Country Life October 2014

Country Life

Gardening • CL2 Dairy • CL3 4-H • CL6

Special Section • Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Community

Farming

Land owners to vote on water districts

FSA sharing running of regional offices Ellen Medeiros is now overseeing all of northwest Washington

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

Shaping a mountain of corn silage that may eventually be 40 feet high, tractors and trucks were busy at the OK Dairy farm of the VanMiddendorp family on East Badger Road on Monday — like plenty more dairy farms at this time of year, getting the corn harvest in. This bunker silo will receive the chopped corn off 350 acres. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

Mail ballots due back by Oct. 27 to County Council office

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

   WHATCOM ­— Agricultural land owners will get their chance to vote soon on forming four more irrigation districts in the county.    The idea, spearheaded by a coalition of farmers since early 2013, got though a series of 6-1 votes by the Whatcom County Council on Sept. 30 after a delay two weeks earlier.    The four proposed watershed improvement districts are: Drayton, Laurel, South Lynden and Sumas. They are similar in nature to two that already exist north of Lynden and in the Bertrand Creek area.    The purpose is to gain more unified represen-

tation for agriculture, and funding based on acreage, for water-related concerns facing farmers, members of the proposing Ag District Coalition have said.    Mostly the process is set by state law RCW 87.03. The County Council’s main role is to affirm the boundaries of proposed districts.    A hearing that started on Sept. 16 was held open to allow time for more input.    At last week’s council meeting, member Barbara Brenner continued to be opposed to the districts’ formation. She said the timing of the WID elections, so close to the general election on Nov. 4, is confusing to people, and she claimed that the districts have not named a “probable source of water,� as required by law.    Contention for water rights and distribution of available water are underlying factors of the districts’ formation.    All six other County Council members voted in

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support without much additional comment.    For a land owner to be eligible to vote, the land must be in agricultural open space. The parcel must be at least 4.5 acres in size, outside city limits and not have a tax exemption.    In all, about 1,400 ballots will be sent out this week for the four proposed districts, said Dana Brown-Davis, clerk of the council.    The voter must also have a witness sign testifying that the voter is who he/she claims to be.    Completed ballots must be postmarked to the County Council office or physically returned there as of Monday, Oct. 27. The council will meet to canvass (certify) the election on Nov. 10 from the office staff’s counting of ballots.    Voting is at a rate of two votes per five acres of land.    In addition to Yes or No on district formation, the voter is able to choose a slate of five directors in each district.

   LYNDEN ­— A change in Farm Service Agency management structure should direct more resources to the ground level, a spokeswoman says.    Effective already Sept. 8, there is one executive director covering three offices in northwest Washington, including the one for Whatcom County at 6975 Hannegan Rd.    “We’ve moved toward a shared management situation. The supervisor will be the same for all three offices,� said Chris Bieker from the state headquarters in Spokane.    The FSA office in Mount Vernon serves Skagit, Island and San Juan counties. The office in Lake Stevens serves Snohomish, north King, Clallam and Jefferson counties.

The change is that over those offices, as well as the Whatcom one, will be Ellen Medeiros, who has been at Lynden since June 2012.    No offices are being consolidated or county committees being dissolved, Bieker emphasized. Instead, more program technicians who work directly with farmers will be hired, Beiker said.    “We’re trying to streamSee FSA on CL2

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Country Life 2 • Wednesday, October 8, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

FSA Continued from CL1 line the management and go with more program technicians,” she said.

Federal budget cuts have forced FSA to be more costefficient, Bieker said. The broader oversight should enable the executive director of several offices to deploy people better to where they are most needed at different times, she said.

Similar management tightening has happened in southwest Washington.

“The intent behind all this is providing better service to farmers and ranchers,” she said.

FSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, implements federal farm policy and programs through field offices at the local level.

One new effort recently begun is the new Dairy Margin Protection Program that was part of the 2014 farm bill.

Medeiros, reached last week, said the transition phase has been very busy for her.

She is engaged in more travel and is entirely in an administrative role, she said.

