Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Bleed Trim - 8x10 Front Cover Live Area - 7x9 JUNE 2010

in this issue

Knapweed killers

Making good

grass pastures Weed sprayer help Hobby farm or tax write-off Keeping safe

in the sun Helpful herbicide tips Old horses, good care Preserving the

best last places

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 3

Onion Patch at Thrailkill Ranch, Grantsdale, Montana, 1910

A note of introduction from the Editor Following an early season scare that had the Bitterroot Valley bracing for a long hot summer of drought, a cool, wet June has helped eased some of those fears.

Now if we could just get some heat to make the grass perry backus grow and open up an adequate window to get the first crop of hay harvested, everything would be just fine.

Every season brings its own challenges for those who depend on agriculture for a living or a hobby.

In this summer edition of the Ravalli Republic’s Agriculture Quarterly, we take a look at how some farm families are making ends meet and get some advice from local experts on everything from controlling those nasty noxious weeds to taking care of the tax man.

Stacie Duce introduces us to the Boshae family who are looking to diversify their dairy and farming operation to meet the challenges of a changing marketplace and landscape.

Duce also takes us on a journey to a Bitterroot sheep farmer’s barnyard for a chance to walk amongst the “bummer” lambs and even offer them a drink from a converted Coke bottle.

When the hillsides turn from brown to green, all landowners face the constant challenge of keeping weeds at bay. We’ll learn how tiny bugs introduced by the MSU-Agricultural Research Station in Corvallis have helped turn the tide against knapweed in the Bitterroot Valley.

Ravalli County Extension Agent Bobbi Roos has some wonderful tips on how owners of small acreages can preserve their pastures through the summer grazing season. Local veterinarian Dr. Linda Kauffman has some great advice for owners of aging horses.

These are just some of the stories you’ll find in this second edition of our Agriculture Quarterly. If you have some ideas of what you would like to see us explore in our September publication, drop me a line at editor@ ravallirepublic.com.

Page 4 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Agriculture Quarterly is published by the Ravalli Republic Newspaper a division of Lee Enterprises Kristen Bounds, Publisher Perry Backus, Editor Clint Burson, Dara Saltzman & Jodi Wright, Production & Design Valerie DeMuro & Cheryl Tenold, Project Sales Including photography by Will Moss, Sepp Jannotta, Perry Backus and David Erickson

Agriculture Quarterly is copyright 2010, Ravalli Republic.

ravalli republic

232 west Main Street, Hamilton, MT 59840 • ravallirepublic.com

211 North First Street, Hamilton • 363-3884

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 5

in this issue New Business for Bohshaes . ........... 7 Raising Eggs in the Bitterroot . ..... 12 Love your Grass.............................. 14 Biological Control of Knapweed .. 17 Herbicide Safety............................. 19 Hobby Farm or Business ............... 21 Mothering Instinct ......................... 23 Protection from the Sun ................ 25 Going Local at Hamilton Pack........ 26 Care for the Aging Horse............... 28 Agriculture Heritage Notebook ... 30

How did you like our second issue of Agriculture Quarterly?

Do you have any ideas you’d like to share with us for our next issue?

Let us know. Sent comments to: 232 West Main, Hamilton, MT 59840 or editor@ravallirepublic.com photos this page: top to bottom, Will Moss, Will Moss,

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New business for oshaes keep them on the farm

B

STACIE DUCE For the Ravalli Republic

Almost 50 years ago, three thriving dairies lined each side of Simpson Lane in Corvallis run by the Smiths, the Huls and the Johnstons. Today, only the Huls Dairy remains active.

The Smith land was turned into 10-acre tracts for nice homes. The Johnston place is still bustling, not with cows but with the entrepreneur spirit of a family trying

to pay taxes and make a profitable living.

Little Jonni Johnston grew up on the farm, enjoyed all 12 years in Corvallis schools and then left for adventures of college and married life in California. She earned a master’s degree in social work and worked at a state hospital for a time.

She married Steve Boshae and jokes that his Lebanese descent keeps hard work and an entrepreneurial spirit ingrained in their busy lives.

He taught and coached in the school districts but

Page 8 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

as their family grew, they joined the mass exodus from California in the early ‘80s deciding to return to Jonni’s roots to raise kids in the rural life she enjoyed.

“We quickly learned that she couldn’t counsel the cows and I couldn’t teach them, so we set our educations aside and joined her dad in the dairy business,” said Steve.

“Dad was coming close to the age of retirement,” said Jonni, “his dream was to slow down gradually and so this opportunity came up to go into business with him and take over the heavy lifting. I truly never dreamed I’d be back, but Steve always liked outdoor work better than office work from nine to five. And we both wanted more flexible schedules for the kids.”

So 30 years ago, they officially joined forces to keep the dairy going strong as well as working 110 acres to raise hay and graze the herd.

“It was great,” Jonni said. “I could be home with the kids and send a toddler out on Steve’s shoulders to bring the cows in. It truly was idyllic with grandparents close by, all this room to run and we could say yes to every pet. Our kids did 4-H and had a great childhood.”

By 2002, Jonni’s father and the Boshaes took a hard look at the disappearing profit margins in the dairy business.

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“We didn’t want to sell the farm but we had to get out,” said Steve, “we knew we didn’t want to leave, so we’ve found ways to stay.”

“There was a lot of pressure at first,” said Jonni, “because you wake up in the morning and take a breath and it costs you money. We knew we couldn’t let the land sit idle. We had to work it and irrigate it if nothing else.”

Their first non-profit venture was to turn some acreage into a community garden. What started as a small 30-by-40-foot plot has grown to five acres of productive ground for broccoli, corn, tomatoes, squash, cabbage, onions and flowers.

“I do all the plowing, rototilling and prep work,” said Steve. “I put out the pipes and do the watering and then families or different groups come here to plant, weed and harvest.

I make it clear that I do not pull weeds,” he said.

“People keep the produce, give it away or sell it,” he said.

“I don’t charge anything, it’s all free. The Bitterroot Youth Home brought their kids out here last summer to raise sunflowers, corn, squash, tomatoes and cucumbers and they developed a great sense of pride. We even had one come back with his foster family to show them where he had learned to garden. It was great for them and for us.”

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 9

Steve keeps garden tools and equipment in a nearby grain building converted to store tools.

“To garden here, you don’t need anything except seeds and your own labor,” said Steve. “I try to make it easy so as many people can garden here as want to.

We’re willing to expand if the demand is there.”

Steve has plenty of side ventures with the farm equipment to earn money and keep busy year-round like snow plowing, field mowing, post pounding and custom cutting with his reliable 1973 John Deere. But he and Jonni are most excited about their latest business venture: repairing irrigation pipe.

