Lives & Landscapes Magazine - Fall 2021

FALL 2021

THE MAGAZINE OF MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Editorial Committee Sara Adlington Josie Evenson Jesse Fulbright Brianna Routh Inga Hawbaker

Mandie Reed Adam Sigler Jason Stutzman Mat Walter Roubie Younkin

Line Editor Sara Adlington

Managing Editor Erika Malo

Contributing Writers Christine Brown Suzi Taylor Abiya (Abi) Saeed George Haynes Joel Schumacher Mercedes Overlie Megan Van Emon

Colleen Pegar Wendy Becker Roger Stone Tara Mastel Stephen M. Vantassel

Thank You to Our Reviewers Torie Haraldson Kendall Sewell Kirby Lambert Dara Palmer Eva Grimme Juli Snedigar Karen Fjorseth Wendy Wedum

Brianna Routh Erika Malo Colleen Pegar Marley Manoukian Scott Francis Josie Evenson Carrie Krug Jared Beaver

MSU Extension: Meeting the People and Places of Montana Greetings, I hope the cooler weather, end of harvest season, and beautiful crisp leaves of fall are finding you all well. I encourage you take a few moments to explore this issue of Lives and Landscapes, to learn more about food preservation, remote work support, livestock feed alternatives, and more. MSU Extension’s purpose is to connect with you and meet your needs in person, in the field, online, and through publications like this magazine.

In my new role with MSU Extension as the Associate Director, I look forward to meeting and getting to know more about the people and places of Montana. I invite you to gather and learn with us, wherever you are.

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Best, Carrie Ashe

Carrie Ashe is the Associate Director of MSU Extension and has worked in Extension since 2009 in nutrition education, and programmatic planning and evaluation.

Featured Contributor Colleen Pegar is the agriculture and 4-H agent in Hill County. Although she is new to Hill County, she is not new to MSU Extension. Pegar served as the Sheridan County agent from 2015-2021. She grew up on farms and ranches, which inspired her to pursue an undergraduate degree in agriculture business and science as well as a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition. She splits her time between helping the residents of Hill County with their agriculture needs and leading the youth in 4-H programming.

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12 Copyright © 2021 by Montana State University. All rights reserved.

Excerpts from this magazine may be reprinted with permission from the Managing Editor. Please provide appropriate credit to Montana State University Extension and supply copies of printed materials to the editor. Opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the university administration. Montana State University Extension is an ADA/EO/AA/Veteran’s Preference Employer and Provider of Educational Outreach.

Common chemical and trade names are used in this publication for clarity of the reader. Inclusion of a common chemical or trade name does not imply endorsement of that particular product or brand of herbicide and exclusion does not imply non-approval.

In This Issue...

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19

04

Keeping the Home Place: Lessons Learned from Centennial Farm and Ranch Families

07

Remote Work Certification Course

08

Hunting and Firearm Safety

09

Law Updated for Local Montana Food Production

10

Drought Dilemma: Finding Hay and Paying a Fair Price

12

Meat Preservation: Jerky, Sausage, and Meat Sticks

15

Master Gardener Spotlight: Selma Held Gardens

16

Land Use Explorers Curriculum Helps Young People Connect with the Land

17

Voles: The Bane of Landscape Plantings and Turf

19

Ask Steward: How Do I Find Information About a Water Right?

20

Feeding Low-Quality Forage During Drought

22

Fall Garden Care and Winter Preparation Checklist

Have an idea for a story or a question for Ask Steward or our Master Gardeners?

E-mail: ExtensionMagazine@montana.edu Phone: 406.994.4602 Front cover photo by Erika Malo. See article on page 8. Back cover photo

by Erika Malo. Lives & Landscapes is published quarterly by Montana State University Extension. Also available online at msuextension.org. To receive a free online subscription, or purchase a print subscription, visit: msuextension.org/magazine.

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Triangle N Farms has been in the Nelson family since 1909. Estate planning has helped keep it in the family.

Lessons Learned from Centennial Farm and Ranch Families Christine Brown describes how 100-year-old farms and ranches endure.

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“N

Courtesy of Bruce Nelson

Keeping the Home Place

othing fancy ever happened,” explained Lorraine Hellie on her Montana Historical Society (MHS) Centennial Farm and Ranch application. The story of her divorced great-grandmother, Nora Hellie, describes how Nora left North Dakota in 1916 with her 10 children, a brother, and her parents to find better opportunities in eastern Montana. The extended family initially lived in a sod house and worked through more than two decades of drought and economic depression to improve their land and pass it to the next generation.

The ranch, now thousands of acres, is still operated by Nora’s great- and great-great-grandchildren.

“Through the years, this operation has been run with little fanfare,” Hellie maintains. Those stories of unromantic work, along with many accounts of success, failure, and constant perseverance, constitute the growing collection of stories gathered over 11 years of listing farms and ranches in the MHS’s Centennial Farm and Ranch registry. Registered families must prove 100

Courtesy of Kathy Wiegand

years or more of family ownership through deed records and historical information detailing ownership from the founder to the present owner.

For Lorraine Hellie’s efforts in telling her family story, she received a framed certificate signed by the governor and a large metal roadside sign. The program is honorary, but it goes beyond just patting people on the back. It documents land use, labor, transportation, community, and ethnic heritage—all significant aspects of Montana’s agricultural history. Additionally, each story illustrates many lessons learned in the long journey to keep the farm or ranch in the family.

The Armstrong family’s story documents experienced Iowa farmers who gave up everything to establish a Montana farm.

While building their operation, they also

helped develop the town of Geraldine. Their dual connection to land and community helped each generation thrive. Women’s stories abound too. Etta Bangs’s story of homesteading as a single woman shows how her determination resulted in her descendants continued stewardship today. After she married, her husband Will often thought of selling the farm during the depressed 1920s, but Etta’s unwavering reply was, “There’s always another year.”

For other farmers and ranchers, local, state, or federal assistance made a significant impact. For example, MSU Extension’s early twentieth century poultry husbandry bulletins helped many farmers get through trying times. Raising turkeys saved Magnus and Ida Gerdrum’s Fergus County ranch and chicken farming kept the Wiegand Farm in Toole County afloat when drought

and grasshoppers ravaged their land. For others, loans and subsidies, experimental crops or livestock, soil conservation, leasing, and taking outside work helped their family operation grow, change, and succeed to the next generation.