“Right now, it’s just me traveling to the different offices,” Medeiros said.

This is all a necessary result of reductions in funding for FSA that must be dealt with at all levels, she said.

Medeiros agreed that the up side is gaining more program technicians working directly with farmers.

One has been added in each of the three Northwest offices, and for now two temporary technicians have been added for Skagit and Whatcom, and Medeiros will see about extending those positions for the full fiscal 2015 year, to next Sept. 30.

The new Dairy Margin Protection Program is a big effort, and she said a “kitchen meeting” will be held at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 14, in the basement of Dutch Mothers Restaurant of Lynden, in cooperation with the Washington State Dairy Federation, to go over “what it’s all about.”

40-year Tilth conference Nov. 7-9 in Vancouver VANCOUVER — Tilth’s 40th anniversary conference hosted by Tilth Producers of Washington takes place Nov. 7-9 in Vancouver, Washington. Along with event partner Oregon Tilth and others, Tilth Producers will honor the history of the region’s organic agriculture movement while preparing growers for a successful future with informative workshops and symposia.

Of interest to any person involved in organic and sustainable food production, T40 is expected to attract over 700 attendees. The audience will include farmers, researchers, food policy experts, food systems professionals and urban agriculturalists.

The speaker list includes: Miles McEvoy, deputy administrator of the National Organic Program in Washington, D.C., at Saturday evening’s gala dinner; Raj Patel, academic, food activist, journalist and writer, sharing insight into USDA’s Organic Guidance; and on Sunday Mary Berry, on agriculture of the middle, in defense of small farmers, and in hope of restoring a culture that has been lost in rural America.

The conference kicks off Friday with an all-day “Meet the Experts” Technical Assistance Fair hosted by the WSDA Organic Food Program plus two day-long symposia.

Thirty workshops on Saturday and Sunday are geared to many skill levels and interests. Presentions will be on topics such as crop production, pest and disease management, marketing, food politics, land access, urban agriculture, and opportunities and challenges in the organic agriculture field.

For more information on this anniversary conference, visit bit.ly/t40conference or contact Tilth Producers staff at conference@tilthproducers.org or 206-632-7506.

In Bloom

Prepare now for a beautiful spring garden

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By all accounts, this year’s summer weather was exceptional. A long season of warm, dry weather — punctuated by a few perfectly-timed rains — made for a great year in the garden and left many gardeners with bumper crops (tomatoes, anyone?).

As we begin to close the books on another year of gardening, there are a few steps you can take now to ensure a healthy lawn and beautiful garden next spring.

First, if you have a lawn there are two final steps you should take this season to keep your grass healthy through winter and into next year. This month, as our rainy weather returns, spread a healthy dose of granular lime over your lawn to discourage moss growth. Because of our warm summer, moss wasn’t a serious problem; as fall takes hold, however, it will return.

Scientifically speaking, lime raises the pH of soil, which in the Pacific Northwest will bring soil to a more neutral pH. Practically speaking, this serves two benefits: 1. discouraging moss growth, as mentioned; and 2. improving the effectiveness of lawn fertilizer, allowing you to reduce the amount of fertilizer you need to use.

When purchasing lime, look for a fast-acting version like Lilly Miller Super Sweet.

While dolomite lime may take up to a year to break down in the soil, fast-acting lime will correct a soil’s pH in just weeks.

The second step to take this month to keep your lawn healthy through winter is a final dose of fertilizer. Although spring and summer are the seasons you tend to pay the most attention to your lawn, winter is the season that can be the hardest on grass. To prevent damage from cool, wet conditions and hard freezes, it’s important for lawns to develop strong roots through winter.

Later this month or next — essentially once your lawn slows or stops growing — apply a dose of Scotts Turf Builder Winterguard. Feeding late in autumn will give your lawn a good final “meal” before going dormant for winter and allow roots to continue to feed even after the above-

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ground portion of your lawn has stopped growing.

Aside from the mundane tasks of lawn care, this month is a fun time to plan for spring color, namely bulbs! While spring bulbs can be planted anytime in autumn, October is an ideal month to do so.

