Fairhaven Village Inn Named Pacific Northwest’s Top-Rated Family Hotel

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The Fairhaven Village Inn was recently recognized as the Pacific Northwest’s Top-Rated Family Hotel by ABC News. Photo credit: Libby Liming.

Tucked into a corner of Fairhaven, across from the Village Green and within walking distance to the Alaska State Ferry docks, sits the picturesque Fairhaven Village Inn. A privately-owned hidden gem, this 22-room hotel is identified by a tiny green sign hanging from the second story and a gold-leaf “1200” painted on the transom window above the front doors. But don’t let its humble nature fool you. This local inn was recently named the Pacific Northwest’s Top-Rated Family Hotel by ABC News.

ABC News worked with Family Vacation Critic to name the top-rated hotels in each of the 10 top vacation spots in the US, compiling opinions from Family Vacation Critic’s members and requiring an employee of Family Vacation Critic to visit the location.

Out of the 600 properties that were reviewed and considered, Fairhaven Village Inn was named as the Pacific Northwest’s Top-Rated Family Hotel.

How the Shannons came to Bellingham

When Connie Shannon and her husband Gene purchased the inn in 2004, they never dreamed that their little hotel would be featured on a major news network. Connie was a children’s librarian and worked for a book publisher for years and Gene owned commercial properties in the Midwest. They decided they were ready for a change and followed their daughter across the country as she attended grad school at Western Washington University.

Connie and Gene didn’t originally move to Bellingham to run the inn. The adventurous couple took a look at several properties in the area but the “happiness meter” always dialed into the Fairhaven Village Inn.

“When we bought the inn,” Connie says, “Village Books wasn’t there; those condos and shops weren’t there.” Fairhaven has continued to grow around them over the last 12 years, becoming a very family-friendly place.

How the ABC coverage has impacted the Inn

“It’s humbling, and also kind of intimidating,” Connie laughs, regarding their national recognition. “We always pay careful attention [to our guests],and now we feel like everyone is watching!”

She says it’s great for them to be included in this list alongside hotels like Legoland in Florida and the Four Seasons in Chicago. “At the end of the day,” Connie states, “traveling families are looking for something simple and something that will appeal to everyone.” adding that the Fairhaven Village Inn’s library and collection of board and card games — along with their adorable breakfast nook with its black and white tiled floor — are a definite draw for families.

Connie shared an endearing story about a dad who showed up with his two young boys late one night to the hotel. The boys were becoming a bit rowdy in the lobby, so dad tried to contain them by shooing them into the library as he checked in at the front desk. As the boys explored the library, Connie (who was passing through the lobby) could hear them shouting “Oh hey! Candyland!” Grandparents have played Twister with their grandchildren in that library, or a guest unearths a favorite poem or a travel writer’s secret tip. Sometimes simple is golden.

If you prefer to play your games outside or you’re visiting the Fairhaven Village Inn during one of our gorgeous Pacific Northwest summers, there are four city parks within a decent walking distance of the hotel, as well as some great walking trails and hiking. The waterfront is nearby, as is the Community Boating Center. Fairhaven Bike is around the corner for convenient bike rentals, and Rocket Donuts serves ACME Ice Cream. It is a short hike up Harris Avenue for that after-dinner treat.

On summer Saturdays, you can even open up your window and watch the movies on the Village Green from the park-side hotel rooms. Don’t have a park-side room? Grab a blanket and head for the gorgeous deck that juts out over the inn’s driveway. Pick up some popcorn and snacks from the Haggen store up the road and you’ve got the best seats in the house.

With a plethora of family-friendly activities in the surrounding area and a marvelous place to lay your head after participating in all said activities, Fairhaven Village Inn is getting some much-deserved press coverage for their delightful accommodations and top notch service.

Fairhaven Village Inn
1200 10th St
Bellingham, WA 98225
360-733-1311
www.fairhavenvillageinn.com

WhatcomTalk Uses Insights and Analytics to Guide Customers’ Marketing Decisions

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WhatcomTalk Editor

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Through the use of insights and analytics, WhatcomTalk is able to guide its customers in smart marketing decisions. ©WhatcomTalk.

Businesses have lots of options when it comes to reaching their audiences, including sponsoring events and airing commercials on the radio. In the digital age, one of the most common ways businesses do this is by placing ads online. From banner ads to pop-ups, the options that exist for advertising within the Internet are vast and ever-changing.

As a media company serving Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and surrounding Whatcom County, WhatcomTalk has a unique lens into this hyperlocal market. Once a piece of content is published to WhatcomTalk’s website, our team collects data based on gender, age, location and other insights so that we can identify which stories matter most to certain demographics.

