Battle Ground Community Advantage Feb 2023

Poop Smart Clark

Clark Conservation District leads work to reduce waste in waterways

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer

“Having so much bacteria in the water causes animals to get sick over time,” says Grace DeMeo, the community outreach coordinator with Clark Conservation District. “It causes people to get sick from the waterways. It puts stress on medical staff to have more people coming through their doors. It’s really the health of our community.”

So what can Poop Smart Clark do to help? The group connects residents to organizations offering a variety of technical and financial services to septic system owners and livestock farms, as well as education and environmental expertise throughout the community. Repairing or replacing a septic tank can be costly, and the program provides financial reimbursement for inspections, pumping, minor repairs, or even replacement up to $20,000 in certain areas and near specific water sources.

Managing livestock waste is challenging, and projects like manure storage systems can cost anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000. One cow alone can produce up to 60 pounds of manure per day. Clark Conservation District provides free and non-regulatory consultations with working land experts to help farmers problem-solve, as well as funds to cover up to 100% of projects like manure storage, fencing to keep livestock away from natural water sources, watering facilities, and more.

If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s poop. Everyone poops. Humans poop, animals poop, and it has to go somewhere. Many people don’t realize the disposal of excrement can directly affect our water quality.

Water sampling in common waterways in Clark County has shown high levels of bacteria, including E. coli that comes directly from our waste. The poop gets into our water in several ways, such as a broken septic system, or livestock and family pets defecating in or near streams.

So, how do we fix this problem? How do we make sure our water is clean for the health of our community?

Enter Poop Smart Clark.

Poop Smart Clark, an outreach program backed by grants totaling more than $3 million, is dedicated to improving the quality of our water. The program is a partnership led by Clark Conservation District that includes Clark County, the Department of Ecology, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, WSU Extension Clark County, and others.

Educating the community about these issues remains key, and the program includes many free educational opportunities. “WSU Extension is one of our partners, and they have a small acreage program offering classes where you can learn to inspect your own septic tank, and they do lots of education work with livestock owners and small farms,” Grace explains. “We’re planning an open house in the East Fork Lewis River area so people can come and ask questions about the program and meet the people who are doing the work. Last year, we had a composting workshop where people came to learn how manure and fertilizer fit into the composting cycle and how to go about implementing it on their property.”

TOP LEFT: Workers pass out brochures explaining how Poop Smart Clark helps reduce waste in waterways. ABOVE: A manure storage facility used to cover and store manure to keep it from washing into the river when it rains.

Poop Smart Clark has so much to give to the community, and the funding available is impressive. “We know that livestock projects and septic tank repair are very expensive, and a lot of people look at those problems and would love to do something about it but simply can’t afford it,” says Grace.

“I would love for people to know that we have the money to help with those kinds of projects; it’s not impossible. That’s what we’re here for.”

The program is a collective effort, and every organization involved is passionate about improving the health and quality of life for the people and animals living in Clark County. “Clark County Public Health is helping with septic compliance, reaching out to people with broken septic tanks, and with swim beach monitoring, testing the water to make sure it’s safe for swimming,” says Grace. “Clark County Public Works does all of the water quality testing in the streams. Clark Conservation

District is leading the outreach effort and provides funds for on-farm projects and septic work. There are lots of people coming together to address this problem in our community. We know that people care about the health of our children and the legacy of the land, and we want to provide the resources and solutions to fix it.”

The program is funded through grants and partnership from the Washington State Conservation Commission, Washington State Department of Ecology, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies.

To learn more about the Poop Smart Clark program, visit poopsmartclark.org.

Let Us Help You With Your #2!

If you live near certain rivers in Clark County we’ll pay you to get your septic system inspected, repaired, or even replaced!

• Inspections: Up To $130

• Routine Pumping & Small Repairs: Up To $1,000 Total

• Complete System Replacement Or Major Repairs: Up To $20,000

At a farmers market, Poop Smart Clark workers explain how it’s helping ensure cleaner water for the community of Clark County.

