Country Life 4.12.14

Country Life Special Section • Wednesday, April 9, 2014

New greenhouse, sales office getting finishing touches at VanderGiessen

Henry Honey • CL2 Gardening • CL4 Robotic milker • CL5

Doe’s first litter is five baby goats Hisdal family had to revive the runt at birth Friday evening

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN ­ — When the third baby goat in the litter was born in very frail condition, the Hisdal family thought that was it. Nope.

Millie, a first-time mother

doe, gave birth to two more babies on the Benson Road family farm last Friday evening, for a total of five.

As far as Joanne Hisdal can tell from an internet search, this is only the sixth time anywhere that a litter of five goats happened.

Two or three goats in a litter, that is heard of, but not five, the family said on Monday.

Three days old, the four largest babies were curling and nursing with mama just See Goats on CL6

Popular Ferndale garden plots ready Friendship Community Garden has 25 personal plots, other opportunities

By Mark Reimers news@ferndalerecord.com

David Vos, general manager of Lynden’s VanderGiessen Nursery, checks on plants in the new greenhouse with the expanded sales office behind him. (Tim Newcomb/Lynden Tribune)

Construction over winter added another 1,000 square feet of space

By Tim Newcomb tim@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN — The old went out at VanderGiessen Nursery in 2013. And the new is in in 2014.

Owner Alvin Vos and his son and general manager, David, are putting the finishing touches on their new greenhouse and sales office space at the 401 E. Grover St. nursery.

Alvin had old greenhouse space on the site, some original to the business when it started in 1938. That building was ripped out in late 2013 to make room for 6,000 square feet of greenhouse and sales office space, now 98 percent done.

Not only were the old structures difficult for customers to navigate, but they weren’t efficient and were losing structural

integrity. In their place now sits a modern glass greenhouse with a sales office four times the size of the original 1950 version. Overall, the nursery has about 1,000 more square feet of space — mostly in the sales office — but that space also proves to be quite a bit more usable, David said.

While Alvin said he would have loved an extra month to get everything in place, he is right where they expected to be in terms of the major project for the family-owned nursery. The greenhouses are completely built and full of plants, but still need a few extras, such as the basket watering system, to reach their full potential.

The new sales office still needs some work, as David and Alvin were putting together the main counter just last week. And there’s plenty of room for new shelving so VanderGiessen can really grow the products sold onsite.

Alvin said that while the greenhouses are full and sunny days in April draw in crowds of customers, he hopes to have all the little extras finished up by the start of May, about the time the sale of annual plants draws in even more customers.

FERNDALE — Organizers at the Friendship Community Garden are now filling up the 25 personal plots available in the Ferndale Road spot.

Gloria Perez said each year brings at least some new members at the garden. What they find is a community ready to help even the most green gardeners.

“There are always first-timers who don’t know anything about gardens,” Perez said “One lady got a plot for her father and she fell in love with it. That’s the kind of thing we love to see happen.”

But it doesn’t usually take long to become a pro.

“Some of the people who started last year were new, but by the end of the season, they were veterans helping other people.

They have their own home plots now,” Perez said.

The cost of reserving a plot at the friendship garden is on a sliding scale between $10 and $20. As with many community gardens, an additional cleanup deposit of $10 is charged and reimbursed at the end of the season.

Perez said the warm weather should signal that it is time to get out there and plant.

“May is not too late, but there is a lot that can be planted in See Garden on CL6

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Country Life 2 • Wednesday, April 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Henry Miller knows the buzz around town Founded in Deming, spicy honey business Henry’s Humdingers recently appeared on ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’

By Brent Lindquist reporter@lyndentribune.com

DEMING — Getting a $300,000 offer from entrepreneurs Mark Cuban and Robert Herjavec isn’t something that most 16-year-olds experience.

Turning down that offer?

That’s probably even rarer.

But, leave it to a fellow entrepreneur to stick to his guns.