While this information helps WhatcomTalk craft its content to better serve our readers, it also helps us tailor individualized advertising plans for our customers.

For instance, if a customer wants their logo to reach families living in Lynden, we can place their logo on articles about family-friendly venues such as local parks and playgrounds or events taking place in the area.

Knowing who our readers are allows WhatcomTalk to better guide its customers’ marketing decisions by providing personalized advertising options so that they can reach a specific audience.

Using insights in this way is good for both our customers and our readers. Our customers gain value in the benefits of targeted marketing, while our readers enjoy perusing content without the distraction of oddly placed ads.

This unique form of marketing is a direct result of the close relationship that exists between WhatcomTalk’s sales and publishing teams. While most media companies’ sales and publishing teams work independently of one another, WhatcomTalk’s staffers work closely together, ensuring that customer logo placements are matched with the pieces of content that best reach their target audiences.

Village Books, Robert Gruen — Content marketing is another way WhatcomTalk helps tell a customer’s story. Photo courtesy: Amy Blackwood.

You can learn more about WhatcomTalk’s many advertising options, including traditional banner and block ads, personalized logo placements, and unique content marketing opportunities, by contacting a member of our sales team here.

Let WhatcomTalk help you grow your business through personalized marketing options that work for you.

WhatcomTalk is a digital media company sharing positive stories about people, places and businesses in Whatcom County. WhatcomTalk offers content marketing and online options to advertise across our community social network in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale and beyond. Advertise with WhatcomTalk to reach your target market, grow your brand, and measure results.

McKenzie Temple Shares Her Passion for the Outdoors through Non-profit Work

By

Brandon Fralic

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Seattle native-turned-Bellinghamster McKenzie Temple grew up playing in the mountains.

“Skiing is nearest and dearest to my heart,” McKenzie says. “That’s how I grew up, skiing every weekend with family and meeting life-long friends along the way.”

Those early ski trips shaped McKenzie into who she is today — an active outdoorswoman and regional director for two outdoors non-profit organizations. She’s managed to accomplish what many of us hope for by turning her dreams into reality. In McKenzie’s case, that means turning a lifetime of mountain adventures into a rewarding career.

“It took me a while to figure out how to play as much as I wanted, but I also put in my time in the corporate world at a desk,” McKenzie says. “That’s where I would dream up adventures that I somehow always made a reality.”

McKenzie first moved to Bellingham three years ago, after a trip up to Mount Baker Ski Area for the Legendary Banked Slalom. She fell in love with Bellingham. “It was exactly what I was looking for,” McKenzie explains. “Not a big city, but still close to mountains, water and my Seattle-based family. How can you not love Bellingham? You can mountain bike to work!”

Before moving to Bellingham, McKenzie was working at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort near Mount Rainier. During her time at Crystal Mountain, she met the crew from SheJumps, a non-profit organization whose goal is, “To increase the participation of women and girls in outdoor activities.” McKenzie initially got involved with the organization five years ago as an event attendee and volunteer. Today, she is the Pacific Coast Regional Director of SheJumps.

Founded in Salt Lake City, Utah in 2007, SheJumps has gone nationwide in its efforts to get girls outdoors. Programs are available for ladies of all ages and operate in several distinct regions throughout America. And with the Pacific Coast Regional Director based here in Bellingham, we can expect to see some local events soon.

“Our Youth Initiative Program is called Wild Skills and is led by the amazing Wild Skills Director, Christy Pelland,” McKenzie says. Christy was also responsible for a recent Mount Rainier fundraising climb, in which more than $25,000 was raised to expand programming. McKenzie explains, “Eight ladies signed up to climb and fundraise, and it was a smashing success. Now we can use that money for more programs, like in Bellingham!”

The next Bellingham Wild Skills program will take place August 27 at Whatcom Falls Park. “Wild Skills is a day for young girls to learn the skills they need for outdoor adventuring,” McKenzie says. “Our goal is to see girls learning, having fun and connecting in an encouraging environment with amazing instruction and support.”

SheJumps offers programs for adults, too. They recently held a mountain biking event at Stevens Pass called “SheShreds Stevens.” To welcome riders of all abilities, local lady instructors provided downhill bike lessons for beginners. McKenzie explains, “We have some of the best female riders right here in Bellingham. They are always excited to volunteer their time to help with free skills clinics, or just show the ladies around the trails.” Keep an eye on the SheJumps calendar for more local events throughout Washington and the Pacific Coast.

