Enjoy morning on the bay at Keenan's at the Pier. Photo credit: Kali Klotz-Brooks.
Sell a product that customers love.
Put your entrepreneurial spirit to work in Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Use your network to close deals and drive revenue.
WhatcomTalk is the fastest growing media company in Bellingham. Our community social network showcases positive stories about people, businesses and organizations doing good things around Whatcom County. We’re looking for self-motivated individuals to join our sales team. Educate businesses about the value of advertising on our platform. Bring your exceptional sales skills to our company. Leverage your connections around Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County to close sales.
Provide outstanding customer service to retain customers.
Grow new customers by generating leads, conducting outbound calls, following up with emails and drop-ins, and closing sales.
Serve as a positive “face” of WhatcomTalk in the Whatcom County area.
Promote WhatcomTalk to business leaders and readers as appropriate.
Be active in business networking groups to promote WhatcomTalk.
Deliver presentations to local business groups to drive sales.
Skills and Experience:
At least three years sales experience required.
Proven ability to meet goals and budgets required.
Ability to manage a task list and coordinate follow-up required.
Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with a wide variety of people, both written and verbal, required.
Technical skills including experience with all Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint required. Past experience managing customers via Salesforce preferred.
LaserPoint has a versatile supply of attractive award options waiting to be engraved. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.
There’s something universally appealing about seeing your name in print. Even better? Seeing it printed on something long lasting. For over 20 years, Whatcom County has been turning to Kathy and Randy Cross and their laser engraving business, LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions. Perusing their website proves they have the imagination to source wonderful things to thank your employees, promote your business or mark a memorable occasion.
Kathy and Randy received the 2016 Small Business of the Year Award. Photo credit: Radley Muller.
Why do people like incentives? “People like to be recognized and feel that someone is really watching and appreciating their efforts,” Kathy explains. “When you are given an award and thank you, that’s huge. We know because our customers are so happy with the outcome of their recognition events.”
With the internet at your fingertips, it’s tempting to think you can source these items yourself and perhaps save your company a few dollars as well. Many have tried and that’s where the expression “penny wise and pound foolish” comes to mind.
Kathy illustrates that concept with a story about a hapless new employee of a longtime customer who ordered hundreds of flash drives for a huge event with reps coming in from all over the world. Two days before the event, as the employee tried to load them, they failed.
Yet another example of a handy item that people will use over and over to light their way. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.
As Kathy explains, “We’re very selective and we know which vendors have quality dialed in and who will come through in a crunch because stuff happens. A faceless 800-number doesn’t care when things go south. In the previous example, our vendor would have sent new drives out via overnight delivery. It’s important for companies to work with someone local when things happen, because they do!”
Another benefit of having long-term, trusted relationships is that LaserPoint has a history of all past orders so they can quickly access details and repeat or turnaround jobs quickly. With this familiarity also comes the benefit of working with someone who understands your business.
This cool cat, Uber dog, greets all customers to the business. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.
Since Kathy and Randy keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry, they know what’s new and trending and are in the best position to offer advice. They see the big picture and can provide incentives that are effective and will get your business noticed.
The Crosses live out on five acres and run LaserPoint from a showroom and fulfillment area. Here they work with apparel, promotional items, awards, name tags, screen printing and embroidery. When you can feel and touch things and order samples, it makes a big difference over disconnected online ordering.
Kathy is quick to point out that LaserPoint fills a lot of versatile niches. They love making personal occasions memorable. They can engrave bridesmaid or groomsman gifts like flasks or ornaments, personalize wedding gifts and mark special events like baby showers or anniversaries.
In 1997 the couple transitioned their manufacturing business into LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions. They already had the laser equipment and realized that they were the only company north of Seattle with the ability to offer laser engraving, providing a substantial benefit over their competitor’s rotary engraving efforts. The laser could render logos and copy by reading from an art program. Although we take this capability for granted, 20 years ago it was unheard of and there were substantial charges to set up artwork. Now clients could have all the graphics they wanted and they were thrilled since it made things so simple and elegant.
Everyone needs reusable bags in Whatcom County. Think of the mileage your business name could get on these useful options. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.
