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Article: Creative cultivation: Whatcom County farmers adapt to the changing landscape of agriculture.
- Article from:
- Bellingham Business Journal
- Article date:
- September 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Sound Publishing Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The first thing you notice when meeting a farmer is their handshake.
Some are leathery and dirt-caked, others are flakey with dust.
Just one grip can radiate a sense of hardened determination and down-to-the-bone weariness, but also an intimation of optimism.
For many Whatcom County farmers, the sweat and stress of working in such a volatile business has its rewards--a good season, a profit, and a literally deep-rooted connection to the county's land and community.
But it's far from easy. Whether it's the risk associated with single-crop or single-market farming, the average age of farm owners, or the loss of farmland to a county ...