by Marnie Jones

KENDALL – Kendall Elementary students, teachers and families broke ground on a new garden on Saturday, Dec. 3. The garden, which is being constructed under the guidance of the Common Threads School Garden Collective, will allow students to learn about food, farming, horticulture, and the environment.

Kendall joins 10 other Whatcom County schools in engaging with Common Threads to get their garden started. “School gardens are more sustainable if there’s a garden educator or an outside human resource to keep the energy going,” according to Common Threads’ Tessa Bundy. Having an experienced person come in and rally the troops, she explained, can make the garden more  sustainable.

Saturday’s ground-breaking followed guidelines laid out by a landscape designer who works with Common Threads, but the work to follow will offer opportunity for creative input from the Kendall Elementary community. A garden committee, made up of parents, teachers, and staff, will join Common Threads staff in a visioning process to determine what shape the garden should take in the spring. What to plant and whether to prioritize food crops, vibrant flowers, or a garden theme are all questions that will be answered in a collaborative process over the coming months.

Kendall Elementary principal Charles Burleigh is happy to see the garden starting, and feels that student interest will grow now that the first visible progress has been made. The project has evolved almost entirely out of parent support, Burleigh said, pointing to Kendall parent Katie Chugg as the garden’s most vocal supporter. “I would say she’s right at the center of making these things happen,” Principal Burleigh said “I really appreciate our parent organization taking the lead. [The project] is going to be a great opportunity for our students.”

Common Threads, operating as a non-profit, requires a $2,300 per year membership fee for schools which join the collective. This money goes primarily towards paying their Garden Educators, who spend time at each garden site on a regular basis to help plan and inspire. Examples of the work that might be done by a Garden Educator include organizing school gardening clubs, helping with garden-related curriculum development and lesson plans, and helping the school to embrace their garden and appropriate it into their own culture.

As for Common Threads, their staff is pleased to be working with the enthusiastic Kendall community. “There’s a lot of potential [in Kendall] to engage these kids in growing food and using the garden in the school,” Bundy said.
Kendall Elementary is the Collective’s second outlying school, joining the Lummi Nation School and nine Bellingham member schools. “We’re thrilled to have a garden out in the county. Interest in school gardens is growing, and we’ve been able to gain a sense of what works for different schools.”

According to Bundy, the Common Threads staff have become very good at guiding a school towards creating a garden that works for their distinct needs.

For more information about Kendall’s school garden, contact Katie Chugg at 599-1391 or Chuggkm78@yahoo.com, or Tessa Bundy at 961-7562 or email tessa@commonthreadsfarm.org.

Following are some of the tree farms in eastern Whatcom County area, most open through Dec. 23 or Christmas Eve.

• Alpine Meadows Tree Farm: 3585 Valley Highway, south of Van Zandt, 595-1019. Open through Dec. 22. Hours are 9 a.m. to dark, Monday through Saturday. Trees include Noble Fir, Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Fraser Fir and Nordmann. U-cut, pre-cut and live trees are available, as well as kids’ trees and wreaths and garland. There is an indoor warm-up area with free coffee and hot chocolate.

• Bell Creek Trees: 5669 Mount Baker Highway, Deming, 592-5061 or 592-4005. Open through Dec. 23. Hours are 9 a.m. to dusk on the weekends, as well as by appointment. Trees include Grand Fir, Noble Fir and Fraser Fir, Cedar, and both u-cut and we-cut are available, as well as wreaths and cut greenery. Coffee and light refreshments available.

• Fullner U-Cut Christmas Trees: 3765 E. Hoff Road, 592-5820. Open through Dec. 24. Hours are 9 a.m. to dark, daily. Trees include Douglas, Grand and Concolor Firs, Norway Spruce, and Fraser. A gift shop is also on site. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate and candy canes available.

• Kelly Road Christmas Tree Farm: 1129 E. Kelly Road, 510-9198, www.kellyrdtreefarm.com.  Open through Dec. 18. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Trees include u-cut or we-cut Noble Fir, Grand Fir and Fraser Fir. Gift shop on site. Refreshments available.