Bulbs need the winter months to develop strong root systems and prepare for spring, so the sooner you plant after the soil begins to cool for fall the longer they’ll have to get established.

When planting bulbs, choose varieties that bloom at different times for a longer season of color. Crocuses will bring the earliest signs of spring, followed by daffodils and tulips. For stunning displays, plant bulbs in large groupings.

If you like the look of blooming bulbs but don’t have the patience to watch them die down after blooming in late spring — all the while distracting from your other flowers — plant your bulbs in large pots and bury the pots. After they’re finished blooming, pull out the pots and set them somewhere out of sight to finish dying back.

For existing bulb plantings, this is also the time of year to fertilize. Keeping up with a yearly dose of bone meal will maintain strong, healthy bulbs and keep your flowers blooming each spring.

As the seasons continue to change, this month offers an excellent opportunity to get a jump start on a healthy lawn and beautiful garden next spring. Visit a local garden center this month for help with your lawn and to see what bulbs might suit your taste!

David Vos is the general manager of VanderGiessen Nursery in Lynden.

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Country Life 3 • Wednesday, October 8, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

MiElkE Market

Farm milk price hits a brand-new record high But $24.60 Class III level is expected to be the peak By lee Mielke lkmielke@juno.com

Highest ever!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Oct. 1 announced the September Federal Order benchmark Class III milk price at a record high $24.60 per hundredweight (cwt.).

That’s up $2.35 from August, $6.46 above September 2013 and $2.21 above the comparable California 4b price. It equates to about $2.12 per gallon.

It propels the 2014 Class III average to $22.72, up from $17.76 at this time a year ago, $16.54 in 2012, and $18.28 in 2011. That’s all the good news.

The bad news: Class III futures portend declines ahead. The October Class III contract settled Friday at $24.27; November, $21.74; and December, $20.10.

The September Class IV price is $22.58, down $1.31 from August but $3.15 above a year ago. The nine-month Class IV average now stands at $23.20, up from $18.49 a year ago, $15.23 in 2012, and $19.48 in 2011.

The National Dairy Products Sales Report-surveyed cheese price used to calculate this month’s milk prices averaged $2.3472 per pound, up 24 cents from August. Butter averaged $2.8525, up 33.2 cents. Nonfat dry milk averaged $1.4718, down 31.7 cents, and dry whey averaged 67.25 cents, down 1.6 cents.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced its September Class 4b cheese milk price at a record-high $22.39 per hundredweight, up $2.43 from August and $5.74 above September 2013. That puts the 2014 Class 4b average at $20.53, up from $16.10 at this time a year ago, $14.69 in 2012 and $16.48 in 2011, and $2.19 below the Federal Order average.

The September 4a butter-powder price is $22.72, down $1.11 from August but $3.25 above a year ago. The nine-month Class 4a average now stands at $23.09, up from $18.27

a year ago, $14.88 in 2012 and $19.24 in 2011.

While Federal Order and California milk prices set record highs last week, dairy product prices continue to drop. Still, they settled Oct. 3 on an up note, as the market ponders whether it perhaps overreacted on the way down and weighed Thursday’s Dairy Products report.

Block cheddar cheese closed Friday at $2.15 per pound, up a penny on the day.

That’s the first positive move on that front since Sept. 19; the price was down 13 cents on the week but 38.5 cents above a year ago. Cheddar barrels finished at $2.17, up 7 cents on the day, but down 13 cents on the week, 42 cents above a year ago and 2 cents above the blocks. The blocks have lost 30 cents since they set a record-high $2.45 per pound on Sept. 19. The barrels have shed 32 cents since they set a new high of $2.49 on Sept. 22. Generally, a penny movement on cheese equates to about 10 cents on the milk price. Nine train cars of block traded hands on the week and five of barrel.

The lagging NDPSR-surveyed U.S. average block price hit $2.3746 per pound, up 3.3 cents.

Barrels averaged $2.4277, up 5.1 cents.

