Whatcom Works Has Legs.

We have readers, and are getting affirming feedback. Thank you! It looks like this local “Drudge Page” has value. In conjunction with the theme of value added dairy, we want to say hello.

Whatcom Works  is produced by members of the John Kirk family. We live near Sumas, Washington, where we raise dairy sheep. Dad works a full time day job, and we are not being funded by any outside entity. We want to speak to multiple issues in local elections and public policy. Whatcom County has more needs than getting or denying a coal terminal.

We believe in the value of hard work, admire writers of well thought out works, and think that many Whatcom County traditional values work well.

We are publishing/editing with an eye to what we perceive as a intentional denial by local radio and news print outlets of local news and commentary that highlights and challenges recent local socialist initiatives and public policies that have failed so obviously in other parts of the world.

As a working family, we want to draw others into working for a happy life, with a focus on being net givers, not net takers. Thank you for your interest in our local “news”.

Dairy! Anyone who milks domesticated animals knows work. Anyone who leaves the urban refuge and acquires milking stock has several learning curves going simultaneously—a lot of home work.

After living with livestock since 1996, we think we understand the value of family members working with each other.

I remember attending a Sustainable Connections Seminar on local farm to institution food marketing opportunities several years ago. It was a great chance to network and find out how others were doing.

I came away with a sense of having met four distinct groups of people. There were the starry eyed 40 to 50 year olds, early retirees, having dropped a large portion of their assets into small farm acreages. They were so eager to get going with vegetables and “save the planet”.

There were the veterans of market gardening, more or less well beaten up, not wanting to ooze too much grimness, but having a hard time fantasizing with the newbies.

There were the local value added dairy farmers, some with big marketing bruises, some doing quite well, but for the most part making their dreams work.

Finally, there were the “operatives”. College types who smiled and ran the event, but were not farming. More like community organizers, shepherding “children” and setting up larger goals only marginally related to food, farming or sustainable land use.

Farm labor is expensive. In my discussions with other grow local/eat local value added food producers, there is a common haze of fatigue over trying to do as much as possible one’s self to make financial ends meet.

Some quit. Some finance. Some join co-ops. Some super specialize. Some take every grant that comes down the road. We all grapple with work loads.

A major benefit for our family has been an improved quality of life in food products. We really like the superior ice cream, yogurt, cheddar/manchego, cream cheese, feta—you name it. We also grow various fruits and have a good sized vegetable garden.

And, because we share the work load, life is good! However, for us, after a decade of learning and working, we still are not WSDA certified. We do not sell milk, or cheese to the public, or anyone. That may come very soon.

Our experience with local government officials has been mixed. The local WSDA dairy inspector has been very helpful. The Whatcom County planning and development department had a staff retraining program that almost took us out. We appealed and together found a solution.

Everyone wants to bring a good value to their community. In the debate of sustainable living and rural vision at the local level, I do not first question motives. However, I do usually keep an eye on local activists knowledge, experience and character.

Attending County Council Meetings over the last two years has made me a lot more cynical. There are deeper currents and quicksands than I thought possible.

Money and grants is a huge issue. Not just for farmers, but even more for the local integrating organizations and elected/appointed officials who manage them.

Wise use of grants is very good. But when grants and LIO institutions create dependency, innovation is stifled, prudent management of land and water is constricted, and timely farm to market adjustments are put off. 

Do socialism and market interventions really help? Can pencil oriented college type “stewards” and “baykeepers” really be trusted to keep their hands off the grant monies? When does a huge flow of grants cut off the legs of elected overseers and put unelected adventurers in the public policy driver’s seat.

Thank you for reading articles we recommend. Building a good local community takes constant education. Inattention to local public policy issues is deadly.

Read on! Share articles! Take heart! Take time! Take action!

John Kirk, Whatcom Works.