That’s exactly what Deming’s Henry Miller did when Cuban and Herjavec offered to buy his company, Henry’s Humdingers, for $300,000. The investors also wanted a 75-percent stake in the business.

That wasn’t an easy decision to make, Miller said.

He always intended to take the deal, but after six months of negotiations prior to the “Shark Tank” television premiere, Miller and his family walked away.

A little history Miller founded Henry’s

Humdingers in 2010, not long after chatting with a beekeeper on an airplane.

“I learned about colony collapse disorder from him,” Miller said. “I decided to ask my mom for a beehive for my 12th birthday. She got me one, and the next thing I knew, I had so much sweet honey that I had no idea what to do with it.”

Then Miller noticed that many honey recipes call for added spices. So, he figured, why not add the spices ahead of time?

Miller began giving the spicy honey to friends and family, many of whom suggested he turn his passion for beekeeping and honey into a small business of his own. He took their advice, and Henry’s Humdingers was born.

To mix the spicy honey, Miller uses a mixer to combine local honey with premixed spices before hooking up a filler to the mixer. Then, the honey is jarred, labeled and ready for shipping. The family has a trailer near the company’s Burlington warehouse, and they often work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. to fill orders.

Henry’s Humdingers offers four varieties of spicy honey: Grumpy Grandpa (spicy red pepper and garlic), Naughty Nana (spicy pepper and ginger), Phoebe’s Fireball (chipotle chile and cinnamon) and Diabolical Dad (habañero and lime). All of these flavors are named after Miller’s relatives.

“Shark Tank” When someone starts a small business, Miller said, people immediately begin suggesting that the business owners look into appearing on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” which

features a panel of investors listening to business pitches from aspiring entrepreneurs.

“Everyone tells you, ‘You should be on ‘Shark Tank,’’ as if you didn’t already consider it,” he said.

It’s not quite that easy, however. Miller estimated that about 35,000 people apply to be on the show each season, with only about 127 actually making it onto the show.

He and his family spent about six months applying through audition clips, and they were eventually chosen to appear on “Shark Tank.”

Miller taped his episode in September 2013.

“All my friends were telling me stuff I was missing from school because I was shooting it,” Miller said, “and they weren’t allowed to know that I was at ‘Shark Tank.’”

He received the $300,000 offer from Cuban and Herjavec back in September, and spent the last six months negotiating. The show aired on Friday, March 14.

“At the time I was thinking, it’s a lot better to have 25 percent of a business that’s doing really well,” Miller said.

“They could’ve taken off with it. Would you rather have 100 percent of this small thing or 25 percent of a large thing?”

But in the end, Cuban and Herjavec wanted to move Henry’s Humdingers to Texas, and Henry, his mother Denise Miller and his father Tom Roberts wouldn’t have had much of a part in its day-to-day op-

erations.

“We just decided that it wasn’t what we wanted,” he said. “My dad lost his job the night we found out we were going to air. This is my whole family income right now, and to just place your whole family’s income and send it off to Texas and not be able to see it and know what’s going on as much, it was hard.”

Furthermore, it would have taken a considerable amount of time for the business in its new incarnation to start generating funds. The investors were going to put all of the profits back into the company before it began producing a real profit.

Henry Miller, left, enlists the help of both family and friends to accomplish all the tasks necessary to produce Henry’s Humdingers honey at the company warehouse in Burlington. (Brent Lindquist/

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Henry Miller loves mixing the honey, and he appreciates being able to say that he owns a business.

“I love the look on people’s faces when they find out I own a company,” he said.

Henry Miller plans to continue with Henry’s Humdingers, and hopes to attend college for business after he graduates from high school.

“If this takes off, maybe I’ll do something else,” Henry Miller said. “The sky’s the limit.”

Henry’s Humdingers products are available at Haggen, and at www.HenrysHumdingers.com.

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Moving forward Henry’s Humdingers has remained local, with the company’s operations being handled in Burlington. Henry Miller’s mother still lives in Deming, and Henry Miller commutes from Ventura, Calif., where he attends high school, as often as he can.