A couple cuts a tree at Alpine Meadows Farm. PHOTO BY KELLY MAKARAVAGE

• Misty Meadows Farm: 6197 Everson Goshen Road, Everson, 312-3554, www.mistymeadowsfarm.com. Trees are certified organic and include Grand Fir, Douglas Fir, Noble Fir and Nordmann Fir.

• Noon Road Trees: 7188 Noon Road, Lynden, 354-8689. Open through Dec. 24. Hours are dawn to dusk, daily. Trees include u-cut Douglas, Grand, Noble, Colorado Blue, Norway and others.

• Pete Pederson Christmas Trees: 4035 Mount Baker Highway, Deming, 592-2639. Trees include Noble Fir, Grand Fir, Fraser Fir and Douglas Fir.

• Red Mountain Tree Farm: Located on Mount Baker Highway  between Kendall and Maple Falls, 599-1765, www.redmountaintrees.com. Open through Dec. 23. Hours are 10 a.m. to dusk, daily. Trees include Noble, Open Noble, Grand Fir, Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, Spruce, Blue Spruce, and Nordmann. U-cut, we-cut, potted trees and wreaths available, as well as garland, ornaments and other items.

• River’s Edge U-Cut Christmas Tree Farm: 4773 Deming Road, Deming, 592-5220, www.riversedgeucut.com. Open through Dec. 24. Hours are 9 a.m. to dark, daily. Trees include Noble Fir, Grand Fir, Fraser Fir, pre-cut Douglas Fir, and live trees, as well as garlands and wreaths. Free wagon rides Dec. 3-4 and 10-11. Coffee, cider, hot chocolate and candy canes available.

• Sisters Tree Farm: 3771 Valley Highway, a mile south of Van Zandt, 592-5614. Open through Dec. 24. Hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to dark on Saturday and Sunday. Trees include Douglas Fir, Nordmann Fir, Fraser Fir and more. U-cut, we-cut and wreaths available. Sisters Gift Shoppe on site includes crafts, ornaments, handmade dolls, stockings and more. Cookies and coffee available.

• Stoney Ridge Farm: 2092 Van Dyk Road, Everson, 592-5220, www.stoneyridgefarm.com. Open through Dec. 10. Hours are noon to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. Trees include  Fraser Fir, Noble Fir, Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, and Nordmann. We-cut, u-cut, wreaths, garlands, stands and more available. Gift shop, pie shop, animals. Coffee and hot chocolate available.

by the Foothills Gazette

COUNTY – The annual Whatcom County Farm Tour organized by Sustainable Connections will take place Saturday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and feature a total of 12 farms, two wineries and the Bellingham Farmers Market.

The tour is free and self-guided, with maps available online (sconnect.org) or in print at the Community Food Co-ops, Haggen stores in Whatcom, and Bellingham Farmers Market, among other places.

Sam Grubbs, of Bellingham Country Gardens, looks at his family's ripening sweet corn crop. PHOTO BY ASHLEY BENNETT

Each stop along this family-friendly tour features educational and interactive activities and products for sale, as well as three bicycle routes for visitors heading out by bike. A total of 5,500 individual farm visits were recorded during last year’s farm tour.

This year’s participating farms and locations are:

BelleWood Acres: Home to 25,000 apple trees, BelleWood Acres is open September through December. During the farm tour, participants can tour the farm while riding the Apple Bin train, take the stream walk, and pick up apples and homemade treats. The farm is located at 231 Ten Mile Road in Lynden.

Bellingham Country Gardens: This Kelly Road farm offers u-pick to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays. During the farm tour, check out the no-spray produce, including strawberries (available until frost) and variety of veggies, as well as the scarecrow-making contest and ripe corn ready for picking. The farm is located at 2838 E. Kelly Road.

