Country Life Wednesday, February 13, 2019 • lyndentribune.com • ferndalerecord.com
Small Farm Expo coming up March 9 At fairgrounds, it offers help in the diversity of local farming WHATCOM — The fourth annual free Small Farm Expo will be held on Saturday, March 9, at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds in Lynden from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are many reasons to check this out — whether you already operate a small farm and are looking for new ideas or markets, growing your own food, or thinking of starting a small farm, or are making the transition from hobby to business. Designed to be an informal meet-and-greet and networking event, visitors will find opportunities at the Small Farm Expo to engage with successful farmers, meat processing cooperatives, and market resources for local growers. Discover new resources to improve and expand productivity, animal health, pasture quality and homesteading happiness. More than 35 different organizations are lined up to be represented. These include tractor suppliers, agronomists, veterinarians, butchers, master composters, solar providers and financial resources for farmers. Also, there will be presentations on the half hour with a special keynote speaker from noon to 1 p.m. Refreshments and lunch will be available for purchase. The keynote address of Rebecca Thistlethwaite at noon is “Meat the Future: Successful Models in Animal
Agriculture.” The challenges to livestock and poultry production are numerous: shifting consumer preferences, trade wars, regulations, activists, climate change, rising input costs, and the list goes on. Farmers and scientists are coming to understand the myriad of benefits that domesticated animals can provide a farm and economy, and be an ecosystem of benefits as well. Thistlethwaite will share some successful models and key best practices for deriving the most benefits from animal agriculture. These will include production practices, processing, aggregating and selling animal products. That takes in from meat to milk, eggs to hides and fiber, with a focus on pasture-based and regenerative models. Thistlethwaite is the author of “Farms with a Future” and “The New Livestock Farmer.” She works as the program manager of the eXtension community of practice Niche Meat Processor Assistance Network. She runs Sustain Consulting, specializing in food and farm issues, and also operates a small farm and a community farm stand in Oregon with her husband and coauthor, Jim Dunlop, and their daughter, Fiona. Check out her website at http://rebeccathistlethwaite.com. This free open event is hosted by the Whatcom Conservation District and Whatcom County Public Works. Check out the website or event Facebook Page “Small Farm Expo” for updates.
Dairy • A9 Gardening • A9 FFA • A10
Edaleen now in Fairhaven too Ice cream shop will increase summer hours WHATCOM — The Fairhaven community can join the chorus of “We all scream for ice cream!” when Edaleen Dairy opens its sixth Whatcom County shop there Thursday, Feb. 14. Edaleen Dairy will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Fairhaven Village Inn building at 1200 10th Suite #104. Hours will expand as summer approaches. The Fairhaven store will rotate 24 flavors of its hard ice cream from more than 40 varieties that Edaleen Dairy creates, all from milk produced at the farm north of Lynden. “The farm is less than two miles from the processing plant, and not many ice cream companies can transform milk into ice cream within 20-24 hours of leaving the cow,” said Mitch Moorlag, general manager of Edaleen Dairy. “It’s what makes us special and so amazingly fresh.” Edaleen Dairy also will offer soft-serve ice cream, cones (waffle cones made
Edaleen Dairy employee Amanda Heystek scoops up an ice cream cone. (Photo courtesy of Edaleen Dairy)
in-house), sundaes, icecream cakes, milk and Ellenos Greek yogurt made from the farm’s milk. Seating is available. “We feel the vibrancy of this Fairhaven location, across from the Village Green and at the beginning of the South Bay Trail
to Taylor Dock and Boulevard Park, is a great fit for this new style of Edaleen Dairy store that has a stronger emphasis on ice cream,” Moorlag said. “Our affordable treats are enjoyed by families and people of all ages.” Edaleen Dairy, found-
ed in 1975 and selling ice cream since 1982, also has stores in Lynden (two), Ferndale, Blaine and Sumas. For more information, call 360-220-9833 or visit www.EdaleenDairy.com.
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