowder price is $14.23, up 72 cents from June and $1.20 above a year ago. It is the highest 4a price since December 2015. Chicago Mercantile Exchange dairy product prices soared the first week of August, with cheese advancing for the sixth consecutive week. The blocks closed that Friday at $1.8150 per pound, up 8.25 cents on the week and 6.25 cents above a year ago, at the highest price
Jan Wolfisburg tends to his cow, Sabrina, on the family Timan Road dairy before her trip to Alaska. (Ashley Hiruko/Lynden Tribune) Continued from B1 trained; other cows on the farm aren’t halter trained.” It was only a matter of time before she made her big break. Sabrina has competed over eight times in the Northwest Washington Fair and Washington State Fair, winning numerous awards including Grand Champion. She was even featured in an Organic Valley advertisement, Jan Wolfisberg said. But the cow the Wolfisberg’s chose to be shipped off for stardom wasn’t just any cow, she is Jan Wolfisberg’s first and last cow. since Nov. 18, 2014. The barrels closed at $1.88, up 10.5 cents on the week and 16.25 cents above a year ago, at the highest level since November 2014 also and 6.5 cents above the blocks. Butter reversed two weeks of loss, finishing at $2.27 per pound, up 13.5 cents on the week and 28 cents above a year ago. Grade A nonfat dry milk closed at 83.25 cents per pound, down 1.75 cents on the week but 11.25 cents above a year ago. Dan McBride of the Northwest Dairy Association made these price projections last month for the Class III price and Pacific Northwest blend price: Month Class PNW III Blend July $15.24 $15.20 (current) Aug. $15.80 $16.00 Sept. $15.90 $16.30 Oct. $16.00 $16.20 Nov. $15.05 $16.20 Dec. $15.90 $16.00 Jan. $15.75 $15.85 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly. Whatcom County has about 100 dairy farms.
Jan Wolfisberg first acquired Sabrina ten years ago from Mainstream Dairy. Sabrina was only three months old, Jan Wolfisberg 11 years old. The cow became Jan Wolfisberg’s 4-H project and over the years taught him how to work hard, he said. “Even though they’re animals that make money for you, you still see them as a pet in a way,” Jan Wolfisberg said. Jan Wolfisberg eventually acquired other cows, but sold them before heading to Washington State University. Sabrina was his last cow left at home.
State closes 300 more acres of Portage Bay to shellfish growing County working on pollution ID and correction WHATCOM — On Aug. 5, an additional 300 acres of the Portage Bay shellfish growing area were downgraded by the Washington State Department of Health from “Approved” to “Conditionally Approved” due to high fecal coliform bacteria levels in marine waters. This farther downgrade results in a total of about 800 acres under a seasonal closure from April through June and October through December each year. Portage Bay provides commercial, ceremonial and subsistence shellfish harvest for members of the Lummi Nation. The Nooksack River and its tributaries are the primary
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After being contacted by the show’s producers, Hans Wolfisberg contacted his son to see if he was willing to sell the remaining cow he owned. Jan Wolfisberg agreed. Had it not been for the move to Alaska, Sabrina would have been butchered within the next few months, Jan Wolfisberg said. Her milk was drying up and it was no longer economical to keep her on the farm. But instead, Sabrina will live out the rest of her days in Alaska. “She’s going to have fun retiring to Alaska,” Jan Wolfisberg said. “Too bad the show isn’t in Cabo.”
freshwater sources to Portage Bay. The health of the bay is threatened by bacteria pollution that runs downstream and empties into the bay. Currently, only 16 percent of the water quality sites in the Nooksack River watershed meet standards for fecal coliform bacteria, according to Whatcom County Public Works. When bacteria levels in the creeks and river are high, it can result in high bacteria levels in marine waters. Whatcom County and its partners, including the Washington departments of Agriculture, Ecology and Health, Whatcom Conservation District, Lummi Nation, and the Nooksack Tribe have implemented a pollution identification and correction (PIC) program and are working with landowners throughout the Nooksack watershed tov See Shellfish on B3
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Wednesday, August 17, 2016 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com • B3
Ag at the fair
Shellfish Continued from B2 identify and address sources of fecal coliform bacteria impacting the river, its tributaries and Portage Bay. Potential sources of bacteria in the Nooksack River watershed and bay are indentifed as: 1) animal waste from livestock, domestic pets and wildlife; 2) human sewage from failing septic systems, leaking sewers or cross-con-
Target Zero nabs two cyclists going 99 mph on Mt. Baker Hwy. WHATCOM — A Target Zero emphasis patrol targeted speeding along the Mount Baker Highway and Highway 9 on Aug. 5-7. Local law enforcement contacted 116 motorists, issued 67 infractions and made eight arrests (three on felony warrants). An early highlight was a deputy stopping two motorcycles at 99 miles per hour on the Mount Baker Highway within minutes of the start of the emphasis patrol.
