Healthy Acres A RESOURCE TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LANDS AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Preserving “Imperfect” Produce Wasting food is something that none of us can afford to do!
Many supermarkets, warehouses, and boutique produce stands have long equated beautiful produce with quality produce. So called “imperfect” fruits and vegetables, have typically been sorted through and disposed of long before the consumer ever enters the grocery store produce aisle. According to the USDA, food waste adds up to 30% of the country’s food supply, 63 million tons of food per year, and approximately 161 billion dollars’ worth. Food recovery programs have taken on the challenge of helping rescue rejected produce in order to help meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of food insecure people. A recently formed company, Imperfect Produce,
FALL 2019
In this Issue
provides home delivery of blemished and misshapen, but edible vegetables to urban customers at reduced rates.If Canada Thistle Rust Infections Found in Montana Page 9
Canada thistle is difficult to control due to the extensive root systems. A naturalized rust fungus has shown impacts on patches in Colorado. The success in Colorado, has led to the initaition of a multi-state program.
we are lucky enough to have a home garden or a CSA, imperfection doesn’t usually deter us from enjoying the fruits of our labor. Preserving that produce safely, allows us to prolong the best flavors of the short Montana growing season. It’s important to avoid consuming or preserving produce that is moldy, spoiled, or has extensive insect damage. continued
Autumn Colors Page 4
Fall brings cooler weather and seasonal changes, and among many of our favorite things about fal lis watching the leaves change in colors.
Explore This Month
4-H Scholarships and Educational Opportunities
Preserving “Imperfect” Produce
4-H Hog Raffle provides Scholarships and enhances Educational opportunities. continued
M
embers of 4-H from across Missoula County have been selling tickets for the annual Hog Raffle fundraiser for more than a decade. What started as a thousand-dollar fundraiser with two top prizes and $1 tickets has progressed to a firstclass fundraiser with 14 ways to win, cash incentives for 4-H members, and a record-breaking net profit this year of more than $11,500! Unlike the 4-H Café, which burned down during the 2017 Western Montana Fair and was largely a fundraiser from the pockets of 4-H families, the
Hog Raffle reaches out into the community for financial support. Members who sell tickets are raising money for their own benefit, and for increased opportunities through 4-H. They are more invested in the program and are more likely to participate in educational and leadership events outside of their 4-H club with the financial support provided by this fundraiser. This year’s fundraiser exceeded even the most optimistic expectations by more than $4,000. The money will allow the Missoula 4-H Council to increase scholarships for senior members, purchase new educational
2 Missoula County Weed District & Extension
Remove bruised or damaged areas when possible and use in smoothies, sauces, salsa, ketchups, and purees for immediate consumption or follow USDA guidelines for home canning and other methods of preservation. Follow freezing and drying guidelines (https://nchfp.uga. edu ) from reputable sources to extend and preserve the flavors of summer and fall. Fermentation is another excellent option for preserving “imperfect” fruits and vegetables. It preserves nutrients while breaking them down into a more easily digested form. Kelly Moore - MSU
Missoula County Extension
Healthy Acres: Fall 2019
4-H Hog Raffle provides Scholarships and enhances Educational opportunities. coninued resources and create a pool of dollars to support youth and adults throughout the 4-H year. Graduating Senior 4-H members can apply for one of three $1000 college scholarships. Up to $5000 is budgeted for Missoula teens to attend Montana 4-H Congress to develop their leadership skills, meet teens from across the state with similar interests, and compete in Public Speaking, Livestock Judging and other contests. At the conclusion of each 4-H year on September 30th, the 4-H Council transfers any budget surplus to the general Scholarship fund, which helps Missoula County youth attend 4-H Camp, helps with registration fees for horse shows and livestock shows, helps send adults to trainings and volunteer development events, and even supports National 4-H Award winners with the cost of their trip. This year, because of the Hog Raffle and other smaller fundraisers, more than $6000 was transferred to this scholarship fund. Area businesses donate prizes, and cash incentives are awarded to the top ticket sellers. Lolo Locker donates the processing costs for the raffle hog, and generous gift cards are donated
by Noon’s and Murdoch’s as additional prizes. Missoula 4-H would like to extend our sincere appreciation to these businesses for their Jaylee Frankee-Alt, top raffle sales $100 cash prize
support, and to the family, friends, neighbors and strangers who supported 4-H by purchasing hog raffle tickets.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program
E
xpanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) uses education to support participants’ efforts toward self-sufficiency, nutritional health, and well-being. EFNEP combines applied science, and program data to ensure program effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. This happens through a community-based, relationship-driven, hands-on educational approach. EFNEP has directly impacted economic, obesity, and food insecurity challenges that hinder the nutritional health and well-being of Missoula County. The 2019-2020 school year has been a strong start for the two EFNEP nutrition educators Julia Goar and Johnny Peña. They are teaching at four schools, thirteen classes and
reaching 205 students! They are partnering with local non-profits and agencies. They are currently teaching at two transitional homes for families. This is just the start to a great year! They are passionate to serve the community of Missoula.