The weekend of August 27 will be a busy one for McKenzie. In addition to SheJumps, McKenzie is also the Northwest Events Director for 5Point Adventure Film Festival — another non-profit with big Bellingham plans for the last weekend of August.

5Point is an outdoor adventure film fest like no other. The festival originated in Carbondale, Colorado nine years ago, and has since expanded to Bellingham and two other regional locations. Built on five “points” — Commitment, Humility, Purpose, Respect, and Balance — the festival is all about inspiring adventure and building a sense of community. According to McKenzie, “If you have not experienced a 5Point event, it will change your life.”

Attendees can expect all things outdoors during the three-day festival in Bellingham. More than just a film fest, 5Point offers up a Van Life rally, live music, yoga, community parties, beer, food, family, and much more. McKenzie has been working hard on the Bellingham 5Point Film Festival all summer and is excited to share the event with our community.

“We have tied in the SheJumps Wild Skills to this event, so the kids can go from Wild Skills to an adventure film program and then to a family party in the street,” McKenzie explains. Check out the event on Facebook for more info.

When asked what she most enjoys about her work, McKenzie’s answers are as colorful as her various roles and skills. Her meetings take place on an afternoon ride at Galbraith, on a chairlift, or over a local microbrew. She plans events for the benefit of others, and also to learn new skills herself. “If I want to learn how to do yoga on a paddle board, I plan an event and get my friends to come learn and hopefully meet some new people to play with,” McKenzie says.

And her life philosophy? McKenzie sums it up in a single sentence: “Life is about having fun, so let’s all have fun together!”

Stop and Smell the Lavender at Red Barn Lavender in Ferndale

By

Theresa Golden

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Stop and smell the lavender at Red Barn Lavender in Ferndale. Photo courtesy: Red Barn Lavender.

Head down Thornton Road in Ferndale during the summer months and you might be accompanied by the fragrant scent of lavender meandering in the breeze. Rows of purple and pink, English and French lavender are grown in several varieties each year at Red Barn Lavender. Owners Bridget Boylan and Joe Jowdy, along with Joe’s sister Georgette, enjoy managing the farm and producing one-of-a-kind products available year-round.

“Three years ago, my boyfriend Joseph and I were looking for a farm property,” Bridget shares. “My dad’s from Ireland. He grew up on a dairy farm, so I wanted to live on a farm and [Joe] wanted property.”

Bridget and Joe’s realtor called with a listing she thought might be of interest to the ambitious couple. “She said, ‘You guys might like this. You said you wanted a barn and you said you wanted about five acres and, well — it’s a lavender farm!’” For Bridget, the idea of living on a lavender farm had been previously evoked while visiting lavender fields in Provence, France. “Actually going to France and seeing lavender fields was just amazing.”

Bridget Boylan enjoys developing new products with the lavender grown on her farm. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

Having learned the required techniques and care from the previous farm owners, it became obvious that Bridget and Joe would need more help. They reached out to Joe’s sister Georgette who was working at a dairy sanctuary on the East Coast. Here, calves not selected for milk production were cared for, raised and re-homed. Georgette agreed to move and help out with the lavender farm if she could bring a few of the calves with her. Georgette’s sanctuary cows can now be seen happily resting behind the lavender fields.

For Bridget, owning Red Barn Lavender is a compliment to her work as a Five Element acupuncturist where she helps people create change within themselves. “People come to me when they are stuck, moving in a different direction, and they are not sure where to go,” Bridget shares. She helps her clients find the direction they seek. Within her practice, she incorporates the use of essential oils from the lavender grown and distilled on her property.

Bridget’s interest and experience with essential oils have also led to the expansion of available products made from the lavender on the farm. “Because I have a lot of education in essential oils and combining them, we’ve got about double the products that [the previous owners] had and we’ve changed some of the formulations,” Bridget explains. “We’re mainly using organic ingredients, unrefined shea butter, organic cocoa butter — so we’ve just moved it into a more organic company, just trying to do everything in the best way for the consumer.”

A variety of French and English lavender is grown and cut each summer at Red Barn Lavender. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

For Bridget, the lavender farm and its guests offer endless ideas. From facial care products inspired by customer requests to teas, coffees and spices created out of Bridget’s passion for all things culinary, new products are continually in evolution. “We got into the culinary products because I love cooking,” Bridget shares. “So we’ve got a lavender coffee, we’ve got culinary lavender, we’ve got lavender pepper that has fennel in it. We have lavender sugar. I just started doing some Mediterranean blends and Tuscan blends with the lavender, so there’s just so many things we can do.”