Another important lesson Kathy would like to impart is the value of realizing that if something has your name on it, you want it to be a quality item. “I always tell new customers, ‘Do not put your name on cheap pens because your name is the last thing someone sees as they’re throwing it in the trash can in frustration.’ You need a pen that writes well – not necessarily expensive – but not just a pen. The pen we have I’ve sold thousands of because people love the weight and the feel of it, how it writes and its fraud-proof ink. Randy and I were in a restaurant and the bill came with one of our pens. We complimented the waitress and she warned us not to take her favorite pen.”
LaserPoint has a versatile supply of attractive award options waiting to be engraved. Photo credit: Kathy Cross.
LaserPoint received the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce 2016 Small Business of the Year which was an impressive honor in a town full of great local businesses. Kathy points out that their customer service philosophy has earned them much of their repeat business. “A lot of our competition requires two-week leads and we recognize that with the pace of business today, that isn’t always possible. We have a lot of stock on hand and I don’t think we’ve ever turned anyone down. We can make any last-minute item happen. Randy has a notebook filled with hundreds of thank you notes for things we’ve been able to pull off in record time.”
So if you are looking for a quality item to recognize the important people or employees in your life, give LaserPoint Awards and Promotional Solutions a call. Randy and Kathy will take good care of you.
The weekend is here—hurray! Time to get out there and have some fun! And fortunately, we live in a great place for fun and interesting activities. There are plenty of fun things to do this weekend in and around Bellingham—September 22—24. And don’t forget to check our full events calendar for all the great local happenings this weekend.
WhatcomTalk aims to be your source for positive information and events happening in Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@whatcomtalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Bellingham and the surrounding area, visit our events calendar. To submit an event of your own, visit our events calendar and click on the green “Post Your Event” button.
The Intellitonic team from left to right: Clint Keller, Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo, Blake Lester, Frank Marcinkowski and Alex Bruner. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.
At its core, Bellingham-based Intellitonic is a digital marketing agency with a heart. “We decided to build a digital marketing firm that’s more altruistic in nature,” shared Founder, Alex Bruner. Until recently, Bruner managed a team for the Tribune Company’s digital marketing agency, overseeing the web efforts of 800+ clients. He probably could’ve continued to grow his career working for big businesses, but he wanted his work to mean something more.
Intellitonic’s leadership Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo and Alex Bruner love Bellingham’s supportive business community. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.
“Rather than just focusing on bottom-line revenue, we’re more interested in building relationships,” he shared. “Because of that, we thought some of our first offerings should be catered to nonprofits.”
In an increasingly digital world, digital marketing firms like Intellitonic have become integral to the business landscape. Cutting through the noise can be a challenge for organizations who are looking to share what they’re up to. Having experts who can help guide their marketing efforts (all while staying faithful to a budget) has become a must-have. Intellitonic works with businesses and nonprofits from all over the country but they saw a real need to help nonprofits share their good work so they can be free to do more of it.
In addition to Bruner, the Intellitonic team is made up of two other founding members, two team members focused on business development and sales, and interns from Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College. Bruner, along with Owner and Principal, Jared Keller, and Owner and Director, Courtney Rambo, has thought a lot about the choice to build a business in Bellingham. In addition to commonly listed perks like abundant natural beauty and proximity to Seattle and Vancouver BC, Intellitonic sees Whatcom County as a strategic setting for their current and future well-being.
Quality of Life
Intellitonic founder Alex Bruner is most interested in building relationships. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.
One of the first reasons the Intellitonic crew gave for setting up shop in Whatcom County had to do with quality of life. “I really liked Chicago but I missed the small town feel of Bellingham,” shared Bruner. “I got really jaded with the daily grind at a thousand-person company. Plus you can’t beat the natural beauty here.”
“I appreciate that Bellingham has a real strong sense of community and work-life balance, which is important for what modern businesses are turning into,” added Keller. Keller has a track record of creating business in Whatcom County. His first company Conversica, an artificial intelligence sales platform, was also founded and developed in Whatcom County.
