The Whatcom Museum is looking for new docents to lead tours of exhibitions, beginning this fall.
The Whatcom Museum is looking for new docents to lead tours of exhibitions, beginning this fall. Docents are volunteer educators and ambassadors for the museum, leading 50 minute tours for museum visitors in the Lightcatcher galleries. Docents research and develop informative, interactive tours to engage adult audiences in a conversation about the art on exhibit.
“Our volunteer docents contribute many hours of their time and knowledge to provide this important service to museum patrons,” said Marilyn Burns, Docent Educator. “Without their valuable skills and research, the museum would not be able to provide community members with such a personal experience.”
Museum docents study all aspects of art, from individual artists to artistic styles to elements or principles of art. They also conduct research, master the art of tour development, and hone their public speaking skills. Docents must commit to at least one year of service to the museum, and will prepare and lead between10 to 20 public and private tours annually. Initial training takes about three months with weekday sessions lasting from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Additional workshops precede each new exhibition.
In return docents enjoy the intellectual challenge of researching and developing tours, exercising their public speaking skills, providing a valuable service to the community, and associating with a stimulating group of people who appreciate art too.
Fall training begins September 10 and concludes November 17. New docents will begin touring the exhibition, Chipping the Block, Painting the Silk: The Color Prints of Norma Bassett Hall after Christmas. For more information on how to become a docent, contact Marilyn Burns by August 14th at 360-778-8939 or mlburns@cob.org.
Phil and Joanne Cloward host tours at the Black Mountain Forestry Center every weekend during the summer.
By Lauren Fritzen
Phil and Joanne Cloward host tours at the Black Mountain Forestry Center every weekend during the summer.
If you live in Whatcom County, chances are good that your property was once forestland. In the mid-1800s, settlers began clearing the dense forest stands that came right down to Bellingham Bay. Up went cabins, houses, farmsteads – and sawmills.
Henry Roeder, Russell Peabody and Edward Eldridge are all familiar names in Whatcom County’s history – they started the first sawmill on Whatcom Creek in Bellingham. At the peak of the logging industry, there were over 150 sawmills in Whatcom County. Today, only one true sawmill remains.
With our rich and colorful history so deeply rooted in the timber industry, it’s no wonder the Black Mountain Forestry Center (BMFC) is chock-full of fascinating artifacts and information. Located across the road from Silver Lake Park in Maple Falls – in the shadow of its namesake – the forestry center is a nonprofit founded in 1999 by forester Wayne Beech. Beech passed away shortly after the center opened, but his mission of promoting awareness and education about forestry practices has remained intact throughout the years.
His daughter, Becky Raney, is an active supporter and says, “My dad was extremely passionate about forests and valued them for all that they are, not just as a resource for harvesting, but also as a rich habitat for our ecosystem, animals, and environment. He protected the trees, fought forest fires, and did what needed to be done back in the day. “
On a recent Sunday, my husband and I took a tour of the center with BMFC volunteers Phil and Joanne Cloward. Now retired, Phil is a master forester with a long career in the timber industry as a smoke jumper, logging engineer, and logging company owner. He and Joanne now host tours at the center, situated on an old 8-acre farmstead leased from Whatcom County Parks.
The Gerdrum House, built from a single cedar tree in 1892-93, is now a museum at the Black Mountain Forestry Center.
Our tour begins in the Gerdrum House Museum. Built in 1892-93 by Norwegian carpenter Embret Gerdrum, the house’s exterior was constructed from the hand-hewn timbers of a single cedar tree. Beautifully dovetailed joints are evidence of Gerdrum’s fine craftsmanship. Inside, some rooms are furnished with items from the period while others are dedicated to local history and logging memorabilia, including photos, equipment, and even a replica of a logging locomotive.
Outside, we walk the loop of exhibits, including several small sheds reminiscent of an old logging camp. Inside the sheds are interpretive displays illustrating the history and development of forestry, firefighting, and reforestation. Interspersed we find logging equipment and an old sawmill.
Towering over the site is a mobile spar once used for logging on Black Mountain. The mountain’s peak is shrouded in mist today, but we can see faint remnants of old logging roads amidst the regrowth.
Throughout our tour Phil provides rich detail and his wealth of knowledge brings the rusting artifacts to life. He speaks passionately about the forests as a renewable resource and the need to find a middle ground between preservation and utilization.