Keeping a farm or ranch in the same family for 100 years or more is a rare accomplishment. According to Kevin Spafford, financial planner and advisor to the Farm Journal magazine Legacy Project, 70 percent of farms fail to pass from the first to the second generation, 90 percent fail to pass from the second to the third generation, and 96 percent fail to pass from the third to the fourth generation. He cites debt, death, disability, and divorce as principal reasons.

Spafford’s bleak statistics call for thoughtful estate planning. Centennial farm owner Bruce Nelson of Triangle N Farms

(left to right) Charles Jr., Charles, and Rose Wiegand in 1923. Raising chickens saved the Wiegand farm during the Great Depression.

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knows this firsthand. Legal fees to settle his grandparent’s estate nearly cost his parents the farm. He explained, “If Grandma and Grandpa didn’t leave a lot of money to pay bills after they passed away, I might not have been applying to become a centennial farm.” In contrast, Nelson’s father worked with lawyers and MSU Extension family economist Marsha Goetting to ensure a smooth transition to the next generation.

“We settled Dad’s estate, without going into probate, for less than $15,000,” said Nelson.

More stories collected through the MHS Centennial Farm and Ranch registry are available in a new book, Montana’s Centennial Farms and Ranches: Celebrating 100 Years of Family Stewardship. It tells forty-plus “nothing fancy” stories and offers insight into keeping the home place in the family. For more information about applying to the Centennial program, visit https://bit. ly/mtcentennialfarms.

Christine W. Brown is an Interpretive

BECOMING A CENTENNIAL FARM OR RANCH

The Montana Historical Society’s Centennial Farm and Ranch program recognizes our state’s agricultural traditions by celebrating the perseverance and stewardship of Montana families on their farms and ranches for one hundred years or more.

Benefits

• Official framed certificate signed by the governor of Montana • 24-inch by 36-inch metal roadside sign with the property name and founding year (pictured) • Property history printed online and in our periodic farm and ranch yearbook Requirements

• Proof of continuous ownership by members of the same family for a minimum of 100 years (through deed records).

• Proof that the property is a working farm or ranch with a minimum of 160 acres or, if fewer than 160 acres, must have gross yearly farm/ranch income of at least $1,000.

• One current owner must be a Montana resident.

• $100 fee Questions? To request the application by e-mail or U.S. mail or to ask questions, contact Christine Brown at (406)444-1687 or email at Christine.brown@mt.gov.

Historian with the Montana Historical

A colorized aerial view of the Nelson’s Triangle N Farms circa 1958.

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Courtesy of Bruce Nelson

Society.

by the Utah state legislature to boost employment in rural Utah. The course is offered in Montana through a partnership between Utah State University Extension and Montana State University Extension.

MSU Extension faculty serve as coaches to help Montana participants through the course. Thanks to a partnership with Job Service of Montana, specially trained Workforce Consultants help graduates find remote jobs. Graduates interested in creating or expanding a remote business can work with Accelerate Montana’s Rural Innovation Initiative at the University of Montana.

Graduates of the Remote Work Certificate Course describe the course as “just what they needed” to understand what it is like to work remotely and how to go about finding a remote job. “I wanted to stay in my community and not spend an hour or Tara Mastel explains the benefits of remote work for individuals and rural more driving each way to a job out of town,” communities. says graduate Mike Arney of Polson. “This course is exactly what I needed to know to ontana State University their skills and experience and allow people jump into a remote position since I haven’t Extension works to im- to still enjoy living in a rural setting.” worked remotely before.” Arney recently prove the social, economNearly 20 participants from Montana found a remote job that leverages his previic, and environmental have taken the month-long course, which ous experience. well-being of Montana citizens through consists of nine modules delivered in a The course is offered monthly (exeducation. Fulfilling that mission looks a self-paced, online format along with a cept December and July) and costs $199. little different now than when Extension weekly discussion-based virtual workshop. Enrollment closes about a week before the was created in 1914, but the goal of helping Participants get hands-on experience with first Thursday of each month. For more into improve the lives of residents of our state common remote work scenarios and the formation, course dates and registration inremains the same. opportunity to practice skills critical to formation, go to https://msuextension.org/ The recent rise in remote work pres- online work including written communi- communitydevelopment/remote-work-cerents an opportunity for people to stay in cation, problem-solving, time management, tificate.html. their small towns and secure a good job. collaboration, goal setting, organization, In 2021, Extension launched the Master and accountability.

Tara Mastel is the MSU Extension of Remote Work Certification Course to “Things are changing due to more Community Development Associate help Montanans learn the skills they need people working from home during COVID. Specialist. to work remotely.

The prospect of working from home is in“Remote work is a great option for triguing to me,” says course graduate Nicole people who want to stay in their community Buerkle who lives on a farm north of Plevna. but can’t find a job that meets their needs “Working remotely would save me nearly an locally” said Tara Mastel, Remote Work hour of driving each day and would give me Program Coordinator and MSU Extension more time with my family.”

Community Development Program Leader.

Utah State University Extension “Remote work can help boost the local econ- developed and maintains the remote work omy, enable people to find jobs that match course as part of a significant investment

Remote Work Certification Course

Bigstock

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Hunting and Article Title Firearm Safety

Colleen Pegar teaches basic gun safety.

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1. Always point the muzzle in a safe direction. Many hunting and firearm accidents can be avoided if this rule is followed.

Being aware of where you’re a muzzle is pointing decreases the chance it is pointed at oneself or a hunting partner. Also maintaining muzzle control in the event of a slip or fall can be the difference between injury or fatality.

2. Always treat every gun as if it were loaded. Every firearm should be handled with diligence and attentiveness every time it is picked up.

3. Always be sure of your target and beyond. Unobstructed, a .22 rifle bullet can travel over a mile and a half; it is extremely important to be sure of the target and what is behind it, no matter what caliber rifle is used.

