Country Life November 2019 by Lynden Tribune

Country Life

Dairy • A11 Gardening • A11 FFA/4-H • A12

Wednesday, November 13, 2019 • lyndentribune.com • ferndalerecord.com

ON RI

RASPB

ries] and what you’re all doing there in Lynden,” she said by video connection to the Ag Central office gathering. Beadle outlined numerous efforts she would like to continue in 2020 — including harvest tours bringing key people to Whatcom berry farms — if the financial By Calvin Bratt backing is there for it. editor@lyndentribune.com In the end, the WRRC board approved an allotment LYNDEN — Washington of $410,000 to Wild Hive, said red raspberry growers I C are executive E R director Henry B now having to do their A own ’ S R ABierlink, P S out of a total 2020 promotion, and their own budget of more than $1.3 defense, without a national million. group to lean on. The Washington com The Washington Red mission has received Raspberry Commission $229,000 from the disbandboard of directors, made up ing of the national board, mostly of Whatcom County Bierlink noted, but that must growers, grappled at an Oct. go entirely for the comple30 meeting with the new tion of three health research reality since the shutdown studies already underway of the National Processed with universities. Beadle said Raspberry Council earlier she hopes the results of two this year. of those can be published in For one thing, the state 2020. commission is now working Ultimately, all the directly with Wild Hive, the spending must come out of marketing consultancy of Al- growers’ pockets, and they lison Beadle of Texas, as the have not been dealt a good national council was, pick- hand in recent years. Growing up on raspberry-related ers are into a fourth year of health studies that were unprofitable prices for their started and getting them fruit, and they see an influx through to completion. of raspberries coming into Beadle also has built American markets from lowup marketing relationships er-cost and less-regulated with food buyers, journalists foreign countries, as unfair and trade organizations that competition. she would like to keep up to So, in the budget passed boost the profile of frozen red by the board is a “major raspberries in the diet plan- item” of $600,000 to possibly ning and habits of Americans — “make them fall in love See Raspberries on A11 with Washington [raspber-

SHINGT

WHATCOM — Experimentation is a big part of brewing beer, and FrinGe Brewing and Atwood Ales did some experimenting in creating their newest collaboration. Called “The Precious,” FrinGe and Atwood brewed the beer, which they refer to as a “Super Vienna Smash,” using Skagit Valley Malting Super Vienna malt and Atwood Ales’ own estate-grown Tettnang hops. Atwood Ales brewer Josh Smith

A’ S

They will keep up promotion, look into antidumping legal action on trade AM

By Brent Lindquist brent@lyndentribune.com

and FrinGe brewer Scott White had been kicking around some collaboration ideas for a while, having previously collaborated on a golden ale with the North Fork Brewery. Smith had gone down to Skagit Valley Malting to purchase some product as the company closed out some of its inventory from the previous year. “One of the things that was there that caught my eye was this malt called Super Vienna,” Smith said. “Adam, one of the managers, explained to me that it was like a Vienna malt. Toasty, bready element to it, but it was darker. It tasted like a Vienna but it had a darker color to it, so I thought that sounded interesting.” Smith brought some to the farm brewery near Blaine, scooped a handful out of the bag and brought it over to FrinGe in Fern-

Atwood Ales, FrinGe Brewing collaborate and have released ‘The Precious’

SHINGT

“The Precious” beer is a collaboration of FrinGe Brewing of Ferndale and Atwood Ales of Blaine. (Courtesy photo)