Your One-Stop Print Shop

By Patti Jo Brooks, Contributing Writer

Ink Ability, Battle Ground’s local print shop, “features stateof-the-art printing equipment and full-service bindery for all of your printing needs.” Located on Main Street in Battle Ground Plaza (next to Main Street Floral), this womanowned business is well-known throughout all of Clark County for its high-quality print work, receiving recognition the last 4 years running as a Top 5 nominee for “Best of Clark County” printers. Ink Ability vows, “No print job is too big or too small. We are here to help!” Offering Flyers, Posters, Banners, Business Cards, Invitations, Signs, Forms, Copying, Graphic Design and more, Ink Ability is “your one stop print shop.”

Strongly committed to their clients, Ink Ability takes extra steps to ensure customer satisfaction. A primary focus for the print shop is keeping prices affordable and service timely. “We do high quality work with a fast turnaround time,” relates Kendra Laratta, Ink Ability’s principal owner. Speaking to quality, proofs are provided on every job, and Kendra goes the extra mile to preview each project as well—if anything seems amiss, she’ll call the client before going to print. “Our customer service is really what sets us apart,” Kendra explains.

Ever mindful of providing for the community, Ink Ability

completed a renovation last May that freed up space which now allows room for the addition of specialized equipment. Although the shop currently has the capability to print 42”x90” jobs, they are looking to add oversized scanning as well. They also plan to expand their repertoire by obtaining a Roland machine which processes dye cut stickers. Community outreach is also a high priority to Kendra and her husband, Russell, co-owner of Ink Ability. They are supporters of local nonprofits and provide many instances of in-kind donations and work for organizations such as Rocksolid Community Teen Center and Battle Ground Education Foundation. Kendra is also a Founding Member of Battle Ground Festival Association which is responsible for hosting various community events.

Kendra, a former physical therapy assistant, and Russell, who has always worked in the printing industry, fell in love with Battle Ground when they came up from southern Oregon to visit their daughter who had moved to the area. Although Kendra and Russell had entertained the idea of opening their own print shop, an opportunity had not yet presented itself. Wishing to relocate to Battle Ground, Russell looked into a job at the previous Battle Ground print shop, but found that it had closed. The Larattas had finally been presented with the perfect opportunity! With the help and support of Rebecca and Joey Wright, the Larattas’ daughter and son-in-law, Ink Ability opened its doors in February of 2017. “It’s been wonderful ever since,” Kendra affirms.

Rebecca continues to assist with office administration, and Joey is the shop’s graphic designer. Recently joining the staff are Kim and Sarah who “have been a huge help,” Kendra reports. Ink Ability is located at 717 W. Main St., Suite 120 in Battle Ground. Contact Kendra by phone at (360)723-0151, email mail@ inkabilitybg.com, or visit their website at inkabilitybg.com.

BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE AN EVERYDAY SOLUTION FOR EVERYONE –HOW CAN IT HELP YOU?

By Christina Townsend, Owner

Beta-Caryophyllene is a (BCP), is a natural and safe foodderived dietary cannabinoid that works with the body to enhance endocannabinoid health. BCP is a terpene (chemical compound) found in medicinal and food plants such as black pepper, clove oil, hops, oregano, allspice, chamomile, rosemary, and cinnamon. It has been proven to have powerful antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Similar to CBD, it binds to the brain’s CB2 receptors to provide powerful therapeutic relief for chronic pain and inflammation. It is approved by the USFDA and European Food Safety as a food additive. Currently BCP is available in capsules, powder, tinctures and gel formulations. Both internal and topical applications of BCP have no psychoactive effect. Beta-Caryophyllene (BCP) works by targeting the body’s endocannabinoid system to block the inflammatory process which helps with pain, stress disorders, diabetes, and high cholesterol. It has shown potent therapeutic promise in neuropathic pain,

neurodegenerative, metabolic diseases, and anti-cancer effects. It has also been shown to assist with cognitive issues such as depression, anxiety, memory loss, dementia & Alzheimer’s, sleep disorders, PTSD, epilepsy, autism, and addiction.

