Historical Ag - Early Crops

Information source:  The Lynden Pioneer Museum 

These are just some of the 40+ foods grown in Whatcom County over the last 150 years:

Cauliflower : Cauliflower was raised in the 1950's.  There is little grown in Whatcom County now.  In the 1950's cauliflower from Skagit County was shipped here to be processed in Lynden.  Skagit County still grows a lot of cauliflower, both summer and winter varieties.

Cucumbers:  Cucumbers were first introduced into Whatcom County as a commercial crop in 1953 by Buster Cusin.  He contracted with Nalley's and then subcontracted with the growers.  Whatcom County produced an excellent product, but since acreage was more available in Skagit County, most of the growing is now done there.

Flax:  H.W. Monsen, Deming, chairman of the Flax Growers Organization, asked farmers to sign up acreage for the spring planting in 1932.  It is not know whether any experimenting was made;  however, in 1941 another attempt was made to form an organization.  Flax was successfully grown but first the depression and then the war crashed the market and since then no farmers have been willing to try this unlucky crop.

Nuts:  Filbert growing became popular in the late 1920's.  Gradually the groves were taken out, leaving only one large grower at this time.  The Holmquist Farm has about 60 acres which started from a small grove first planted by the family around 1930.  The nuts are sold locally, as well as being shipped to a marketing agency in Oregon.

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