An Opportunity to Shape the Future
Businesses like Intellitonic are investing time and talent to encourage Bellingham’s growth. “I think Bellingham is growing in a really awesome direction,” shared Keller. “The sense of community is a huge part of it. We want to build more jobs, more opportunities and more business development in Bellingham. Being in digital marketing, it’s what we do. We identify businesses that are looking to grow and get to play a hand in that growth.”
Intellitonic is hoping to play a unique role in Bellingham’s growth, especially the downtown business core. Their team members each worked from home for the first year of business but Rambo said that moving into their downtown office gave them a greater sense of investment in the community. “Bellingham and Whatcom County became almost unofficial clients once we got our office,” she explained, which is located in the in downtown Bellingham at the National Bank Building.
Collaborative Business Culture
The Intellitonic team from left to right: Clint Keller, Jared Keller, Courtney Rambo, Blake Lester, Frank Marcinkowski and Alex Bruner. Photo courtesy: Intellitonic.
When the opportunity arose for Bruner to move back to Washington and for Intellitonic to open and share an office space with Technology Alliance Group in downtown Bellingham, the team leapt at the chance. Intellitonic found the local business community to be supportive, especially those businesses who would typically be considered competitors.
“There’s an incredible amount of competitiveness [in Chicago] and it’s not a very nurturing environment for small, local businesses,” he shared. “Here, even people who work in the same field as us are willing to come in and give us tips on development practices,” Bruner explained.
“And vice versa,” added Rambo. “The level of collaboration here is awesome.”
“We’ve found the business community here to be almost aggressively cooperative,” Keller said.
Intellitonic’s practices reflect that culture of enthusiastic collaboration. They’re passionate about their work and they want to share what they know to help others succeed.
“We love talking about this stuff and we love being helpful,” shared Keller. “Our priority is to help organizations grow.”
Some organizations never ask for help because they don’t know what to ask for or they’re worried about being sold to, but that’s not Intellitonic’s style.
“We’re not about the hard sell,” Bruner explained. “We give away massive amounts of information for free every day because it helps improve our own processes and inform our next steps. Talking about this stuff doesn’t have to be painful.”
Plus this service-minded company culture also helps the folks at Intellitonic build relationships with the right clients. “We want to work with people we want to work with,” shared Rambo. “It needs to be a good fit on both sides.”
“There’s dentists who say, ‘I’m the gentle dentist,’” shared Bruner. “We want to be the gentle digital marketing firm.”
Know a small business or nonprofit who could benefit from a gentle approach to digital marketing? Visit Intellitonic’s online tools or get in touch for questions.
Imagine a creative in-home theatre sculpture. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.
Searching for a polished gem to add eye candy to your home or office décor? If you believe that Portland, Seattle or San Francisco are the only options for finding a well-edited store with unique, one-of-a-kind vintage finds, then you haven’t seen Bellingham’s Ormolulu.
Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau have created a magical wonderland of curated and reinvented antiques in their 3,000 square foot space located in the Bay Street Village building. Although summer road construction and upcoming building renovations have frustrated shoppers from easy access, their doors remain open … and it’s so worth the effort.
Debi Burton and Jim Blondeau are the hard-working team behind Ormolulu Vintage Works. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.
An “ormolu” is the term for gilt brass on decorative art objects from the 18th and 19th centuries. Jim and Debi liked the alliteration of adding an extra “lu” to the store’s name. Although they have a passion for French antiques, you will find a cornucopia of antiques from traditional and mid-century to trends like modern farmhouse, cottage-style and industrial vintage.
This isn’t your father’s antique store, however. Gone are crowded stacks of books, dinged and dented furniture, and shelves stuffed with dusty knick-knacks. Some folks love the thrill of the hunt and thrive on plowing through heaps of debris to unearth a wonderful find, but Jim and Debi have already done the legwork.
“We offer more value in creative content by imagining things as they could be. We don’t just find them, clean them and throw them out in the store. We salvage everything we buy,” explained Debi. “You know the popular trend of taking something cool and upcycling it into something else? I don’t think people realize that everything they’re looking at is for sale because we curate it and set it up into visual vignettes that are pleasing to the eye so it’s an experience when you come in.”
Everything old is new again. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.