Boxx Berry Farm: Tour the farm on the tractor trailer, let the kids ride the kiddie train and enjoy the playground, and pick up treats like sweet corn on the cob and a berry sundae. U-pick is available throughout the season, and lots of produce and items are available in the farm store. The farm is located at 6211 Northwest Road in Ferndale.

Camelot Ranch Alpacas: This five-acre farm features huacaya alpacas. Participants can learn about raising alpacas and their soft fiber, and make their own fiber project. The farm is located at 3405 Bay Road in Ferndale.

Cloud Mountain Farm: This long-time Everson-based farm offers a beautiful nursery and fields, with dozens of varieties of  rare fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, nut and fruit trees, and farm stand. The farm is located at 6906 Goodwin Road in Everson.

Dakota Creek Winery: Participants can tour the wine cellaring cave (a metal arch building covered with native soil and bark), and purchase a variety of wines. The winery is located at 3575 Haynie Road in Blaine.

Edelweiss Dairy: Not usually open to the public, this 80-acre family farm is part of the Organic Valley Cooperative. Participants can tour the farm, see the cows, and taste organic treats. The farm is located at 1519 Timon Road in Everson.

Cows grazing at Edelweiss Dairy in Everson. COURTESY PHOTO

Farmer Ben’s: This sixth generation farm features grass fed Angus beef, pastured Berkshire pigs, free range laying hens, eggs, and pastured poultry, all antibiotic-free and chemical-free. The farm is located at 1461 Van Dyk Road, near Lynden.

Half Acre Farm: Generally open weekends during the season for u-pick, this half-acre farm offers a wide variety of u-pick, no-spray  vegetables. The farm is located on the Boxx Berry Farm at 6211 Northwest Road in Ferndale.

Heritage Lane Farm: This small farm is focused on raising rare breed livestock (including Navajo-Churro, Southdown and Oxford sheep, large Black and Mulefoot pigs, geese, chickens, turkeys and ducks), and heirloom vegetables in a sustainable manner. The farm is located at 9333 Guide Meridian in Lynden.

Twisted S Ranch: Visit this complete bison ranch, with up close viewing of animals, a display of bison hide and fiber, and samples of bison meat products. The ranch is located at 2530 Douglas Road in Ferndale.

Vartanyan Estate Winery: Tour the vineyards and try a glass of wine at this small boutique winery  featuring limited edition wines, and a tasting room and gallery. The winery is located at 1628 Huntley Road in eastern Bellingham.

Signage at Vartanyan Estate Winery in eastern Bellingham. COURTESY PHOTO

Bellingham Farmers Market: This Saturday market in downtown Bellingham at Depot Market Square (corner of Railroad and Chestnut) features approximately 100 vendors, from farmers and food operators to local crafters and musicians. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In addition, Sustainable Connections is seeking volunteers to help with the Farm Tour. Anyone interested should contact Sara at 647-7093 x114 or e-mail sara@sconnect.org

The month of September marks the first Eat Local Month, sponsored by Sustainable Connections’ Food & Farming Program, as well as the Eat Local First campaign. For more information about the program and campaigns, visit sconnect.org.

Peggy Parker in her lavender fields at her Deming farm. PHOTO BY DAN COYNE

Local resident Peggy Parker grows lavender, heirloom tomatoes at her Deming farm

by MARNIE JONES

DEMING –  Peggy Parker remembers the moment when she decided to become a lavender farmer. She grows many varieties of the fragrant plant at RiverScent, her Deming farm that is also home to a thriving heirloom tomato operation and Ka-Bloom Nursery.

“It had a been a dream of mine to have a lavender farm, ever since I saw a lavender field in bloom one year while traveling in France,” she said. The field, home to a Roman-era monastery, took her breath away and planted an idea. Her natural love of plants, nurtured by a green-thumbed grandmother, put the goal within reach. RiverScent Farm was born in the mid-90s and, five years ago, Ka-Bloom Nursery evolved as an outlet for Parker’s greenhouse-grown plants and herbs.