“I’m up here all the time,” Henry Miller said. “Every time there’s a break, I’m working on the farm or in the warehouse.

My mom will call me on a lot of the business decisions that are being made. I’m not up here jarring all the time, but I can still control stuff from there.”

After “Shark Tank” aired on the East Coast, the Henry’s Humdingers online store took about 900 orders, and that was before it hit West-Coast airwaves. Henry Miller received multiple marriage proposals on Twitter, and the honey or-

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Country Life 3 • Wednesday, April 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

FFA students present farming at kids’ level at Vossbeck school

Government

Loan programs change under new Farm Bill Interest rates, definitions, terms are different

Teaching about dairy was one part of the F.A.R.M. presentation by Lynden FFA students at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary School in March. (Elizabeth Kaehr/Courtesy photo)

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN ­ — For a special project through FFA, six Lynden High School students did an interactive presentation on aspects of agriculture in Whatcom County to youngsters at Bernice Vossbeck Elementary School in March.

F.A.R.M. stands for Forestry Agriculture and Resource Management. The presentation will be given again competitively at the Washington State FFA convention in Pullman in May. Elizabeth Kaehr said she and Kelly

Moyer took the lead, but had plenty of support from Sam Bedlington, Carson Sandland, Josh Coston and Lucas Fakkema.

The purpose was to show in simple age-appropriate ways how agriculture happens locally, including impacts on the environment, Kaehr said.

Four stations were created. They covered: dairy, with the county Dairy Ambassador coming and talking, aided

by Twister the Cow; the life cycles of salmon, emphasizing how clean water is needed for them to thrive; the continuing rotation of the chicken and the

egg; and “how a garden grows,” which allowed the little kids to plant some lettuce and later see it grow.

In all, eight repeat presentations were made to four classrooms each of first and second graders.

The LHS students had spent months planning and ordering supplies, putting it all together, and making arrangements with Vossbeck. It all added up to be fun to do, though, Kaehr said.

A FARM presentation was done in a previous year at the Isom school more specifically on how food gets to the table.

Larsen pushes for immigration action He also wants changes in how immigration cases are prosecuted WASHINGTON, DC — Rep. Rick Larsen and other Democrats have called for House action on the comprehensive immigration reform bill already passed by the Senate in 2013.

In late March, the Democrats filed a petition to force a vote on H.R. 15, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Larsen is an original co-sponsor of the reform package.

“Our immigration system is broken, and my con-

versations with people across northwest Washington have taught me that we need a comprehensive solution. I am focused on breaking down the barriers that stop people from fully participating in the economy and our democracy. Immigration reform will help us do that,” said the 2nd District Congressman.

A new report from the Congressional Budget Office shows H.R. 15 will reduce the deficit by $900 billion over the next two decades.

Larsen also joined other House Democrats in sending letters to President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, encouraging the administration to adjust its practices in prosecuting immigration cases.

The letters, led by Rep. Adam Smith of Washington’s 9th District, call for the administration to expand immigration enforcement guidelines to consider whether undocumented immigrants have close family members in the U.S. who are citizens, legal permanent residents or DREAMers (came into the country as children). The letters also ask the administration to develop objective tools to ensure that immigration enforcement resources emphasize keeping communities safe.

“Successful participation in society for the people of my

district and across the country depends on the development of a pro-growth, efficient and fair immigration system.

“As Congress continues to debate comprehensive immigration reform, I support steps that facilitate fair and thorough deliberation of undocumented immigrants’ cases, within the confines of the law. My colleagues and I have asked the President and Secretary Johnson to assess immigration enforcement with an eye toward family and community ties, to focus resources on instances when national security or public safety is at risk,” Larsen said.

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LACEY ­ — The Washington Farm Bureau, in its emailed March newsletter, includes the following fact sheet on the latest Farm Bill changes to loan programs.