Jim set the stage for these vignettes with some creative demolition of their space within their circa 1928 building. He used a cement grinder to carefully scuff the floors to look like distressed leather and they discovered their “rough luxe” creation fits everything from elegant to industrial furnishings. Debi honed her craft with 35 years in the business and gained a reputation for show-stopping, creative booths working antique shows up and down the West Coast for 22 years. “One aspect of Debi’s genius is the ability to take disparate objects and create vignettes that show how people would actually display these objects in their home,” adds Jim. “She is showing people how they can take these precious objects and incorporate them into their own design … and she does it in her sleep!”
Plan to spend some time discovering all the treasures that unfold in Ormolulu. The music is designed to encourage a pleasing, slow pace. Debi and Jim encourage their guests to take a few laps and then change direction. They have some of the coolest lighting fixtures in town and Jim has used his wizardry to bring everything up to code – rewired, tested and ready to brighten another home into the next century.
Debi’s creative vignettes help customers visualize items in their home decor. Photo courtesy: Ormolulu.
As previously mentioned, there’s no digging for diamonds in the rough as the gems are out and visibly sparkling here. That may fool some people into believing that the prices are unaffordable. “We have everything from the whimsical to fine antiques with prices ranging from 50 cents to $10,000,” mentions Debbie.
Jim says, “We frequently hear the comment, ‘You belong in San Francisco,’ and our friends call us trendsetters.”
Debi quickly adds, “We’re not trendsetters. What we are is aware of the trends and we love to bring that to Bellingham.”
One thing Jim and Debi missed while being on the road so frequently was building relationships with repeat customers. They are happy to share their deep knowledge of the antiques world with anyone who stops in their store. Ignore the construction signs and stop in for some eye candy today!
Even the savviest consumers seem to be confused by Medicare insurance. Social Security, Medigap, Medicare Advantage plans, Part D, enrollment periods, HMO, PPO … how does one make sense of it all?
VibrantUSA shares information at seminars to help educate the community. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
Medicare Insurance is far from simple, and will likely only get more complicated in the future. But seniors don’t have to figure it out on their own—there’s a local agency specializing in Medicare insurance, right here in Whatcom County! VibrantUSA is an independent agency, providing assistance at no cost to clients. In Whatcom County alone, they have helped 12,000 clients review their options and enroll in a plan.
Without working with an agency, you may be exposed to the risk of what you don’t know. Which plans are available and best for you? Will your doctors accept it? Do you qualify for assistance? Will you need referrals? Will your plan work when you spend time in another state? Consider working with an insurance agent who specializes in Medicare year-round to ensure you choose the right plan and your questions are answered.
VibrantUSA is independent and unbiased – very important qualities when it comes to helping you navigate insurance plans. Photo courtesy: VibrantUSA.
VibrantUSA is independent and unbiased, representing nearly all available Medicare Advantage, Supplement and Part D prescription drug plans available. Salaried agents are highly trained and committed to assisting clients with enrollment and customer service issues not just during open enrollment, but throughout the entire year. Local to Whatcom County, Vibrant agents can work by email, phone or in person, so we can serve clients throughout the state, through whatever means they prefer. Trust VibrantUSA to help you navigate Medicare confusion and help you find the plan that’s best for you.
If you have an idea that will strengthen community ties in Whatcom County, Whatcom Community Foundation wants to hear from you. Applications for Project Neighborly grants are available September 1, 2017. Proposals are due Wednesday October 4 by 3:00 p.m. All projects must take place in 2018.
The Project Neighborly grant program is for people who have great ideas about how we can all become better neighbors. It fuels efforts to increase kindness and curiosity, and build trust among the people who share this place.
Last year was the first year of the program in which 27 ideas, ranging from neighborhood bowling, forums and fire prevention activities, to a block party trailer, urban planning events and a Lummi Island tea party, were funded. Projects came from all corners of the county and all manner of groups, from neighborhood associations and faith organizations, to schools, local government and tribes, non-profits, Western Washington University and the Bellingham Herald.
“We were thrilled with the community response and even more excited to see the projects in action,” said Community Foundation CEO Mauri Ingram. “We hope to build on that momentum, and encourage anyone who has an idea to apply.”
The most important criteria? Connect people who may not otherwise meet.
