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Shelton-Mason County Journal
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Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
John Sampson, left, with Stephanie Bishop and Sue Sampson, talks about how his farm
has worked with Mason Conservation to preserve the Oakland Bay watershed.
Work: the land
Flying E g
Farm crowne :I
conserva1ion
farmer00 I e
year for ".C I(i
By NATALIE JOHNSON
This month, the Mason Conser-
vation District named Flying Dog
Farm in Grapeview Conservation
Farmer 0fthe Year for its efforts to
preserve the land and surrounding
ecosystem.
For the last seven years, John
and Sue Sampson, and recently
with the help of manager Laura
Freeman, have been working on
building their farm in Grapeview.
They have acquired everything
from six Angus cattle, goats, lambs,
chickens and a pack of pigs that fol-
low them around like dogs.
However along with improv-
ing their livestock and farmland,
the Samps0ns have also made
significant strides in conserving
their land, and the natural habitat
aroundthem. :, : .
"As a :Way of recognizing farm'
ers, it's really important for us to
make sure that we bring it back
and .e folks like the Samp-
sons who have done such a great
job out here," district education
and outreach coordinator Stepha-
nie Bishop said. %Vith all the work
we've done on the Oakland Bay
watershed, to be able to award a
farmer in the watershed is all the
better."
John Sampson, a retired nucle-
ar submarine officer, has lived on
farmland in the past, but had nev-
er developed a farm to the level of
Flying Dog Farm before, he said.
"The family has had a lot ofacer-
age before and had a 600 acre farm
in Wisconsin ... I had some experi-
ence with the lifestyle," he said.
From the beginning, the Samp-
sons worked with the district to
better manage their land.
One of the projects recognized
by the conservation district is a
manure composter. The compos-
ter is a concrete pad with three
walls and a roof to keep manure
runoff from getting into Oakland
Bay. Manure, along with degraded
septic systems, is one of the ways
bacteria gets into Oakland Bay,
Bishop said.
'%Ve're quite pleased with it,"
Sampson said.
Also, the conservation district
helped the farm install fencing to
protect wetland areas from live-
stock.
Sampson said that the conserva-
tion district has been an invaluable
resource in managing their land.
"First off it's a great source of
advice they solve problems in a
better way," he said. 'V'hat I re-
ally like about it from a practical
standpoint is not only do they of-
fer advice but they've got money
and they will help you do the right
thing."
The biggest project however,
was to replace an old railway
bridge that had collapsed into Deer
Creek during the floods of 2007.
"A state biologist came out here
in her wetsuit with a 20 foot long
telescopic pole and was trying to
find a way through for the fish and
couldn't ... it was a complete block
to fish passage," Sampson said.
The old bridge had to be re-
moved, and the farm needed a
bridge for access to more land on
the other side of the creek. Ma-
son Conservation stepped in and
helped the farm plan and engi-
neer the project, and helped write
a grant to cover the substantial
cost.
In the end, the results well justi-
fied the cost, Sampson and Bishop
said.
"It was nine and a half miles of
upstream habitat that was affected
by the dam," Sampson said.
The Sampsons, and Freeman,
said they were content to live on
the farm, and take joy from breed-
ing and nurturing their livestock,
and continuing to manage their
farmland with the help of Mason
See Cookin' on page B-5
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Volunteer Michael Howart came to the first Mason
County Veteran's Stand Down to show his support
for other local veterans.
Mason County
stands down for
local veterans
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Veteran's organizations from
throughout Mason County came
together Friday for the County's
first Veterans Stand Down.
At the event, held at the Shel-
ton Memorial Hall, volunteers of-
fered support to needy veterans
in the form of free meals, hygiene
products, help navigating veter-
ans services, and help applying
for a job.
About 16,000 veterans live in
Mason County, said American
legion v01unter lt Laserink6.
'qnat's veterans of all periods
from World War II to now ... I
think it's very important that
they know that people out there
do care about them," he said.
After attending a similar
event in Olympia in December,
Laserinko decided to work to
bring a stand down event to Ma-
son County.
"I got to talking and thinking,
as long as I've lived in Shelton
and mason county, I've never
seen or heard of anybody want-
ing to do it, so we're doing it," he
said.
The day started early with
breakfast and tables set up for
help with applying for veterans
services. In the afternoon, volun-
.- teers put on a hiring workshop.
Although everyone was. wel-
come, the program is geared to-
wards helping homeless or unem-
ployed veterans. Laserinko said
th 6xad number of veterans
See Veterans on page B-5 .
Annual Plant Sale May 7
Two beautiful Easter morn- lend assistance in moving any
ing services were held this past healthy shrubs and trees you
Sunday on the island. I guess want to donate. All kinds of
that shows a little growth here plant starts are welcomed, and
on our quietly secluded piece of those include ground covers, se-
paradise, dums, perennials, pond and bog
April 22 was Earth Day and I plants, and especially spring and
think one of the themes for Earth summer tubers. Keep the sale in
Day is to buy local. I know I hear mind as a handy, local resource
that on the KMAS located at as you begin to plan your own
1030 on your AM dial radio sta- summer garden. Profits from
tion all the time. And I'm looking the plant sale contribute to the
forward to doing that upkeep of the hall, it's
as summer approaches surrounding landscape
and our own farmers and other island beauti-
market opens. Another fication projects. If you
theme seems to be re- need more information
cycling and here on or need help with a do-
the island we do that nation give Barbara La-
all the time - thanks June a call at 432-9712.
to Nick Neuerburg anti It's time for another
his group, plus all the MIKE Harstine Island Choir
€omposting island gar- CALLAGHAN Concert and they want
: deners do to make their to let you know about it
gardens grow. And also, even if you can't come.
Earth Day ties right in with the But, naturally, they would love
idea of planting trees, those most it if you can keep one of the three
spectacular fall color red-orange- dates/times free to attend a con-
yellow trees, cert. Their promotion starts with
I always enjoy writing about do you remember your first date
the Senior Lunch, but I don't get or first kiss? Maybe you remem-
by there enough to enjoy their ber that cute blue-eyed boy who
great food - I've got to change broke your heart in the third
my habits. May 4 they will be grade or even spying on your
serving meatloaf along with sister with her boyfriend on the
baked potato, green salad and front porch. Come relive those
bread pudding - oh that sounds memories, and make new ones,
good. Get there a little before with Harstine Island Communi-
noon so you can find a place, they ty Choir's spring concert "Heart
have been filling up the chairs Beats." "Heart Beats" covers
and with warmer weather com- the landscape and the language
ing, there will surely be more of love in song- from medieval
people finding their way to the despair to century passion, from
dinning tables, the classic sound of French ro-
Harstine Island Garden Club mance to seductive tropical
sent us a reminder that the an- tones.
nual plant sale is coming up on Mark your calendar on May
Saturday, May 7. This gives you 20, 21 or 22 to join the Harst-
a few more days to dig, divide ine Island Community Choir
and donate your overly abun- for an afternoon or evening of
dant plants and shrubs. The
Garden Club members will See Harstine on page B-5
Thursday, April 28, 2011 - Shelton-Mason County Journal- Page B-1