The 2014 Farm Bill, signed

by President Obama on Feb. 7, updates certain requirements and modifies several loan programs administered by the Farm Service Agency.

The following are now effective due to the 2014 Farm Bill: • The percent of guarantee offered on all Conservation Loans will increase from 75 percent to 80 percent. The percent of guarantee will increase to 90 percent for Conservation Loans made to socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers.

• The interest rate charged on Direct Farm Ownership loans that are made in conjunction with other lenders is set at 2 percent below the regular Direct Farm Ownership rate, with a floor of 2.5 percent.

• The maximum loan amount for down payment Farm Ownership loans is increased to $300,000 from $225,000, consistent with all other Direct Farm Ownership loans.

• The rural residency requirement for Youth Loans is removed. Previously, to qualify for a Youth Loan an applicant had to live in a rural area.

• Microloans made to beginning and veteran farmers or ranchers are exempt from

direct term limits. Term limits still apply for non-microloan direct loans (regular operating loans and Farm Ownership loans).

• A limited resource rate is available to beginning and veteran farmers who receive a microloan. Borrowers will be given a choice to accept the limited resource rate or regular operating loan rate.

• The restriction that an applicant could receive a Guarantee Operating Loan for no more than 15 years has been eliminated.

• The definition of a qualified beginning farmer or rancher is modified to set the average size of farmland owned at no greater than 30 percent of the average size farm. Previously, this definition used the median farm size, which eliminated many otherwise qualified applicants.

• Debt forgiveness will no longer preclude a former Youth Loan borrower from obtaining additional loans from any U.S. government agency.

Additionally, borrowers with Youth Loan debt forgiveness or who are delinquent on such debt can receive student loans. The servicing and collection of Youth Loans is not affected by the statute and will continue under the present regulation. FSA is revising the definition of debt forgiveness to comply with this statute.

Additional information regarding FSA Farm Loans or other FSA programs can be found by visiting the FSA Service Center in Whatcom County at 6975 Hannegan Rd., Lynden, or online at fsa.usda. gov.

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Country Life 4 • Wednesday, April 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

In Bloom

MiElkE Market

Ready to plant? Record-high milk price slips just 2 Get started now cents to remain very strong at $23.33

By David Vos

Although spring is officially just a few weeks old, if you’re like me you’re probably beginning to get “the itch” for planting. For many of us, it’s just a natural instinct and as tulips begin to bloom, grass starts to grow and the days get sunnier and warmer, you’re probably getting eager for at least some aspect of gardening. So, where to begin?

If you’re a vegetable gardener, it’s not too early to get working in your garden.

Whether you grow vegetables or herbs in pots on a deck, raised beds alongside your garage or in a vast backyard garden, now is the time to get started with soil preparation and planting.

Before you begin, be sure to amend your soil with a fresh layer of compost. Most edibles are good eaters themselves and require nutrient-rich soil to produce an abundant crop.

For larger gardens, spread an inch or two of mushroom compost — available in bulk at local nurseries — over the garden and rototill it in. If you grow in a small area or containers, bagged chicken manure offers comparable results. For the best results, add a fresh layer of compost to your garden each spring.

After you’ve properly prepared your soil, you can begin planting. Although it’s still too early to plant many garden favorites, now is the time to begin planting cool-season crops. Lettuces, spinach, kale, peas, radishes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions — all of these and more are safe to begin planting now.

Other popular garden crops such as tomatoes, beans, peppers and cucumbers (among others) will require a little more patience; wait until at least the end of this month before planting.

As for patience, the warm, sunny days we’ve had off and on over the last couple of weeks may have you excited for flowers. After all, nothing says summer like a pot of flowers on the deck or a hanging basket by the front door. While the sunny days are tempting, it’s still too early to safely plant most summer annuals outside.