Neighborly grants are intended to spark ideas and make the necessary resources available to bring them to life. Grants of up to $5,000 will fuel inspiring, actionable, relevant projects that develop a sense of community and promote neighborliness throughout the rural and urban areas of Whatcom County.
Successful projects will result in more area residents being neighborly – kind, considerate and helpful — to everyone they meet. The initiative’s ultimate aim is to forge more and better relationships communitywide, sparking better ideas and decisions, and, a happier, healthier place for everyone.
The Community Foundation is investing $100,000. Anyone can help the possibilities pool grow by making a gift online or mailing a contribution to: Whatcom Community Foundation, 1500 Cornwall Avenue, Suite 202, Bellingham, WA 98225.
For more information, contact the Whatcom Community Foundation at 360-671-6463.
Leroy Carlson is easily identifiable in his trademark turtle hat. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
I’m not one for lavishing my girls with gifts. They are lucky to have grandparents that provide them with an abundance of toys and games. Once in a while, however, I bring home a little something that I think would delight them. Sometimes I really hit the mark. A recent Friday was one of those times.
The shell turtles are the perfect toy for little kids. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
I brought home these little magnetic turtles made out of seashells. One has pink eyes, one blue—a nod to each of my girl’s preferred colors. The turtles both have ladybugs perched on their backs and tiny, spiral-shelled tails. For me, these are carefully crafted works of art. For my little girls, they are pets. They played with their “little baby turtles” all afternoon that day. They didn’t even fight, which was a gift for me.
These creations were not found at a gift shop or the mall or Amazon. They came directly from their creator Leroy Carlson, or “The Turtle Man,” as many people in Whatcom County have come to know him. Leroy and his wife Ann are high-profile Bellingham residents. Three or four times a week they walk at Boulevard Park and they frequent area music events. (They were emphatic when telling me they never miss a performance by their favorite musician, JP Falcon Grady.)
Leroy Carlson has been crafting turtles and buzzards from shells for 20 years. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
Whether strolling in the park or sitting at a concert, Leroy wears his trademark shell-turtle-covered cap and carries a little zippered pouch of magnetic tins filled with more of his work. He is a walking gift shop. He sells the turtles for $5 each and he has buzzards, whose heads are made with small, hard-to-find crab claws, for $10 apiece. Many people who attend the same shows or make daily visits to Boulevard Park already have one, or many, of the trinkets. But he generally sells at least one at any given event. Over the last three years, Leroy has made $12,000. And he has given every cent to charity.
I met with Leroy at his home so that I could see his works in progress and talk with him about his philanthropic hobby. Leroy immediately put on his hat for me and pulled out dozens of finished turtles and buzzards. I asked him if I could see where he works and as we made our way downstairs he toured me around the walls of photographs of his children and grandchildren, telling me a little bit about each of them. He is the very proud father of four grown children. At the base of the stairs in the former bedroom of one of his sons is a room brimming with stacks of styrofoam and plastic trays filled with innumerable seashells of all shapes, sizes and colors. He finds them on beaches along the Washington coast, but this amassed quantity is due also to donations from the many people around Bellingham who know “The Turtle Man.”
The turtles cost $5 and the buzzards, seen here, cost $10 because of the hard-to-find crab claw. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
When I asked him why he does this, Leroy’s answer came in the form of a family history. He started by saying, “My grandma and grandpa were uneducated, never went to school. They raised my brother and I. And when we were growing up I never ever had a new bicycle … My grandpa mowed lawns, cut wood … he never went to school and he couldn’t get a good paying job. In 1940 we were really struggling.”
Leroy was 10 years old in 1940 and that was the year that one of his grandfather’s lawn-mowing clients offered him a job operating an 85-acre dairy farm on the Sand Road. It would pay $30 a month. But it was more than just a steady income. This offer meant a house to live in, milk from the cows, eggs from the chickens and vegetables from the garden. Leroy’s grandfather took the offer. This recognition of hard work and act of kindness gave the family the start they needed. Only a couple of years later, their circumstances far improved, Leroy’s grandfather was able to find a good-paying job in Bellingham and the family was able to buy a house of their own.