Weekends during the summer, visitors can cut their own lavender from the fields and enjoy a cold cup of lavender lemonade sold at the shop in the barn. At the shop, Bridget also offers pints of Mallard lavender chocolate ice-cream for sale as well as a large array of her lavender products. Lotions, lip balms, face scrubs and eye creams can be purchased as well. Collages, clocks and paintings created by local artists decorate the walls, and Joe’s fine art photographs are on display, too. “People come here and they are so happy to be here,” Bridget shares. “And that’s what we want, for people to relax, have fun and be kind of in that space of not worrying about anything.”

Georgette Jowdy brings Red Barn Lavender products to the Bellingham Farmers Market each Saturday. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

Red Barn Lavender is open to the public Friday through Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. June through August, depending on the growing season. The Red Barn Lavender store can be visited off season by request. Call ahead for this season’s hours. Red Barn Lavender products can also be purchased at the Bellingham Farmers Market or online at www.redbarnlavender.com.

And the fun doesn’t stop after summer’s end. Bridget plans to offer wreath-making classes in November as well as guest writer and artist workshops in the Glass House located on the farm.

Red Barn Lavender
3106 Thornton Road
Ferndale, WA
360-393-7057

Dark Tower Games in Bellingham Chosen to Preview New Magic: The Gathering Game

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Dark Tower Games

Dark Tower Games has been chosen to host a preview event for the Conspiracy: Take the Crown game from the Magic: The Gathering franchise on August 20, 2016. Only seven locations worldwide will be previewing the game before general release. Dark Tower Games is one of two locations in the United States selected for this event. The game will be released to the public on August 26, 2016.

Employee Aaron Wallace said, “One shop out of seven locations in the world, one of only two in the United States, with fifty-six total players for this event. I’ve got more than 20 years playing games, and I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Dark Tower Games will have a live preview event with 8 players, 3 of which will be chosen by nomination from the community. All 8 players will be among the first to see the new cards for the game; the event will be live-streamed on Twitch and Twitter.

Tabletop gaming in all forms has seen a revival in recent years, boosted by popular internet shows like Tabletop and Critical Role. Stores routinely stock a greater variety of games, with a greater focus on storytelling and imagination than simple mechanics. Magic: The Gathering has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1993, and has an estimated 20 million players as of 2015, making it one of the most popular games in the world. Dark Tower Games regularly hosts Magic: The Gathering tournaments and game nights for the local community.

A Symbol to Rally Behind: Brad Lockhart Designs Bellingham Flag

By

Sara Holodnick

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Bellingham flag — Brad Lockhart overlooks where Bellingham meets the bay, inspiration for his proposed city flag design. Photo credit: Tommy Calderon.

In March of 2015, digital storyteller Roman Mars gave a TED Talk about flags. While that may not sound exciting, it ended up being an interesting exploration of why flags resonate with us. He discussed what makes a good flag, what makes a bad flag, and how people around the country are trying to fix the flags that don’t live up to their city’s greatness.

Later that same summer, the Downtown Bellingham Partnership hosted their own flag design challenge, inviting local designers to try their hand at developing a visual brand for Bellingham. Designers from many firms competed, and a few flags came out on top. One of those was designed by Brad Lockhart.

Brad has lived in Whatcom County since he was a young child. He grew up sharing his time in Deming and Bellingham, and after graduating from high school he went to Whatcom Community College. His band Black Eyes and Neckties were a staple of the local music scene, but after several years and extensive touring they were ready to call it quits. That got Brad thinking about what to do next. In addition to performing with his band, Brad had designed the band’s posters.

“It really just started out as me doing the thing that needed to be done,” he said. But along the way, he started designing posters and logos for other local musicians and venues. After his band split up, he went back to school at Western Washington University so he could pursue a career in design.

Shortly after graduating, Brad got a design job at Faithlife, where he’s worked for 2.5 years. When he heard about the flag challenge being sponsored by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, he knew he had to give it a shot.

The top eight flag designs were chosen by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s former director and were then put up for a vote. Brad’s design got the most votes, but the project fell through. To reinvigorate the project, Brad decided to make one flag for the Partnership to raise at the Commercial Street Night Market. They quickly sold out of over 200 flag stickers in one night. It became clear that Brad’s proposed flag design was tapping into a desire for a visual identity for Bellingham.

“I think it’s invaluable,” said Brad. “Obviously, flags mean a lot of things to a lot of people. City flags are on the rise. Forty-seven cities around the country are developing flags right now.”

Some might wonder why anyone should be worrying about a flag when there are such big challenges to face, but designers all around the world would likely argue that having a unifying symbol to rally behind can make working toward solutions that much easier.