Black Mountain Forestry Center’s Gerdrum House Museum is a treasure trove of local history and logging memorabilia, like this replica locomotive.
You’ll find Phil and Joanne here every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day, closing only for the Deming Logging Show in June. They dedicate many hours to caretaking, tours, and educational outreach. As their volunteer force ages, Phil hopes the next generation will get involved. “This is my way of paying back for having a really good life, and doing what I enjoyed. I think its imperative, for as long as we can, to maintain what we have here,” he says. The weekends bring a steady stream of visitors, and 30-40 people per day is not unusual.
But the tours are just part of BMFC’s endeavors. In keeping with their mission of education, they offer field trips and programs for local grade schools and participate in forestry education at county high schools and organizations like the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center.
Their biggest education project is the annual 5th and 6th grade Forest Conservation Tour held at the Olsen Creek Seed Orchard each spring. In conjunction with the WSU Whatcom County Extension and other sponsors, they teach hundreds of students about various aspects of our timberlands, including the sometimes-controversial issues involved in forest management.
Phil is happy to give talks or provide tours to any interested group, and whatever your personal views on forest management may be, you can be assured of a lively, intelligent discussion. He may be an expert on the history of local forestry, but he’s far from stuck in the past. He has a keen interest in the future of renewable resources – as we wrap up our tour, he and my husband discuss the potential merits of biomass energy.
Phil Cloward describes the function of this old road engine, one of many logging artifacts found at the forestry center.
Looking up at Black Mountain, Phil offers an invitation to Whatcom County residents. “Come and find out what it’s all about. We’re in the business of protecting these mountains, not just growing trees,” he says.
Find out for yourself any weekend between Memorial Day and Labor Day, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
WCC medical assisting student. Photo courtesy of Whatcom Community College.
Whatcom Community College (WCC) was awarded $583,865 in a state grant to expand instructional programs to prepare students for emerging careers in the healthcare industry. The Hospital Employee Education and Training (HEET) Innovation grant is funded through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges. The project —North to South Consortium Improving Pathways to Healthcare Careers — is a collaboration of other colleges and workforce partners led by Whatcom Community College.
Partners include Edmonds Community College, Highline College, Seattle Central College, Clark College, and Yakima Valley Community College; regional workforce development councils; Group Health; Sea-Mar; Compass Health; Washington Dental Service Foundation; and SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Multi-Employer Training and Education Fund.
The project creates credit-based courses to prepare students for work in a broad spectrum of patient care positions, including patient navigator, care coordinator and medical assistant. Patient navigators and care coordinators are advocates who help patients and their families access the complex healthcare system to improve their care experience. Healthcare professionals will participate in the project to ensure courses meet industry standards and help care providers comply with the Affordable Care Act. Whatcom and the Northwest Workforce Council will collaborate to engage members of the local healthcare industry.
This HEET grant builds on previous years of HEET funding received by Whatcom. Work will include implementing courses developed in prior years and adding oral health components. The project will also create two new courses that address aging populations and behavioral health — topics that are critical as America’s population ages and awareness of behavioral health issues increases. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, up to 30 percent of the estimated 38 million Americans eligible for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act may have behavioral health issues, including mental illness or substance use disorders. Behavioral health often impacts overall physical health. As a result, employers need more healthcare workers with expertise in behavioral health.
“Whatcom is excited to lead this important work with our workforce, healthcare and education partners. The HEET project is vital in preparing the growing range of healthcare employees needed to serve patients throughout the Northwest,” says WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown. “This project is a demonstration of Whatcom Community College’s commitment to developing a strong, vibrant and relevant workforce that meets the needs of our growing and diverse communities.”
Artist Karie Jane’s new art collection, “The Devil’s Advocate,” opens at Honey Salon on August 7 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Honey Salon is proud to present “The Devil’s Advocate,” a new collection of paintings and collage by the ever-talented Karie Jane. This darker, introspective showcase from the artist, illustrates human connectedness and its opposite. With folk-like primary color depictions of beasts and bodies paired with dialogue lifted from the artist’s stream of consciousness — the over twenty piece collection is a an internal window into the artist’s mind of love, technology and the seemingly lost art of human to human interaction. Artist meet and great, devilishly delicious cocktails and cupcakes, all set to the live musical accompaniment of Bellingham’s favorite spin master, PhDJ, complete this not-to-be-missed showcase opening August 7 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
In her first solo Honey showcase, artist Karie Jane steps away from her known gouache, pen and ink mediums to instead favor thick, textured acrylics, gold leaf and layered clippings. “The Devil’s Advocate” is a gentle reminder (and at times not so gentle, as she points out) that we lose something of ourselves behind the screened drapery of technology. The artist seemingly pleads with the viewer to stop, drop and interact. Shown in black, red and layered clipped images, Karie Jane uses statements like, “It takes all my strength to make this sound”, and expertly depicted animals with thoughts reading, “Do not think you know me. I am no one’s prey. “ and appropriately “Eyes not iPhones”. This bold and unexpected collection ushers in new wave of talent and teeth from an artist that continually, and dutifully, surprises and delights her audience.