It’s a rosy picture for the moment, with dairy profit margins at highest level ever

By Lee Mielke lkmielke@juno.com

With every rule, however, there are exceptions, and one exciting newer option may be just what you need for early season color, especially if you’re tired of pansies or your primroses are beginning to look tired. Pericallis (pronounced pair-uh-CAL-iss) is not a name most gardeners are familiar with, and in fact it is a relative newcomer to the gardening scene. Most commonly known by the branded Senetti name, this daisy-like flower can handle and actually prefers wet weather and cool spring nights.

Great for pots or in the ground, Senetti is just gearing up for months of blooming — and bloom it will! At their peak, Senetti plants may each hold up to 200 flowers.

These mounding plants grow rapidly; just a few are needed to fill a large pot. Available in varied shades of pink, purple and white, Senetti is an excellent annual to begin planting outdoors now.

Finally, now is a great time to begin planting shrubs and trees around your yard.

Each year, I watch as plant deliveries arrive at the nursery — and each year, I have to find a place for “that plant” in my yard. One of my favorite shrubs this spring is Compressa juniper. A narrow, upright evergreen with silver foliage, Compressa tops out at around five feet tall and only a foot wide, making it perfectly suited for planting beds with limited space.

As spring kicks into gear, enjoy the excitement and newness of another season and make the most of what your yard and garden have to offer.

David Vos is the general manager of Vander Giessen Nursery in Lynden.

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$1.8562, up 2.4 cents. Nonfat dry milk averaged $2.0897, up 1.1 cent, and dry whey, at 65.54 cents, was up 2.4 cents.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture announced its March Class 4b cheese milk price April 1 at a record-high $22.16 per cwt., up $1.02 from February and dwarfing last year’s $15.02 by $7.14. That pulls the 2014 4b average up to $21.20/cwt., up from $15.42 at this time a year ago, $13.77 in 2012 and $15.37 in 2011.

The March 4a butter-powder price is a record $23.37/cwt., up 29 cents from February and $5.50 above a year ago.

The 4a average now stands at $22.86, up from $17.65 a year ago, $15.67 in 2012 and $17.81 in 2011.

Monthly average milk prices were up, but so were feed prices, according to the latest Ag Prices report from USDA. Still, it adds up to dairy profit margins at their highest level ever.

The preliminary March 2014 milk-feed price ratio slipped a bit. At 2.58, the index is down from 2.60 in February and compares to 1.48 in March 2013. The index is based on the current milk price in relationship to feed prices for a ration of 51 percent corn, 8 percent soybeans, and 41 percent alfalfa

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and three of barrel. The lagging NDPSR-surveyed U.S. average block price averaged $2.3450, up 8.1 cents. Barrel averaged $2.3216, up 4.1 cents.

Cheese production is building slowly, as milk supplies increase toward the spring flush, according to USDA’s Dairy Market News.

Current production levels are increasing slower than many manufacturers had hoped for. Advance export sales continue to draw inventory away from domestic sales.

Domestic cheese demand is good, despite high prices.

Cash butter took a turn downward last week, closing Friday at $1.97 per pound, down 3 cents on the week but still 26 cents above a year ago. Twelve cars traded hands on the week. NDPSR butter averaged $1.8989, up 4.9 cents.

Butter prices are steady to higher on strong seasonal demand and very good export orders. The market tone is firm, as butter manufacturers finish Easter and Passover retail orders. Production rates are mixed amongst the regions, as cream supplies tighten and cream prices increase.

Cash Grade A nonfat dry milk ended the week at $1.9975, down 3.25 cents.

One car was sold. NDPSR powder averaged $2.0734, down 1.3 cents, and dry whey averaged 66.72 cents, up 1.3 cents and the highest since December 2012. The highest dry whey price occurred in April 2007 at 79.33 cents a pound.

Lee Mielke, of Lynden, writes a syndicated newspaper column titled “Mielke Market Weekly” on dairy market issues. He can be reached via email at lkmielke@juno. com.

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the March Federal Order Class III milk price Friday at $23.33 per hundredweight (cwt.), down 2 cents from the record high set last month.