The decline in cheese prices is leaving Midwest cheese manufacturers and customers more comfortable in terms of prices moving toward a sustainable range, reports USDA’s Dairy Market News. Manufacturers are feeling increasingly confident in manufacturing beyond booked orders and customers are more confident in buying beyond immediate needs.

Aging programs are looking toward beginning to accelerate inventory levels. Milk is available to cheese makers at a significant discount below class prices. Managers at cheese plants not operating at capacity are showing interest in buying extra milk. The recent tightness in barrel supplies is easing, with some barrel sales now occurring at flat market. Blocks are available, says DMN.

Western cheese production is strong. Retail demand for the upcoming holidays remains good. Milk supplies are adequate for those plants hoping to increase production. But cheese makers are cautious about building inventories without solid commitments from buyers. While cheese prices have come off of the record levels, spot sales are slow until prices stabilize, according to DMN. Cash butter dipped to $2.8950 per pound, down 15.5 cents on the week but $1.28 above a year ago. It has lost 16.5 cents since it set its record high of $3.06 per pound on Sept.

19. Only seven cars traded hands this week.

NDPSR butter averaged $2.9687, up 4.6 cents.

Dairy Market News reports that many butter manufacturers are faced with the decision of selling cream at a discount or producing butter at potentially falling prices. Some churn operators with orders yet to fill, took advantage of plentiful, discounted cream supplies. Overall butter production is steady to higher, with a few plants nearing capacity.

Some sellers are experiencing increased competition in the retail segment as buyers become increasingly price-sensitive. Interest for bulk butter is trending lower as less expensive international butter is psychologically putting buyers into a “wait and see” approach on purchases. Imports are making their way into the U.S. Central manufacturer inventories are light to marginally growing.

Western manufacturers continue to run busy schedules for print butter. Retail demand is good, as holiday orders are not completed.

Recent price reductions are increasing interest from bulk butter customers, but bulk supplies remain tight. Export sales are very slow, with international prices lower than the U.S. market.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk closed Friday at $1.3950 per pound, unchanged on the week. Three cars were sold in the spot market this week. NDPSR powder averaged $1.4422,

down 7 cents, and dry whey averaged 66.75 cents, down 0.5 cent.

While dairy farmers are making up for some recent lean years, there are some clouds on the horizon. Strong dairy exports did much to raise U.S. milk prices to current levels, but now world milk output is climbing, including in Oceania. This week’s Global Dairy Trade auction saw the weighted average for all products drop 7.3 percent, after being unchanged Sept.

16 and having plunged 6 percent Sept. 2. The price index has pretty much seen declines since reaching its high on Feb. 4. This does not bode well for the U.S., which has priced itself out of the world market.

All products offered saw losses last week, led by buttermilk powder, down 11.3 percent following a 6.9 percent decline last time.

Whole milk powder was down 10 percent, following a 0.6 percent rise last time. Sweet whey powder was next, down 9.3 percent; it was not offered in the last event. Butter was down 6.6 percent, following a 2.5 percent decline last time. Skim milk powder was down 2.7 percent.

It had inched up 0.9 percent last time. Rennet casein was off 1.4 percent, following a 1.3 percent loss last time, and cheddar was down 1.2 percent, following a 6.5 percent downfall last time.

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 Sept. $24.60 $24.30 (current) Oct. $24.10 $22.60 Nov. $21.50 $21.00 Dec. $19.80 $19.20 Jan. $18.00 $17.80 Feb. $17.60 $17.15 March $17.30 $17.00 April $17.10 $17.10 May $17.10 $17.05 Lee Mielke, of Lynden, is editor of the Mielke Market Weekly and associate editor of DairyBusiness Update. Whatcom County has about 100 dairy farms.

Business

Mobile poultry processing unit wins USDA funds Hiring operators, unit is on verge of becoming operational MOUNT VERNON — Funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will help defray startup costs for the mobile poultry processing unit that was hatched by the Northwest Agriculture Business Center.