4. Always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to fire. It is understandable that hunters get excited and adrenaline is pumping, but by following this rule, hunters can avoid accidentally squeezing the

trigger and causing a missed shot, wounding an animal, or causing an accident. These four rules will help increase safety when handling firearms.

Other safety measures include creating a detailed hunting plan and leaving it with a trusted person(s), packing a survival kit, having and knowing how to use bear spray, using blinds and tree stands properly, and scouting hunting areas before the season. Due to our rich Montana history of hunting and being outdoors, safety in the field has long been a priority. Since 1963, anyone under the age of 18 is required by law to have passed a Hunter’s Education class before they can buy a hunting license.

For more information about attending a Hunter’s Education or Bow Hunter’s Education class, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/ education/hunter-education.

Colleen Pegar is the MSU Extension Agent in Hill County.

Erika Malo

T

he days are becoming shorter, the mornings are more brisk, and the antelope, elk and deer are gathering, which can only mean one thing; fall and hunting season are on the way. Hunting is an age-old tradition for many and one that I hold near and dear.

Some of the best family memories come from sitting around hunting camp telling tales of previous hunting trips. Whether someone hunts because of tradition, challenge, as a food source, for enjoyment of the outdoors, fitness, or other reasons, it is important to remember that safety is always paramount in hunting adventures.

Safety preparation starts at home.

Hunters need to become familiar with all the workings of their bow or firearm, sighting in and practicing shooting, and making sure the bow or firearm is in safe working condition. While out hunting, safety encompasses many measures, but there are four cardinal rules that anyone who has taken a Hunter’s Education class can recite.

consumption or consumption at a traditional community event (weddings, funerals, potlucks, etc.), not intended for resale.

Law Updated for ArticleMontana Local Title Food Production Mercedes Overlie outlines changes to Senate Bill 199 and homemade food product requirements.

Jane Wolery

F

ood entrepreneurs often have goals to maximize marketing oppor tunities and revenue for their business. To do so, they must obtain a retail food license and/or wholesale food license. These licenses allow for sales in local, national, and international markets. Currently Montana is home to establishments who sell products to Canada, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Mexico, to name a few, demonstrating the importance for obtaining licenses.

Licensure of food establishments involves a plan review of the proposed facility, conducted by a licensed professional with expertise in food safety. Plan reviews include an evaluation of the physical facility, equipment, and water source. This ensures the use of safe, potable water and proper wastewater disposal to avoid pollution. Plan reviews also evaluate aspects of operation including food process flow, menus, management, and policies, including employee health and hygiene. Reviews and subsequent inspections protect the consumer and the producer. It

is important to remember that unlicensed producers of food have no similar oversight, therefore may not be following regulations.

At the end of April 2021, Senate Bill 199 was signed into law, also known as the Montana Local Food Choice Act. The new law exempts producers who sell specific homemade food products from licensing, certification, packaging, labeling, and inspection requirements. These exemptions only apply to producers who sell homemade food products in conformance with the bill.

The criteria for exempt producers include the following: • Transactions of homemade foods must be between the producer and an informed consumer.

• Producers are required to inform the consumer that the homemade food products have not been licensed, permitted, certified, packaged, labeled, or inspected under any official regulations.

• Transactions must only take place within the state of Montana, sales across state lines are prohibited.

• Transactions must only be for home

The following food products and activities are prohibited under this law: • Wholesaling of any food products.

Sales must be between the person making the food and the person consuming the food. This means products cannot be sold to restaurants, bars, grocery stores, coffee shops, hotels, schools, or any other entity intending to resell the products.

• Meat or meat products processed at a state-licensed establishment, federally approved meat establishment, by the producer, or by any third party may not be used in preparation of homemade food.

• Wild game is not allowed to be sold or used in preparation of homemade food.

• A 1,000-bird exemption allows transactions between an informed consumer and producer who slaughters no more than 1,000 birds per year. Food containing chicken products that do not fall under this exemption are not allowed. This includes products containing chicken ingredients such as eggs, chicken stock, chicken bouillon, etc.

• Alcohol, drugs, and dietary supplements are not allowed to be sold or used in preparation of homemade food.

• No food preparation is allowed outside the private home. Licensing, such as a temporary permit, is required for any off-site preparation.

While SB 199 is now an option, the Montana Food and Consumer Safety Section strongly encourages all food producers to pursue licensure, registration, or permits. Licensure lends credibility for producers, ensuring for the end consumer that all products are regulated for safety. As mentioned earlier, licensure also opens

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Mercedes Overlie, RS, is a Public Health

George Haynes and Joel Schumacher track historic hay prices and availability during drought.

T

he drought has created a challenging situation for livestock producers needing additional hay and pasture. As of August 8, 2021, 87% of pasture and range was rated as very poor or poor (0% was rated good or excellent). Alfalfa and other hay production is forecast to be down 38% from 2020.

If this continues, this will be the lowest average alfalfa hay yield (1.2 tons/acre) since 1935 and the lowest average other hay (including alfalfa and other hay) yield since 1988 (National Agricultural Statistics Service, NASS). This summary discusses hay prices, where to buy hay, cautions in buying hay, and financial help available during the drought.

Sanitarian with the Food and Consumer Safety Section with the Montana

HAY PRICES

Department of Health and Human Services.

All hay (including alfalfa and other hay) prices varied between less than $100 per ton to over $165 per ton from 1995 to 2020. Since June of 2021, prices have risen to $200 or more per ton (Figure 1). The inflation-adjusted average of all hay prices

Public Health Sanitarian Food and Consumer Safety Section 1400 E Broadway Street Helena, MT 59620

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has been around $130 to $140 per ton from 1995 through 2020. Current hay prices are nearly 50% higher than average hay prices from 1995 through 2020.

Current hay prices are reported in Montana every week by the USDA in the Montana Direct Hay Report (https://www. ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2769.pdf ).

Recent reporting has only included alfalfa hay prices. Since mid-April, premium alfalfa hay prices for small square bales have increased from $225 to $400 per ton and large square bales have increased from $170 to over $300 per ton.