Today, Parker grows many types of lavender and cultivates blooming perennials, culinary herbs, and a diverse array of heirloom tomatoes. These tomatoes—24 varieties this year—are sold at the Bellingham Farmers Market either as plants (until late July) or as fruit (later in August). Meanwhile, the farm is open to the public for u-cut purchases on Fridays and Saturdays during harvest season. The lavender continues to be a mainstay at RiverScent, and Parker grows both aromatic and culinary varieties. Grosso, Seal, Munstead, and Hidcote lavenders all have their place on the farm, and each has a different strength. “Grosso and Seal are long-stemmed lavender blossoms,” she explained, “with an aroma that makes you swoon!”

Parker considers herself lucky to have found her Rutsatz Road farm. “The terroir, as the French say, is perfect for lavender.” A “kind of bomb-proof” plant, to use her words, lavender thrives in less than ideal soil and tolerates a range of conditions. Parker grows about an acre of the flowering herb and balances her efforts to tame the crop into nice straight rows with an appreciation for the wild plants and animals that share the space.

“Last night,” she mentioned, “I was on my hands and knees weeding [and] a two year-old deer walked by. I saw his legs first, just a few feet away. When I sat up he bent down and picked up a freshly-pulled weed, munching it and staring at me as if I was just another flower.”

The scale of her farm—manageable, yet large enough—is one of Parker’s favorite aspects of her business, and other professional endeavors, including consulting work in the seafood industry, round out her days and keep her balanced. “I’m very lucky I’ve got jobs that are both physically and intellectually challenging,” she said. “It’s great to get a break from the ‘thinking’ projects and go weed the gardens or work in the greenhouse.”

RiverScent Farm is located at 6244 Rutsatz Road in Deming. The farm is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays through mid-September. Call 592-3116 for additional information.

Local grower Harry WIlliams shows some of this season’s blueberries at his farm on Deming Road. PHOTO BY KELLY MAKARAVAGE

Alm Hill Gardens: 3550 Alm Road, Everson. U-pick available by appointment on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Alm Hill has organic raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries available at their stand at the Bellingham Farmers Market on Saturdays and Fairhaven Market on Wednesdays. Call (206) 719-0056 or e-mail clayton@growingwashington.org.

Bellingham Country Gardens: 2838 E. Kelly Road, Bellingham. Open Wednesday and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. U-pick, veggies and flowers at farm stand. Call 223-3724 or visit bellinghamcountrygardens.com

Breckenridge Blueberries: 3595 Breckenridge Road, Everson. Farm stand and u-pick open Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Delivery available on larger orders. Six different varieties of spray-free, handpicked blueberries. Call 220-4102 or e-mail breckenridgeblueberries@gmail.com.

Cleaarian Berry Farm: 5455 Allison Road, Bellingham. One-acre farm specializing in u-pick and we pick blueberries. Also available at the Bellingham Farmers Market and Food Co-op. Call 592-5106.

Hopewell Farm: 3072 Massey Road, Everson. Open Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Certified organic and salmon-safe. Pick to order organic raspberries and blueberries. Large variety of vegetables available. Call 927-8433 or e-mail hopewellfarm@live.com.

Lubbe Farm: 3200 Lindsay Road, Everson. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., call for orders or arrange for time. Organic strawberries, also garlic and other veggies, u-pick or take orders for picked. Call 510-3510 or 966-3382.

Ripening blueberries. PHOTO BY KELLY MAKARAVAGE

Mama’s Garden: 2600 Valley Highway, Acme. Featuring organic blueberries from Mt. Baker Berry Farm. Variety of vegetables, herbs, eggs and more available at stand. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call 595-2210 or e-mail smith87999@yahoo.com.

Mt. Baker Berry Farm: 5384 Strand Road, Deming. Organic blueberries, u-pick Friday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 303-4739.

Shumway’s: 3957 Mount Baker Highway, just east of Nugents Corner.  Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, for u-pick and we-pick strawberries and raspberries as available. Call 815-7321 or 815-7320.