Specifically, BCP is a natural endocannabinoid type 2 receptor activator which is discussed in numerous medical research articles showing great benefits but no adverse effects. BCP blocks overreacting immune conditions and pain receptors when applied locally to joints, muscles, the back of hands or taken orally. A few drops of the oil are all that are needed for calming, relaxing, and inflammation or swelling. Since it does not come from cannabis, everyone can benefit from this natural terpene. Many people get benefits from BCP alone or in combination with CBD.

The

Origins of the Tater Tot

A Tasty Oregon Invention

By Robert Matsumura, Contributing Writer

The Tater Tot. It’s hard to resist these crunchy golden-brown potato morsels piled high in a basket, or nestled on a plate accompanying our favorite burger or sandwich. For many of us, “Tater Tot” and “comfort food” go hand-in-hand. It’s ingrained in our culture—at least from a food perspective!

But did you know that these world famous potato nuggets were invented in Oregon, and that they were the creative byproduct of potato scraps originally used as cattle feed? The story of the Tater Tot traces back to two young Mormon entrepreneurs named Nephi and Golden Griggs who came of age during the Great Depression. Originally from Idaho, the Griggs brothers were potato farmers like most of their neighbors. Throughout the Great Depression and World War II, the Griggs survived by growing and selling potatoes, but during the postwar years as Americans increasingly turned to convenience foods—frozen foods in particular—the Nephi brothers were certain that their road to riches lay in servicing this growing demand.

Convinced that the future of produce resided in the frozen food section, the two brothers mortgaged their farms to purchase a flash-freezing plant in Northeastern Oregon for $500,000 (approximately $4.5 million today). As the factory was located on the border between Oregon and Idaho, they chose to name their new company Ore-Ida.

Corn and potatoes were Ore-Ida’s mainstay and the company soon became the largest distributor of sweet corn in the country, but the real profit lay in french fries. French fries, though immensely profitable, posed certain production problems. Nephi (the leader of the two brothers) described their challenge as follows: “We had a problem separating the fries from the slivers and small pieces of

potatoes that occurred when slicing the irregular shaped potatoes.” Instead of wasting the scrap pieces, the brothers had been feeding it to their cattle and other livestock.

Despite the fact that their potato scraps were being utilized as feed for farm animals, Nephi Griggs—always focused on efficiency and profit maximization—was bothered by their inability to derive any revenue from the constant flow of potato byproducts. In a letter to an OreIda colleague, Nephi vented his frustration at not putting to better use “product that has been purchased from the grower, stored for months, gone through the peeling process, gone through the specking lines and trimmed off defects, only to be eliminated into the cattle feed.”

An unexpected visit by a representative from an equipment manufacturing company, however, proved to be serendipitous. Although the company representative was there to demonstrate a prune sorter, Nephi and his plant superintendent envisioned utilizing the equipment in a different manner. Instead of sorting prunes, could the machinery be refashioned to sort irregular potato pieces from french fries? To their delight, it could.

It wasn’t long before the Griggs and their people at Ore-Ida devised a creative use for the supply of potato scraps. By smashing the bits together using new machinery, then blanching, forming the crushed potatoes into nuggets, and cooking them in oil, a completely new product was

created. These potato nuggets could subsequently be frozen, bagged, and distributed. Although the original idea was for the nuggets to be fried, it was soon discovered that baking them produced equally good results. According to Nephi, a man on their research committee who “traveled the markets playing a ukulele and demonstrating our product,” came up with the name. Unfortunately, the man’s name has been lost to history, though his talent for creative alliteration lives on. The name “Tater Tot” is iconic across the world for fun, palate-pleasing, potato goodness.

Nephi remarked in his notes (which are now housed at the J. Willard Marriott

“new product has about a three year

the “Tater Tot” name, purchased additional machinery, and began mass producing their tasty invention.