The truck-based refrigerated unit, which will provide poultry and rabbit processing services to northwest Washington producers, has been certified by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

In September, the Northwest Agriculture Business Center was also advertising to fill two positions — for supervisor and technician — to operate the unit.

Pay started at $16.50 and $13.50 per hour, respectively.

The $43,600 comes as a Value-Added Producer Program grant from USDA Rural Development.

Funds will support implementation of the regional supply network to operate the unit and firmly establish the enterprise as a long-term, reliable resource for area producers, stated a press release from NABC. Pastured poultry is a promising alternative enterprise for diversified family farms. In order to sell wholesale birds off-farm and in any form other than whole and fresh, processing facilities and farmers must adhere to specific processing regulations and stringent guidelines.

Access to the level of professional processing services required for commercial-scale production has been extremely limited, but with the new mobile unit on line, launching or expanding poultry and

rabbit production will be within reach for many small to mid-sized producers.

Some startup funding also came from the Whatcom Community Foundation’s Sustainable Whatcom Fund.

Now with USDA’s grant funds, the project is better positioned to continue to provide producers in northwest Washington with access to convenient, legal, on-farm processing, enabling them to enter the marketplace with upscale product at volumes essential to business viability and ready to supply the increasing demand for locally grown foods, said Sera Hartman, NABC project manager. The goal of the program is to migrate management of the unit to a producer-owned cooperative, the formation of which will be supported through NABC’s educational and business planning support services.

For more information, contact the NABC home office at 360-336-3727 or info@agbizcenter.org.

The truck is ready to go for mobile poultry and rabbit processing. (Courtesy photo)

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Country Life 4 • Wednesday, October 8, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Organic Sumas farm keeps owner plenty busy This is a second career for former teacher Helen Solem

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

SUMAS — ­ At the close of another outdoor growing season, Helen Solem is not only looking to plant a cover crop for winter. The ambitious 67-year-old is also trying to set her next five-year plan.

She would like to keep doing what she’s doing at her little organic Sumas River Farm on Rock Road — with a little more help.

“I would like to find a way to be more of a manager and have other people do more of the work, and I still pay the bills and have some money left over,” she said.

She enjoys the travel in her little pickup, loaded up with produce of the farm, from the east edge of Sumas to

the Bellingham Farmers Market each Saturday, or beyond that to supply several restaurants in the area and her two dozen CSA customers.

So far, she has been able to keep up all the physical labor, with two younger parttime helpers. “It’s just a little much,” she said.

On Monday, Solem was delighted to have used her nearly new Italian BCS tiller to till under what was a plot of peppers and beans, in preparation for seeding in the cover crop of hairy vetch and rye grass.

Until now, she borrowed and rented equipment or used a hand hoe. “This is a whole new level of farming,” she said with relief.

Her list of produce as of October still includes: beets, tomatoes (not much longer), peppers, pumpkins, squash, carrots, salad greens, chard, onions, kale. She had success growing melons this year.

Solem is very much in tune with the history and topography of her modest 3.7

Helen Solem shows off a warty pumpkin of the Knucklehead variety, one of many that can liven up fall displays. The barn of Sumas River Farm (below) was built in 1935. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune) acres, about half of it cultivated, knowing that her house predates 1900 and that the bordering Sumas River has never spilled its broad basin that she knows of. The property was bought by a Nelson Knight in the early 1930s, the apple orchard was planted, and the barn and coop were built.

But she had to amend and soften the soil to bring it back to good productivity.

She has lived here for 34 years, through the time that she taught Spanish and English as a second language at Whatcom Community College. She had students from all over the world; often they were here to get away from turmoil in their

native country.

The Lynden native knows she inherited some of her green thumb from her mother, Elizabeth Timmer, who once wrote a gardening column for the Tribune.

Helen tried a few times to juggle teaching and farming, but found it to be too much.

She has now been in the soil for six years.

“I think I’m still a novice,” she said about doing it all without chemicals. She is certified USDA organic. “It’s a tricky balance you need to figure out to maintain. People will tell you things, but you’ve got to do it yourself to make it work.”