Karie Jane was born and raised in the woods and tide flats of the Skagit Valley. She began drawing as soon as she could hold a pencil and credits her mother for encouraging her creativity and keeping her well stocked with art supplies. She is a self-taught illustrator heavily influenced by the natural world. An ultra marathoner, Western student, mother, cook and crafty-goddess, Karie Jane professes to sleep – but many doubt that she actually does. Continually pushing her work and her creative landscape, “The Devil’s Advocate” is a clear reminder to us all that we should never stop pushing ourselves, for our own sake and those around us. Bellingham is lucky to call this brilliant artist one of its own.
United Way of Whatcom County recently announced over 35 programs and projects that they will be funding over the coming year.
United Way of Whatcom County recently announced over 35 programs and projects that they will be funding over the coming year. Two of those programs will be new partners with United Way and the support will allow these programs to expand their reach, helping more kids and families than ever before.
Each year 30+ volunteers, the Fund Distribution Committee, review all agencies and programs that are currently receiving and requesting funds from the United Way of Whatcom County’s Community Impact Fund– dollars contributed by generous local individuals, companies, and organizations. These dedicated volunteers review extensive reports and finances as well as hear presentations from all programs to ensure they are making progress toward United Way of Whatcom County’s community goals in Education, Income, and Health. After careful review and research, they collectively decide on the dollar amounts to give to each program.
This year was the second year in a row that the grant process was open to any organization that could address United Way’s funding priorities in Education, Income, and Health. Goals focus on giving all kids (regardless of economic level) an even start, increasing the high school graduation rate, ensuring families have food on the table and a roof overhead, and making sure that all individuals have healthy, active, and safe lives. Two programs never before funded by United Way of Whatcom County were selected: Whatcom Early Learning Alliance’s (WELA) Kaleidoscope Play and Learn, and WWU Foundation/Woodring College of Education/Bellingham Public Schools Closing the Opportunity Gap.
“We believe that all children should have access to topnotch educational programs, that all families should have food on the table and a roof overhead, and that all individuals have the right to a healthy and safe life,” said Peter Theisen, President/CEO of United Way of Whatcom County.
With 30 percent of Whatcom Kindergartners entering school without any pre-school or early learning and only one out five parents able to access formal parenting and education, the WELA Kaleidoscope Play and Learn program will use United Way funds to offer group early learning classes for pre-K kids and families in Bellingham for free. It is estimated that only 68 percent of 12th graders in high-poverty schools graduate, compared to a 91 percent graduation rate in wealthier schools. Thanks to United Way, WWU Foundation/Woodring College of Education/Bellingham Public Schools Closing the Opportunity Gap program will be able to expand their program to more schools and ensure that kids of all economic levels have access to after school enrichment programs. Combined, these two programs will help United Way of Whatcom County reach 900 more kids and parents to improve their lives and the quality of our entire community.
Though the economy is slowly recovering in Whatcom County, there are still increases in certain needs like housing and food. In response to these needs the United Way of Whatcom County Fund Distribution Committee decided to give a 60 percent increase in the grant amount to the Bellingham Food Bank, they have seen an 80 percent increase in clients since 2007. The Food to Bank On program with Sustainable Connections also received an increase in the amount that they received last year to help build more sustainable farms and supply food to local shelters and food banks.
“We believe that all children should have access to topnotch educational programs, that all families should have food on the table and a roof overhead, and that all individuals have the right to a healthy and safe life,” said Peter Theisen, President/CEO of United Way of Whatcom County, “Together, with our community partners, we are seeing amazing results, like a 10 percent increase in literacy for Whatcom Kindergartners. We are so excited to see the lives we can change as we move forward working with long-time partners and new partners to focus on solutions and create a brighter future for us all.”