WHERE TO BUY HAY

Hay is available in Montana and beyond, but it’s expensive and requires substantial transportation cost. The first place to look is the Montana Department of Agriculture’s Hay Hotline (https://agr. mt.gov/Hay-Hotline). The Hay Hotline brings together hay sellers and buyers from throughout the U.S. As of August 12, 2021,

Left: Jane Wolery, Right: Lisa Terry

(Continued from page 9) opportunities for more informed clientele, a wider range of approved products, wholesaling, interstate sales, and international sales.

A Cottage Food registration is another opportunity for producers who want to sell non-potentially-hazardous products from a home kitchen. Like SB 199, Cottage Food Operations (CFO) are not inspected unless a complaint or illness investigation occurs.

Cottage Food registration is a good start for producers who plan to eventually grow into a larger business of wholesaling, online sales, or producing potentially hazardous foods. It can create a better understanding of food labeling compliance, requirements, and regulations while benefitting local communities by providing residents with access to safe, locally-produced foods.

Though local authorities are allowed to investigate if an outbreak occurs, it’s important that food operators are informed that under SB 199, all responsibility lies with them to create safe products.

Drought Dilemma: Article Title Finding Hay and Paying a Fair Price

there were nine sellers (five from Montana) and 15 buyers (all from Montana) listed.

Another source for finding hay is the Hay Internet Exchange (http://hayexchange. com/mt.php). As of August 12, 2021, there were 20 hay and straw sellers on the Internet Hay Exchange. These hay producers were selling alfalfa, Bermuda grass, mixed grass, orchard, wheat hay, and straw. All but one of the current listings in July and August 2021 were for out-of-state sellers, primarily from Nebraska and Kentucky. The lone Montana seller was from Liberty County.

And finally, another excellent source for finding hay is Facebook. A recent search of Facebook for “Montana hay for sale” yielded information from numerous sellers in Alberta, Canada, Nebraska and other U.S. states.

CAUTIONS

Caution is warranted in buying hay to fully understand what you’re buying. If possible, the most important consideration is testing the quality of hay to determine the total digestible nutrients (TDN), crude protein (CP), and nitrates. In addition, it’s important to know the terms of the sale.

• Where is the point of sale (field, barn, stack or other)?

• How will the hay be transported (by the buyer or seller)?

• What are the transportation and loading/unloading costs?

• When will hay be delivered?

• How long will the negotiated price be honored?

• How will the hay be purchased (cash or credit)?

If possible, it’s best to pay for hay after it’s been delivered to satisfaction and if the seller offers favorable credit terms, take advantage of them. It is also a good idea to get the agreement and arrangements in writing because miscommunication can lead to substantial problems.

Figure 1. Hay prices 1995 through July 2021, adjusted for inflation.

Source: NASS and estimate for 2021 market price FINANCIAL HELP

Most importantly, don’t give up. There is financial help from the Farm Service Agency for purchasing hay and pasture. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) administers the Emergency Loan Program (ELP) and Disaster Set-Aside Program (DSAP). The ELP provides loans to help producers recover from production and physical losses due to drought and other natural disasters. The DSAP allows producers who have existing direct loans with FSA who are unable to make the scheduled payments to move up to one full year’s payment to the end of the loan.

A n d fi n a l l y, e m e r g e n c y h a y i n g and grazing on lands set aside for the Conservation Reserve Program may be approved. Even though your county may be eligible for emergency haying and grazing, be sure to check with the local FSA Office to determine when emergency haying and grazing are available.

A tool is available from the FSA to determine if you’re eligible for disaster assistance at the following site: https:// www.farmers.gov/recover/disaster-tool. For

additional information on all programs available, see the brochure available at: https:// www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/202004/FSA_DisasterAssistance_at_a_glance_ brochure_.pdf George Haynes is a professor of Agricultural Economics & Economics and the MSU Extension Agricultural Policy Specialist. Joel Schumacher is the Agricultural Economics & Economics Associate Specialist.

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Meat Preservation: Jerky, Sausage, and Meat Sticks Wendy Becker sums up the different processes available to preserve meat.

S

ausage is a tale as old as time. The word comes from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted. Salting is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. When we first learned that salt was effective to preserve meat, sausages, jerky, and meat sticks all took on new life.

In history, Homer wrote about smoking and salting meat in The Odyssey around 830 B.C. Many regions developed their own variety, often named for the village they originated from, such as Frankfurt, Salami, Genoa, Vienna, Bologna, and others.

Any meat that has been changed from its original form (processed) and seasoned is considered sausage.

WHAT FOODS CAN BE MADE INTO SAUSAGE?

Sausage is generally made from beef, veal, pork, lamb, poultry, buffalo, wild game, or any combination of meats. It is a good way to utilize all animal trimmings for less waste. Jerky can be made from whole muscle or ground meat, and should be made from lean whole muscle cuts like beef round roasts or pork loins. This is more suitable because fattier cuts can become rancid during storage.

before consuming and then should be eaten within three days or frozen. (Breakfast sausage, Italian sausage) Uncooked smoked sausage is initially smoked and not cooked. It needs to be kept refrigerated and cooked thoroughly before eating. Once cooked, it should be eaten within seven days or frozen soon after cooking. (Country style, kielbasa, mettwurst) Cooked smoked sausage is fully cooked to an internal temperature of 155°F and smoked during the process. It needs to be kept refrigerated and eaten within seven days after opening the vacuum-sealed package. (bologna, cotto salami, frankfurter) Cooked meat specialty sausages are made from a variety of ingredients and need to be kept refrigerated and consumed within three days after opening the vacuum-sealed package. (Head cheese, olive loaf, foie gras) Dry sausage is seasoned, cured, smoked, and air-dried. It does not require refrigeration when finished. (Genoa salami, pepperoni) Semi-dry sausage has a tangier flavor and should be kept refrigerated for the best quality. (Summer sausage, thuringer, cervelat)

THERE ARE SIX BASIC

EQUIPMENT, INGREDIENTS AND

CLASSIFICATIONS OF SAUSAGE:

GUIDELINES

Fresh sausage is made from fresh ground meat and not cured or smoked. It needs to be kept refrigerated and cooked

Equipment needed to make sausage, jerky, or meat sticks includes: a thermometer, scale, meat grinder, sausage stuffer, cutting

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boards and knives, packaging, optional smoker, and optional dehydrator or oven.