Missoula County Weed District & Extension 3
Explore This Month
Autumn Colors
Fall brings cooler weather and seasonal changes, and among many of our favorite things about fall is watching the leaves change in colors.
W
hile there are many colorful pigments in leaves, there is an abundance of chlorophyll during the growing season which makes leaves predominantly green. It is due to the gradual decrease in temperature as well as a chemical response to store nutrients, that triggers the delightful display of color. As the chlorophyll breaks down in the fall, other pigments like xanthophylls (yellow), carotenoids (orange), and anthocyanins (purple) steal the show. Exceptions include varieties of trees and shrubs that have dark purple foliage earlier in the growing season because of an abun-
dance of anthocyanins in the leaves, think Canadian chokecherry (Prunus virginiana) ‘Canada Red Select’, purple leaf sand cherry (Prunus x cisterna), smoketree (Cotinus coggygria) ‘Royal Purple’, and elderberry (Sambucus nigra) ‘Black Beauty’. By keeping your trees well-watered and fertilized during the growing season you can promote more brilliant colors next fall. However, you may notice that some of your deciduous trees didn’t turn their vibrant fall colors and perhaps are brown and still hanging on the tree. While some trees, like oaks, are more prone to leave their foliage attached than
4 Missoula County Weed District & Extension
Master Gardener Seminar Schedule
Missoula County Master Gardener kicked off a monthly seminar series at the beginning of October! This free event is open to the public and will take place on the first Monday evening of each month from 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM at the Weed District & Extension office, 2825 Santa Fe Court. We have a great line-up so bring a friend to enjoy some great gardening presentations! For questions, call Kaley 258-4205. October 7th- Growing Great Garlic- Kaley Hensel, Missoula County Extension November 4th- Growing Grapes in Montana- Tim Weber, Western Agriculture Research Center December 2nd- Design your Own Dream Getaway in your Backyard- Christiane Holmquist, Christiane Holmquist Landscape Design/Master Gardener Volunteer January 6th- Chickens in your Garden- Laura DeNitto & Kristin Whisennand, Missoula County Poultry Specialists February 3rd- Common Tree Diseases Around Missoula & the Bitterroot- Dr. Gregg DeNitto, Master Gardener Volunteer March 2nd- Fabulous Fungi- Incorporating Mushrooms into your Garden, Indoors and Out- Glenn Babcock, Garden City Fungi April 6th- Dealing with Garden Waste- Lauren O’Laughlin, Garden City Harvest/Master Gardener Volunteer
Healthy Acres: Fall 2019
Autumn Colors
Larch are one of the only cone-bearing trees that are deciduous, so upon their golden yellow color turn, they drop their needles. continued
others, you might notice this on aspens, box elders, cottonwoods, green ash, lindens, Siberian elm among others around the valley. That’s because we had a sharp freeze at the beginning of fall and didn’t have the gradual decline of temperatures. Therefore, the leaf color went directly from green to brown and the thin layer of cells called abscission cells didn’t get the chance to properly form resulting in leaves holding on rather than dropping. Although this fall season might not have as fiery as a display as other years, the leaves will fall at some point, and new leaves will grow in normally next spring.