That price is still $6.40 above March 2013 and $1.17 above California’s comparable Class 4b milk price, and it equates to about $2.01 per gallon.

The 2014 Class III average stands at $22.61 per cwt., up from $17.44 at this time a year ago, $16.28 in 2012 and $16.63 in 2011.

Class III futures settled Friday, April 4, as follows: April $23.94 per cwt., May $21.96, June $20.56, July $20.28, August $20.02, September $19.78, October $19.35, November $18.92 and December $18.53. If those prices were all realized, the Class III would average $20.93 in 2014, up from $17.99 in 2013 and $17.44 in 2012.

The March Class IV price is a record-high $23.66 per cwt. as well, up 20 cents from February and $5.91 above a year ago. The Class IV average now stands at $23.14, up from $17.71 a year ago, $15.94 in 2012 and $18.08 in 2011.

A survey of cheese prices by the National Dairy Products Sales Report found an average of $2.2689 per pound, down 1.75 cents from February. Butter averaged

hay.

The March 2014 U.S. average all-milk price was $25.40 per cwt., with a 3.77 percent fat test, up from $24.90 per cwt. in February, with a 3.81 percent test. That compares to $19.10 per cwt. in March 2013, with a test of 3.79 percent.

March corn averaged $4.54 per bushel, up 19 cents from February, but $2.59 less than March 2013. March soybeans, at $13.60 per bushel, were up 40 cents from February, but down $1 from March 2013. Alfalfa hay averaged $191 per ton, up $3 from February, but $28 less than March 2013.

Estimated U.S. March 2014 cull cow prices (beef and dairy combined) averaged $99.90 per cwt., according to the Ag Prices report.

The average is up $4.50 per cwt. from February’s revised estimate, $16.10 more than March 2013, and likely the highest monthly average ever. By the way, for some perspective, the 2011 average was $71.60 per cwt.

Cash cheese prices saw further declines the first week of April, although there was a late “April Fools” on Thursday when the blocks reversed gears and jumped 3.75 cents only to plunge the next day. Many traders expected spot prices to crash once cheese started showing up at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, but that didn’t happen. At any rate, the cheddar blocks closed Friday at $2.35 per pound, down 3.5 cents on the week but still 58.75 cents above a year ago. The barrels closed at $2.2250, down 6.5 cents on the week and 53.25 cents above a year ago, but an unsustainable 12.5 cents below the blocks. Only one train car of block was sold last week

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Country Life 5 • Wednesday, April 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Robotic milker starts up today on Lynden farm Lynden’s Bouma Dairy is getting all humans and cows involved up to speed

By Calvin Bratt editor@lyndentribune.com

LYNDEN ­ — For the first time ever in Whatcom County, a cow was to be milked today by a computer-guided machine.

Bouma Dairy on Flynn Road, on the city’s west edge, is the place where two units of the DeLaval VMS robotic milking system, installed a month ago, were being prepped for

was watching with family members James Bouma and Nelva Bouma as cows uncertainly tested out the system, which looks like a single milking unit of a typical milking parlor. Cows are enticed in by a portion of grain, and then the robotic arm with milking pulsators attached reaches in under the udder and — knowing each cow’s dimensions in its preprogrammed memory — does the job that a human would normally do.

Every cow in the herd of 160 had been through the robot at least once.

Now the Boumas and Vander Veen were watching for cows who were coming through too often — as in

the teat placement on cows using laser and GPS. “Then hit enter and confirm,” said VanderVeen to James Bouma, touching the control screen.

Once fully programmed, the system can be controlled from an I-phone or computer remotely.

Right now, the Boumas are more excited thinking about the milking and cleanup duties they won’t have to do, starting today, in the old parlor.

Brother Louis will be relieved as the main milker, but “it will change all you guys drastically,” Vander Veen insisted. Brother Mark is also involved on the farm.

The Boumas added an ex-

as they choose, although they are not always fed or milked if they overuse it.