The ingredients should include high-quality, fresh meat because the final product is only as good as its components. The proper lean-to-fat ratio should be followed in a recipe to produce good binding quality as well. A cure (sodium nitrite) is needed for smoked products as it inhibits production and growth of botulism toxins. Curing also gives the characteristic color to sausages and can improve flavor. Directions need to be followed for specific cure formulations. Federal regulations permit a maximum of 0.25 oz of sodium nitrite per 100 pounds of chopped meat. Other ingredients needed are salt or a premix, spices, optional smoke powder for flavor, optional hi-temperature cheese, and casings.

Specialty recipes may also call for starter culture, encapsulated acids, binders, reducing agents, mold inhibitors, or antioxidants.

Some food safety guidelines to follow include: wash hands before starting and throughout prep; use clean equipment and clean surfaces; sanitize and air dry equipment. Keep raw meat separate from any ready-to-eat food or produce. If meat is frozen, thaw in a refrigerator, in cold water, or in a microwave, never on the counter at room temperature. Marinate raw meat in the refrigerator and keep the meat as cold as possible when working with it. If dehydrating, use a calibrated thermometer and one with temperature control.

• Prepare recipe ingredients. First, mix precisely the base mix and cure. Then mix other flavoring ingredients. Taste test ingredients and adjust accordingly before adding base mix and water to mixture. Create a slurry with base mix, cure, spices, and water.

• Cut up meat in small chunks to fit into the grinder and grind the meat through a course plate of ¼” or 3/8”.

• Thoroughly mix slurry with coarse ground meat.

• Grind the meat mixture a second time through a finer plate at 1/8” or 3/16” • Prepare natural hog casings. Soak them in lukewarm water for 30 minutes and flush the inside of the casings two times to remove the salt preservative.

• Fit the casings on a stuffer and fill the stuffer with meat. Stuff the meat carefully into the casing.

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Photos courtesy of Wendy Becker

THE PROCESS OF SAUSAGE MAKING

• Thermally process the casing, either cooking it for fresh meat, or smoking the meat according to smoker directions (usually 155°F).

• Package the final product with a vacuum sealer or butcher paper. Use a double-fold insulating wrap to keep the product fresh. Remember to label and date the final product.

If making meat sticks, they will be stuffed into smaller, dry collagen casings. Storage of sausage can be in the refrigerator for up to three days or in the freezer for up to three months.

Ground jerky can be made similarly. It should be pressed and laid in a dehydrator, following the dehydrator directions. For safety, the meat needs to be cooked to 160°F after the drying process because most dehydrators won’t reach that temperature.

Whole-muscle jerky should be thinly sliced (the colder the meat, the better for slicing) to no more than ¼ inch strips. If the dehydrator reaches 160°F, meat strips can be placed in the dehydrator to finish drying. Otherwise, they should be placed in a boiling marinade to reach 160°F to destroy bacteria, and then smoked or dehydrated. Do not smoke jerky at lower temperatures and finish it off at a higher temperature; there is a potential that bacteria can survive during this drying process.

Home sausage and jerky making has become more popular as a family activity. And sausage and jerky are convenient foods that provide a great source of complete protein, vitamins, and minerals.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest that individuals need between 10%–35% of daily calories from protein sources, which are necessary for the growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissue and organ function.

MSU Extension offers some sausage-making workshops in Montana. To find out if a program will be offered, contact your local MSU Extension office, www.msuextension.org.

Wendy Becker is the MSU Extension Agent in Roosevelt County.

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Master Gardener Spotlight: Selma Held Gardens

A

s the sun rose in the new millennium on the southeast part of the South Hills in Helena, a local lady of legend awoke and decided it was now or never.

Very close to Selma Held’s home lay 5.38 acres of undeveloped city land surrounded by multi-generational mixed housing. Held concluded this was a prime recipe for a community park. In April 2006, she gathered friends and neighbors to form the Beltview Park Development Committee.

Helena city authorities were soon convinced of the viability of the committee’s park idea.

In February 2009, the City Parks & Recreation Department wrote that basic development of the 5.38 acres into a park would cost $71,947. Six months later, on August 7, 2009, Selma Held died in Arizona at her son’s home, never to see completion of her dream. The dream ultimately resulted in the creation of six city parks in May 2011, including the Selma Held Park which is now part of an eleven-garden organization: the Helena Community Gardens.

Contained in the Selma Held Park is the 18,000 square foot Selma Held Community Garden, another dream of Selma’s. In this no-till, 100% organic garden are 38 spaces: 15 in-ground areas and 23 raised beds. As usual, all the garden beds have been rented. Beyond the standard vegetables, there is a mix of young apple and pear trees accompanied by several berry cultivars. Several of the spaces grown are dedicated to the local Food Share, mostly by Dave Krainacker and his Master Gardener wife, Nina. Last year, Selma Held gardeners donated almost half a ton of organic, locally grown, fresh produce to Food Share in close competition with other Helena Community Gardens.

Roger Stone is a Master Gardener who has been the Selma Held Garden manager since 2017.

Top and Bottom: 2021 vegetable plantings

Roger Stone

at Selma Held Gardens.

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Another educator added: “Students learn the importance of observation and that they can be ‘scientists’ too.”

The kit’s concluding lesson is on citizen science: a process in which everyday people — including youth, adults and families — collect and share observations with scientists in order to accelerate research and discovery.

Data submitted by citizens can often have a positive impact on their local communities.

For instance, photos of land cover submitted through the free GLOBE Observer app help scientists create better satellite-based maps, which can be used to assess disaster risk and monitor change over time.

“We hope that as young people examine how land use intersects with their personal values, they are learning the skills of comSuzi Taylor introduces a youth curriculum that explores how changes in munity leaders and engaged citizens who can land use transform agriculture and energy production systems. consider multiple perspectives and relevant trade-offs when tackling the complex land use A new youth curriculum kit that helps to share their work with even the youngest issues of the future,” said Suzi Taylor, director young people think deeply about the land citizens of the Upper Missouri River Basin. of the MSU Science Math Resource Center, we live on was distributed this summer to The project features 11 kid-friendly which led the Land Use Explorers outreach 4-H clubs, libraries, summer camps and lessons on water, soil, food production effort. Rose Vallor in the MSU Department youth-serving organizations across Montana, and more. It was conceived in 2020 as an of Education is the curriculum author.