They’ve converted the dairy’s loafing shed that’s 50 feet wide and 160 feet long into a new irrigation pipe repair house.

“I enclosed the building, insulated it and did a num-

ber of things to turn it into a workshop where I could repair pipe all year round,” said Steve. “When we came up with the idea of buying a pipe press, we realized there was a serious need in the valley for this.”

He explained that everyone who irrigates needs pipes ready to go in the spring in a relatively short amount of time, “but it’s tricky because if you’ve got broken pipe, it has to be a certain temperature outside to fix them. Usually by the time the weather cooperates, that’s when you need them ready to go.”

His pipe press sits on a portable trailer that also holds a vice, a motor, a giant toolbox and all that’s required to be mobile.

“I can go out there, I can take my pipe trailer and bring their pipes back here, I can do it all year round,” he said. “I just have a lot of flexibility for folks.”

Page 10 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Standing inside the barn that now boasts a woodburning stove, “It would take a lot to justify building this building just to fix pipe in the winter but since we have it, we’re putting it to good use.”

The Boshaes made it clear they do not sell irrigation systems, but they fill the niche of repairing hand lines and wheel lines with two-inch and up to six-inch pipes. They offer incentives to customers who make arrangements for pipe to be picked up in the fall for repair through the winter.

“We want our service to be quick and thorough since irrigation season is such a short time,” he said. “We’ll do a quality job and have them ready when it’s time to water.”

The yard outside the old loafing shed is littered with casualties of pipe mishaps.

“In general, life is hard for a pipe,” said Jonni, “Pipes crack due to age, pressure or usage, but then here’s what happens when a pipe is run over by a lawn mower,” she points out sheepishly admitting her own pipe accident.

Livestock leave indented footprints when pipe is on the ground, horses use the sprinkler lines as itching posts when the water is off and clamps and valves are prone to rust.

“And then you always have pipe that’s been mishandled mainly because it’s easy to hire people to move pipe who don’t have a lot of experience,” said Steve.

“They might pull on the riser or birdie when moving them and then you have problems.”

Steve’s pipe press is run by a 13-horse power Honda motor with the capability of hooking up to his skid steer tractor and running it off that engine if needed.

A single pipe can endure multiple repairs and still remain viable for irrigators by either cutting out a damaged section then sliding and wedging the two pieces back together or using a band to fix serious wear and tear.

The Boshaes love living on dairy land even if most of the specialized buildings and configured equipment might appear to be obsolete.

One barn is now rented out as a storage unit, for example. But they admit the change of pace has been a nice reprieve.

“I don’t mind not getting up at 2:30 a.m. for chores,” said Steve.

“We still work hard from sun up to sun down like we did with the dairy, but now we get a few more breaks and sleep through the night.”

“And we’re not so smelly,” added Jonni with a laugh.

“We’ve always been blessed with work and we hope that continues.”

To contact Steve and Jonni Boshae at JBI Ag Pipe Repair, call 381-4453 or 961-3088.

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 11

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I Raising Eggs in the Bitterroot n the Basket:

DAVID ERICKSON Staff Reporter

STEVENSVILLE - Betty Basacker is pretty particular when it comes to her chickens, and in turn, the eggs they produce.

“I’m very picky about what they eat,” she said. “I’m not into hormones or junk food. I won’t even let sheep near them because I don’t want them anywhere near the manure. I feed them grain.”

Basacker, 74, has been raising chickens and collecting their eggs for 38 years at her home just south of Stevensville. She says she started because she realized nothing tastes as good as food that comes from her backyard.

“I don’t like eggs from the grocery store,” she says matter-of-factly. “And I have several loyal customers that feel the same way. They keep coming back.”

Basacker currently has 19 hens that she keeps on her property. She used to let them roam free-range, but she lost a couple chickens to foxes this year and she decided to keep them in a pen.

Still, her hens and roosters seem perfectly happy in their enclosure.

“They love the rose blooms that fall off,” Basacker says, pointing to a rose bush in full bloom that is hanging over the side of the chicken wire.

On a recent Friday morning, Basacker was busy collecting a basketful of large, brown eggs. She has a several beautiful Barred Rock roosters and a large, majestic Rhode Island Red rooster.

“I had to separate some of the roosters because they were beating up the hens,” she says. “So I found a home for them in East Missoula. Somebody wants them

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 13

to wander around their lawn. That’s what they get for beating up on my ladies.”

Basacker collects eggs every day, keeping some for her and her husband Chuck and selling the rest. She says that raising eggs has become more popular in the valley over the years.

“There are more and more people keeping chickens for eggs every year,” she says. “Even right around here there are several more. I think people just like having their own fresh eggs.”

Because sunlight and temperature affect the chickens, Basacker said this spring has yielded a few less eggs than usual.

“When it’s sunny out, they go crazy,” she says.

“When it’s cloudy, there are less. Sunlight really makes a big difference. And they don’t like the cold temperatures either.”

To purchase some delicious locally raised eggs from Basacker, call her at 777-5876.

Reporter David Erickson can be reached at 363-3300 or david.erickson@ravallirepublic.com.

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Page 14 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

G

Love Your rass As Much As Your Animals

BOBBIE ROOS Ravalli County Extension

As you drive through out the Bitterroot Valley, it is wonderful to see the recent spring rains and the warmer temperatures have brought the welcome green grass in the many pastures that fill the valley.

For many livestock owners, it is a glorious site, after a long winter and feeding hay and grain to their animals.

Thus you have the opportunity to begin a new grazing season and an end to another feeding season.

However, it is also an opportunity to improve or ruin the health of the plants in your pasture. Pasture management is more than simply opening the gate and letting the animals out to graze. In other words, â&#x20AC;&#x153;love your grass as much as you love your animals.â&#x20AC;?

The early spring months are critical in the growth of a

grass plant. It is important to protect the spring growth from early defoliation by grazing livestock. If grasses are grazed too frequently and too early in the growth cycle, the root system will decrease in mass and size until they become less competitive (or die off) and undesirable plants take over. Grazed plants need time to rebuild the photosynthetic factory that was removed by grazing, and to restock the warehouse (the root system) from which the supplies for the rebuilding process was taken.

If less than 50 percent of the leaf material is removed, then the plant can rebuild the photosynthetic tissues (the green leaves) without a drain on the root system.

Sustainability of your pasture will be determined by your commitment to prioritize managing your pastures for forage health. Have you inventoried your forage resources lately? Do you have enough forage to sup-

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 15

port the numbers of livestock? Remember the fragile nature of vegetation and soils do not easily recover from overgrazing.