“People like to think locally when their world seems a little on edge,” Brad shared. “You can dream about setting fire to things, or can actually make things better. I think this flag is a tiny part of that.”

We’ve probably all seen examples of symbols bringing people together in our own lives. After major tragedies, our nation has rallied behind the American flag as a symbol that unites an often fragmented country. The Stars and Stripes have been a banner to unite us in periods of darkness and peril, a way to remind us that we are part of a common story no matter our race, religion, sexual expression, family history, political party, etc. Flags can serve as a visual record of important history that shapes our communities.

“The first settlers in the area were the Coast Salish tribes, and they’re represented by the two stars,” explained Brad. “The squiggly lines stand for ‘noisy water,’ the translation for the meaning of Whatcom.” He also wanted to include the symbolism of perhaps the most prominent physical feature of Bellingham: Our bay, represented by a blue half-crescent. The blue and green stripes (colors that symbolize our bounty of water and trees) represent the four towns settled in the 1800s: Whatcom, Sehome, Bellingham, and Fairhaven. While the towns were settled geographically in that order (from top to bottom as you look at the flag), the arrangement was a fluke.

“I was trying to tell the story one step at a time,” Brad explained. “But the pieces started to literally and figuratively connect as I designed it.” Brad also drew inspiration from Roman Mars’ TED Talk, keeping the major design principles Mars outlined in mind as he designed the flag.

Even with its immediate success, members of city government weren’t prepared to adopt the flag officially because they hadn’t been involved in the initial process. But because Brad created and owned the design, he decided to take it to the people. In June he launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund an initial printing of the proposed city flag. The project raised nearly $8,000 — well over his $1,500 goal. Among its backers? Roman Mars.

Kickstarter backers have begun to receive their shipments, but Brad is already looking to the future. He hopes for a time when the proposed flag can become the official flag, therefore opening the design to others to be able to reproduce as they see fit.

“Everyone will own it, and I think that’s really cool,” said Brad.

On August 16 and 17 Brad will be teaming up with WhatcomTalk’s own Kevin Coleman for a special Bellingham flag event at the Bellingham Boys and Girls Club. While the event is not open to the public, club members will get an opportunity to hear about the history of Bellingham and the development of the flag from Brad while Kevin teaches members how to paint the flag.

“I want to inspire kids to have a connection to Bellingham and learn about the artist,” shared Coleman. “Plus being an artist myself, anytime we can teach art and culture to kids I’m all about it.”

For more information about Brad and the flag, visit Brad’s website LARIAT creative.

Bellingham SeaFeast Deadlines Nearing for BBQ Salmon Entries, Food Vendors

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Bellingham SeaFeast

The deadline has been extended until August 19 for the first International Salmon BBQ Grilling Contest, part of the inaugural Bellingham SeaFeast 2016.

Bellingham SeaFeast is a festival filled with world-renowned seafood, boat rides, demonstrations, and the arts in an authentic maritime environment that will take place September 30 and October 1.

Competition in the International Salmon BBQ Grilling Contest is limited to 12 professional and 12 amateur teams. The top prize of $1,000 will go to the “Skill of the Grill” winning team. Another $700 will go to the team with the best overall salmon, as judged by chefs and professionals in the food industry. The professional and amateur divisions also have prizes of $300, $200 and $100.

The International Salmon BBQ Grill Contest will be conducted in shifts from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Saturday, October 1. For entry details, visit www.BellinghamSeaFeast.com.

Also, the Bellingham SeaFeast deadline for applications from food vendors is Friday, August 12. Organizers are looking for vendors with a seafood emphasis, but all food and beverage vendors may apply. An online application is at www.BellinghamSeaFeast.com.

Admission is free to Bellingham SeaFeast 2016, featuring family-friendly, hands-on educational activities along the waterfront of Bellingham.

What It Takes to Be a Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Animal Feed Manufacturer

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Scratch and Peck Feeds mill — A lot goes into becoming aCertified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Animal Feed Manufacturer. Photo courtesy: Scratch and Peck Feeds.

Scratch and Peck Feeds formed from a simple need. The founder, Diana Ambauen-Meade, wasn’t happy with the types of chicken feed available in stores. Every time she fed her chickens a feed that contained less than optimal ingredients, she contemplated the implications they may have on her own health. So she took matters into her own hands. She began making her own feed at home, in her backyard, using a borrowed cement mixer and whole grains sourced from local farmers.