What about Western larch trees (Larix occidentalis) that intermix with dark evergreen conifers and light up our favorite forests every fall? Larch are one of the only cone-bearing trees that are deciduous, so upon their golden yellow color turn, they drop their needles. This adaptation allows the larch the advantage to grow in nutrient-poor environments, as well as be more resistant to fire and resilient to injury. These are amazingly long-lived trees often over 500 years old. In fact, a local larch named Gus is the world’s largest larch tree and is over 1,000 years old! Gus can be visited along a gentle, mile-long nature loop through Girard Grove, the 250-acre old-growth larch grove near the western shore of Seeley Lake. If you are curious about how different trees grow in the Missoula Valley and what they look like throughout the year, I encourage you to visit
Noxious Weed Grant Program
Missoula County Weed District’s Noxious Weed Management Grant Program is a cost share program to assist private landowners in Missoula County with getting a head start on their vegetation management goals. This is a 50/50 cost share grant that
the State of Montana Arboretum located on the campus of the University of Montana. An arboretum is a living museum of trees and shrubs that
have been selected for education, scenic beauty, and passing of a legacy. Over 2,000 trees are on display showcasing eight forest regions of North America: Great Plains, Northeastern mixed woods, Central hardwood forests, Pacific coastal forests, Boreal forests, Northern Rocky Mountain complex, Southeastern mixed forest, and Southern Rocky Mountain complex. Follow along on the State of Montana Arboretum Facebook page to stay posted on scheduled tours to learn about the amazing collection of trees we have in our community! https://www.facebook.com/stateofmontanaarboretum/
encourages landowners to utilize a variety of management tools to suppress their weeds and improved their desirable vegetation. Grant applications are due December 3rd and can be located on our website www.missoulaeduplace.org/funding-a-grantshtml Call Lindsey Bona with questions. (406) 258-4219 Missoula County Weed District & Extension 5
Explore This Month
Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station This season 21,418 inspections were performed at the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station, making the station the busiest in the state.
T
he 2019 Watercraft Inspection season is in the books for Missoula County Weed District. Missoula County Weed District staffs and supervises the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station through a contract with Fish Wildlife and Parks. This season came with some changes that increased the traffic and duties at the Clearwater watercraft inspection Station. For the 2019 season it was decided that the Lincoln Station would no longer operate and the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station would once again inspect boats coming from both the east and the west on Hwy 200. The Lincoln Station was a Continental boarder station and inspected boats from the East crossing the Continental Divide. Clearwater had historically inspected these boats from the East but not since Lincoln Station was established in 2017. Another change that came this season was decided during the 2018 legisla6 Missoula County Weed District & Extension
tive session. HB608 was passed which required all boats containing ballast tanks to be decontaminated when entering Montana or crossing the Continental divide.. The station was open from April 11 - September 29. From Memorial Day to Labor Day the station operated from 7am-7pm and 8am-6pm during the shoulder seasons. This season 21,418 inspections were performed at the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station, making the station the busiest in the state. The busiest day was June 30 with 401 inspections being performed on that day. No aquatic invasive species were found on any of the watercraft that came through the station in 2019. This season the Swan Rover once again operated out of the Swan Valley Connections facility and inspected boats around the Swan Valley Thursday through Sunday. The roving inspections took place at Lindbergh, Holland, Van, and Swan Lake. The roving season took place from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. This season the Swan Rover inspected 868 boats. 589 motorized watercraft and 279 non-motorized. Of those inspected only 42 were from out of state. Both the Clearwater Watercraft Inspection Station and the Swan Roving Inspection Program are made possibly through funding from partners. Missoula County Weed District staffs and jointly oversees the Clearwater Station through a contract with Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. The Swan Roving Inspection Program is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Flathead National Forest as well receiving funding from a local lakeshore homeowner’s association known as the Swan Lakers.
Healthy Acres: Fall 2019
Montana Invasive Species Council
Invasive Species Council issues recommendations from science advisory panel on Mogulones crucifer.
T
he Montana Invasive Species Council (MISC) today issued recommendations to guide the potential for approval of Mogulones crucifer for classical biological control of houndstongue in the U.S. Houndstongue is a state noxious weed that is impacting land managers of private and public land across Montana.