It is sometimes a perception that small parcels of land can be grazed continuously. Proper grazing is vital to the overall ecological health of a piece of land. Poor pasture management can lead to the absence of adequate ground cover, and subject the soil to wind and water erosion, and increased compaction.

The timing of grazing can also have a long-term impact on your pasture. Grazing too early in the spring can reduce the yield potential of your pasture and is the most common pasture management mistake. Allow grass to grow before grazing a horse. This grass growth varies depending on the grass species. For example, it is important to allow brome grass and orchardgrass to grow to a height of 6 to 8 inches before grazing is initiated. Each grass species has different height requirements for grazing.

Keep in mind, a horse that is grazing should not remove more than 50 percent of the available forage. Simply put, if your horse eats 50 percent of the grass that was there prior to grazing, remove him and allow the pasture to rest approximately 30 days or until the grass regrows to the original height. This approach is called “take half and leave half.”

One approach to accomplish the “take half and leave half” is to divide your pasture into grazing cells or paddocks to allow for more rotational grazing. After a cell is grazed, move the animals to a fresh cell while the grazed cell rests to promote new growth. The improved management afforded by rotational grazing can greatly increase forage productivity and pasture health.

This rest period for your pasture is critical. Recovery time for grasses ranges from 10 to as many as 60 days, depending upon season, weather, and soil characteristics. Generally expect to wait at least 14 days for grasses to regrow to grazing height in spring, and 30 or more days in summer. A good rule of thumb for grazing is to avoid exceeding 7 days on any one cell or paddock. If you have enough land to do this, divide your total pasture area into a minimum of 5 paddocks that can range in size from half-acre to several acres. Animals should be rotated to a new paddock at least once a week. If it is not possible to have 5 paddocks, divide your land into as many paddocks as possible to allow the areas to rest.

As previously stated, graze animals when grass is 6 to 8 inches high. Be certain to rest grass when it is grazed

Page 16 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

down halfway (3 to 4 inches high). Remember: “Graze half, leave half.” Grazing 50 percent only removes 2-4 percent of growth but grazing it 60 percent removes over 50 percent of growth! Grazing plants too short may cause horses to ingest soil resulting in sand colic.

Removing the growing points of grass requires longer rest periods for recovery, allows more weeds to invade the pastures, increases the chance for consumption of toxic plants, and increases the need for weed control.

Portable electric fencing systems to subdivide pastures into paddocks can be ideal in some situations.

Ensure that the permanent perimeter fencing is sturdy and reliable. Portable or temporary fencing allows flexibility in how much area you give your horses daily. It also facilitates mowing and haying operations due to the ease of picking it up and getting it out of the way.

Over time you may find that you are placing your fences in the same places and choose to erect permanent fencing in its place.

Keep grasses in their “vegetative” state with a combination of grazing and mowing. Harvesting grass before it gets too tall will prevent it from becoming

reproductive, also known as “going to seed.” Mature grass is coarser, stemmy, and not as palatable or nutritious as leafy, actively growing plants. Clip weeds before they form a seed head to reduce the weed seed in your pastures. Ideally, a paddock should be mowed as soon as possible every time animals are removed and rotated on to the next paddock. Just like grazing, you should allow grasses to grow to 6 to 8 inches and mow to 3 to 4 inches if not actively grazing to keep pasture grass healthy.

Another good management tool for grass management is to soil test pastures to determine the need for fertilizer, and follow recommendations. If a pasture is new or has not received fertilizer for many years, you may wish to test for 2-3 years in a row to establish a healthy fertility level. After that, a test every 3 years is sufficient.

To learn more about managing your pastures for livestock use, please contact the Ravalli County Extension Office at 375-6611 or broos@montana.edu

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Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 17

C

Biological ontrol of Spotted Knapweed in the Bitterroot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a Brief History

JIM STORY Research Entomologist

MSU-Western Agricultural Research Center

Spotted knapweed, first reported in the state in 1927, infests an estimated 4 million acres of rangeland in Montana. Although previously limited to the western third of the state, vast areas in central and eastern Montana are threatened by the weed.

A primary reason for the rapid spread of knapweed is that it is an introduced species and, therefore, lacks the complex of natural enemies that effectively regulate its population in its native area of Eastern Europe.

In the early 1970s, while staring across fields of purple knapweed flowers as far as the eye could see in the Bitterroot Valley, it seemed inconceivable that the spot-

ted knapweed scourge could ever be tamed, but big changes are occurring. It all started with the late Bob Thoft, a rancher and legislator from Stevensville, who was convinced that biological control, the use of hostspecific natural enemies, was the only viable control option against spotted knapweed and other noxious weeds. Thoft worked tirelessly through the late 1970s and 1980s to establish a biocontrol of weed program in Montana. As a result of his efforts, Montana State University started a program biological control against important noxious weeds in 1976. The effort against spotted knapweed was conducted at the MSU-Western Agricultural Research Center at Corvallis, while efforts against other noxious weeds were eventually initiated at MSU in Bozeman.

Page 18 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

The first objective was to introduce a complex of host-specific natural enemies, all attacking different parts of the weed. So, much of the spotted knapweed effort in the 1980s was focused on acquiring funds for the survey, testing, and collection of potential biocontrol agents in Eurasia. A highlight occurred in 1992 when we introduced the 12th and final biocontrol agent species into Montana for spotted knapweed control.

After introducing the insect species, we launched an aggressive biocontrol research and implementation effort against the weed.

In 2004, exactly 30 years after the biocontrol efforts against spotted knapweed were initiated, noticeable reductions in spotted knapweed density began occurring in the Bitterroot Valley, particularly in a 3-mile radius of the Research Center at Corvallis. Since that time, spotted knapweed has been reduced to very low levels in the northern half of the valley.

We determined that the spotted knapweed decline was due to the combined impacts of seven insect species. The two seed head flies (Urophora affinis and U. quadrifasciata), a seed head moth (Metzneria paucipunctella), and two seed head weevils (Larinus minutus and Larinus obtusus) are reducing spotted knapweed seed production by about 94 percent at sites where the five insects coexisted. The reduced seed production has resulted in a 98 percent reduction in the spotted knapweed seed bank which has contributed to the decline of knapweed in these areas. A root moth (Agapeta zoegana) is causing a decline in knapweed biomass and vigor at sites where it is well established.

But, the most effective agent has been the root weevil, Cyphocleonus achates. Multiple-year attack by the weevil is causing mortality to mature spotted knapweed plants. At some weevil study sites, spotted knapweed density has been reduced by 95 percent. Unfortunately, Cyphocleonus does not fly and has a slow reproductive rate, so we have been mass-rearing the weevil at the research center since the early 1990s to hasten the weevil’s distribution throughout the knapweed-infested areas of the state. The rearing effort has proven very beneficial: we have released well over a half million Cyphocleonus throughout the state during the past 18 years. Complementing our rearing efforts are collection/rearing programs being conducted by the Darby and Victor High Schools and other schools in the state.