Every cent Leroy Carlson makes from his creations goes to charity. Any money he uses for supplies comes from his own pocket. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
This is only a fraction of Leroy’s story. He started from humble, sad origins. But he was cared for and, like his grandfather, he grew up embracing hard work. After retiring from GP 25 years ago, his travels took him all along the Washington coast where he, naturally, collected shells. His wife urged him to make something of the countless shells piling up in their spare rooms. Hence, the turtles. As Leroy puts it, “I made a hobby that I enjoy.” And as I see it, he is turning his hobby into money to help families currently struggling as his once did. Most of the money he raises goes to the Bellingham Food Bank. He has also given to cancer research and to combat tuberculosis, which took his mother at age 27. He tells me that whenever someone buys a turtle he lets them specify a charity if they would like. Otherwise, he decides.
Leroy Carlson is easily identifiable in his trademark turtle hat. Photo credit: Janine Johnson.
I did not meet Leroy out and about in Bellingham. He came to my attention through Keith Coleman, Whatcom native and general manager of Bellingham SpringHill Suites. Keith met Leroy at the recent Ferndale Street Festival he attended with his husband and WhatcomTalk’s own Kevin Coleman. He realized that Leroy is the embodiment of SpringHill Suites’ commitment to art and giving back to the community, which is why Keith extended an invitation to Leroy to participate in SpringHill’s 4th annual ArtNite event on Friday, October 20 . At least a dozen local artists will be on hand showing, selling and creating art. I called up Leroy to ask him if he is going to participate. He said, “Yes, I think I’d like to do that. You know, I like to advertise so people will come and buy them.”
I’ll be there too. And I’ll give my daughters each $5 to pick out another “baby turtle.”
I urge you to come to this event and meet Leroy, buy one of his turtles and ask him not just how he makes them, but why. His story is sure to inspire.
SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bellingham is located at 4040 Northwest Avenue in Bellingham. For more information visit Springhillbellingham.com or call 360-714-9600.
The space-age looking floating tank provides mental and physical relaxation. Photo courtesy: Still Life Massage and Float.
Float therapy – also known as Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy, or R.E.S.T. – is achieved by floating in a light and sound restricted pod of water. While it might sound like something out of science fiction, decades of research have shown the stress-reduction and other therapeutic effects of floating. I was curious to know more about what it was like, so I booked a float at Still Life Massage & Float in Bellingham.
Float therapy is achieved by floating in a light and sound restricted pod of water. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
Float therapy is pretty straightforward in theory, but the thought of floating in a pod of water for an hour leaves a lot of folks asking questions. Why? What is it like? Is it scary? Allow me to demystify the experience a bit.
Appointment Time
Upon arrival, a friendly member of Still Life’s staff checked me in and got me set-up with a brief orientation video with a rundown of what to expect and helpful tips. After the overview I was led into Float Room 1 where I had an opportunity to ask any questions or get clarification, but I felt pretty confident that I was ready to get floating.
Once I was alone, I locked the door and followed the simple instructions to get ready for my float: I got undressed, put the provided earplugs in and took a thorough shower before carefully stepping into the pod.
A Vast Expanse
Everyone’s experience is unique and different when it comes to floating. Photo courtesy: Still Life Massage and Float.
One of the first things my friends asked me after my float was if it felt small or cramped inside the floatation pod. The short answer is no, but it might not be obvious why.
Once I closed the hydraulic hatch door, a calm light illuminated the inside of the white pod. I gently reclined and allowed the water to settle a bit as I centered my body in the pod. An easy push of a button turned the lights out, and that’s when the real magic of the float began.
Once I found the most comfortable position for my arms, I felt completely still and weightless. The 1,200 pounds of Epsom salt in the water allowed me to float without any effort. The air and water were both about the same temperature as my skin, so my body felt limitless.
In the darkness, there were no walls. Rationally, I knew that I was inside a pod of water, but I was almost certain space went on forever. It felt like my fingertips expanded into the universe.
An Immediate Meditative State
Let your cares float away in Still Life’s float chamber. Photo courtesy: Still Life Massage and Float.