More United Way of Whatcom County program investments and sponsorships will happen throughout the year and another $199,000 will be contributed to donor specified programs.
Along with the programs mentioned above United Way of Whatcom County is also continuing partnerships with a variety of programs such as the Individual and Family Support Services through the Arc of Whatcom County, Healthy Lifestyles and Academic Success Programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County, Intensive Case Management Service through the Whatcom Alliance for Health Advancement, Literacy Tutoring for Adults at Whatcom Literacy Council, Transitional Housing through Lydia Place, and Financial Stability Programs at the Opportunity Council just to name a few. There are many more great programs that they are partnering with, check out www.unitedwaywhatcom.org for the full list of partners.
The funds for these grants were made possible by local donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations to United Way’s Annual Campaign. Overall $276,112 was granted to Education programs and projects, $365,712 was granted to Income programs and projects, and $382,612 was granted to Health programs and projects. More United Way of Whatcom County program investments and sponsorships will happen throughout the year and another $199,000 will be contributed to donor specified programs.
Vince Lalonde was the Mount Bakery's first non-family employee, hired in 2001; in 2007, he became its second owner.
Vince Lalonde was the Mount Bakery’s first non-family employee, hired in 2001; in 2007, he became its second owner.
Current Mount Bakery owner Vince Lalonde came to the business in a roundabout way.
His family has been in Bellingham for six generations, but he grew up in Seattle; Lalonde moved to Bellingham in 1998 to take care of his ailing grandfather. He was (and still is) an artist, and originally kept an art studio upstairs at what is now Pickford Film Center.
“I was kind of a ne’er do well,” he says with a smile. “I used to sometimes sleep in my art studio, after my grandfather passed away, and I’d get up at 6:30 a.m. and go to the Old Town to play guitar for my breakfast.”
A friend who spoke French—and knew that Lalonde also spoke a bit of French—told him, “We’re going to go speak French with this Belgian guy.” The Belgian in question was Olivier Vrambout, who established Mount Bakery with his mother in 2000 in a small space on Champion Street, offering coffee and a few baked goods.
“He was unmatched,” Lalonde say of Vrambout, with obvious affection for both the man and his culinary creations. “We became friends.”
While Lalonde figured out his next move, he visited the bakery regularly, often offering to give Olivier and his wife a break from wrangling their toddler daughter while they worked.
“He’d say, ‘Yes, I’ll give you a sandwich.’ Or, ‘Wash the dishes; I’ll give you a sandwich.’ Eventually, he said, ‘Why don’t you just come work for me?’” Lalonde recounts.
Breakfast is served all day at the Mount Bakery and can be finished off with a latte or hot cup of locally roasted Hammerhead Coffee.
Lalonde became the first non-family employee of the Mount Bakery on 2001. As the shop grew with more employees and an expanded menu (and space), so did Lalonde’s responsibilities. In 2006, he became manager. In 2007, when Vrambout moved away from Bellingham, it simply made sense that Lalonde take over the business.
“I saw my job as maintaining relationships and the community—and to make it the best place to work,” he says. “We’ve always had a really great group of people—they’re so talented.”
Lalonde has long likened taking over Mount Bakery to inheriting a big boat made by someone who knew a lot about some parts of boats.
“It’s falling apart while you’re moving, but you’re finding people who can repair it,” he says, waving his hands animatedly. “People are swimming up and asking, ‘Can I get on the boat?’ And every once in awhile you’re like, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not working, you have to get off the boat.’”
Lalonde is the first to admit it’s been steep learning curve—and he’s still figuring some things out as he goes. But it’s clear he’s done a lot right, as business at Mount Bakery continues to climb, even after opening a second bakery in Fairhaven in 2011, which expand to a full café in 2016.
“It’s a testimony to our great bakers, cooks and staff,” he says. “The bakers were so good that for months after Olivier moved, people would say, ‘Olivier must have made these!’”
Lalonde’s favorite item on the menu is Crepos Rancheros, Mount Bakery’s version of huevos rancheros, made with crepes, poached eggs, black beans, red onion, bell pepper, cheddar, and enchilada sauce.
You’ll find an amazing array of baked goods at the Mount Bakery, where they don’t try to do it all; instead, all that they do create is divine.