dale. He had White taste the malt, and they both liked it. They decided to do a SMaSH beer using Atwood’s Tettnang hops from the brewery property. “SMaSH” refers to a “single-hop and single-malt” beer. “It’s eerily similar to like a Vienna lager,” White said. “It’s very malt-forward. Slight hop-flavored. Clean, bright, notes of toasty biscuit. Malty. Those would be words I would use to describe it. A slight hop bitterness.” White said they used about 4.5 pounds of hops, but none were introduced into the boil. Introducing hops into the boiling process is part of what brings a bitter taste into beers. They kept the hops out of the boil just to experiment and play around. The beer was brewed and bottled at FrinGe Brewing. “We wanted the hops to be subtle and the focus to be on the malt,” White said. The beer name, inspired by “Lord of the Rings” lore, came to them in a roundabout way. Smith and White were trying to think of a German name because of the Vienna malt used in the brewing process. Smith said “Smeagol” sounded German. “I said, ‘I don’t think we can use Smeagol because of copyright infringement, but we can probably use ‘Precious,’” White said, referring to the character’s name for the titular ring. White said the name actually fits the beer well. “We just think that the beer itself, it’s very precious. It’s very light and it’s very easy to drink. It’s only 5.2 percent ABV, so you can have a couple of them,” White said. Atwood Ales released “The Precious” in bottles at the Bellingham Farmers Market on Saturday, and the beer is available on tap at FrinGe Brewing in Ferndale. It will be on tap at Drayton Harbor Oyster Company in Blaine and at Packers Kitchen + Bar at Semiahmoo Resort this week. Smith will be delivering some bottles to The Green Barn in Lynden this week as well.

Washington raspberry growers now going solo

A new beer is brewed locally

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Wednesday, November 13, 2019 • lyndentribune.com • A11

MIELKE MARKET

IN BLOOM

Milk price still rising, at $18.72

Putting your lawn and garden to bed for winter

By Lee Mielke

for the holiday are surfacing “bit by bit,” says DMN, but domestic sales out West were close to the previous week’s levels. Export sales have improved slightly. Inventory is sufficient and cheese output is active, prompted by a stable to increasing milk supply. CME butter closed Nov. 1 at $2.08 per pound, up 2 cents on the week but 22 cents below a year ago. DMN says butter market tones are “maintaining a steadiness that market participants are accustomed to.” Some analysts expect to see a sub-$2 price point prior to seeing a return to $2.25 again. Others expect continued steadiness, explaining that with Thanksgiving falling later this year, it will assist the market later into the season. Grade A nonfat dry milk saw a Nov. 1 finish at $1.1825 per pound, 3 cents higher on the week, highest since Feb. 18, 2015, and 28.25 cents above a year earlier. CME dry whey fell to 26.75 cents per pound Oct. 29, lowest since March 13, 2018, but it closed Nov. 1 at 28.25 cents, unchanged on the week although 16.25 cents below a year ago. Lots of product continues to make its way to Chicago, with 48 train car loads traded this week and 305 on the month, up from just 50 in September. Finances are finally looking better on the farm after five years of meager returns. A higher All Milk Price pulled the September milkfeed price ratio higher for the third month in a row. The USDA’s latest Ag Prices report put the ratio at 2.33, up from 2.26 in August and 2.13 in September 2018. The index is based on the current milk price in relationship to feed prices for

start “a fair trade action,” an expensive route involving attorneys specializing in international trade law. “We are doing an initial case assessment that will determine if we file an anti-dumping suit in early 2020,” Bierlink said by email. The state group has had to ramp up to absorb some of the work the national council did in its six years of existence 2013 to 2019. However, the council was a careful balance of American growers and any foreign importers of red raspberries into the American market, presumably to assist all in promotion and marketing. Now the Washington Red Raspberry Commission can be entirely focused on boosting the berries that are grown mostly

within a 20-mile radius of Lynden. Numbers on the 2019 summer harvest just came out. Due especially to a February freeze, tonnage was down 11.6 percent from last year to 65.6 million pounds. More telling, the number of red raspberry growers in Whatcom County has dropped from 102 in 2011 to 67 now. What Washington grows is almost entirely frozen for processing uses, not sold fresh market. Despite the pinch growers are feeling, the commission two weeks ago decided to set the assessment on 2019 production at 2 cents per pound. That is up half a cent from what had been the combined state and national assessments of a year ago.