In summary, the current decline of spotted knapweed in many areas of the Bitterroot Valley is due largely to the effects of Cyphocleonus on mature knapweed plants and the impact of the seed head insects on the knapweed seed bank. Other factors like drought are undoubtedly contributing but, without question, the biocontrol agents have been the primary cause of the remarkable spotted knapweed decline. We are confident that similar declines in spotted knapweed will occur in other areas of the valley and the state once large populations of the effective agents are established. The days of spotted knapweed or “Bitterroot Alfalfa” may be numbered.

H

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 19

erbicides – Use Them Safely

RAVALLI COUNTY WEED DISTRICT

Herbicides are chemicals designed to kill or suppress plants. That being said, there is a lot of misconception concerning their toxic affect to animals and humans. Herbicides are not to be taken lightly and must be used properly, but so do many other chemicals we use regularly. The fact of the matter is that the use of herbicides, used correctly, can be no better or worse for you than chemicals you are around regularly. It is a matter of exposure and dose.

Let’s face it; we are surrounded by hundreds of chemical products every day. When used correctly, they have very low risk to your health, but used incorrectly, they could have an adverse affect on your health. That’s why it is so important to read the label and follow the instructions on anything you use because they all have risks. Even 100 percent natural products can cause problems if not used correctly. So, if you don’t take anything else from this article, learn to read product labels and follow the instructions. It will keep you, your family, and the environment safer.

Chemicals surround us in our lives everyday. There

is an incredible array of different chemicals we may be exposed to, some occur naturally, some manufactured, and many are manufactured versions of natural occurring chemicals. Chemicals come in the form of pesticides, cleaning products, pharmaceuticals, food additives and substitutes, personal care products, and the list goes on.

No matter what the chemical, it’s always important to use it in a safe and responsible manner by always following the directions on the label. All products that we use have a dose at which they can become toxic to humans. This is called acute toxicity. For example some industrial chemicals have toxic affects with just a drop, while with others you could ingest a gallon before you would reach a level of toxicity.

Even water has its dose of toxicity albeit very high.

Try an internet search on “water toxicity” sometime; it’s interesting. All this means is, that we all need to use these products the way they were intended to be used. If a shampoo bottle says ‘avoid getting in eyes’ then be conscious of keeping your eyes closed. If your toothpaste says “do not swallow” then please don’t. If a medication says to only take two with meals, there is

Page 20- Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

probably a good reason why. Instructions on products we all use are there to keep us safe from misusing them.

There are thousands of chemical based products that are safe when used or taken as directed. It is all a matter of exposure and dose. Before you use it – Read the label.

Herbicides are classified as non-selective (kills all plants) or selective (kills specific broadleaf or grass plants). Their chemistries mimic or inhibit natural chemical processes that are specific to plants and are not shared by animals of any kind. They also have a wide range of acute toxicity to animals if used incorrectly as stated before. Many of the most common herbicides used for common weed control have a low risk of acute toxicity, others are more hazardous. On the front of every label there is a “Signal Word” which indicates its relative toxicity. These words are caution, warning, danger, and danger/poison (skull and x-bones), caution being low and danger/poison being the most toxic.

Many commonly used herbicides fall in the caution category, including the herbicides we use on our roadsides.

Herbicides are usually purchased in a concentrated form which needs to be mixed with water before sprayed. To determine how, when, and in what amounts (rate) to be sprayed, you must read the label and all the labels are different. All the information concerning its use is in that label and the law requires that these products must be used as directed by the label.

Following the label helps protect you, your neighbors and the environment. The label will tell you what PPE (personal protective equipment) you will need to safely mix and apply the product. As an applicator, you are at most risk of being exposed to the herbicide and the

proper clothing is important including always wearing long-sleeved shirt, pants, socks, shoes and water proof gloves. When mixing, use measuring devices that will be used only for herbicide use and do not allow herbicide to come into contact with anything that will be used for another purpose such as a garden hose.

Calibration of your spray equipment is essential to mixing the right amount of herbicide whether you are using a small hand sprayer, backpack or ATV. Herbicide application rates are usually expressed in ounces or pints per acre, not as simple ounces per gallon. For example, Milestone herbicide is commonly used at a rate of five ounces per acre which means that only five ounces of the herbicide is spread out over one acre of land. So you will need to know how much liquid you and your spray equipment sprays out on an acre of land. Then you will know how much herbicide to mix in. Our website www.rcweeds.org, has worksheets and instructions on how to calibrate your equipment.

Applying the proper amount of herbicide over a given area ensures good weed control and reduces it’s over exposure to you and the environment.

If you want to do your own spraying every year, consider taking the private applicators course through the county extension office. Although not required to use most herbicides, it will give you a very good education on their safe and proper use. You can also hire professional applicators which there are many good ones in our area. Our website has a list of them. Remember that the goal of any spraying activity should be to reduce the weeds you don’t want and establish the plants you do want further reducing the problem weeds. Please contact us with any questions at 777-5842.

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Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 21

F

Is Your arm A Hobby Or Business?

WADE WEBBER

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great feeling to pay less income tax because your small farm generated a big loss that reduced your overall income. However, the last several years has seen a marked increase in the number of IRS audits conducted in regards to farming operations that IRS suspects are nothing more than hobbies. The tax ramifications of your small farm being considered a hobby are staggering. In a nutshell, your expenses related to your farming operation are limited to the amount of income generated from your farm. In addition, while your gross earnings are treated as ordinary income reported on page 1 of the 1040 the corresponding deductions are a schedule A itemized deduction subject to the 2 percent of AGI limitation.

How do we avoid this tax trap? All facts and circumstances must be taken into account in determining

whether an activity is engaged in for profit. No one factor is determinative. The factors set forth below should normally be taken into account although other factors, not listed, may be considered. As the following discussion will indicate, the determination of whether your farm is a hobby is not necessarily based on the number of factors that indicate a â&#x20AC;&#x153;for profitâ&#x20AC;? activity.

The factors are: 1. Carry on your farming operations in a businesslike manner. Maintaining complete accurate books and records may help indicate that your farm is not a hobby.

A separate checking account and credit card for the farming operation along with related licenses, insurance, membership etc., are good evidence of a profit motive.

2. Demonstrate your or an advisors expertise in regards to the farming operation. This could involve educating yourself by taking classes or going to semi-

Page 22 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

nars related to your farm operation or by consulting an advisor. Make sure the experts you consult with are knowledgeable about your operation and have a sound basis for their advice.