Diana’s efforts soon expanded into a business with a small base of customers who also wanted clean, whole grain feeds — free from medication, pesticides and other toxic chemicals. She soon realized that she was moving into a fully-operating animal feed manufacturing company, and decided that if that was the direction she was going, she might as well go the extra mile and become Non-GMO Project Verified and Certified Organic.

“I knew it would be a lot of work,” Diana said, “but I wanted to do it right and show my commitment to bigger issues in the feed industry that need to be addressed. I couldn’t imagine releasing a product that didn’t live up to my values and commitments to the planet, to human health, and to the welfare of all living things.”

To become Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified requires substantial paperwork, inspections of the mill and obtaining proof of certifications from each of the farmers and suppliers who provide the ingredients. The process doesn’t stop once those certifications are achieved. Every day the folks at Scratch and Peck adhere to strict protocols and precautions to ensure that the ingredients meet all verifications and regulations. Care is taken in all phases of their manufacturing, from receiving and handling to storing and processing. Traceability and accountability of all ingredients is key.

Diana has established partnerships with local and regional farmers and suppliers who are organic and non-GMO. She visits the farms, confirms the certifications and, if everything aligns with the sustainable focus of Scratch and Peck, forms a partnership. For Diana, these partnerships are some of the most rewarding aspects of what Scratch and Peck does.

“Some of my most memorable conversations have been with farmers who are passionate about what they do and proud of the quality crops they grow,” Diana said. “They are critical to producing a trustworthy product.”

A lot goes into becoming Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified. Photo courtesy: Scratch and Peck Feeds.

Once farmers have harvested the grains, even the transportation process to the mill must show adherence to the regulations of Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified. Truck drivers provide a Clean Truck Affidavit prior to grain pick up to verify that their truck was cleaned between loads to eliminate the risk of cross contaminations with GMO or non-organic ingredients. Even though these extra steps take extra work, the employees have fun.

“The grain truck drivers are like family alongside our mill staff. I’ll frequently hear them out in the mill giving each other a hard time and laughing,” said Scratch and Peck Production Manager, Richy Boyer. “They often help us out to ensure both the ingredients and the end products are handled with concern and care.”

Annual audits and onsite inspections by certification bodies are part of the process, and ongoing testing of all major high-risk ingredients is a tenant of Non-GMO Project verification to ensure that no cross-contamination occurred at any stage. For example, corn is a high-risk crop because more than 90% of the corn produced in the United States is genetically engineered. Customers are often surprised, and pleased, to learn that even the corn in Scratch and Peck’s feed is non-GMO and organic.

“I want to offer a feed that contains corn, because the carbohydrates are a good source of energy to help keep chickens warm during cold months, but it was absolutely necessary that the corn we used didn’t contain GMOs,” Diana explained.

Diana extensively researched farms that grew non-GMO corn and finally found a source that she was confident could supply quality corn that met Non-GMO Project and organic regulations and was grown in the Pacific Northwest.

Scratch and Peck is meticulous in monitoring its daily operations, which remain small scale so that ingredients can be evaluated as they come into the mill and during the mixing process. Every bag of feed is recorded and tracked with a batch number that details the ingredients contained in that particular product. This start-to-finish supervision means that the crew at Scratch and Peck are putting out a product they’re excited about — sometimes too excited. Occasionally a mill employee will put feed in someone else’s coffee cup so there’s an unexpected surprise waiting for them when they go to take their last sip.

Although human-grade and delicious to the last drop, the feed is really meant for animals.

“Save it for the chickens,” said Richy. “They’re really the ones who appreciate a mouthful of feed. Humans, not so much.”

Plan Your Staycation with Mount Baker Theatre’s Journeys Program

By

Lorraine Wilde

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Mount Baker Theatre Journeys — Wynton Marsalis and his orchestra will make you feel like you're in New York's Lincoln Center. Photo credit: Frank Stewart.

Bellingham is an incredible city that welcomes thousands and thousands of tourists each year. They come here seeking new experiences and perspectives. Our historic museums, breathtaking parks, locally made art and music, and relaxed breweries are just a few of the amazing things that draw visitors to Bellingham. So when you have a day or two off, why would you go anywhere else? That’s the philosophy behind Mount Baker Theatre’s (MBT) Journeys. The collection of events encourages residents to stay home and #OptInspiration by “escaping” locally with world-class, culturally-diverse live theater, dance, celebrity, and music performances — that come to you — from across the globe, year-round. And after each mesmerizing show, you can drift off to sleep, comfortably — in post-show euphoria — at home, on your own pillow.