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wind damage over winter. Aside from roses, one plant that I’ve fielded lots of questions about in the last few weeks is the ever-popular hydrangea. While I’ve covered hydrangea pruning in this space in the past, it bears repeating that now is not the best time to prune macrophylla hydrangeas — that is, those with the traditional blue or pink ballshaped (called mophead) or lacecap-type flowers — since they typically bloom on the previous year’s growth and already now have their buds for next year. Although there are exceptions to the rule — including reblooming macrophylla types that bloom on both old and new growth and can be pruned in fall — with older varieties you’ll likely find that a late autumn or spring pruning will wipe out your flowers for the following summer. That said, if you have macrophylla hydrangeas that you didn’t get around to deadheading yet, now is a fine time to remove the spent blossoms. Simply prune the flower head off just above the

4-H $5.00 Oﬀ Reports VALLEY VAQUEROS Leader: Christy Douge Reporter: Declan Seigman On Tuesday, Oct. 22, we had our first meeting of the new 4-H year and welcomed three new members. They are: Ariyah Seigman, Declan Seigman and Karlin Klein. We now have 30 members. We elected new officers: president, Tanner Mezo; vice president, Karlin Klein; treasurer, Claire Hume; secretary, Mal Hutchins; and reporter, Declan Seigman. Our next meeting is Nov. 21 and we are looking forward to a great year!

Bierlink said the state board is also exploring potential changes to rules that would allow different assessment rates to be used for different packs of frozen raspberries. Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) berries are of a higher quality, and fetch a higher price, than the grades that go for puree or juice stock. But any change

will happen next year at the earliest. • The seven-member board settled on one of several options of a Washington Raspberries logo offered by Beadle (see page A10). • The commission looks forward to an expanded long-term WSU research presence in Whatcom County helping the berry industry.

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• If this is the one time of year you need a turkey roaster, ask friends about borrowing or buy secondhand any cooking apparatus you know you’ll be using. • Consider carpooling if you celebrate with a larger family gathering; the farther the distance, the more grateful your sibling will be to share the drive time. • Prepare less food and use smaller plates. As much as we like leftovers, a week of turkey sandwiches gets rather stale. • Compost your scraps instead of throwing them in the trash (feeding turkey to the dog counts, though please remember moderation). • If you’re not a huge Macy’s Day Parade fan, try non-electronic bonding activities like board games, puzzles or outdoor fun if the weather is nice. Clean Green Solutions • Yard waste recycling by composting (grass clippings, brush & stumps) • Compost & soil material sales

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Raspberries Continued from A10

a dairy ration consisting of 51 percent corn, 8 percent soybeans and 41 percent alfalfa hay. In other words, one pound of milk today purchases 2.33 pounds of dairy feed containing that blend. The U.S. All Milk Price averaged $19.30 per hundredweight, up 40 cents from August and $2.40 above September 2018. California’s All Milk Price was $18.60, down a dime from August but $2.04 above a year ago. Wisconsin’s, at $19.90, was up 80 cents from August and $2.40 above a year ago. The national average corn price averaged $3.80 per bushel, down 13 cents from August but 40 cents per bushel higher than September 2018. Soybeans averaged $8.35 per bushel, up 13 cents from August, but 43 cents per bushel below a year ago. Alfalfa hay averaged $181 per ton, up $2 from August and $2 per ton above a year ago. The September cull price for beef and dairy combined averaged $65.60 per cwt., down $2.70 from August, $4.80 above September 2018, but $6 below the 2011 base average of $71.60 per cwt. Milk cow replacements averaged $1,310 per head for the quarter in October, up $70 per head from July and $80 per head above 2018. They averaged $1,400 per head in California, up $100 from July and $200 above a year ago. Wisconsin cows averaged $1,270 per head, up $60 from April and $90 above October 2018. The Northwest Dairy Association makes these price projections for the Class III price and Pacific Northwest blend price: Month Class PNW III Blend Oct. $18.72 $17.50 (current) Nov. $20.20 $18.00 Dec. $19.60 $18.20 Jan. $18.00 $17.80 Feb. $17.20 $17.40 March $16.90 $17.30 April $16.95 $17.35 May $17.00 $17.50 June $17.10 $17.60 July $17.30 $17.70 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly. Whatcom County has about 85 dairy farms.