In April 2019, MISC hosted a Science Advisory Panel to: 1. Evaluate the feasibility of gaining approval to release M. crucifer for biological control of houndstongue in the U.S. by reviewing information available subsequent to its approval for release as a biological control agent in Canada; 2. Identify USDA APHIS and USFWS ecological criteria that will be used to determine the safety of releasing M. crucifer as a biological control agent in the U.S.; and 3. Provide input and guidance to managers if the organism is encountered in the field. “The panel was a successful step in the process of moving forward towards a successful petition for the release of M. crucifer,” said MISC Chair Bryce Christiaens. “This root weevil is an approved biological control agent in Canada and has proved to be very effective in controlling houndstongue in Alberta and British Columbia.”
Canada began releasing the biological control agent Mogulones crucifer, a weevil, in 1997 for the control of houndstongue, a highly invasive nonnative weed that is a serious issue for ranchers and outdoor enthusiasts. The weevil has had lasting population level impacts on houndstongue in Alberta and British Columbia. While these weevils have naturally moved into Montana from Canada, they are not an approved agent in the United States. It is currently illegal to facilitate their redistribution through non-natural means due to the unapproved status, plus concerns that
Interested in Learning More about the Missoula County Weed Distict and Extension? Sign-up to receive quarterly newsletters, pest alerts, upcoming programs, grants and more. Email Pirrie @ pirrie@missoulaeduplace.org
Missoula County Weed District & Extension 7
Explore This Month
MISC
Lunch & Learn
Science advisory panel recommendations on Houndstongue root weevil. continued
these weevils may feed on federally protected non-target plant species. Considering the absence of other effective control methods for houndstongue, along with the lack of negative ecological impacts and positive manage-
ment outcomes associated with the release of this agent in Canada, the Montana Invasive Species Council enlisted assistance from the scientific community and formed a science advisory panel to evaluate the feasibility of approving and using Mogulones crucifer in the U.S. by reviewing new or additional information available since its approval and introduction in Canada. The panel included biocontrol scientists and researchers, as well as representatives from
USDA-APHIS, the permitting agency, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for a two-day workshop. Christiaens said the Council’s recommendations were developed from the input of the panel. The panel’s recommendations include: • Develop consistent protocol for monitoring M. crucifer and non-targets • Develop mitigation strategies to follow on science-based decisions where needed • Petition be developed and submitted to regulatory agencies for release of M. crucifer in the U.S. • Fully utilize all new field and laboratory data that are available to support petition decisions being made based on the ecological host range of M. crucifer Key findings and a complete summary of the recommendations can be found at misc.mt.gov. MISC is a statewide partnership working to protect Montana’s economy, natural resources and public health through a coordinated approach to combat invasive species. All MISC meetings are open to the public. For more information, contact Stephanie Hester, MISC Coordinator at 406-444-0547.
8 Missoula County Weed District & Extension
A great way to spend yourlunch hour! You provide the lunch, we provide the instruction and materials. Missoula County Extension 2825 Santa Fe Court 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Classes are $12 each or $100 for the series.
November 13th
Simple Mustard, Exotic Spices Dress up a simple mustard recipe with spices from around the world.
December 4th
Herbal Swag Just in time for the holidays, herb swags make the perfect culinary gift and add fragance and artful decor to any kitchen.
January 8th
Gluten Free Bascis The best flour blends, substitutions and a few recipes.
February 12th
Oodles of Noodles We all know we need to eat more vegetables, these spiralized veggie recipes will help your vegetable routine and satisfy your taste buds.
March 11th
Mushrooms Learn the best way to clean them, cook them, and grow them. Find your favorite fungi!
April 8th
Kitchen Kraut Come explore the ancient art of fermentation. This handson class includes the tools and supplies to make and take home a tasy kraut!
May 13th
Healthy Food Processor Dips One appliance, no-mess, no fuss, healthy and DELICIOUS! Samples available for your tasting pleausre. Contact Kelly, 258-4206 to sign-up!