Spring Frog Farm at the Holistic Homestead: 5709 Putnam Road, Everson (just east of Nugents Corner). Open daily, featuring certified organic produce, u-pick strawberries, and more. Call 303-3711 or e-mail holistichomestead.net.

Sunseed Farm: Acme. U-pick raspberries by appointment on Mondays. Stand at the Bellingham Farmers Market features blueberries, raspberries, fresh produce, herbs and starts. Call 920-8088 or e-mail nick@sunseedfarm.com.

Williams Farms: 4405 Deming Road, Deming. Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Offering tayberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. and sweet corn, as available. Sweet corn. Farm stand, with limited u-pick on blueberries. No spray on raspberries, tayberries, blackberries and u-pick blueberries. Call 592-6720.

The event is hosted by Sustainable Connections, Cascade Harvest Coalition, and Northwest Agriculture Business Center.  It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Saint Joseph Peace Health Hospital Conference Center, Bellingham. Tickets are $10 each, and include a light lunch and a tasting of Whatcom and Skagit wines.

For more information, contact Laura Ridenour at 647-7093 x106, or visit sustainableconnections.org and click on events.

Junior High School student Jake Cooper (left) and senior high school student James D. Ortiz (right) are preparing mashed potatoes using locally grown yellow and purple potatoes. “This is my favorite class,” Cooper said. PHOTO BY BRITA ADKINSON

Produce, dairy products used in cooking and catering classrooms

by Brita Adkinson

EVERSON –  An initiative to supply local farm produce to schools has brought fresh fruit and vegetables into the cooking and catering classrooms of Nooksack Valley High School (NVHS).

“I discussed the idea with Cheryl Thornton at Cloud Mountain Farm and Gretchen Hoyt at Alm Hill Gardens,” explained Lois Rienstra, Family Consumer Science Teacher at NVHS.

Some parents talked to staff at NVHS, asking if the school would consider buying locally grown produce for use in their cooking classes. Produce comes from a number of farms, including Growing Washington, an established non-profit farming organization in the Everson area that works with a network of local farms.

Rienstra also attended some meetings where she met with local farmers and explored possibilities to work with them. As a result, the high school began using food from local farms this fall.

Peggy Davis, director of Food Service at the Nooksack Valley School District explained that the project is currently at an exploratory stage, with the potential to expand in the future.

Freshly harvested vegetables and fruit from local farms are now delivered to the school each week, and the produce is used in five catering and cooking classes. The project is inspired by a nation-wide initiative called “F to S” – Farm to School.

In the beginning, some students were not familiar with the different types of vegetables that arrived. “Some students said, ‘I’m not going to eat that!’ Rienstra commented with a smile, adding, “But now, cauliflower, chard and carrot dishes just disappear!”

Senior student Kent Badgero, of Everson, enjoys preparing a dish using locally grown carrots. PHOTO BY BRITA ADKINSON

Students are becoming familiar with a large variety of local farm produce and know their uses. “When we began with the new program, I re-organized my schedule,” Rienstra said. “Before, I would begin the fall term with baking, but now we begin with fruit and vegetable dishes.We will work with baking in the winter, instead,” she concluded.

Students are learning about the harvesting times for different types of produce as the school receives what is in season, week by week.
“We also buy cheeses from several local cheese makers, and we get dairy products from local dairy farms,” Rienstra said, adding she is glad that the school can support local businesses in this way.

Rienstra, who lives near Lynden and received her teaching qualification at Western Washington University, has taught at NVHS for eight years. “It is my hope that our classes will help students develop a healthy lifestyle,” she said.

The school’s food service program, which now incorporates local produce in catering classes and to some extent also in school lunches, is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture through a regional office and supervised by the Washington State Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). Thus, development of policy is subject to long term monitoring and evaluation.

Through Growing Washington, the Growing Whatcom CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) – inspired by the old market system at Pike Place Market in Seattle – provides locally grown items. Jay Dennison, of Growing Washington, said the organization pays attention to customers’ individual preferences. “We know that the Nooksack Valley High School needs eggs, butter and milk every week, so we always supply those items,” Dennison explained, adding the school receives what is in season. “Right now they are getting winter squash, kale, swiss chard and grain.”