Your Passport to Live Entertainment

This year, and every year, MBT’s employees work hard to bring the very best in local, national, and international live entertainment to this historic Bellingham Theater. “Our mission here is pretty simple. We provide access to diverse performing arts, entertainment, and social interaction that enriches and educates the lives of the people that make up this great community,” explains MBT Executive Director, Brad Burdick. “Our Journeys program is the passport that brings the world to your doorstep.”

Mount Baker Theatre wants to encourage everyone in the region to schedule time in their staycation to do things they often walk right past. In line with MBT’s mantra, “There’s a Whole Wide World in Here!” the historic building itself in our downtown arts district is an escape to another world. Built in 1927 in an exotic Spanish Moorish design, this architectural gem was meant to transport its small town patrons to another time and place. The building was placed on the National Historical Record in 1978 and since 1984, more than $14 million has been invested in capital improvements. The best way to appreciate this incredible historic venue is to schedule your very own free tour backstage at MBT today.

The theatre’s three venues currently support more than 400 events and 110,000 visitors annually. More than 25 of these extraordinary events tour all over the world before stopping here to share their heart and soul with us. Whether they are extravagantly-staged theatre, dance, and spectacle performances, a visit by a living legend in their field, or concert from artful, memorable musicians, each performance offers virtual access to other cultures, locations, and points of view, and an electric connection that can only be experienced firsthand between audience and performer.

Bright Lights

If you’ve ever been to a nationally or internationally touring live theater or dance performance, you know that it is an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life. For a short time, you are transported to another place and time. You become a part of the story. Your own life falls away and you become a part of another world. That’s the experience MBT’s Bright Lights performances strive to bring to everyone.

As the October chill sets in this year, you’ll be able to head south to the American desert with the stark beauty and vibrant colors of professional dance company Momix, as they perform “Opus Cactus” on October 18. Their mesmerizing movement brings the whole family along for a dangerous and funny escape into the enchanting world of the Sonoran desert.

Mount Baker Theatre will also transport its audience to Dublin (via Broadway) on November 4 when it hosts the Tony Award-winning production of the romantic musical “Once.” Bringing the Broadway experience right here to Bellingham, this story follows a Dublin street musician’s struggle to reach his dreams and how he finds his art in the chemistry he develops with a captivating young woman.

These are just a couple of the incredible shows that make up the Bright Lights of MBT’s captivating 2016 – 2017 season.

Celebrity Sights

Celebrities are really just people like us. But they are people who do extraordinary things, garnering them with an elite — almost supernatural — status. Mount Baker Theatre routinely brings these individuals to our lovely city so they can share that magic with us, in person, just a few feet away.

No matter who you ask, we can all agree that it has been a particularly unusual year in American politics. On September 16, you can take an insider tour of Washington D.C. with the famous resident comedy troupe The Capitol Steps. With real life experience as Senate staffers, no subject is off limits for this company of talented comedians that blend the spectacle of musical and political theater as they perform “What to Expect When You’re Electing.”

On October 14, you can experience New York’s Lincoln Center — live right here in Bellingham — with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra performing alongside the world-renowned musician, composer, bandleader, and educator, Wynton Marsalis. Most agree that Marsalis is among the finest, most talented musicians and composers of his generation. Hearing him play with 15 of the most inspiring jazz musicians of our time in person, free of filter or manipulation, will be a truly singular experience.

A diverse array of exceptional performances is just a click away throughout the year at MBT.

Renowned Sounds

Professional musicians dedicate their lives to perfecting their art. They create and cultivate another language that speaks to another part of our souls. The energy that echoes back to them from their enthralled audiences is what drives them to invent, to master, and to perform. Mount Baker Theatre does its best to bring to our city once-in-a-lifetime performances that we’ll never forget.

On October 9, you can travel back in time — into your imagination — to Neverland with the 1924 silent film version of “Peter Pan.” The screening will be accompanied — as if you were watching it on its first showing — by Dennis James on MBT’s mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. Interestingly, this was the first film to bring the Broadway play to the rest of the world and the first time Tinkerbell was portrayed by a person. You can experience firsthand why silent film changed the way we viewed the world.

Then on October 28th you can drive to the “big city,” right in downtown Bellingham, to see Ben Folds pound piano keys in his intimate new solo tour “Ben Folds and a Piano.” A recent U.K. reviewer wrote that Folds, “… looked like the captain of a very happy ship, producing tunes which sounded laid-back in their performance but must have required swan-like levels of speed and skill to get so right.”

A number of other phenomenal musicians are scheduled to perform throughout this memorable season at MBT.