A favorite dish of downtown Mount Bakery general manager Morgan Peters is the Portobello Eggs Benedict. “We take whole Portobello mushrooms and marinate them in roasted garlic and balsamic reduction and then we roast them,” she explains. “A lot of labor goes into it and the result is a nice marriage of the vinegar flavor with the hollandaise sauce.”
Peters also loves the Mount Bakery’s array of sandwich options.
“I love any of our sandwiches because I think our bread is really great,” she says. “A lot of people don’t know that we bake our own bread, because we don’t sell it.”
Both Lalonde and Peters feel fortunate that business continues to increase—even when it means weekend shifts come with more crowd control duties.
“When I first started managing, we had one or two coffee carafes up front,” says Peters. “Now we have five. We’re so thankful that people keep coming back. We work at such a fast pace and serve so many people on a weekend. I’m just really proud of our team.”
Morgan was originally the general manager for both shops, having worked her way up from prep baker and through nearly every position. Now, Fairhaven’s Mount Bakery is set to expand into what used to be Trek Video next door and Baltina Hong manages that shop.
Lack of space and ever-increasing output of amazing baked goods and meals prompted the Fairhaven expansion. All Mount Bakery baking is done there.
“We were so crowded downtown that I joked that our walk-in turned into the look-in, because you couldn’t get in there,” Lalonde says.
One of the Mount Bakery’s most popular menu items is proudly dubbed Bellingham’s Best Benedict.
Before Fairhaven opened up, the downtown kitchen was shared by bakers trying to create gigantic amounts of pastries while cooks prepared enormous quantities of potatoes. Something had to give.
‘We didn’t miss a beat when we opened in Fairhaven,” Lalonde says of the 2011 expansion. “And it actually made downtown busier, because we had more room and more of everything.”
The goal at the soon-to-be-bigger Fairhaven bakery is to do exactly like downtown: serve delicious breakfasts and lunches to happy patrons, as well as top-of-the-line pastries, cookies, cakes and more. “The expanded Fairhaven space will be twice as big as downtown,” Lalonde says.
“Our business continues to increase exponentially,” Peters adds. “There’s a bit of playing catch-up all the time, trying to keep up—but we couldn’t be happier. Everyone here wants to work at a super successful place and keep putting out great food and giving great service.”
Ask Peters what makes the bakery and eatery so special, and she gets straight to it: “Our food is amazing. It’s certainly rich and has a comfort food feel; people know it’s going to be consistent every time.”
Chalk that up to Mount Bakery using only the highest-quality ingredients—and making absolutely everything from scratch. “It’s a ton of work for our employees,” says Peters, “but that’s one of the reasons they work here, because the food is so good.”
From roasting their own peppers to making their own salad dressings, Mount Bakery’s offerings are in a league of their own.
Like Lalonde, Peters is also quick to credit the amazing team of 28 Mount Bakery employees with making the eatery stand out.
Manager Morgan Peters doesn’t know of anywhere else in Whatcom County that makes croissants from scratch like the Mount Bakery.
“We have a lot of long-term employees for the restaurant business, so it has that family feel,” she says. “We’re all in this to keep doing bigger and better things. I think customers recognize that and it keeps them coming back.”
Well, that—and the amazing croissants, cookies, cakes, breakfast dishes, sandwiches, crepes, and much, much more.
Christen Mattix discovered on July 16, 2015 that the rope she’d been knitting since May of 2012 finally reached all the way to Bellingham Bay.
When Christen Mattix began her project “For Longing” on May 1, 2012, she couldn’t know how long it would take to complete or how it would change her and those who followed its progress.
“I really expected it would take me a month,” she says, “or three months, at the most.”
The idea sounded simple: Sit for at least an hour each day on a former bus stop bench at 16th Street and Taylor on Bellingham’s South Hill and knit a blue rope of yarn down to the bay. (Read all about the project and how Mattix dreamed it up in this previous WhatcomTalk interview.)
“I look back over my journal entries from May 2012 and I just laugh because they’re so ludicrous,” she says, laughing. “I was so naïve!”
And yet, over four summers spent knitting on the bench (Mattix generally knit each year from May to November, until the weather grew too wet and cold), her commitment to the endeavor never wavered—in fact, she found deeper meaning the longer it continued.
“It was like the knitting provided this basic plotline for the rest of the story that was unfolding,” she says. That wider story became her connections with neighbors and passersby through spontaneous social interaction—something that didn’t initially come easily to Mattix, an admitted introvert.