Lois Rienstra (far left), Family Consumer Science Teacher at Nooksack Valley High School talks with senior student Briceyda Samano, Everson, who is baking a pie. PHOTO BY BRITA ADKINSON

Growing Whatcom CSA farms are mostly located in the Everson, Ferndale and Lynden areas, and include: Bellewood Acres, Broadleaf Farm, Common Threads Farm, DEVine Gardens, Double Rainbow Farm, F.A, Farm, Hauk’s Orchard, Hopewell Organic Farm, K&M Red River Farm, Nooksack Nine Fruits and Veggies, Rabbit Fields Farm, Red Mountain Farm, Cooperative Jacal and Wake Robin Farm.
Western Washington University (WWU) recently invited Growing Washington to start a pilot project supplying fresh local produce on a weekly basis to individual students and also to caterers at the WWU.

“This is a fledgling program that began with some discussions among farmers, parents and teachers, about bringing local produce to schools,” explained Gretchen Hoyt, of Alm Hill Gardens in Everson. Hoyt shared that she helped organize a sampling event at NVHS with apples donated by Cloud Mountain Farm, also of Everson. “It was a lot of fun,” she said.

Hoyt noted the Farm to School project at NVHS received financial assistance from Whatcom Community Foundation, to help get it off the ground.

Washington State’s Farm to School projects work with a number of schools in northwest counties.

Marnie Jones and her mule Fenmway, at home in Wickersham. COURTESY PHOTO

WICKERSHAM – Resident Marnie Jones recently released a new children’s book called In the Morning, a tale of animals welcoming a new spring morning. We spoke with her about the book, animals and other plans in the works.

Foothills Gazette: Please tell us about yourself. You are a wife, mother, grower, writer, artist, what else?

Marnie Jones: I’m 31 this year and I think I’ve spent the last decade trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up. I’ve dabbled in many things, and worked as a nursing assistant, a florist, a stablehand, a tutor. Through all the twists and turns of life, my constant and passionate interests have been animals and writing. It’s only in the last year or so that I’ve really identified writing, and especially writing on animals, as my career. I also pass one day per week as a prepress technician for Lithtex Northwest in Bellingham and serve the Timber Framers Guild as an associate editor.

FG: How did you decide to call the small village of Wickersham home?

MJ: In late 2006 my husband Mat and I had already been looking for an affordable first home in Bellingham for some time. We had just about given up—we weren’t seeing anything we could afford, and we expected the arrival of a third child in the spring. One day, we decided to cast our net wider and try looking at a place outside of town. At the time, I had a horse at a boarding stable, so a house with a little pasture was a dream come true. Mat, whose background is in preservation carpentry, loved the 1901 structure and the potential it showed. We bought the house without knowing a thing about the neighborhood, and it was a delightful surprise when we found ourselves surrounded with beloved new friends. We named our little green acre Bent Barrow Farm after moving 30 tons of assorted gravel, compost, and topsoil with one very sad and overworked wheelbarrow.

The cover of the children's book In the Morning.

FG: How did you develop your story line and characters for In the Morning?

MJ: I wrote the first draft of In the Morning several years ago for submission to a children’s magazine. I’ve always loved children’s books about nature, and rhyming stories with a musical cadence, so the words came rather easily to me. The poem was rejected, as most things are, and I thought no more of it. Many months later, I stumbled upon a gorgeous watercolor painting by Welsh artist Alison Fennell while looking online for images related to another project. I was blown away by her talent, and I felt immediately that her paintings were what I had always seen in my mind’s eye when I’d written for children. We got to emailing, and before long I asked her if she’d be willing to collaborate on a book. I sent her the text of In the Morning as a sample of what I could do, and she loved every word. We made a few minor alterations to my draft and she supplied beautiful illustrations to suit the text. The rhyme I’d written took on new meaning for me when coupled with her inspired paintings, and now it’s become one of my proudest accomplishments.