The next nearest installation of a DeLaval robotic milking system is in LaConner, where the Mesman fam-

ily has been using the Swedish-made product for about five months. Theirs is about the sixth in operation in the western Washington and Oregon region. Robotic milking is much more common else-

where in the world and even in lower British Columbia.

DeYoung & Roosma Construction of Lynden has been the general contractor building structures for both the Bouma and Mesman installations.

The Whatcom County Dairy Women say:

“Thank You For Your Support!”

Congratulations to our new 2014 Whatcom County Dairy Ambassador

Amanda Rittgers

Rick VanderVeen, right, shows farmer James Bouma the details of programming the DeLaval VMS robotic milking system for individual cows. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune) the big occasion.

Rick Vander Veen, local DeLaval manager, said a startup specialist of the company would be in from Wisconsin today as well to oversee things.

On Monday, Vander Veen

three times in a half hour, but not rewarded with grain — or barely often enough.

“Oh, we have a new customer,” said Nelva as cow number 2001 stepped in.

The system was mapping

tension onto their main loafing barn to cover the two new robotic units, about 50 feet apart. The milk is piped into a new tank house nearby.

Cows can enter the VMS (Voluntary Milking System)

Start of retail sales and Open House at Pacific Growers The greenhouses on the Markworth Road will be open to the public on Saturday, April 12, 2014.

This is an opportunity for gardeners from the community to walk thru and see how everything is growing inside the greenhouse. We have 2 facilities - one up on the hill and the new one down at the bottom, both will be open to the public. Retail sales and refreshments will be at the greenhouse on the hill.

We will be open from 9am to 4pm.

Pictured L-R: Ellie

Steensma, Alternate Amanda Rittgers, 2014 Whatcom County Dairy Ambassador LaKrista Buckley, Alternate Eaglemill Farms LLC 1364 Abbott Road Lynden, WA 98264

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We will be open for retail sales on SATURDAYS only from 9am-4pm starting Three Generations April 12th - May 31st. at Pacific Growers Come see our great selection of bedding plants, geraniums, vegetables, hanging baskets, “Lynden baskets” and much more!

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• Blue Star Welding

• Storm Haaven Dairy

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• Northwest Washington Fair

Country Life 6 • Wednesday, April 9, 2014 • lyndentribune.com | ferndalerecord.com

Garden: Loaded up with soil Continued from A1 April,” Perez said. “I’m willing to meet out there any time to help answer questions.”

The Ferndale Friendship Community Garden fulfills a diverse mission, receiving help from several volunteer groups each season on land given by the City of Ferndale between Pioneer Park and the water treatment plant.

One important mission is to provide food for the Ferndale Food Bank.

“We donated 1,400 pounds to the food bank last year,” Perez said. “It’s one of our obligations to have a giving garden that is supported by the gardeners.”

Regular outside volun-

teer contributions come from Windward High School, the Ferndale Boys & Girls Club and Alcoa Intalco Works.

Opportunities don’t end at personal plots either, with various joint crop patches for corn, dried beans. pumpkins and summer squash. Several tunnels for growing melons will also be available. Gardeners can contribute labor to those areas of the garden to earn a stake in each crop.

“We are up and rolling and ready,” Perez said. “We are loaded up with soil, some beds rebuilt and compost as well coming in. Seeds are donated by Portal Way Farm and Garden and Ace Hardware. We are so grateful for that.”

Last year, the friendship garden had about 75-80 individuals growing food using the 25 plots.

“It’s real mixture of the community,” Perez said. “It’s called a community garden for a reason.”

Perez cautioned that each year includes some sign-ups who don’t really understand the commitment.

“You do have to come take care of it or you won’t get anything out of it,” she said. “But if anyone is reluctant or unsure about gardening, there are always people around to help answer questions. It shouldn’t be a reason not to come.”

For more information, call Gloria Perez at 223-3836.