Healthy Acres: Fall 2019
Five Months of Service with the Montana Conservation Corp My experience at the Missoula County Weed District
H
By: Tess Kendrick
ow I got here: I grew up in Virginia in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and learned to love the outdoors there. However, after four years of college, I found myself with a degree in biology and a yearning to try something new. So, 24 hours after my college graduation, I boarded a plane bound for Montana.
What I did: For the next five months, I lived in Missoula, Montana serving with the Montana Conservation Corps at the Missoula County Weed District. I arrived in mid-May, which I quickly learned was still early spring in Montana, and the beginning of the field season. Over the first few weeks, I learned to collect biological control (biocontrol) agents for Dalmatian and yellow toadflax by gently tapping the plants so insects fell into plastic trays held below. Then I transferred the insects from the plastic trays to cardboard soup containers with foliage for them to eat while in transit. We conducted vegetation surveys across the state which provide insight into the effectiveness of biocontrol releases. Following a standardized
protocol, we installed 20 meter transects and recorded the plant cover class every two meters. Over time, data from these transects will track
noxious weed prevalence and the impact of biocontrol establishment. Throughout the summer, I learned how to collect biocontrol agents for other noxious weeds, such as leafy spurge and spotted knapweed. Often we worked around Missoula, but some days we traveled across the state as far as Lewistown for collection. Most days we met landowners or employees from other weed districts to collect as
Canada Thistle Rust Infections Found in Montana tem. The difficultly of control is why work began on a naturalized rust fungus, Puccinia punctiformis. This rust can only complete its life cycle on living Canada thistle plants and in the process the root system becomes permanently infected. Canada thistle is a deep In 2013, the Colorado rooted, long lived perennial Department of Agriculture in which control depends on (CDA) began to implement killing the extensive root sys- and track the impact of P.
punctiformis across Colorado. By 2016, data from Colorado demonstrated the rust was impacting Canada thistle patches. Work continues within Colorado to determine the factor or factors that enhance the efficacy of the rust. The initial success in colorado, has led to the initation of a multi-state program suported by the US Forest Service through the Biocontrol of
Missoula County Weed District & Extension 9
Explore This Month
Montana Conservation Corp: My experience at the Missoula County Weed District.
What I learned: One of my favorite parts of the experience was making connections with community members. From meeting small-scalegardeners at the Clark Fork Market, to visiting ranchers in eastern Montana, I was amazed by how interested everyone was in caring for their land. Everywhere, Montanans look for the most efficient practices to keep their land healthy and productive.
a group. Many of the collectors took insects home, but we brought the remaining insects back to Missoula to ship out to other counties and states. My term of service ended in early October, but before I left I was able to compile the data from all of our collection and research. While creating spreadsheets is less flashy than field work, this information is what brings in the funds for next year’s field work and supports even more people in caring for the land in their charge. continued
Invasive Plants program. Weed and resource managers in seven additional western states have been instructed on the use of the rust for
How it changed me: Now, I’m back in Virginia enjoying the bright oranges and reds of our fall foliage, and taking time to reflect on my term of service. In a state 2,000 miles away from my own, I met people who made me feel at home with their generosity. I also walked through landscapes so unfamiliar and expansive that I felt small and very far from anything, especially home. Montana’s stunning mountains, winding rivers, and dry summer fields challenged me physically; and I received kindness from strangers in equally varying landscapes: a coffee shop, a pickup truck, a National Park. Serving with the Montana Conservation Corps taught me the value of finding common ground and working close to the soil.
Canada thistle control. Beginning in 2017, we have received P. punctiformis from Colorado to inoculate Canada thistle infestations in Montana. Over the last three years we have inoculated 17 different sites (many of them have been reinoculated 2 or 3 times) throughout the states. When monitoring our inoculated sites in the spring of 2019, we found 5 sites showing signs of infection. We revisited all of these sites in the fall to determine
10 Missoula County Weed District & Extension
if there were enough spores to collect. We were able to harvest infected Canada thistle stems from 2 of the 5 infected sites. These stems were brought to a greenhouse to dry and were then ground up into the inoculum that we will spread to new sites in the fall of 2020. The current recommendation from CDA is to inoculate with 75 grams of ground up infected Canada thistle foliage. We have over 100, 75 gram portions to disperse within Canada thistle infestations in 2020!!