A few weeks before Mattix finished the knitting project, she checked to see if the rope reached the bay. Almost there, but not quite.
The knitting ended on the evening of Thursday, July 16, 2015, three years and two-and-a-half months after it began—though Mattix didn’t realize it when she sat down on the bench that evening. “I just had this itch to know how far I’d gotten, so I decided to unwind it,” she says.
Mattix unfurled the rope from its hose reel at the top of the hill and guided it straight down to the bay, as she’d done periodically for so long. This time, the rope stretched all the way down to the floating dock.
“I just kept having more and more line on my hose reel and I couldn’t believe it,” she says, smiling at the memory. “Lo and behold, I was done.”
In retrospect, Mattix felt it was the perfect night for finishing the knit. “It was the first night for crab season,” she says of the busy scene down on Taylor Dock. “There were so many people out walking and enjoying the evening, and many asked what I was doing. The energy was fantastic.”
Finally finishing the knitting project brought on a mix of emotions. “I was so happy when I finished, I was glowing,” Mattix says. “And then I was just like, ‘Oh, wait—I’m done.’”
This doesn’t mean the end of the project.
“I don’t really think of it as being finished,” says Mattix, who is now mulling a book or art installation. “I have a feeling the work has just begun. To have closure, I have to find a way to share the experience with others so that it spreads and continues to have a positive impact.”
For Mattix, the project was about making connections. “Art always has more than one meaning,” she says.
For Mattix, the project was about making connections—knitting as a metaphor for community, among other things. “Art always has more than one meaning,” she says.
The key for Mattix, rather than the act of physically knitting, was the knitting of the neighborhood.
“The whole project was really about showing up and being vulnerable,” she says. “And I did that at the bench, but also on the blog, where I wrote about my day and what I was thinking and feeling. That was really new for me.”
In fact, Mattix met her boyfriend John through the “For Longing” project.
“He started following my blog 11 months ago, and sent me an email to ask if he could meet me at the bench,” she says. “He’s been really instrumental and so supportive. People respond when you have an open heart. It’s incredible.”
Christen Mattix celebrates her accomplishment with others on Taylor Dock.
What’s next for Mattix?
“I realized through this project that my passion is connecting with the community through my art,” she says. To that end, Mattix is currently working on a two-person painting project with a nonverbal woman who has Down syndrome and autism, along with her two caregivers.
“It’s very collaborative,” Mattix says of the process. “The caregivers are helping her paint and we’re selecting the painting titles together.”
The group is coming together for a common purpose: “We’re raising money to buy her a service dog, because hers died a few months ago.” They hope to raise enough funds to get a dog through Brigadoon Service Dogs.
“Bringing together people of all different backgrounds around art and getting them to communicate with and enjoy each other—that’s what floats my boat,” Mattix says. “The genre or medium doesn’t really matter.”
Cornwall Beach is a favorite spot of both Stacee Sledge and Shelby Payne for taking in brilliant Bellingham sunsets.
Some of the most popular and widely shared posts on our WhatcomTalk Facebook page are of searing sunsets slowly dropping down below Bellingham Bay. (Follow us to not miss a single image.)
Our Editor and Community Manager, Stacee Sledge, snaps nearly all of them and has a knack for capturing spectacular shots of our area’s striking scenery.
“I always tell people that it’s easy to take gorgeous pictures when you live in such a beautiful place,” Sledge says.
“Sunset-chasing has been a hobby of mine for many years,” she says. “I can’t think of a better way to relax and unwind from the day than watching the sky paint a stunning picture. And the best part? It’s constantly changing. No moment or sunset is the exact same.”
Read on to learn some of Payne’s favorite areas for enjoying—and capturing—our dazzling sunsets.
Clark’s Point
Payne calls Clark’s Point a hidden gem, tucked away behind Fairhaven Middle School.
“It’s a wee bit difficult to find, but the views do not disappoint,” she says.
Situated on a tall rock cliff that showcases views of the San Juan Islands and beautiful Bellingham Bay, Clark’s Point is where you’ll often find Payne setting up a hammock and quietly reading a book.
Shelby Payne suggests Marine Park as a less crowded sunset destination than nearby Boulevard Park.
“It’s much quieter than nearby Larrabee State Park,” she says, “which is also amazing.”
Table Mountain & Artist Point Trail
Clark’s Point offers awesome views of the bay, while another Payne favorite—Table Mountain—gives gorgeous vistas of the North Cascades.
“Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan pierce the skyline and it’s like you can reach out and touch them,” she says. “Although Table Mountain is quite a drive from Bellingham, I highly suggest taking an afternoon to explore Mount Baker wilderness, and then finish the evening with a mile-and-a-half hike to the top of Table Mountain to watch the sun descend into the horizon.”
Boulevard Park
A local favorite with easy access, Payne likes Boulevard Park because of its proximity to downtown Bellingham and Fairhaven.
“Boulevard has sandy areas to sit while you watch the sunset or, if you have little ones, they can play on the toys while you gaze,” says Payne.
Some of Stacee Sledge’s favorite sunset shots for WhatcomTalk in the past year have come from Zuanich Point Park.
Watching the sunset from Locust Beach is amazing in its own right, according to Payne. “But why not watch other things happen, too?” she says with a laugh. “Locust Bach is a favorite spot for skim boarders and kite boarders—and if you’re lucky you’ll get a show.”
No need for a fancy camera
While Payne loves to shoot with her DSLR camera, her favorite tool for taking sunset shots is her iPhone.
“It’s easy, fast, light—and I can share the sights instantly,” she says. “Bellingham sunsets are so amazing that fancy cameras aren’t necessary; I simply snap with my phone and call it good.”
A couple more tips from Payne: If you have a smartphone, try using the panorama setting. She’s also a fan of GoPro cameras: “The wide angle seems to capture the whole sky.”
Follow Payne’s spectacular Instagram feed for awe-inspiring and inspirational shots of Bellingham, the Pacific Northwest, her world travels, and much more.
Please share with us some of your sunset images and favorite spots for watching the sunset at submit@whatcomtalk.com.
Scratch and Peck's owner, Diana Ambauen-Meade, started in 2009 after she wasn't able to find any high quality, organic feed.
By Laura Rogers
Scratch and Peck’s owner, Diana Ambauen-Meade, started in 2009 after she wasn’t able to find any high quality, organic feed.
It’s no secret that backyard chicken-keeping is catching on in neighborhoods and hobby farms across Whatcom County. I can’t walk down a single alleyway in my neighborhood without noticing a backyard coop or hearing the pleasant sound of clucking. Our county is a hotspot for all things local and organic, and it’s hard to get more local than your own backyard. Perhaps we come by it naturally, as our county is the agricultural leader in Western Washington when it comes to economic value. Our farmers bring in roughly $230 million, just for the livestock industry, according the 2012 census.
Chicken and eggs have always been staples at the American breakfast and dinner table. And whether you buy these products from a supermarket, a farmers market, from your neighbor, or gather them out of your own backyard, one thing is true across the board: these chickens must be fed.
Most of us, when we were growing up, heard our parents say “you are what you eat.” But at one revolutionary, local, animal feed manufacturer, they take this adage very seriously and to the next logical level. Scratch and Peck Feeds believes that “you are what your animals eat,” and their dedication to this principle shows in everything they do.
Scratch and Peck makes feed for chickens, turkeys, pigs, goats, and more, right here in Whatcom County. Though there are many organic animal feed companies, Scratch and Peck stands out in a big way. Their feed is Certified Organic, Non-GMO Verified, and Local. Scratch and Peck is the only feed company on the market that is doing all three of these important things.
Scratch and Peck’s feeds contain all ingredients necessary for healthy animals, without all of the processing and chemicals that normally go along with animal feed.
If this wasn’t enough, add to that list that their feed is high quality, raw and minimally processed, and their locally sourced grains are purchased Farmer-Direct. All of their feeds are also 100% soy free and canola free. They also carry a line of feed called Naturally Free, which is corn free. You might be wondering at this point what is so critical about avoiding all of these ingredients. The answer lies mostly in their core tenet of producing Non-GMO feed. Finding non-GMO corn is difficult and finding non-GMO soy, nearly impossible. Scratch and Peck’s F.A.Q. page explains, in addition, that soy has been recently shown to adversely affect peoples’ health. Scratch and Peck does carry a line of feed that contains corn (and recommends it for winter months), but all corn is stringently tested in accredited laboratories to verify that it’s Non-GMO before they buy it. Read more on the Scratch and Peck Blog.