Bluegrass music event Labor Day weekend at Hovander Park FERNDALE — Looking for something new to do Labor Day weekend? Come to Hovander Homestead Park, 5299 Nielsen Rd., and enjoy the Bluegrass Festival taking place there Sept. 2-5. The festival will bring a
nections. Residents can help improve the community’s water quality, states county Public Works, by inspecting and maintaining septic systems and by fencing animals out of creeks, ditches and swales. Also, by actively managing manure applications, rotating pastures, creating protected heavy use areas and covering manure storage areas,
rural residents can prevent manure-contaminated mud from polluting surface water. Planting shrubs and trees along creek banks and picking up after dogs also contribute to better water quality. For more information, visit the Whatcom County Public Works-Natural Resources website at: h t t p : / / w w w. c o. w h a t c o m . wa.us/1072/Water-Quality.
wide range of live bluegrass music and entertainment on two different stages from noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. There will also be craft and food vendors, a beer garden, contests for instrumentalists, informal jam areas, an instrument swap meet and a children’s stage with entertainment and activities. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Whatcom Parks and Recreation Foundation and the animal contact area at Hovander Homestead Park. For more details, check out: http://wprfoundation. org/announcing-hhbgf/.
The past comes alive as Troy, in period costume, tells four adventurous historic stories about events in Whatcom County. The episodes will be of Hans Berthusen and the Big Black Bear, The Cranberry Wedding, The Nooksack Uprising (that wasn’t) and The Intrepid Case of the Missing Whiskey. Although admission is free, donations to offset expenses are appreciated by Bucknam. People who plan to attend will help Bucknam plan best by indicating so in the box at the bottom of the Sept. 15, 2016 page on his website, www.emeritusforum.weebly. com. Admission to the entire museum after the seminar will be available for seminar attendees at a reduced fee of $4 per person. These are other Lynden Emeritus Forum sessions planned so far: • Monday, Oct. 10, “The Truth About Estate Planning,” attorney John K. Kamrar. • Friday, Nov. 18, “Europe by Rail – Segment Two,” Mike and Vicky Ruble. • Wednesday, Dec. 7, “Exercise Options and Fall Prevention,” Dr. Jeannett Penner, of Capstone Physical Therapy.
Lynden Emeritus Forums to start up again Sept. 15 LYNDEN — Ron Bucknam is again busy at it planning his Lynden Emeritus Forum topics and presenters for 2016-17 and he already has a schedule to start with. “Tales of Whatcom County” will be the first seminar topic, with Lynden Pioner Museum curator Troy Luginbill to speak on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 10:30 a.m. in the museum, 217 Front St., Lynden.
Extra patrols will enforce Drive Sober Deadly crashes often involve impaired drivers WHATCOM — Extra patrols will be run from Aug. 19 to Sept. 5 as part of the Summer Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol and police departments of Bellingham, Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Everson and Western Washington University will participate in the campaign coordinated by the Whatcom County Target Zero Task Force. Approximately one-third of drivers in Washington were drug-positive according to a new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “We want drivers to be as aware of the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs as they are of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol,” said Darrin Gron-
Monday at the Northwest Washington Fair meant getting ready promptly for animal judging for youth exhibitors. Top and bottom photos: Members of the Dairyland 4-H Club practice in the dairy barn their leading and showing for real competition on Tuesday. Middle photo: This class for goat judging in an outdoor tent near the Jansen agricultural barn was loaded at over 20 entrants, challenging the judge. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)
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del, Washington Traffic Safety Commission Director. Washington law enforcement officers will join the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign aimed at encouraging everyone to get a safe ride, especially if alcohol, prescription or overthe-counter medicine, or other drug use might be causing any impairment. The study shows that 5 percent of Washington drivers were alcohol-positive with only 1 percent exceeding the per se limit of .08 BAC. “This shines the light on some good news,” said Grondel. “It is the norm in Washington to drive sober.” The national study mirrors the state’s deadly-crash data. In 2015, there were 251 impaired drivers involved in deadly crashes. Of these drivers, 20 percent tested positive for alcohol greater than .08 only and another 20 percent tested positive for a single drug. However, nearly 60 percent of these drivers tested positive for multiple drugs, or
drugs mixed with alcohol. “When someone combines impairing substances, such as consuming marijuana and drinking alcohol, they may experience a greater level of impairment than they expected,” said Grondel. “This data shows that combining alcohol and drugs, or one drug with another drug, can be a very deadly mix for drivers.” The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is designed to encourage all citizens to help achieve the goal of zero traffic deaths. “Before you drive, make sure your mind is alert and ready for the important task of driving,” said Grondel. “Don’t risk getting arrested for a DUI, or causing a life-changing tragedy. Designate a sober, drugfree driver, catch a ride share, or walk with a buddy.” These extra patrols are part of Target Zero — striving to end traffic deaths and serious injuries in Washington by 2030. For more information, visit www.targetzero.com.
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