Environmental Leadership
It's What farmers Do
Whatcom Farm & Distillery Goes SolarEVERSON, Wash. -- When Mariah and Shawn Butenschoen, owners of Breckenridge Blueberries and Probably Shouldn’t Distillery, tossed around the idea of using solar energy, they followed two philosophies that they have adopted in their time as farmers.
Over the years, the Butenschoens were told they probably shouldn’t do a lot of things. “We were told we probably shouldn’t open a blueberry farm...and then we were going to go organic ... READ MORE Skagit farms work on soil conservationSKAGIT COUNTY, Wash. -- Skagit farmers are working together to protect the soil.
Jason VanderKooy with Harmony Dairy says animal waste, particularly from dairy cows, plays a big role in soil health. “Cow manure is the complete package for nutrients ... READ MORE Whatcom farm helps Bellingham Food BankFERNDALE, Wash. -- A Ferndale farm has gone above and beyond to assist the Bellingham Food Bank for years. Boxx Berry Farms donates acres of their property to the food bank’s gleaning project, allowing the food bank access to fresh produce.
“Bellingham Food Bank's agricultural programs really got started about 10 years ago when we inherited ... READ MORE Sunnyside dairy uses worms to create clean waterSUNNYSIDE, Wash. -- J&K Dairy in Sunnyside, Wash. is using worms to help clean and recycle their waste on their farm.
They have brought in the Biofiltro system to their farm to help with cleaning their waste and creating clean water. “The Biofiltro beta system takes anaerobic ... READ MORE Whatcom potato farm works to conserve water with new technologyWHATCOM COUNTY, Wash -- Constant moisture is important to the health and growth of potatoes. Ebe Farms in Whatcom County has tested out several types of irrigation systems to find the most efficient way to keep their potatoes hydrated while conserving water.
Greg Ebe, the manager at Ebe Farms, says his ... READ MORE |
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Deming farm works to reduce waste by creating clean waterDEMING, Wash. -- New technology is allowing for the waste created on dairy farms to be turned into clean water.
Coldstream Farms sits in the south fork valley in Deming, Wash. The valley is narrow and the Nooksack River winds back and forth through the valley. Galen Smith, owner and operator of Coldstream, says it is important that his operation is conscious of... READ MORE |
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Whatcom dairy combats climate change, generates green powerLYNDEN, Wash. - Back in 1975, Ed and Aileen Brandsma started a new farm in Lynden, Washington, which they named Edaleen Dairy.
They began milking about 75 cows, but over time slowly expanded their operation, including bottling their own... READ MORE |
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New floodgates installed on Whatcom County farms protect fish and farmlandFERNDALE, Wash. - New technology is helping protect both fish and farmland along the Nooksack River, thanks to collaboration between farmers, the Whatcom Conservation District, and other local, state, and federal government agencies. Appel Family Dairy recently helped... READ MORE
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Small family farm uses holistic practices to improve soil health, protect fishCUSTER, Wash. - Steve and Sarah Pabody never planned on becoming farmers. In fact, they moved to Western Washington for Steve to pursue a job opportunity in sales and IT.
But when that job didn’t work out, they found themselves being asked to manage an apple orchard for a season or two, and they were hooked... READ MORE |
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Farmers and conservation partners work to restore Fishtrap CreekLYNDEN, Wash. - Over 200 miles of stream in Whatcom County have been restored by farmers and their partners in conservation.
Farmers continue to lead the effort to restore Whatcom County's Fishtrap Creek, working with the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) and Lynden Christian High School biology students to rebuild the riparian zone along this important Nooksack Basin salmon stream... READ MORE |
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Lynden-area farmer diverts irrigation water to help save stranded salmonLYNDEN, Wash. - In mid-August Jeff Littlejohn noticed something strange. He lives near the Double Ditch stream a bit south of the Canadian border.
The stream normally flows year round even in summers with little rainfall as this year. But the stream was slowing to a trickle and that meant that the fish and aquatic life in the stream were dying. He contacted the Fish and Wildlife... READ MORE |
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Whatcom’s family farmers have been showing strong leadership in environmental performance for years:
It’s time that farmers let you know what we’ve been doing to keep this the best place possible to live by providing real environmental action and leadership. It’s not just empty talk. It’s REAL: Real Environmental Action and Leadership. Community Partners: 
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