3. You must have more than a “passing” or “casual” interest in the activity. A profit motive may be indicated where you devote much of your time and effort to the farm operation.

4. You have an expectation that assets used in the farm operation may appreciate in value. Thus, you may have a profit motive, even if no profit is derived from current operations, where your intent is a profit will result when appreciation in value of the land is realized.

5. If you have engaged in similar activities in the past and converted them from unprofitable to profitable activities may indicate that the farming operation is for profit.

6. You must have a bona fide goal to realize profit on the entire farm operation. You need to make sure that future net earnings are large enough to cover the initial losses incurred in the start-up of the business.

7. You need to demonstrate an actual and honest profit motive for the farming operation. An unreason-

able expense in relation to income is indicative of no profit motive.

8. If you do not have substantial income or capital from sources other than the farm operation this may indicate the activity is engaged in for profit.

9. If there is no element of personal pleasure or recreation in the farm operation it may indicate a for profit business. Numerous tax court cases have been lost by taxpayers who started a family “farm business” because their children got involved in events and organizations involving livestock Although this is not an all-inclusive discussion of hobby loss rules the above nine factors are good indicators of a for profit business. Whether an activity is engaged in for profit is determined according to objective standards, taking into account all the facts and circumstances of each case. If you have specific concerns, regarding your farm operation, contact your tax advisor.

Wade Weber is the owner of Cowpoke Ranch Supply, Inc. and has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1991

The

M

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 23

othering Instinct

On Corvallis’ west side is a picturesque farm carved out of the forest and rolling hills where Ron and Roberta Gearhart share the land with furry farm dogs, grazing sheep, cattle, cats, chickens as well as elk, deer, turkeys, wolves and pesky raccoons.

In their producing heyday they offered the best registered Suffolks lambs for breeders and 4-H kids alike.

But these days, in a loosely-termed retirement, they keep the lambs to keep themselves busy.

It was a good spring for a new batch of 40 healthy lambs. They only lost five and enjoyed eight sets of triplets and one set of quadruplets.

Their makeshift animal hospital was home to only one weakling who is finally learning to walk, a blind lamb and a manageable group of 12 funloving, bottle-fed orphans.

While most ewes effectively raise twins, a triplet birth often means one is culled out and left to fend for itself or “unfortunately become coyote bait,” Roberta said.

Stacie Duce

She brags about a legendary wonder mama who kept her own three lambs fed and then adopted two more. Roberta admits she tried to send a sixth and seventh her way, but the ewe gave her a clearly overwhelmed message with her eyes that only another mother could understand.

Ron and Roberta, who raised two daughters of their own, know that saving the “bummer lambs,” is not good business sense, but they’ve long since lost such priorities.

Instead, Ron has converted one end of the old dairy stalls in their pristine 80-year-old barn into a maternity ward for lambing.

They bring expectant ewes to clean stalls with fresh hay for delivery instead of out in the field where known predators could capture newborns. Roberta watches the mother lambs, especially when more than two are born, and waits for maternal instincts to run their natural course.

If one of the three is rejected or ignored, which is to be expected, Roberta brings the baby to her own nursery stall and begins a vigorous regimen of bottle feed-

Page 24 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

ing and sweet talking to keep the tiny lambs nourished and thriving.

The day our family visited, the sun was setting and it was dinner time for the lambs. Roberta hauled a tray of converted Coke bottles – filled with milk and topped with rubber nipples – across the yard to the white barn for her favorite time of the day.

She set the bottles on a stack of hay bales and readied herself for the newborn stampede. She managed to hold three bottles at a time for the thirsty lambs that still had long tails wagging while happily drinking lukewarm milk. I also held three bottles, but not nearly as steady.

My 8-year-old son loved to be swarmed by the suckling babies and nuzzled their fresh, dark wool coats with his whole face. He had more fun letting the lambs suck his index finger than the bottle, but it soon became apparent they wouldn’t settle for less than eight ounces of the real stuff.

My 2-year-old simply squealed and pranced and blended into the herd of happy orphans – something that would never happen in a herd of ewes and lambs.

Roberta called individual lambs by name and told

the story of each one’s birth. She fed twins whose mother was also a saved orphan and she admits, she made her own life harder by breeding a lamb that was never mothered herself.

She explained to us that orphan lambs can thrive with human intervention, but they never develop true maternal instincts and subsequently ignore any offspring of their own.

So once again, life’s most important lessons can always be found on a farm: every soul is precious, good mothers are to be appreciated and emulated and sometimes working hard is more gratifying than working smart.

Stacie Duce periodically writes columns for the Ravalli Republic and can be reached at duceswild7@ gmail.com

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Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 25

Protection from the sun is easy!

KATELYN ANDERSEN MSU Extension Agent Summer has been coming to the Bitterroot in tiny bursts of beautiful sunshine. If you were like me on those warm days, you went outside and later realized you should have protected yourself from the sun’s rays. It’s pretty hard to conceal raccoon eyes and burnt necks. From now on, just remember the mantra slip, slop, slap, wrap. As the Australian health campaign encourages, “Slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen, slap on a hat, wrap on some sunglasses.”

The skin is the body’s largest organ and helps protect and regulate it. Just like other organs, the skin needs to be kept healthy. Make sure you drink enough water to keep your skin hydrated, and protect your skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Protecting your skin from the UV rays can help prevent premature aging effects and other skin damage, cataracts and other eye problems, immune suppression, and skin cancer.

Slopping on the sunscreen is the most important and easiest way to protect your skin. Sunscreen should be applied to your skin every day regardless of skin type or color. Even if your skin does not burn, you are still damaging your skin through UV exposure. Damage from sun exposure is cumulative throughout your life, which means that you will not necessarily see effects of sun damage immediately. Skin damage can still occur later in life even though you never sunburn. Even if you’re an adult, it’s not too late to help reverse some of the damage, as skin can sometimes repair itself.

If you plan to spend 20 minutes outdoors, you should apply sunscreen no matter the time of year. Make sure to use about one ounce per application every 2 hours spent in the sun. Use sunscreen liberally, uniformly and thickly to cover all exposed areas; apply lip balm with SPF 15 or higher to avoid damage to the lips. Sunscreen does have an expiration date of about three years but, with proper use, you will use up your sunscreen before it loses its effectiveness.

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Parents should also note that they should not use sunscreen on children under 6 months of age. Sunscreen can irritate infant’s skin. When outside, keep children under 6 months of age in the shade, and out of direct sunlight.

Checking the SPF. The term “SPF” is visible on every sunscreen bottle and stands for Sun Protective Factor.