There was a lot happening in my life on the day I had my float appointment. I had spent the morning feeling scattered and stressed, and I was nervous that my time in the pod would be wasted by a mind racing through to-do lists.
What I hadn’t known was that it would be very hard to dwell on or worry about the rest of my life once the float began. It felt like my stress dissolved into the water the moment I laid back, and for an hour my mind was free of distraction and my body was free of gravity. My ears were just below the surface of the water (no problem with the provided earplugs) and the pod was totally still and quiet, so all I could hear was my own breath.
My mind marveled at the feeling of a great expanse around me. The unique sensation of being cradled in the water – coupled with a calm but constant awareness of my own breath – allowed my mind to rest. I didn’t find myself thinking much about the rest of my life because floating helped bring me into my body to experience the present moment. I was truly able to leave the world behind.
Long-lasting Calm
I felt inspired after my float therapy session, so I spent a bit of time in the lounge writing and staring out at the marina. Photo credit: Sara Holodnick.
Gentle music alerted me to the end of my hour-long float, so I climbed out of the pod and back into the world. Immediately I noticed that my body felt loose (similar to the effects of a massage) and that my skin felt soft but not pruney. I felt refreshed and centered. I was at peace. Once I’d rinsed off and gotten dressed, I spent a bit of time in the lounge writing and staring out at the marina. I felt inspired.
I had turned my phone off before my float and I was satisfied to leave it that way well after I got home. The rest of the world could wait a bit longer as I enjoyed my post-float focus. And even after the immediate effects of the float had subsided, I noticed that the peaks of my stress were lower than they had been before my appointment.
My float therapy session at Still Life Massage & Float left me feeling calm, collected and full of gratitude. I’d encourage you to give floating a shot if you’ve been struggling to keep up with your self-care. Book your float online to take advantage of this uniquely relaxing experience.
Jan and Holley represent Hopewell Farm at the farmers' market. Photo courtesy: Hopewell Farm.
Within minutes of meeting Jan and Holley at Hopewell Farm’s stand at the Bellingham Farmers Market, I knew I’d met some quality, hard workin’, fun lovin’ people. As I snapped photos, Jan immediately fell into model pose, despite an end-of-day delirium. We laughed and chatted as they helped customers. Afterward, I left a message with Jan to have Hopewell Farm’s Lisa Dykstra call me. “I take care of her kids, so she’ll get the message,” Jan chuckles as she hands me a bunch of carrots.
A few days later I get a call and arrange to meet Lisa at the Farm. She introduces me to several employees. Juan’s been with Hopewell for 17 years. Domingo for five. Lisa herself has been with the farm for seven years. I also get to meet Tessa, a senior at Saint Olaf College in Minnesota who will be missed when she leaves next week. “Gotta take chemistry to get my degree,” she says.
Mini eggplants are beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Tessa is in Greenhouse number two, where they grow the “fun stuff.” She’s picking ground cherries which are related to tomatoes. Inside their paper lantern cover is a grape shaped fruit. I unsheathe one and eat it. It has an unusual flavor I can’t quite describe. There’s also flowering cotton used for decoration, a purple heirloom tomato, mini Mexican Sour Gherkins, mini eggplant and lemon Cucumbers growing on vines hanging floor to ceiling. Tessa is quick to offer me some Sour Gherkins. They have a delicious, citrusy cucumber flavor with the pop-like crunch of a fresh grape.
Hopewell Farm is owned and operated by Pete and Dorene Dykstra. Originally from Holland, Pete Dykstra’s dad started the initial dairy here. Pete enjoyed playing in the dirt more, so he created Hopewell Farm and began growing vegetable crops. Three of Pete and Dorene’s four children – Wes, Matt and David – currently work on the farm. Their youngest, Hollee, lives in the Seattle area.
Don’t miss Hopewell’s delicious corn. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Wes moved to Arizona to get a diesel mechanic degree. It was here he met Lisa. They’ve now been married for 14 years. It was always Wes’ intention to return to the farm. However, life happened and he found himself working as a mechanic for the City of Tempe. He and Lisa lived there for ten years and had good jobs (Lisa worked for an insurance company). Yet, Wes felt there was something missing. As he progressed in his job, it was great to have financial security, good benefits and insurance, but he missed the farm.