first set of leaves at the base of the flower, and you’ll avoid pruning off the buds for next summer. The second most popular type of hydrangea that you may have in your yard is the panicle hydrangea, sometimes called peegee hydrangea. Marked by their large cone-shaped flowers in shades of pink, white or green, these hydrangeas bloom on new growth, so they can be pruned back in fall, winter or early spring without affecting their blooms. So, if you’re in the mood to get some pruning done, have at it with your panicle hydrangeas! Finally, if you haven’t yet applied your winterizer lawn food, or did so prior to the first of October, now is the time to feed your lawn one last time for the season. Applying a winterizer like Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard in late autumn after you’re finished mowing for the season will ensure that the provided nutrients can build a strong turf root system to better withstand winter and allow for a quick green-up in early spring. In just a couple of weeks, front porch pumpkin displays will give way to wreaths adorned with red bows, but before then it’s time to get your yard ready for winter. Enjoy the last weeks of autumn and have a blessed Thanksgiving! David Vos is manager of Vander Giessen Nursery Inc. in Lynden.

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The October Federal Order Class III benchmark milk price hit a five-year high at $18.72 per hundredweight, up 41 cents from September and $3.19 above October 2018. It’s the highest Class III since November 2014. It equates to about $1.61 per gallon, up from $1.57 in September and $1.34 a year ago. The Nov. 1 Class III futures settlements suggested a November price at $20.19 before heading down to $19.70 in December. The projected peak for 2020 is $18.11 in January. The 2019 Class III average stands at $16.37, up from $14.72 at this time in 2018 and $16.18 in 2017. The October Class IV price is $16.39, up 4 cents from September and $1.38 above a year ago. The 2019 average stands at $16.23, up from $14.06 a year ago and $15.44 in 2017. Most cash dairy prices ended October strong, especially for cheese, as smaller increases in milk production and strong consumer cheese demand drove the market. Block cheddar closed the Friday after Halloween at $2.1550 per pound, up 3.25 cents on the week, after gaining 15.5 cents the previous week, and is 69.75 cents above a year ago. The cheddar barrels closed at $2.3250, up 7.5 cents on the week on unfilled bids after catapulting 25 cents the previous week. This is 98.5 cents above a year ago and the highest level since Sept. 25, 2014. Central U.S. cheesemakers continue to report steady, somewhat tight milk supplies, according to Dairy Market News. Spot milk markets were quiet early in the week, as prices continue to fall in the $1-over Class area. Cheese production is still slightly slower than this time in recent years. Cheese demand is good for short-term needs. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange barrel price topping the blocks was a surprise to many, according to DMN, and contacts credit a tightness of barrels as increased governmental cheese purchases seem to be helping that trend. Demands

With dusk creeping into the 4 o’clock hour, regular morning frosts and maple trees shedding the last of their autumn brilliance, we can be sure of one thing: late autumn is upon us. As you put your garden to bed for winter, here are a few items you’ll want to check off your list this month. First, let me suggest that before you do any final raking of leaves on the ground, check your gutters. Speaking as someone who always seems to remember this task after I think I’ve done my last raking of the year, it will save you a lot of work to toss leaves and debris out of your gutters onto an already-messy lawn and flowerbeds prior to raking for the last time. Second, now is the time to prune back your rose bushes for winter. While our winters in the Pacific Northwest are relatively mild, one thing we can always count on — especially in the north part of Whatcom County — is winter wind, which can easily crack or break tall rose branches, called canes. (The local raspberry growers are very familiar with this aspect of horticulture!) To avoid damage by whipping winds, cut your canes down to half of their summer height, or roughly two feet. In early spring you’ll want to prune your roses a second time to thin them out and remove any winter damage, so don’t worry too much about “getting it right” this time — fall pruning is simply to prevent

