AGRICULTURE & FARMING Ferndale is well-known for being “farm country,” and even amid the explosion of new home developments, Ferndale has maintained its long love of the land and farming. One of the advantages of living in or near Ferndale is the number of roadside fruit and vegetable stands and visitor-friendly farms. The Lummi Tribe are the natives to this area and found the climate to be moderate and the soil rich, and today’s farming connects our generation to past generations. Throughout Whatcom County there are 521 miles of fish habitat streams. In recent years farmers have enhanced these streams by planting Douglas fir seedlings and native plant vegetation. Dairy farming became popular around the 1900’s and by 1930 dairies averaged 40 acres and fewer than 40 cows. Currently, the average dairy is 250 acres with 300 cows. Whatcom County is the first in the nation in milk production per cow. Two Ferndale farms also raise and sell bison for meat.
Photo: Boxx Berry Farm, courtesy Jill Cox
berries harvested annually, and an estimated additional 400 acres in upcoming years.
Berries are a large part of local agriculture. Whatcom County grows approximately 84 percent of all the frozen raspberries in Washington, and 65 percent in the nation. Strawberries are grown and processed Raspberries and blueberries are picked by mechanical harvesters, and locally for national brands. There are more than 1500 acres of blue- strawberries are exclusively hand-picked. Berries are also sold along roadside stands throughout Ferndale and in many grocery stores. Photo by Michael Liang There are more than 100 acres of commercial orchards in Whatcom County and those orchards produce more than 1,110 tons of apples each year. Other crops include corn, potatoes, pumpkins, squash, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and more. Christmas tree farms, tree farms for pulp and paper, and fresh flowers top off the leaders of local agriculture. The county leads the state of Washington in certified seed potatoes. These are used to plant commercial crops elsewhere. Jennie Pickens, Heather Bender and Elizabeth Hayes of Appel Farms, cutting and preparing a fresh order of locally made cheese . Photo by Toni Lynn Photography
16
2014 Ferndale Community Profile and Membership Directory