Wes expressed an interest to return to the farm to his dad. Pete and Dorene quickly found jobs on the farm for Wes and Lisa. They now call their stint in Tempe a time with golden handcuffs. Their lives were good, but they were tied down to working for someone else and Wes knew if he continued to work that way, he’d never get out.
Shortly after moving to Washington, Wes and Lisa adopted four siblings from foster-care. Their children are now able to enjoy their childhoods in the wide-open spaces of the family farm their parents work on. They can directly see the impact of growing delicious and healthy produce, milk and herbs and how they benefit the local community.
If you haven’t tried Mexi Gherkins yet, don’t miss the chance! Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
After Lisa’s first winter in “freezing” Everson, she grew to love the farm. She never imagined she’d end up working on a farm. But her business degree and instincts have been an asset to Hopewell Farm.
Hopewell Farm has become organic, largely because Pete found it was safer for the farmers and observed healthier organisms in the ground. Their first organic crop was sweet corn.
The farm still has 180 head of milk cows (Jersey-Holstein cross) and they sell their milk to Organic Valley Milk cooperative. The cows are milked two times a day every day. “We have a great herdsman. He takes great care of the cows which is backed by our low vet bills,” Lisa said.
The farm’s focus on providing plenty of pasture, ample barn space in the winter and preventative care to reduce illness in the heard keeps the cows very happy. The cows also enjoy eating the imperfect and leftover vegetables from the farm. They are close to feasting on pumpkins in the fall, which they enjoy and also increases the butterfat in their milk.
Hopewell Farm produces a variety of delicious produce. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Hopewell Farm got its name from the Hopewell township. The one room schoolhouse (now the Hopewell Grange building) still exists on Hopewell Road but the township never grew beyond a few homes. But its name lives on in Hopewell Farm’s legacy.
Hopewell Farm produces five varieties of blueberries and a sweet carrot that is even sweeter in the fall, as the plant stores more sugar in its root as the weather grows colder. They also grow Turkish Rhubarb, Sheep Sorrel and Burdock Root. These ingredients go into Essiac Tea, a blood cleansing tea favored by cancer patients. There are also pumpkins and squash fields that yield seed oil for local companies.
This year, they’re harvesting Echinacea seed. We arrive at the field to see it just past bloom, honeybees buzzing around the drying flowers and butterflies flying all around us. Next there’s Brussel sprouts and broccoli. Lisa explains that crop rotations are done to keep the soil healthy and to move the Brussel sprouts to fields with less aphids.
Hopewell Farm is located right here on Hopewell Road. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
The farm is always evolving to meet their customers’ needs. Hopewell Farm isn’t afraid to try a new crop or process because if it doesn’t work out, they’ll feed it to the cows. The cycle of life continues.
They’ve also listened to buyers like Flora, Charlie’s Produce, Organically Grown Company and Puget Sound Food Hub to grow new crops. Puget Sound Food Hub, based in Skagit County, has really helped Hopewell Farm focus on growing. They cover the process of getting to market, allowing Hopewell Farm to focus on growing the best quality organic food. It has allowed the farm to connect with Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish and King County businesses, stores, hospitals, schools, daycares, co-ops and smaller delivery companies.
Jan and Holley represent Hopewell Farm at the farmers’ market. Photo credit: Dan Burwell.
Hopewell Farm’s story is uplifting. The third generation of the Dykstra family now works together on the farm. The fourth generation have already spoken – telling their parents when they grow up, they want to work on the farm too. For now, the kids are involved with the business by picking, tending and helping maintain the farm. They all enjoy seeing the fruits of their labor.
Their employees have worked for them for years. They are paid above minimum wage, enjoy free vegetables and beef, and are treated like family. Sure, there are times when working with family is complex, but they work it out together. They decide as a family what to grow, how to process their crops and continue to provide their customers with top quality produce. Visiting their farm, you see a clear symbiosis of healthy workers, families and earth. The next time you take a bite out of a crisp carrot from Hopewell Farm, you’ll know why they are a bit sweeter and crispier than the rest.
Submitted by Barron Heating, AC, Electrical & Plumbing
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