Despite the success of the Tater Tot, the process to create them was a bit of a sticky mess—literally. New equipment had to be fashioned to deal with the starchy potato product. Steel drums the diameter of a human torso rotated continuously filling tot-sized molds with potato. These molded potatoes would then be ejected onto a conveyor belt and sent down a line for seasoning and subsequent freezing.

Ore-Ida’s commitment to the Tater Tot, in spite of production difficulties, proved a gamble worth taking. The Griggs brothers’ promotion of their new product at the 1954 National Potato Convention was a huge hit, garnering interest in Tater Tots throughout the industry. The media was also quick to embrace Tater Tots as a convenient

new food for snacks and meals that was tasty and easy to prepare. So successful was the Tater Tot that Nephi referred to it as their “hero profit item,” and cited it as responsible for making Ore-Ida a household name. By the end of the 1950s, Ore-Ida had captured 25 percent of the domestic frozen potato market. A second plant was opened in 1960, and by 1961 Ore-Ida had gone public.

In 1964, despite generating an annual profit of $31 million, problems within the family necessitated the sale of Ore-Ida. The Griggs sold the company to H.J. Heinz in 1965 for $30 million. The Heinz purchase of Ore-Ida was the company’s first foray into the frozen food market. By the time Heinz merged with Kraft in 2015, the Tater Tot was so common of a product that few people realized the name was still trademarked to Ore-Ida. An advertising campaign was even created to differentiate OreIda tots from the competition. The campaign warned, “Don’t be fooled by Imi-taters,” because Ore-Ida Tater Tots were the “original and only.”

Today, as one of America’s cherished food items, Tater Tots have been incorporated in multitudes of home recipes and even elevated to culinary feature items at certain restaurants. There is no end of possibilities when it comes to something as versatile as the Tater Tot! So, next time you find yourself reaching for a crispy golden Tater Tot, think of the Griggs brothers and the Oregonian ingenuity that transformed cattle feed into a delectable treat enjoyed by millions.

Nephi Grigg was the inventor of the Tater Tot

Off-Leash Livin’

Dog parks a safe, natural space for dogs

By Angie Helvey, Contributing Writer

Nothing beats a relaxing afternoon outside with your best furry friend, but it can be challenging to find a place to let your fur baby run free and have the opportunity to socialize with other canines in a safe space. This is precisely the experience DOGPAW Off-Leash Dog Parks strives to provide to dogs and their owners in the Clark County community.

DOGPAW, a nonprofit organization founded almost 20 years ago, boasts four off-leash dog parks. Ike Park was the first and is the largest of the four parks, featuring 10 acres of open fields and tree-lined hills, a 0.71-mile gravel and dirt trail, and a small dog area with a separate entrance.

“All the parks are big; there’s so much room for everyone to hang out, run, walk, and play fetch,” says vice president Jan Fogg. “Lucky Park is one of our smaller parks, but it’s next to a huge wilderness reserve, so you can leash your dog and walk on a nature trail that goes through the forest and is fun to explore. Dakota Park is our most popular park because of its convenient location directly off N.E. 164th in Vancouver.” Dakota also offers on-site restrooms, benches, shady areas, a dog rinse-off area, and seasonal drinking fountains.

DOGPAW Parks would be impossible to maintain without the help of volunteers dedicated to keeping the parks clean. “Many people who come to the dog parks have been coming for years and see it as an extension of their home,” explains Jan. “We call them our ‘poop angels’ because they walk around the park picking up poop without being asked. We go out to the parks several times a year to rally our volunteers. They scoop poop, mow the grass, weed, and pick up fallen branches.”

Park volunteer days are the third Saturday of every month, rotating through the parks. The next one will be held at Dakota Park on Saturday, March 18 at 10 a.m.

The funding for operations comes from business sponsorships, grants from the city and county, and $25 yearly memberships — not required to use the parks. This allows DOGPAW to provide waste bags and disposal stations at the parks, plus support the development of more dog parks and special events for dog owners. “We are helping the City of Washougal to set up a dog park in their new civic area, and we’d like to pursue a location within Battle Ground State Park,” says Jan. “Last year, we did a dog supply swap, and we’ve also held free educational programs with a certified dog trainer.”