Sunscreens are classified by the strength of SPF; minimal (2-11 SPF), moderate (12-29 SPF), and high (30+ SPF).

Consumers must remember that sunscreen does not give you total protection. SPF represents the degree to which a sunscreen can protect the skin from sunburn. The higher the number, the better the protection.

Even though sunscreen provides protection from the sun people should avoid the sun or seek shade between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when sun’s UV rays are strongest.

Clouds do not offer protection; in fact, up to 80 percent of the UV rays get through.

Wear a hat that has a 3-inch brim to protect your head.

As for your shirt, tightly woven fabrics work the best to block out the sun. Darker colored fabrics absorb UV rays and provide better protection than white or light-colored fabrics. Sunglasses should have 99-100 percent UV protection for your eyes.

The basics of skin protection are pretty simple and can prevent painful sunburns. Although you may not have that summertime glow, your skin will thank you later in life.

Remember to slip, slop, slap and wrap!

Questions or comments can be directed to MSU/Ravalli Co. Extension, 215 S. 4th Street Ste G, Hamilton, MT 59840, 375-6611.

Katelyn Andersen, M.S., is an Assistant Professor for Montana State University Extension. She serves as the 4-H/Youth Development and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent for Ravalli County. Information referenced from the Texas Extension: Sunscreen Use and FDA: Sun Safety.

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Page 26 - Agriculture Quarterly, JUNE 2010

Going Local at Packing Co.

The Bitterroot Valley landscape still has its share of beef cattle and small ranches.

And Hamilton Packing Co. helps to keep a good portion of those animals in the local food web.

The meat processing plant many know as part of 4H

H

amilton

SEPP JANNOTTA Staff Reporter

auction process the Ravalli County Fair has been on the north side of Hamilton for generations â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and in the hands of Marty Auch for 23 years.

Hamilton Packing provides a retail butcher shop, custom meat processing for area livestock growers, as

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 27

well as whole sale meat for area restaurants that want to provide local beef.

“Local ” is buzzword, sure, but Auch said it has become increasingly important to people.

When folks order up a famous burger at Nap’s, Auch said that ground beef was processed at his place.

“They do it right over there,” Auch said. “It’s hard to beat their burgers.”

Auch said Hamilton Packing will typically process a locally grown bull once every week or so to keep up with the demand for ground beef from the restaurants he supplies.

On the butcher shop side, Auch said it is less about local meet, though that it makes up the ground beef and other products he sells.

But what people get is the real butcher shop experience.

If you want you meat cut a certain thickness or to some other specification, you simply say the word. You are a key part of the process, he said.

“We’re an old-style butcher shop,” Auch said.

The work has its seasonal fluctuations to be sure,

with barbeque season. As the calendar tips toward July, the luau season hits and people start requesting hogs.

Because not too many are grown locally, Auch said he orders them from Whitehall.

One of the few state-inspected packing plants in the area, Hamilton Packing Co. processes the meat sold by Lifeline and others who market the livestock they grow in the green pastures of Montana, Auch said.

They also take care of the Ravalli County Fair and last year added the Tri-County Fair over in Deer Lodge.

The company, which processes thousands of pounds of meat each year, employs nine or 10 full time employees, Auch said, if you count him and his wife Kim. Auch said when he bought the business back in the 1980s, he had never cut meat in his life – he was simultaneously the top dog and the working at the bottom of the butcher shop ladder.

“There’s only one way to learn,” he said.

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Page 28 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Care of the

A

DR. LINDA S. KAUFFMAN

Preparation for your horse’s senior years is a lifelong endeavor. This entails, among other things, proper nutrition, a good deworming program for his living situation, and proper dental care for most or all of his life.

Let’s start with diet and nutrition. Most animals – if they survive into their “golden years” – have changes in their dietary needs, and this is related to both age and dental health. As animals age, they are less able to absorb and utilize nutrients than when they were younger, and the result is that they do not maintain acceptable weight and body condition scores. I have seen this in my own horse as well as many clients’ horses. Suddenly one winter, the horse just doesn’t winter as well or look as good as before. This may also be due to dentition problems that have recently occurred,

ging Horse

such as an abscessed fractured tooth or loss of a tooth or teeth.

Generally, when a horse needs a boost in nutrition due to aging, I recommend adding a complete pelleted feed of some type. (Purina’s Equine Senior or Triple Crown Senior are two of my favorites.) Pelleted feed is better because it digests more easily and the nutrients are better utilized than something like whole grain feeds (corn-oats-barley or “cob”, with or without molasses or whole wheat). The amount your horse needs will vary depending on weather, time of year, and teeth condition. For most geriatrics that are in the 1,0001,200 pound range, I recommend starting with four to five pounds of pelleted feed per day. You may increase this amount all the way up to 15-20 pounds per day for those animals who need full nutrition from pelleted (i.e. those who have no effective teeth left). A good quality forage (hay) should be available in adequate

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 29

amounts, although what is adequate depends again on the individual animal. For the most part, animals need 1½-2 percent of their body weight per day in feed, and the feed that is available in our area is grass or grass/ alfalfa mix hays. Be sure to avoid grain hays, such as oat or barley, which are too coarse and low in protein and energy for our geriatric friends. Straight alfalfa hay is also available and can be used in some cases.

Another important essential for any livestock, especially in the Bitterroot, is the availability of loose mineral.

Our valley is very deficient in many minerals, and I recommend offering loose mineral and loose white salt – in separate containers – in a sheltered area available at all times. Mineral and salt blocks are also sold at local feed stores; however, our valley is so deficient in minerals that a horse cannot stand and lick a block long enough to get the minerals needed. The product I prefer to use is a loose mineral designed to be added to feed, known as Purina’s Natures Essential Free Balance 12:12 that is added at the rate of 2 oz/ hd/day. (*Note: Be sure to consult your veterinarian if you are feeding other supplements that also contain minerals so the you don’t over feed a particular mineral.

I have found probiotics to be very helpful in older horses and any horse with a gastro-intestinal problem. High quality and quantity of probiotics can be used for aiding digestion in the small intestine and preventing sugars and starches from reaching the large intestine where their digestion in the large intestine can add to problems such as Cushings, metabolic disorder, or laminitis. My prefer-

ence is Fastrack not only because of the high content of some types of yeast, but also because it provides food for the good bacteria that can not be packaged. More and more feed companies are adding probiotics to their products, but, in my opinion, to get an adequate level of probiotics from feed, animals would have to eat more than recommended amounts.

Another nutritional consideration is how the horses are housed – on pasture or dry-lot (in a pen or corral).