Wyoming and South Dakota. The Land Use educator-led kit. However, when schools The first round of 500 kits have been Explorers kit is an outreach product of a and youth organizations closed down due to disseminated; however, you can download National Science Foundation-funded effort COVID-19, the program was revamped to the curriculum content plus a supply list and called WAFERx: the Water-Agriculture- accommodate independent, remote learning. leader instructions for free at https://waferx.

Food-Energy-Research Nexus. The research- The resulting kit features all the supplies montana.edu/land-use-explorers.html ers on the project are based at Montana State needed for a young person to complete the The team is exploring additional fundUniversity (MSU), University of South curriculum on their own, all contained in ing sources and hopes to develop more kits Dakota and University of Wyoming. They its own zippered pouch. Five hundred kits in the near future. are looking at how changes in land use, were disseminated in Montana, Wyoming, Learn more about the WAFERx particularly the growth of a system called and South Dakota during Summer 2021, research and BECCS (Bio-energy and Bio-energy and Carbon Capture and Storage including to Extension offices in Blaine, Carbon Capture and Storage) at waferx.

(BECCS), would result in transformations Dawson, Fergus, Lake, Liberty and Valley montana.edu. in agriculture, land use, and energy pro- Counties, and the Flathead Reservation.

Contact Suzi Taylor at t ay lor@ duction systems. These transformations can According to one Montana educator montana.edu or (406) 994-2336. create corresponding trade-offs among food, who used the kits, the students learned “that water, energy, biodiversity and economic we share the land with other humans, plants, Suzi Taylor is the director of the MSU opportunities. animals, insects, and other organisms and Science Math Resource Center.

The research weaves in everything from we need to take care of it. There are lots of leaf-level intercellular carbon dioxide to different ways to use land and while other songbird metabolism, to computer model- people may value different uses, we all need ing of switchgrass yields. Researchers on the to come together to make sure that we are team created the Land Use Explorers Kit valuing and honoring the land appropriately.”

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Courtesy of Suzi Taylor

Land Use Explorers Curriculum Helps Article Title Young People Connect with the Land

Stephen M. Vantassel

Voles: The Bane of Landscape Plantings and Turf Stephen M. Vantassel explains how to identify and control voles to protect your lawn.

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magine that it’s early spring. The lawn, buried by the winter’s snow, is just starting to emerge.

You smile knowing that gardening work is just around the corner. But the smile quickly turns to dismay upon noticing snake-like trails disfiguring the turf. A shrub and an ornamental tree planted last year also look “off.” You walk over to take a closer look and see that the bark below the snow line has been stripped, exposing the white wood beneath. Voles. Could anything have been done to prevent this?

Voles occur throughout Montana. The Montana Field Guide (http://fieldguide.mt.gov/displaySpecies. aspx?family=Cricetidae) lists eight species of voles occurring in Montana, but only four have economic significance, namely the Long-tailed Vole, Meadow Vole, Prairie Vole, and the Montane Vole. Though similar in size to mice, voles can be distinguished from mice by

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DAMAGE IDENTIFICATION

Most people don’t notice voles until their numbers increase enough to cause significant damage (called irruptions) or they see the damage in the spring. In turf, voles carve runways or dig holes. Runways are up to two-inch wide trails that allow voles quick access to feeding areas. Holes are dime- to quarter-sized holes cut cleanly in the turf that lead to burrows and nesting areas.

During the winter, food-stressed voles gnaw tree bark for nourishment. Gnaw damage often occurs as high as the snow line and will contain irregular gnaw marks 1/16-inch wide and ⅜-inch long. Rabbits also gnaw bark but their marks will be wider, occur up to three feet above the snow line and will be accompanied with round droppings.

not reach the ground. To reduce migration from adjacent unmowed fields, create a weed-free zone 5-15 feet wide. Protect individual plants by installing ¼-inch hardware cloth around plants. The screen should start three inches below the ground and extend to 12 inches above the expected snow line.

Timing of control efforts is the second most important factor. To prevent winter damage, control voles in September and October.

Otherwise, control voles whenever you notice damage above your tolerance level.

TRAPPING

Voles are easily trapped with mousesized snap traps. Simply place the snap traps perpendicular to the trail with the trigger in the runway to catch voles. Bait is not required. If choosing to use bait, be sure to place traps under a protective cover to prevent birds from being attracted to the traps and possibly injured. Placing baited traps under sheets of plywood propped up with bricks is often sufficient.

RODENTICIDES

CONTROLLING DAMAGE

The most important step in controlling vole damage is to reduce ground cover and food that voles need to thrive. Keep grass mowed to four inches or less and create weed-free zones around trees out to the drip line. Modify birdfeeders so that seed does

Numerous rodenticides are available for controlling voles. Read the rodenticide label carefully BEFORE purchasing the product as the label will explain how to use the product properly and legally. Many mistakes have been made, some with tragic consequences, because users did not read

and understand the label. As a side note, I do not recommend fumigants for control of voles because their burrows are often too porous to obtain effective results. Likewise, repellents and frightening devices are not worth the money.

Here are a few tips to improve safety and effectiveness when using toxicants.

• Follow application guidelines carefully.

Make sure the application aligns with label instructions BEFORE purchasing the pesticide. The label should list voles as a target animal AND the site intended to use the product. For example, there are voles causing damage in the 10 acres behind your home. At the hardware store, you find a product called Fastrac All-Weather Blox (EPA Reg. No. 12455-95). It lists voles on the label. But as you read further, the label restricts application to within 100 feet of a structure (i.e., your home).

Should you purchase this product? No, because the voles you need to control are not within 100 feet of your home.

• If the label requires using tamper-resistant bait stations, select stations with openings no larger than 1½ inches in diameter, or reduce the opening size with screen or metal flashing.

SAFETY

While not significant threats to health, voles can carry babesiosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Always wear protective gloves when handling rodents and related control equipment. Hand washing, using insect repellent, and avoiding contact with urine and feces will reduce potential disease risks as well.