DOGPAW is currently fundraising to complete a new fence for Ike Park. Originally made of posts and chicken wire, the fence has become worn and ineffective over the years. You can donate to the project on the DOGPAW website.

If you’re looking for a welcoming space to let your fourlegged friend run off-leash, stop at any of the DOGPAW Parks for a play date. Come walk at your own pace while your dog gets their “zoomies” out and has the chance to play with other dogs.

DOGPAW Parks in Vancouver: Dakota Memorial Dog Park (Pacific Community Park), 1515 N.E. 164th Ave. @ N.E. 18th St. (entrances on 164th and 172nd Ave); Ike Memorial Dog Park (Ross Park), 5167 N.E. 15th Ave.; Kane Memorial Dog Park (Hockinson Meadows Community Park), 10910 N.E. 172nd Ave. Brush Prairie: Lucky Memorial Dog Park, 10100 N.E. 149th St.

TOP LEFT: Tiberius at Ike Memorial Dog Park in Vancouver. ABOVE: A Paws Down Pets trainer rallies the dogs for lesson time.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DOGPAW

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Rain or Shine, T hey’ve Got You Cover ed!

By Dennis McNabb, Contributing Writer

Photos by Shonda Feather

Many of us living in the Pacific Northwest share a common passion: the love of the great outdoors! Lush greenery, majestic mountains, crystalline rivers; the gorgeous views, even from some of our homes, are truly awe-inspiring. Now imagine having the ability to enjoy those views yearround, not from the confines of your stuffy living room, but from your beautifully-designed, custom-built outdoor living space. Pioneer Patio Covers & Decks turns that dream into a reality!

With almost 30 years of experience and expertise in the industry, owners Robert and Jennifer Holbrook are quite simply the best in the business. It’s a point of pride, having both been born and raised in Vancouver, that they can stand behind their products and craftsmanship while servicing friends and neighbors. Their impeccable reputation in the industry has been hard won, and is a reflection of their absolute commitment and dedication to excellence.

Combining their strengths to form quite the dynamic duo, Jennifer comes from a business and marketing background while Robert grew up in construction. In fact, his father, Bob, co-owned and operated a local company, Spacemaster Construction, and that’s where Robert gained his passion for this kind of work. Robert went on to spend time in the Army and as a practical nurse, but nothing provided the level of gratification he received from working outdoors with

his hands. After purchasing their first new home, he built a deck, patio cover, and fence, and his neighbors were so impressed they hired him to do theirs. That planted the seed and word spread quickly. Pioneer Patio Covers & Decks was born!

Now, all these years later, they couldn’t be happier with the business they’ve built. They can design and construct everything from the simplest of decks, to the most innovative, elaborate, and expansive deck and patio cover systems, transforming any outdoor space into a beautifully-integrated, comfortable, year-round sanctuary. These systems both match and enhance the look of your home, and add great value. In particular, their ACRYLITE® patio covers are boasted as the only system available which keeps the weather out while still allowing the light to pass through.

Of course, no business can succeed without the support of a dedicated staff, and Robert and Jennifer are truly grateful for theirs. Their six craftsmen: Rikki, Charley, John, Patrick, Matt, and Sam are the gears that keep the machine rolling. These guys have been with them for an average of 15 years each—a true rarity in this business, and Robert and Jennifer recognize they couldn’t do it without them.

Specializing in ACRYLITE® patio cover systems, custom patio covers and custom decks, they do the best work in town. Don’t go another season looking dejectedly out your living room windows! Call Pioneer Patio Covers & Decks today at 360-574-9085, and let them help you to create the outdoor living space you’ve always dreamed of!

Pioneer Patio Covers & Decks is located at 11318 NE Highway 99 in Vancouver. Give them a ring at 360-574-9085, or visit their website at pioneerpatiocovers.com.

Vu Tong, DMD

Erica Lenz, DDS