Those in dry lot situations are much more prone to “sand colic.” This is a condition where the horse inadvertently picks up sand as feed is eaten off the ground and “scrounges” for any fallen morsels or sprigs of grass that may appear in warmer months. The amount of sand consumed that causes problems will vary with the horse, but I’ve known personally of horses with 50-60 pounds of sand accumulated in the caecum (unfortunately found after euthanasia).

To avoid this problem, psyllium (which is found in Metamucil for humans) can be fed on a regular basis to help move accumulated sand out of the digestive system. Psyllium is available in a variety of products; a well-known commercial brand is Sand Clear.

Housing is another consideration. Animals accustomed to the weather – with a winter hair coat – need only an open front shelter (or “loafing shed”) in the Bitterroot Valley to protect them from the wind.

Some people prefer to stall their horses and some prefer to blanket them, but most winters this is not necessary. One exception is cold, rainy weather. Once an animal’s coat is soaked through to the skin, the horse

Page 30 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

is much less resistant to the cold. In these cases, blanketing and/or stalling is advisable until the hair coat is dry or the weather has changed.

Dental care is paramount in the geriatric horse. As I mentioned earlier, hopefully this dental care has begun prior to the animal’s teen years. Regular care beginning at least at age 10 can monitor sharp points, “wave mouth,” early wear and tooth loss. Evaluation of the state of the horse’s mouth (how many effective teeth are left) in combination with the horse’s weight and body score often determine the best diet for that horse. I usually recommend yearly floats or dental exams once a horse hits 16-17 years.

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Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 31

his 20s or even 30s. Proper dental care, along with regular deworming, is probably the most important factor in your horse’s longevity equation.

Deworming will continue to be of great importance as your horse enters his golden years. Fecal exams are the best way to monitor his individual worm load. Once you’ve determined the type of worm load your farm or ranch carries, you can deworm on a regular basis accordingly.

A very common ailment of older horses is Cushing’s disease which is said to affect 80 percent of horses over 20 years old. Technically, the disease is known as a “Cushings-like” disease (relating to the adrenal gland) when it actually is a dysfunction of the pituitary gland in the brain. Most likely as you’ve driven around our valley, you’ve seen a horse affected with the disease.

The classic Cushing’s horse has trouble frequently with founder (laminitis) and also can be easily recognized by a long curly hair coat that either doesn’t shed out at all or sheds out slowly and incompletely.

Frequently, these horses are obese, sweat profusely, and may also drink and urinate excessively. Untreated, these animals often progress to a diabetic state, weight and muscle loss, and eventually death. However, treatment is available and generally successful with a prescription. The sooner a diagnosis is made and treat-

ment begun, the better the long-term prognosis. You cannot cure a horse of Cushing’s, but you can treat the symptoms and make your horse happier and more comfortable.

Finally, the vaccination protocol you follow for your horse depends on what your geriatric friend is still able to do. In other words, if the horse is still active and is being ridden with other horses off the ranch, I would recommend giving yearly 5-way (Eastern and Western Sleeping Sickness, tetanus, influenza and rhinopneumonitis), Strangles, and West Nile vaccinations. If your horse is a “pasture ornament” who mostly stays on the home place, he only needs a 3-way (Eastern and Western Sleeping Sickness and Tetanus) and West Nile are necessary. I would, of course, vary this recommendation if the horse is in a boarding facility or has over-thefence contact with horses that do get out and about.

In closing, all of these areas I have addressed can vary greatly depending on your horse’s specific situation, so please call if you have any questions or contact the veterinarian of your choice.

For questions call: Dr. Linda S. Kauffman

Burnt Fork Veterinary Clinic

3682 Eastside Highway

Stevensville, MT 59870

406-777-3844

Page 32 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Agriculture Heritage Notebook The Bitter Root Cultural Heritage Trust works in partnership with families, neighborhoods, and communities to restore historic structures, bring back traditional events and celebrations, encourage interpretation, and affirm cultural values.

The Heritage Trust is delighted to be a part of the Ravalli Republic’s Agriculture Quarterly and will be bringing you stories of our local agricultural history and heritage in each issue.

For this issue we asked Wendy Beye to highlight an historic valley barn and the family that owns it. Wendy, is working on the BitterRoot Barns Project. Wendy’s barn photos will ultimately serve many purposes, but her primary objective is to write a book about selected historic Bitterroot barns. Beyond their architectural beauty on the landscape, Wendy incorporates the stories of the families that own, use, and steward the barns. The Bitter Root Cultural Heritage Trust is proud to be a partner to the BitterRoot Barns Project.

Jeanne Burruss, a third-generation Bitterrooter,

clasps her work-toughened hands on the dining room table as she awaits my first question. She and her husband, Charlie, have just returned from town where they attended a friend’s funeral. They generously agree to share several hours of precious daylight to pass along some of the history of the barn that basks in the afternoon sun back of the house. Oldtimers in the area call it “Cesar’s Barn.”

Jeanne’s stepfather and mom, Ben and Lois Willi, bought three contiguous Bitter Root Valley Irrigation Company Summerdale Orchard lots in 1955, settling their small family on the sparsely-populated bench east of Corvallis below the Big Ditch. They milked a few dairy cows, selling cream to the Corvallis Creamery, raised some sheep, and harvested hay. Jeanne remem-

bers helping stack hay in the barn’s loft by use of a huge clamshell hay hook that ran on a trolley along the ridgepole. Her mom was stationed at one end of the barn in the driver’s seat of an old pickup truck, pulley rope attached to the bumper; her dad worked the trip release on the hay hook in the loft; and Jeanne stabbed the sharp tines of the hook into the loose hay loaded on a wagon at the opposite end of the barn. Jeanne would shout, “Ready!” to her dad, and he in turn would pass the message to her mom to gun the engine and hoist the hay up into position in the loft. When the haystack on the wagon diminished, sometimes the hook would grab the wooden bed, and the whole smooth process would grind to a halt until shouted messages could untangle the wreck. Miraculously, no one was ever hurt.

Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010 - Page 33

Charlie, who was born in Brazil when his father was working there as a parasitologist, came to Hamilton at the age of five, speaking fluent Portuguese and wearing tropical white shorts. He gave up both on his first day of school in the Bitter Root. Dr. Burruss went to work at the Rocky Mountain Lab. When Charlie returned to the valley after a stint in the army, he and Jeanne bought the ranch from her folks and settled in, intent on starting a family and keeping the place afloat financially. Jeanne put her earlier training to good use as a ranch wife, sharing in all the chores, and even taking care of the animals and hay crop solo when Charlie was gone for long periods to care for his aging parents in Pennsylvania. Over the years they raised two children, cattle, sheep, and quarter horses. Charlie became a popular and skilled concrete finisher, and Jeanne concentrated on the kids and the ranch work. She especially enjoyed breeding fine quarterhorses, training them for trail riding, barrel racing, Western Pleasure competitions, and gymkhana activities for kids in the valley. She says, “No one around here had a horse trailer. We used to load five or six horses in the back of our 2-Ton 1946 International truck, cram as many kids as possible into the cab, and head up into the mountains for trailrides. I couldn’t even move my arms to shift gears, so I would holler ‘Clutch!’ and one of the kids would grab the shift knob and put it into the next gear. It was great fun!”