For more information on the control of voles, modifying bird feeders and using bait stations visit https://agr.mt.gov/VertebratePests.

Stephen M. Vantassel is the Vertebrate Pest Specialist for the Montana Department of Agriculture.

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Stephen M. Vantassel

their smaller ears, blunter nose, and shorter tail (i.e., a tail less than half the length of the body is true for all voles except the Long-tail vole). Voles inhabit areas containing abundant vegetation for food and to hide them from their many predators.

Ask Steward: How Do I Find Information About a Water Right?

Adam Sigler

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ou’re in luck, the Montana D e p a r t m e n t o f Na t u r a l Resources & Conservation (MT DNRC) has an online water right query system, which has made finding one’s water right information much easier. Visit the website at the link below or by doing a web search for “water right query system.”

Searching can be done in a variety of ways. The default options are the simple search tab, which allows one to search by water right number (note the exact formatting requirement), owner name, or geocode.

The geocode is a unique identifier for a property and can be found through the state Cadastral land ownership system (website linked below). Geocodes can change, so always try an alternate search method if you don’t find the expected results you are looking for, these default search options are a quick way to see if a property has water rights.

One can also click the advanced tab at the top of the search window to search more creatively for water rights or to create specific indexes (lists) of water rights, based on a water source, a priority date, or a ditch name. If you don’t find a water right using the search, a water right may not exist for the property. Another possibility is that the water right owner might be a municipality, a ditch company, a water users’ association, or another type of public water supply. If you pay a bill for water, this is most likely the case, and these water rights will show up reflecting the business or public entity name.

A search will generate links to three helpful pieces of information: a map, an abstract, and the file documents. Abstracts provide a summary of the water right elements such as maximum flow rate, points of diversion, and purpose. The map link shows a very general map based on land description (not actual location of use), whereas the file documents often include an accurate map of the water right along with other records

like well log information and ownership updates. If creating an index or looking at an ownership, some water rights may be listed more than once. The results can be downloaded into a table and then simplified for your needs.

MT DNRC has received very positive feedback on this initial query system, but is still working to improve the tool, so you may see some upgrades to this system in the future.

MT DNRC Water Right Quer y System: http://wrqs.dnrc.mt.gov MT Cadastral website to find geocodes for a property: http://svc.mt.gov/msl/mtcadastral.

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Feeding LowQuality Forage During Drought Megan Van Emon describes options for alternative feeds for the cow herd.

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This is a year when we need to think outside the box for feeding the cow herd. Several alternative feeds can be considered: wheat midds, dried distillers grains, and grains. There are positives and negatives to feeding these different alternatives and these should be considered when developing a ration. The quality of the feed should be considered, and the price per ton and pound of nutrient.

Straw can be fed to cows but should be limited to 50% or less of the diet.

This is mainly due to the poor nutrient composition of straw. Straw should be fed with good quality hay to reduce compaction problems. For example, to meet crude protein (CP) requirements (8%) of a 1,400 pound cow during the last third of pregnancy, or gestation, a ration could consist of 40% straw (5% CP) and 60% medium quality hay (10% CP). This would meet the 8% CP requirements of the cow. However, straw should be limited to 25% during the last third of gestation due to its low quality and nutritional limits. Therefore, an additional supplement could be fed to aid in meeting crude protein requirements.

A 1,400 pound cow will consume about 2% of her body weight every day in dry matter, which equates to 28 pounds of dry matter. If we consider the 60% hay/40% straw ration further and it is limited to 75% of the total diet,

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Photo Credit

Wendy Becker

his is a difficult year for livestock producers throughout Montana.

The entire state is afflicted by drought, with the majority of the state designated as extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4). This has led to a lack of resources available for feeding cattle. Due to the extensive drought in the Western United States, harvested forage has been a limited commodity.

There have been several common questions I have received this year: • How much straw can I feed?

• How much hay can be replaced by cake?

• What are safe levels of nitrates?

• What are some other alternative feeds that I can buy?

• Can I graze my unharvested cereal grain crop?

• Can I feed cattle weedy hay?

• Can I feed corn stalks?

we are feeding 21 pounds of the hay/straw feeds and meet the requirements of the cows, mix. We need to feed an additional 25% of but gut fill is needed to ensure the cows are the diet, or 7 pounds. The hay/straw mix “full.” Even if nutrient requirements are met, provides 1.68 pounds of crude protein [(8% cows will continue to eat until they are “full.” ÷ 100) * 21 lbs], which means we need to It is important to consider cost per provide an additional 0.56 pounds of crude pound of nutrient, especially crude protein protein in the remaining 7 pounds of feed. and total digestible nutrients (TDN), when This indicates that we need 7 pounds of feed considering feed alternatives. Feed ingrediwith at least 8% crude protein to meet the ents can be directly compared to determine 0.56 pound shortfall (0.56 lbs = X%CP × 7 an economical feedstuff. However, during lbs; solve for X). drought, feed options may be somewhat We can consider multiple feeds to limited and higher costs may need to be create an adequate ration to meet the needs considered. Examples in the table below may of the cow herd. However, this does not ac- aid in calculating cost per pound of nutrient. count for gut fill. We can limit high-quality

Special care should be taken with feeds high in nitrates because this can limit the use in cattle rations and will change based on nitrate content of the diet and water. Additionally, some weeds are nitrate accumulators, such as kochia, so care should also be taken when feeding forages that have weeds. When considering feed options for the operation, contact your local MSU Extension Agent to discuss these options and the positives and negatives of each.

Megan Van Emon is the MSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist.