Of course, greenhouses are part of the formula. For

her investment in two greenhouses as well as the tiller, she gives credit for financial help through the USDA programs as well as the local Community Food Co-op’s Farm Fund.

Karl’s Mower & Saw of Ferndale helped to obtain the tiller.

It just takes a while to build up to a level of knowledge and success, including the marketing and sales, Solem said.

“It’s been a big learning experience. The first years are pretty hard, learning it all,” she said. Then, reflecting on the joy of it anyway, she added, “ It’s amazing the food you can produce on two acres. It’s really fun.”

LHS seniors do migrant day camp as school project It was held July 31-Aug. 1 at Curt Maberry Farm

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN ­— Three girls, for their senior project at Lynden High School, did a day camp of fun children’s activities at the Curt Maberry Farm migrant camp July 31 and Aug. 1.

Alexa Shindruk, Kelsey Hewson and Abigail Adams involved a few other classmates and volunteers. Their mentor for the project was Amelia Martinez, who is a services assistant at the Lynden Library.

Up to 30 kids ages 2-12 participated, with their par-

ents appreciative as well.

Activities included beading, painting, water balloons, soap bubbles, chalk art and basketball shooting.

The planning for this idea started early in the year, leading to lining up donations and gathering supplies, Shindruk said. Community partners included Reco Branding Solutions and The Print Stop of Lynden as well as WalMart through a $50 purchase credit.

The three girls bonded with the Curt Maberry kids and familes, and by the end they all wanted to continue the good relationship.

Senior projects wrap up with presenting portfolios and giving a little speech toward the end of the school year.

The summer kids’ day camp was run for two days at the Curt Maberry Farm migrant camp. The three sponsoring Lynden High School girls set up different types of crafts and fun activities for the camp’s children to do. (Courtesy photo)

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4-H

County 4-H clubs recruiting this week Wide variety of clubs exist throughout north county WHATCOM — It’s 4-H “Rush Week” this week and clubs countywide are actively recruiting members.

On Monday and Tuesday, 4-H explanation meetings open to the public were held respectively at the Ferndale and Lynden libraries.

Here is a list of clubs in north Whatcom County: Lynden, Everson Arab Youth Club — Horse Around the Farm Barnyard Kids — Dairy, cavies, rabbits, poultry, foods, clothing, family living, photography, leadership, creative arts, gardening, aerospace Blazing Saddles — Horse Busy Barns — Everything Country Partners — Aerospace, dairy, goats, sheep, swine, rabbits, cavy, poultry, horticulture, shooting sports Dairyland — Dairy

Hannegan Horse Kids — Horse Rhinestone Wranglers — Horse, leadership, poultry, cats, dogs, creative/performing arts, photography, dairy, beef, goats, rabbits Ferndale Clovers — Clothing, food & nutrition, family living, gardening, creative arts, photography, sewing Windy Acres — Horse Mount Baker Barnyard Adventures — Beef, swine, sheep, goats, dairy, foods, creative arts, family living E-Z Riders — Horse, horseless horse Foothills — Sheep, rabbits, family living, photography, community service Mt. Baker Livestock Club — Beef, dairy Stewart Mt. Gang — Horse Swift Kicks — Horse Nooksack, Sumas Barn Buddies — Everything Beef Masters — Beef, vet sciences Nooksack Valley Jr. Riders — Horse Pygmy Patrol — Goat

The 4-H clubs of Whatcom County are in the Blue and Green Parade to kick off each year’s Northwest Washington Fair. Pictured are some entrants of last Aug. 11. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

Krazy K-9’s — Dog Pails & Trails — Dairy goats, pack goats and cart driving Paws on the Run — Dog Pen Pals — Foods, sewing, family living, photography, beef, sheep, swine Whatcom Showmen — Beef, sheep, goats Meridian

Thunderbird Pigeon — Homing pigeons Valley Vaqueros — Beef, sheep, swine, goats, poultry, photography, knitting For information on how to join these and other 4-H clubs, visit Whatcom.WSU. edu/4h.

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