FG: Where is the book available for purchase, and online? Do you have any events coming up?

MJ: The book is being marketed in Whatcom County and in Mid Glamorgan, South Wales, UK. It’s currently in stock at Village Books in Fairhaven, St. Francis Gift Shop in Bellingham, Everybody’s Store in Van Zandt,  and the Acme General Store and Blue Mountain Grill in Acme. It’s also available for purchase online at www.fairyrabbit.com. I’ll be reading and signing the book at Village Books on Saturday, Jan. 29 at noon, and a copy is available on loan through the Whatcom County Library System.

FG: You are donating some of the proceeds to the non-profit World Society for the Protection of Animals. What role do animals have in your everyday life on your 1-acre farm?

MJ: Alison (the illustrator) and I both love animals, and our pets are very central to our lives, so making a donation to the animal welfare cause was a natural choice. I have a very special mule named Fenway as well as an Australian shepherd, two cats, two rabbits, three saanen goats, and a flock of chickens. We enjoy fresh raw milk and free range eggs, and the ethical concerns around factory-farmed animal products make us very grateful for the opportunity to enjoy cruelty-free dairy at home. As for my mule, he earns his keep by keeping me sane, getting me out, and showing me the natural splendor of our forested hillsides.

FG: Do you have other books and ideas in the works?

MJ: Alison and I are collaborating on a sequel entitled In the Evening as well as an additional picture book entitled What Dotty Wants, to feature her Jack Russell terrier. In the meantime, we are looking into having In the Morning translated into Welsh for a limited UK release. My other writing, at present, includes magazine articles, commissioned poetry, and regular updates to two blogs. My various creative projects can be accessed online at www.bentbarrow.com.

FG: Please tell us about your Fenway Bartholomule blog. How did the idea come about to write a blog from the perspective of your mule, and how many followers do you have? Do you think Fenway has any idea?

MJ: I started a Facebook fanpage for Fenway Bartholomule about a year ago after a neighbor commented upon his “famous bray.” “Famous?” I thought. “Why shouldn’t he be?” His club has since grown to about 900 fans and his blog, www.braysofourlives.com, has had about 80,000 impressions. I would say there are two to three hundred regular daily readers. He also has a column in the Brayer, the magazine of the American Donkey and Mule Society, and has been featured in Mules and More magazine. He’s a good mule of tremendous heart and kindness, and it feels very natural to share him with an adoring public in this fashion. I’m really tickled to see how much attention he’s been getting, and I’m thrilled with the kind support of the corporate and individual sponsors who now help him with his hay bill.

FG: Any parting words?

MJ: The best thing to come out of In the Morning has been my friendship with Alison Fennell. We’ve never met in person or spoken on the phone, if you’d believe it, but we have a great deal in common and the utmost respect for one another’s creative talents. I look forward to every future endeavor in our partnership, and I hope one day to welcome her as a visitor to Bent Barrow Farm.

Fall is a time of change. Leaves change color and some fall to the ground. Certain animals become less conspicuous while others seem more noticeable. The rains return and a chill marks the evening air. Year after year for me, fall is one of the more memorable seasons.
This year is no exception as this will be my last time to enjoy fall colors in Whatcom County. This is my last article for the Foothills Gazette and I’m signing off as your foothills gardening columnist.
I moved to Whatcom County 14 years ago after finishing graduate school at Washington State University (but I’m real friendly with Huskies, ha). Now my spiritual path takes me to a far away land known as Hawaii. For many years my body, soul and psyche have been absolutely craving a warmer, more tropical climate and among many other things, the subsequent chance to grow various fruit trees for year-round fruit production.
In this new chapter in my life, I seek health and truth. On this new path, solitude will be my nest friend. Thomas Merton once said, “It is in deep solitude that I find the gentleness with which I can truly love my brothers.” I too seek solitude and a more contemplative life in the cultivation of openness and compassion.
I’m still nuts about plants. I’ll study and geek out over all the new plants I encounter. I’ll have many opportunities to practice what I preach what I’ve said many, many times: “know your plant.” And to know your plant is to understand two things: (1) the growth habit of a plant, or how a plant grows and what it does it do over one year, and (2) the native habitat of a plant, or in what kind of habitat is the plant found in nature?
Putting these two notions together, the goal for any type of gardening is to reproduce the native habitat of your plant to achieve the desired growth habit.  This idea is not just limited to plants but also applies to your pet dog, cat, finch, fish, or tarantula. It even works for yourself.
I could say so much more. I do want to thank the many gardeners, garden clubs, and nurseries that I’ve worked with over the years. This part of my life in Whatcom County has been so very memorable. In passing, remember, there’s no such thing as grunt work, orchids are easy, and know your plant!  And before one can really know a plant, one must know one’s self.