Calculated Cost of Feed Per Pound of Nutrient Content

Melissa Ashley

Column Formula

A ― Cost

B C ― ― Definition of Units

D E F ― ― ― Feed Test Results**

Unit of Sale lb/unit DM % Feed $/unit Alfalfa, large rounds 275 Ton 2000 87.0 Grass/alfalfa, large rounds 250 Ton 2000 89.0 Grass, large rounds 225 Ton 2000 88.0 Wheat midds 130 Ton 2000 89.0 Dried distillers grains 190 Ton 2000 90.0 Corn 222 Ton 2000 83.0 Barley grain 125 Ton 2000 90.0 *Use percentage as a decimal (for example, 87% DM = 0.87) **Feed test results must be entered on a dry matter (DM) basis

TDN % 55.0 53.0 52.0 73.0 89.0 85.0 84.0

CP % 19.8 13.6 8.1 18.6 30.8 8.3 12.8

G H I C x D* GxE GxF Nutrient Content Calculations DM lb/unit 1740.0 1780.0 1760.0 1780.0 1800.0 1660.0 1800.0

TDN lb/unit 957.0 943.4 915.2 1299.4 1602.0 1411.0 1512.0

CP lb/unit 344.5 242.1 142.6 331.1 554.4 137.8 230.4

J K L A÷G A÷H A÷I Feed Value Calculations $/lb DM $/lb TDN 0.158 0.287 0.140 0.265 0.128 0.246 0.073 0.100 0.106 0.119 0.134 0.157 0.069 0.083

$/lb CP 0.798 1.033 1.578 0.393 0.343 1.611 0.543

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Abiya (Abi) Saeed provides tips on winterizing gardens and home landscaping.

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he growing season is wrapping up in Montana, and gardeners are preparing landscapes for the approaching winter. Fall care doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the gardening year - and can in fact act as a critical component of reflecting on current landscaping projects and setting up a successful upcoming year.

The following checklists offer general tips for winterizing gardens. For more information, contact your local MSU Extension office.

CONTAINERS

• Bring container plants indoors for the winter. Leaving containers outside (especially clay and ceramic ones) can cause them to crack and break.

• Don’t forget to sanitize containers to prevent pest/disease problems before reusing them and/or introducing them to household plants.

VEGETABLE GARDENS

• Remove and destroy diseased plant material. Composting diseased plant

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material can keep pathogens alive, which could re-introduce them to the garden, causing problems in the following growing season.

• Add organic matter to restore nutrients to the soil (use compost, manure, leaves/straw, etc.). Consider getting soil tested in spring (prior to planting), especially if there were any growth or fertility issues during the growing season. A soil test will give detailed information about soil nutrient profiles to plan for the appropriate soil amendments.

• Root crops can remain in gardens longer, but they need to be protected from freezing temperatures and frost damage. Using mulches like weed-free straw and leaves can keep the soil at more consistent temperatures through the colder months.

• Keep a garden notebook, and use that to reflect on garden projects throughout the growing season. Take note of which produce worked well in the landscape and use this as a

TREES, SHRUBS AND HERBACEOUS ORNAMENTALS

• Remove annuals from the garden after they complete blooming. Annuals will not re-bloom the following year.

• Use existing leaflitter or straw to mulch perennial and biennial beds, especially in areas of Montana with limited snow cover throughout the winter. This can help insulate the roots of more sensitive plants.

• Protect sensitive plants through the winter (from the cold, wind, and vertebrate pests). Certain plant wraps can be used to protect younger perennials from hungry herbivores as they search for food in the winter. Wraps and tree paints can also be used on thin-barked trees to prevent sunscald/Southwest injury. It is important to remove any wraps when temperatures begin to warm in the spring because they can restrict plant growth and cause accumulation of pests and disease if left unchecked.

• Water trees and shrubs into the fall, or as long as possible while temperatures are above freezing and snow cover is limited. Many trees and shrubs (especially evergreens) are susceptible to winter desiccation, especially on warm, sunny winter days when they continue to transpire, and lose moisture at a much faster rate than can be replenished.

• Clean up weeds, and always read and follow label directions if using herbicides.

• Blow out the water from the irrigation system at the end of the season to prevent freezing breaks. Refer to a professional if this is something you’re not comfortable doing on your own.

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Fall Garden Care and Winter Preparation Checklist

starting point for planning next year’s vegetables. Make sure to rotate crops to prevent buildup of pests/disease, and leave a 3–4 year break between planting the same family of crops at the same site.

LAWNS

There are things to do (or more accurately NOT do) during fall garden cleanup to encourage beneficial insects and other arthropods in landscapes. Having a healthy population of these organisms (including pollinators and natural enemies of common pests) can increase a garden’s success and help limit pest problems in the future.

• Don’t cut back all the perennials until later in the spring. The stalks and plant material can provide critical nesting habitat for cavity-nesting bees and an anchor point for butterfly pupae. In addition, seed heads of many perennial plants provide fall/winter food for birds and other pollinators.

• Leave the leaves. Leaflitter is an important source of food and habitat for many invertebrates including slugs, snails, and millipedes that decompose this material into organic matter.

Beetles, centipedes, spiders, and other natural enemies of garden pests will also use this as overwintering habitat.

Unlike most other native bees, bumble bees overwinter in loose soil and leaf debris - so unraked garden beds actually provide a home for a plethora

of overwintering critters that play important roles in a yard and garden ecosystem. Don’t leave excess quantities of leaves in the lawn; rake these and use them as mulch over tender ornamentals or biennial crops.

• Don’t cover garden beds with a thick layer of heavy mulch (such as wood, plastic, or rocks) or till the soil in the fall. Ground nesting bees (which comprise 70% of our native bee species) use the patches of bare soil as shelter.

Additional Information

Nesting and overwintering habitat for beneficial arthropods: https://xerces.org/ publications/fact-sheets/nesting-overwintering-habitat Lawn care for Montana landscapes: https://apps.msuextension.org/montguide/guide.html?sku=MT202004AG Abiya (Abi) Saeed is the MSU Extension Horticulture Specialist.

Bigstock

• Fertilize lawns as late as the first part of October (or about four weeks prior to soil freezing). Apply 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

• Core aerate lawns to loosen any hard soils, reduce thatch, and encourage rooting (especially if there is a lot of thatch accumulation).

• Add a top-dressing of compost to poor soils.

• The last mowing of the season should take winter conditions into consideration: • In an area receiving plenty of snow cover, mow grass shorter (about 1.5 inches) to prevent snow mold.

• If there is limited snow cover on lawns over winter, mow grass longer (about 3 inches) to protect the crowns from winter desiccation.

• Winter is a great time to take inventory of garden tools, and make sure they are in good shape for the following year.

Remember to sharpen lawn mower blades before the garden to-do list gets too long in the spring.

BENEFICIAL ARTHROPODS

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