Shop around: The Seattle Design Center offers its annual sample sale from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 2. Floor samples, including furnishings, accessories, rugs and fabric samples, will be available in a range of styles at selected showrooms in the design center, which is typically open only to members of the design trade and their clients. This sale is open to the public and there is no admission fee. Nonperishable food donations to Northwest Harvest will be encouraged at the door. See www.seattledesigncenter.com or call for 206-762-1200.
Learn new skills at expo: Have you ever wanted to start your own honey bee colonies? Did you know you can make cheese at home with milk from the grocery store? Maybe you’re dying to know how to install a drip irrigation system in your backyard?
You can learn how to do all of the above and more at the Country Living Expo and Cattlemen’s Winterschool 2008, a one-time, all-day event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 19 at Stanwood High School.
This year’s expo, organized by the WSU extension and the WSU Livestock Master Foundation, is part of a regional effort to education farmers and rural land owners but also people everywhere who want to learn country living skills.
Festivities start with a keynote speech “How to Get Rich Farming 3 Acres in One Easy Step” with Ray de Vries of Ralph’s Greenhouse of Mount Vernon.
Three breakout sessions follow, including 50 classes to choose from. Some are designed specifically for farmers and rural residents such as “ABCs of Alpacas,” “Swine Evaluation on the Hoof” and “Equine Nutrition.” Others are more for the general-interest crowd, such as “Cider Making,” “Fruit Tree Maintenance and Pruning,” “Growing Berries,” “Cisternology 101: Using Collected Rainwater,” “Bird Watching With a Pro,” “In-Home Cheese Making,” “Home and Garden Drip Irrigation System” and “Getting Started With Honey Bees.”
Small farm vendors will be there to talk about value-added products, along with commercial exhibitors, public agencies and breed organizations.
Registration is recommended. Admission is $45 and includes a smoked prime rib lunch by Del Fox Custom Meats of Stanwood or a vegetarian option.
See skagit.wsu.edu/Agriculture/home.htm for registration forms, or call 360-428-4270, ext. 240 for details.
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