Chuck McClung has a Master’s Degree in Botany. He can be contacted at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.

Pruning perennials often confuses gardeners. Which perennials do I cut back? When do I cut them back? What do I cut back? It seems like a lot to remember! Sure, one could write a whole book on the subject….Some perennials have finished blooming for the year, some have just started to bloom, and some have yet to bloom. Now is a crucial time of the year when your garden can “fall apart” if certain perennials miss the care they require. So here are a few helpful ideas for summer perennial pruning.
As I have said many times before, the first step to any aspect of gardening, especially pruning, is to know your plant.  First be sure you know whether your plant is evergreen or loses its leaves during winter. If the plant retains its foliage year round, (e.g. Lavender, Germander, Rosemary, Heather, Azalea) you’ll likely never want to cut it to the ground. If a plant loses its all leaves for a portion of the year, (e.g. Echinacea, Columbine, Aster) you’ll be cutting it back to the ground at some point during the year.
As you learn about your perennials, be sure to also know when a particular plant is expected to flower.  The timing of flowering is usually the key to knowing when to prune. One general rule of thumb for most plants is to prune after flowering (e.g. prune Rhododendrons and Lilacs in late spring). An exception would be fruit trees which are typically pruned right before they bloom.
All small leaved, mounding, evergreen perennials like Heather, Lavender, Germander, and Thyme must have the flower spikes sheared or removed every year after blooming to ensure a nice tidy mounded shape.  Failure to do so will result in that all too familiar flopped-over, bare center, wild sagebrush look that most gardeners tend to find unappealing.
Some spring blooming perennials like Columbines, Lupines, and Bachelor Buttons can be cut back to the ground now.  A new set of summer leaves will emerge soon after.  Some perennials that have finished blooming, like hardy geraniums, spring pansies and delphiniums, should be cut back hard now.  You will get a new set of leaves and perhaps repeat blooming.
Certain spring blooming perennials should only have the spent flowers removed while leaving the remaining foliage.  Bearded iris, Siberian iris, and Peonies often maintain attractive looking foliage until fall when the remaining leaves can be removed.  Wallflowers and some Salvias should not be cut to the ground, because, with fastidious deadheading, they will repeat bloom for many months.
Late summer and fall bloomers like Echinacea, Black-Eyed Susans, Helenium, and Asters usually are cut back to the ground after blooming. By the time they’re finished flowering they will be going dormant shortly thereafter anyway.
Lastly, and slightly off subject, staking is as equally as important as deadheading and pruning for a tidy looking garden. Staking helps flower spikes remain sturdy and erect and prevents other plants from getting smothered by leaning stems. Staked vertical flower stems visually lend a tidier appearance than leaning, unstaked stems. Perennials that must be staked typically include Delphiniums, Meadow Rue, Valerian, and Monkshood, to name a few.  Be sure to use an appropriate sized stake for the plant, and again, know your plant!

Chuck has a Master’s Degree in Botany and is the owner of Fantastic Gardens where he helps others solve their gardening dilemmas.  He may be reached at orchidfruit@hotmail.com.