march 2015
M A G A Z I N E
Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 3
in this issue Start-up ranch............................................................ 5 Land is your legacy.................................................... 7 Stevensville FFA......................................................... 9 Duce’s Wild.............................................................. 12 Caring for goats....................................................... 13 Montana crop sales................................................. 15 Small-scale farming................................................. 16 Bitterroot Valley producer guide............................ 19
MAGAZINE How did you like this issue of Agriculture Magazine? 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 on this page by Stacie Duce and Perry Backus Cover Photo by Perry Backus Agriculture Magazine is published by the Ravalli Republic & Missoulian Newspapers, divisions of Lee Enterprises Mark Heintzelman, Publisher Sherry Devlin, Editor Jim Coulter, General Manager Frannie Cummings, Kathy Kelleher, Jodi Lopez & Justine Morris, Advertising Sales Dara Saltzman, Production & Design Agriculture Magazine is copyright 2015, Ravalli Republic.
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The way we were
ravalli county museum and historical society photo archives
A Bitter Root Valley scene by Johnny Johnson c. 1900 from a glass-plate negative.
Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 5
New calves from inaugural calving season of the 3Y Bar Cattle Ranch in Stevensville owned and operated by young ranchers, Justin and Lindsey Hoerner.
First calving season for Stevi startup ranchers Story and photos by STACIE DUCE for the Ravalli Republic
STEVENSVILLE – From the top of Sunset Bench, Justin and Lindsey Hoerner have a breathtaking view of the entire Bitterroot Mountain Range. As young ranchers, they’ve just experienced their first calving season with weather that made the venture beautiful and fortunately uneventful. Justin grew up listening to his grandfather
tell stories about his ranch operation near Yaak, Montana, and he was always interested. He earned a double major in business management and marketing from the University of Montana and Lindsey is working on her master’s degree in social work. “But about two years ago, we decided to reregister my grandfather’s brand,” said Justin. “We had the land and the opportunity and so I decided I wanted to be a rancher. It’s in my blood,
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but by no means because I was born into it. … I grew up with other livestock, but not cattle. I’m passionate about working outside and really excited about the opportunity.” He admits the timing of their start-up ranch is not the most ideal because of high cattle prices, but “forecasts are bright and make the investment worth it in the longrun. We’ve just let the cards fall as they might and basically, we’re having so much fun. I have loved learning as we go.” The Hoerners along with a right-hand man have built a beautiful home, sturdy fence and are working on another outbuilding for tractors and implements on their picture-perfect, newborn ranch. They bought 15 registered Angus and had them bred. “We’ve done a lot of research, but gaining first-hand experience has been the best,” Justin said. “Vets and other ranchers have been really helpful. We bought our cows from Jocko Valley Cattle in Arlee and he took a lot of time with us to figure out our plans and goals and helped us pick out a good first batch of heifers. He knew we were green horns and anyone could have taken advantage of that, but no one has. We’ve felt a lot of support.” With 80 acres mostly cleared of sagebrush, they are already looking to expand. “Our goals are to increase our herd size and become effective with AI (artificial insemination),” he said. “We need to acquire hay property because although we’ve cleared all this land, they’ll only be able to eat green grass up here in April, May and June.” With the mild temperatures, Justin said he was present for every birth during calving season, “Because we bought good stock with good genetics, it cuts down on the complications. The weather cooperated and everything went well. We feel very fortunate and are optimistic about the future.”
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DAVID ERICKSON/Ravalli Republic
Dan Huls of Huls Dairy near Corvallis with a member of the 2013 “Clean Energy Tour”.