Travel the World at Mount Baker Theatre

You don’t need to leave town to see the world and leave your work behind. Tickets are on sale now to help you plan your next #OptInspiration staycation full of escapes into other worlds and times through the varied cultural performances that MBT brings this season to our own front door.

Mount Baker Theatre
104 North Commercial Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
Phone: 360-733-5793
Tickets: 360-734-6080
www.mountbakertheatre.com

Visiting Point Roberts — A Country Within a Country

By

Lauren Kramer

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If logic had anything to do with it, Point Roberts would be part of Canada. End of story.

After all, the 22-mile strip of land is surrounded by Canada on one side and the great Pacific Ocean on the other. It makes no sense for there to be border crossing between Canada and Point Roberts, nor to have to cross the border twice from America — first into Canada, and then back into the US — in order to enter Point Roberts.

But countries’ boundaries and logic don’t always meet, and thus it is that Point Roberts, a sleepy enclave south of the 49th parallel, is emphatically American. Want to visit? Pack a passport or you’ll be turned away.

Point Roberts wildlife — Stunning wildlife is just one of the reasons people enjoy visiting — and living in — Point Roberts. Photo courtesy: Point Roberts Marina.

Located on the tip of the Tsawwassen Peninsula in Canada, Point Roberts presents an interesting contrast in personality. Delta, BC is a fast-growing municipality of close to 100,000, while Point Roberts has a population of just 1,314. In the summer its numbers swell to 4,500 as Canadian vacationers flock to many of the 2,068 housing units and seaside cottages they use to ‘get away from it all.’

As the Canadian loonie dips and dives relative to the American greenback, so too does the traffic and real estate exchanges in Point Roberts. When the currency exchange makes it worthwhile, Point Roberts becomes a destination for gas, booze and food, particularly milk, eggs and cheese. When it’s weak, those Canadian shoppers prefer to spend their dollars at home.

The contrast is best appreciated if you spend time in Tsawwassen (a city within the municipality of Delta) before crossing into Point Roberts. Bustling with retail strip malls, new home construction and lots of traffic generated by a growing population, Tsawwassen feels modern, contemporary and thriving. Hop across the border into Point Roberts and if you see a couple of vehicles on the road, you know it’s a busy day. You don’t hear many construction crews this side of the border, and the retail outlets look old, worn and tired.

Point Roberts, Mount Baker — A stunning view of Mount Baker — and a big moon — from Point Roberts. Photo courtesy: Point Roberts Marina.

That’s not to say there’s no reason to visit Point Roberts, though. On the contrary, the area’s sleepy personality has a lot of appeal. There is peace and quiet here, beaches that can be all yours, beautiful hiking paths and bald eagles perched in the trees. Many come here to retire, drawn by the secluded lifestyle and the security of life in Point Roberts, guarded as it is by border guards and the ocean. That level of safety has generated a nickname for Point Roberts: “America’s most secure gated community.”

You might be safe in Point Roberts, but life isn’t always convenient in this enclave. Say you get sick, for example, and need immediate attention. There’s a nurse practitioner at Point Roberts Clinic, and emergency medical technicians are also available. But if you need more urgent care your health care coverage does not extend into the arms of Canada, less than a kilometer away, you have to get Medi-Vac-ed by helicopter to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham, and many year-round residents carry special insurance for such emergencies. The commute by chopper is just 12 minutes, but still. If logic had anything to do with it, you’d cross the border into Canada to get the care you need.

The school system is another example of an absence of logic. While kids up to 3rd grade can attend elementary school in Point Roberts, after that they must commute by bus to the Blaine School District, crossing two borders each way to do so.

If you find yourself hungry in Point Roberts, Brewster’s Fine Foods is the place to go. Located in a century-old house, it’s a rustic place with a large stone fireplace and a big patio open in the summer. Expect home-baked muffins, delicious fish tostadas and a well-rounded menu that includes pasta, steak, appetizer dips, chicken and seafood. Richard Procter, who owns Brewster’s with his wife Sandra, said all the products in the restaurant have to come from the US, which means a bonded truck must cross the international border twice a week for deliveries.

But take a seat in this eatery and you’ll get a sense of the small community warmth that pervades Point Roberts. Unlike its Canadian neighbor to the north, this is the kind of place where ‘everyone knows your name.’ And even if they don’t, you’re still treated like an old friend. I suspect this is a large part of Point Roberts’ appeal: sleepy, beautiful, old-fashioned in many ways, but warm and cozy like that old pair of slippers you can’t bear to part with.

For more information about visiting point Roberts and what this “country within a country” has to offer, visit Point Roberts Tourism online.

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