Her eyes sparkle with the memory.

Charlie digs out the Title Abstract that was created when the Willis bought the ranch in 1955 and brought it to the dining room. We start paging through the information and find several sales of a 160-acre piece that includes their land. The earliest date is 1888, but there is no mention of a homestead. By 1908 the Bitter Root Valley Irrigation Company owned the property, and created sixteen ten-acre Summerdale Orchard lots.

Thousands of acres of orchard lots were created in the valley in the early 1900s, and were sold to people who dreamed of making a fortune on Bitter Root apples, apricots, pears and cherries. Each of the major subdivisions boasted a luxurious inn where potential land buyers (aka “suckers”) were coddled, wined, and dined into signing up for acreage. Absentee owners paid the BRVIC to plant trees, care for them, and harvest the fruit. Most of the would-be orchardists went broke as weather, insects, and tree diseases swallowed slim profits. The chain of subsequent sales of these three particular lots illustrates that fact. In June of 1922, L.J. Cesar purchased two adjoining Summerdale lots from Ole and Josie Ottermans, and in 1935 acquired a third adjoining lot by tax deed from Ravalli County. The local rumor mill asserts that Mr. Cesar either made moonshine in his barn or at the very least was involved in Bitter Root’s bootleg liquor trafficking during Prohibition.

His ownership of the barn coincides with the Prohibition Era, but a subsequent search of records at the Ravalli County Museum fails to verify his sources of income. The search does, however, turn up some interesting information about other Bitter Root ranch families….more on that later.

The next set of transactions in the Abstract is a bit odd. Gladys Spoklie purchased the three lots on June Photo: Wendy Beye 29 of 1946, and on the very same day sold the ranch on a contract for deed to a couple named Fairchild. Also on June 29, she assigned that contract in the amount of $17,000 to Ravalli County Bank. Apparently the Fairchilds were not able to make their contract payments, as Gladys is again listed as the owner of the property in 1947. She re-sold it in 1949, this time to Edwin and Lena Pearson. They were to apply some of the profits from sale of apples and apricots to the purchase price. By 1951, Gladys once more acquired the ranch this time by quit claim deed.

Page 34 - Agriculture Quarterly, June 2010

Apparently the orchard business was still not a lucrative undertaking. As we read through this convoluted trail, we decide that Gladys must have been quite the wheeler-dealer. Charlie recalls that a man named Spoklie recently stopped by to visit the ranch, telling a story about having lived on the place sometime just after World War II. The visitor said he was barely in high school when his mom (presumably Gladys) took off and left him to run the ranch for nearly a year. The neighbors pitched in to help him out. There was one more short-term owner before the Willi family purchased the ranch in 1955. At least one lawyer was involved in clearing up the chain of title through the 1940s. It’s enough to make our heads spin.

We decide to vacate the house and head for the barn to explore. Charlie and Jeanne added several wings onto the original barn, which was quite small.

Soon after the couple bought the ranch, Charlie went to work building sheep “jugs,” small low stalls, each holding a single ewe and her lamb, complete with a warming light for cold weather. He and Jeanne also removed all the milking stanchions to replace them with a roughcut lumber support wall and built stairs to the loft. When she began raising quarter horses, Jeanne added a stud stall, with extra thick high walls to separate a fractious horse from the other animals. I don’t ask how many hammer blows it took to drive each nail, but judging from her strong hands and the muscles in her

arms, I’m guessing she is a pretty good carpenter.

We climb the ladder to the loft and find no hay, but lots of stored lumber for future projects or firewood. The hay trolley rail still follows the ridgepole, and Jeanne says the hay hook is stashed somewhere under the eaves. A new metal roof protects the original structure. There is no rot or sag evident. This barn was probably built sometime in the 1920s; perhaps by Mr. Cesar. Nails rather than mortise and tenon joints hold the supporting framework together. One unpeeled log supports the floor of the loft, perhaps to shore up an impending sag that showed up during the barn’s mid-life; the rest of the structure is rough-cut lumber.

Jeanne keeps the resident pigeons from feeling too comfortable by periodically shooting in their direction.

We stroll in the sunshine, explore a hangar that houses Charlie’s J-3 Piper Cub and a Model A Ford, admire the tomato plants that have been wheeled out to soak up some sun, and chat about life in the Bitter Root. Charlie and Jeanne are uncertain about the future of their small ranch. It was never a great financial success, but was a wonderful place to raise their two children, and they have no regrets in spite of the aches and pains they suffer as a result of 50 years of hard work.

They will live in the beautifully remodeled original farmhouse and enjoy the spectacular view of the Bitterroot Mountains to the west as long as they can.

Photo: Wendy Beye

Bleed Trim - 8x10

2010 master sponsor

Inside Back Live Area - 7x9 2010 bull-a-rama sponsor

2010 chute sponsors Western Colloid

Burr Creek Ranch

Ravalli County Fair Hamilton, mt September 1-4, 2010

wednesday night: 6pm the polyjesters; 8pm chance mckinney & crosswire Thursday night: 7pm bull-a-rama friday & saturday nights: 7pm rodeo Eclectic Vendors, Bountiful Exhibits, Carnival, Great Food & Entertainment Each Day! fair entry deadline august 13

Safe Choice Horse Feed 50lb.

Strategy GX Horse Feed 50lb.

Controlled starch, highly digestible fiber formula

Complete feed in pellet form Added minerals, polyunsaturated oils & lysine to keep your horse healthy

Formulated with organic trace mineral complexes

coupon

$3 OFF

any 50lb bag of Nutrena feed limited to stock on hand. 1 bag per coupon. May not be combined with any other coupons or specials. Coupon expires September 15, 2010

coupon

$3 OFF

any 50lb bag of Purina feed

limited to stock on hand. 1 bag per coupon. May not be combined with any other coupons or specials. Coupon expires September 15, 2010

Missoula

Hamilton

Butte

Dillon

2801 W. Broadway

1189 1st St. South

3939 Harrison Ave.

851 N. Montana

549-2355

363-7644 494-6188 www.QualitySupply.com

683-6855