Scratch and Peck Origins
Scratch and Peck began in 2009 when owner, Diana Ambauen-Meade, began making her own feed as a result of not being able to find any high quality, organic feed. Diana began making it in a borrowed cement mixer in her own yard. But the demand for high quality feed quickly outgrew the cement-mixer model and she and her son, Bryon, set out to create Scratch and Peck. Their mission: “To start being the change they wanted to see in the food system.”
I spent some time interviewing Scratch and Peck’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Mariah Ross, to get more of the inside scoop. The biggest thing I took away from our discussion was that the value of their product and employees was tantamount to that of their profit. There are no corners cut at Scratch and Peck, and that means everything from finding a new source of grubs (chicken treats normally imported from China) that can be locally sourced, to a regular staff meeting where everyone is encouraged to share ideas, and even staff birthdays and anniversaries are celebrated.
Team members are treated like family at Scratch and Peck.
It is clear that Mariah enjoys being part of such a values-driven business. “Even though we are a staff of over 20 people, Diana still bakes homemade treats for every employee’s birthday and picks out a gift that is really personal.”
Mariah also shared with me how grains are typically handled, and just how different their process is, from farmer to feed. “Grains are both high risk for GMO’s and they are some of the most chemically treated crops. Then, more chemicals get applied in storage and processing.” In contrast, Scratch and Peck works with only organic, farmer-direct, non-GMO, raw grains.
And the company has taken great measures to make their mill a pleasant place to work. “We have a super nice mill,” Mariah explains. “Most mills out there are dark, nasty places. Our facility has lots of natural light coming and is really clean. It’s a really safe and nice manufacturing space to work in.”
Scratch and Peck Feeds
My own family has taken part in the DIY-chicken boom. Three years ago, we had laying hens and this spring raised 12 meat birds in our backyard. All of these chickens were raised on Scratch and Peck feed. Our meat birds are now residing in our chest freezer, after one fateful day of backyard processing.
The Scratch and Peck mill is clean and filled with natural light.
I’m not an expert on chicken feed, but I can readily attest to how voraciously and completely our chickens ate Scratch and Peck feed. We chose to ferment our feed (which is actually much less complicated than it sounds). It mostly just means adding water to the feed. Because we took this route, every bit of the “fines,” or the non-whole grains included in the feed, got soaked into one oatmeal-like meal. Our chickens would happily gobble this up, climbing over each other to get to it.
I felt confident our chickens were getting a top-notch product, that was much easier to digest due to the fermenting process, and I was saving money because there was no waste (losing the fines into the ground). The end product has been, by far, the most delicious chicken meat and organs I’ve ever tasted.
And, we started and ended this process with all twelve chickens, which is unusual in the world of raising meat birds. I attribute so much of their health and tastiness to the Scratch and Peck feed they ate. There is even a mix called “Broiler” (higher in protein) that is specifically formulated for meat birds.
After my personal experience feeding my birds Scratch and Peck, talking to Mariah Ross about what it’s like to work there, and going to visit the facility myself, there is no doubt in my mind that Whatcom County farm animals (and those who eat them) are lucky to have a business like Scratch and Peck around.
Learn more about every product on the Scratch and Peck website which includes not only a complete list of ingredients, but also explains how to feed, lists frequently asked questions, and has customer reviews for that specific type of feed.
The new Commercial Street Night Market is seeking vendors.
Sustainable Connections is now accepting vendor applications for the Commercial Street Night Market, a winning idea from a collaborative design competition held earlier this year titled KAPOW!
KAPOW! invited the community to design inexpensive projects that would enhance downtown Bellingham’s identity, vitality, and health. After reviewing nearly 50 applications, a judge’s panel chose ten finalists to pitch their ideas to the community at Bellingham’s 6th annual PechaKucha. There, Dean Fearing presented The Commercial Street Night Market and walked away with two of the three awards. “I love downtown.” Said Fearing. “We are looking forward to the Night Market bringing life and vibrancy to a hidden space downtown. It will be great venue for our community to come together.”
The Commercial Street Night Market will take place every Friday night from September 4 through October 2 in the Commercial Street Plaza at 1300 Commercial Street in downtown Bellingham. Over 20 local craftspeople, artists, entertainers and food will give attendees an opportunity to experience Bellingham like they have never seen before. Live music or local DJ’s performing throughout the evening will invite attendees to get their groove on.
Applications for all types of vendors are currently being accepted via an online application process. Applications submitted prior to August 3rd have the best chances of being selected. For details and information, visit their website CommercilStreetNightMarket.com
Submitted by First Fed
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