A12 • Wednesday, November 13, 2019 • lyndentribune.com

Locals do well at FFA nationals

Milk stays No. 2 among state ag commodities 2017 to 2018, raspberries’ value down, blueberries’ up

Advisor Tammy Brandvold stands with the Lynden Hall of States FFA team that was a state winner and now at nationals with a display highlighting Washington’s top agricultural products. (Courtesy photo)

LC team takes second, Lynden team third WHATCOM — County high school FFA teams had some representation at the National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, although less than normal. Those who attended report these outcomes: • Lynden Christian — The Washington state champion Farm Business Management team from Lynden Christian did very well at nationals as well, taking second behind only Wyoming. Team members Juli Dickinson and Mason Rutgers each placed among the top 10 individuals,

sixth and seventh, respectively. Kase Lautenbach and Braedon Van Berkum joined them in receiving Gold Emblem individual awards, signifying about the top 50 contestants. The top 10 individuals and the national winning team received cash awards to recognize their success in an event. John Deere is the sponsor of Farm Business Management. • Lynden — A team competed in the Hall of States for the first time ever for Lynden and placed in the top three in the nation overall, said advisor Tammy Brandvold. She explains that Hall of States is a competition of creating a booth representing the agriculture of a state. Lynden had won the Washington competi-

tion with a carnival theme covering the state’s five main agricultural commodities, using questions, games and prizes at each commodity station. In Indianapolis the Lynden students also manned their booth for the entire national convention “answering lots of questions and meeting new people from all over the country,” she said. On the Lynden team advised by Brandvold were Dillon DeJong, Layla Todd, Mia Berry and Jordan Simmons. • Mount Baker — Mount Baker FFA was honored as a 3 Star National Chapter on the strength of an application made by last year’s chapter president, Bailey Harkness. “Although our members were not in atten-

dance to accept in person, our FFA members, officers and boosters should really take a bow for the amazing opportunities and events they organize each year,” said advisor Tamara Whitcomb. “Last year’s application that was judged this past summer was made up of some important events that helped our FFA members develop leadership skills and made a difference in our community.” These local Mount Baker FFA efforts included: Chicken Cooperative, Community Leadership Night, Salmon BBQ, Rome Grange Breakfast, Relay for Life, Paper Plane Basketball Game, Trapshooting, FFA Fall Social and the Booster Club Auction. “Thanks to everyone for supporting the Mt. Baker FFA,” Whitcomb says.

OLYMPIA — The value of Washington State’s 2018 agricultural production totaled $9.67 billion, down 2 percent from the revised previous year value of $9.86 billion. The National Agricultural Statistics Service posted the data for Washington on Oct. 11. Apples remain the leading agricultural commodity in the state with a 2018 value of $2.19 billion. This is down 10 percent from the previous year. Apples represented 23 percent of the total agricultural value in 2018 compared to 25 percent the previous year. Milk remained in the second position and had value of production totaling $1.13 billion in 2018, down 5 percent from 2017. The value of all wheat production remained in third place in the state rankings. Wheat value in 2018 was $845 million, up 22 percent from the previous year. Potatoes, valued at $788 million, had the fourth highest value in the state.

This represented a 15 percent increase from 2017. Cattle and calves rounded out the top five, with a value of $652 million, down 3 percent from the previous year. These five commodities had a combined value of $5.60 billion, or 58 percent of the 2018 value for all commodities (excluding government payments). The same five commodities in 2017 had a combined value of $5.67 billion, also 58 percent of the total value. Record high values of production were established for all grapes. Grape production in 2018 was at $361 million, up 13 percent from the previous year and slightly higher than the previous record high in 2016. Egg production entered the top ten, with a value of $241 million in 2018, an increase of 70 percent from 2017. Several commodities outside the top ten showed significant increases in value from the previous year. The value of onions increased 10 percent to $178 million in 2018. Blueberry value increased 21 percent to $139 million. Barley value of production increased 55 percent to $21.5 million in 2018. The value of canola, at $20.3 million, increased 23 percent.

The Lynden Christian FFA team. (Courtesy photo)

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