Leah Hisdal helps doe Millie with four of the baby goats born at Satyrday Farm last Friday night. (Calvin Bratt/Lynden Tribune)

Goats: ‘He wasn’t breathing’ Continued from CL1

The plots are ready to be claimed for 2014 at the Ferndale Friendship Community Garden. The person to contact is Gloria Perez at 223-3836 or rainglo@comcast.net.

(Mark Reimers/Lynden Tribune)

4-H Report CRITTERS AND COMPANY Reporter: Addi Ericksen Critters and Company 4-H Club had a busy fall getting started this year! Our October meeting kicked off with officer elections and our annual Halloween party. New officers this year are: president Emily Harting, co-vice presidents Dakota Black and Holley Clark, treasurer Melissa Rauch, secretary Riley Black, reporter Addi Ericksen, and co-historians Elsa Ericksen and Cheryl

Carter.

Several of our members were honored at countywide Achievement Night. Riley Black, Holley Clark, Elsa Ericksen, Andrew Nelson and Ryder Bronkema all received rosettes for public presentations. Also, Riley Black, Emily Harting, Melissa Rauch, Ryder Bronkema, Heidi Greenwood and Meghan Harting received awards for livestock judging. Project medals for record books were awarded to Heidi Greenwood,

Emily Harting, Meghan Harting and Kolby Williams. Emily Harting was also awarded the Capstone Award for Overall Livestock Achievement, which includes scores for judging, record book, presentation and showmanship.

We helped at the Holiday Giving Store for community service. We also had goat/sheep and pig clinics. At the goat and sheep clinic we got some refreshers on healthcare and practiced drawing blood. Our wreath sale fund-

fine in a protected pen on the Satyrday Farm.

But the obvious runt of the bunch, named Horatio, was getting extra special treatment from daughter Leah in the house.

“He wasn’t breathing, so we revived him,” said dad David Hisdal. “But they all look like they’re going to make it now.”

Leah is bottle feeding Horatio — he couldn’t compete nursing naturally with his stronger siblings — and this is the one that the Hisdals may keep, having saved his life.

On Friday evening, the birthing started about 9:30, spotted by son Scott. David said he is glad it wasn’t during the night without human help, because Horatio for sure wouldn’t have made it. He seemed dead, but upon being cleaned of his birth sac and rubbed with a towel he showed life.

There are 18 goats on the farm now. Mostly, they are the pygora breed, which is a blend of pygmy and angora. They all wear coats of

raising went great. You could go collect greens and participate in creating the wreaths. We are almost done with our sales. It is our big fundraiser for the year.

We had an officer meeting and discussed our specific positions and our jobs as officers.

We had two big parties re-

MORE

fine lustrous mohair fiber, softer than wool and sought after for clothing. The Hisdals sell it.

The farm has the word “satyr” in its name because it features both goats and grapes, a hint of ancient Greece.

David’s roots were on a mixed farm near Chilliwack, B.C., but he has been down in the states many years and started using this acreage about four years ago. He raises about 10 acres of blueberries and four of grapes. Just coming into full production this year, the grapes will be sold to home winemakers, he said.

He has also put up greenhouses and supplies flowers to RiteAids in northwest Washington.

And all that is just a sideline to what David considers his real job, which is selling unmanned solar electric air vehicles. More like a glider than anything else, they can be up to 13 feet in wingspan and be mounted with different sensors for various aerial purposes. He will attend a trade show in Florida in May.

cently, our Halloween party and our Christmas bowling party. At our Halloween party we dressed up and had a costume contest.

Other activities included hot potato with a pumpkin and a candy hunt in the hay. We had our Christmas party on Dec. 16 at the Mt. Baker Lanes bowling alley. We went bowling and had

SUCCESS

WITH

a Secret Santa gift exchange. We will hopefully be having more fun activities in the future.

Critters and Company has hands-down had a great start to the year. Hopefully the rest of the 4-H year will be this good. Many great memories have been made.

That’s what has been going on inside of Critters and Company.

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