‘Land is Your Legacy’ program supports families By STACIE DUCE for the Ravalli Republic
CORVALLIS - Corvallis dairyman Dan Huls has been a point of contact in the Bitterroot Valley for a new educational program entitled “Land is Your Legacy.” He hosted a meeting in February at St. Mary’s Parish Center in Stevensville to help farmers and ranchers with transition planning. “Our meeting in February was very successful,” Huls said. “Help is underway right now for several families, which is exciting.” Huls said the outcome of proactive transition
plans is “very important because the age of the American farmer is growing rapidly and we need another generation to be able to provide the food and fiber. Sometimes the transition within families is very difficult. There are questions that need to be asked that no one really likes to talk about, but they need to be talked about before there’s a loss in the family that requires these discussions out of necessity.” The “Land is Your Legacy” program is sponsored by Nationwide Insurance and is designed to help agricultural producers to preserve legacies, safeguard the value of operations, set up an
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orderly transition of ownership/management to the next and future generations, turn non-liquid assets into cash to cover taxes and expenses, and to identify and manage the risks of each particular operation. According to Nationwide information, the farming community is collectively aging with an average age for an operator at 57 years with the largest segment of growth in those 70 years and older. As a result, a tremendous amount of transition planning will be needed during the next 20 years, Huls said. Studies also indicate that family operations are failing to transfer to the next generation at a rate of 70 percent. “It is very difficult to pass them along to the next generation, but it is possible,” Huls said. The “Land is Your Legacy” presentation offers assistance in five key areas for transition planning: • Planning for the succession of the business with people and their personalities/strengths in mind.
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• In that process of succession planning, the needs of the farm operation need to speak the loudest. • Risk management for the retiring farmer that includes planning for the possible costs of medical needs, health plans, prescriptions and long-term care if needed as well as financial independence from the business’ operating budget. The plan also needs to include the risks of property and casualty liability exposure now and in the future. • Mentorship plans that include expectations for everyone participating in the succession process. • Estate planning that includes all the family members involved. Family meetings are a must, Huls said. According to Nationwide materials, the number one mistake in farming successions is failure to systematically go through the planning process. “You have to write out your goals, objectives and your values,” Huls said. “If you don’t communicate, it won’t be passed down to the next generation.”
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Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 9
Slats of wood are inscribed with the names of Stevensville FFA students who earned the coveted state degrees and represent many years of dedicated classtime learning, community service and supervised agricultural projects. They date back to the 1940s and include names of Stevensville students from every decade since then. Currently, the plaques are stacked on a table while the walls are being painted but will return to the place of honor in the ag classroom at Stevensville High.
Stevensville FFA promotes leadership and community Story and photos by STACIE DUCE for the Ravalli Republic
STEVENSVILLE – The ag building at Stevensville High School might be the busiest classroom on campus, as dedicated Future Farmers of America members gather before school, after school and during lunch to learn lifelong skills, practice for competitions and forge lasting friendships. The Stevensville FFA Chapter is the most active in the Bitterroot Valley, rivaled only by a smaller
Victor High School program. The Stevensville student officers say they have 60 active members who not only learn skills for competition but also find ways to serve the community. Recently, they celebrated FFA week with festivities and service. “The best part was dressing up in our official dress for Teacher Appreciation Day,” said Jennica Hopcroft, a senior who serves as the FFA reporter. “Everyone was wearing their corduroy jackets, scarves, black skirts for the girls and black slacks for the boys.”
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She and Morgan Potten agree that their dedica- It could be a job or raising livestock outside of a classroom,” she said. “You have to have so many tion to the uniform gives them an advantage at dollars earned or so many hours of community competitions. service required in order to earn a state degree, so “Our reputation is that we’re always in our it’s quite an accomplishment.” official dress,” Hopcroft said. “Our appearance She said eighth-graders enrolled in the program makes us intimidating and that first impression is can earn a discovery degree, freshmen can meet important so we’ll always stop and change at the hotel or even a gas station so we can show up pre- requirements to earn a green-hand degree, which includes starting an SAE project. For sophomores pared.” and juniors, more requirements allow them to Potten is a senior who serves as vice president and said the students’ dedication also gives them earn a chapter degree and then a junior or senior year can work to qualify for a state degree. an advantage, “We practice a lot and have cap“It’s a dedicated process to actually earn your tains over each team to help motivate everyone.” state degree, and so that’s why they’re recognized Hopcroft added, “We’re here in the morning, on the walls we’re here at of our classlunch, and we room,” Mrs. stay after school Hackett said. until 5 p.m. every “If we posted day working on the names of individual or every student group projects.” involved in the The dedicated agricultural students are program, we perpetuating a wouldn’t have legacy marked enough space by wooden slats in the entire that cover the building.” walls of their ag Hopcroft classroom from said: “My dad desk to ceiling. was a reporter The names of for Stevensville FFA students FFA in 1985 from the 1940s Members of Stevensville High School’s FFA often meet during the lunch hour to and my sister and every prepare for competitions and work on group projects. was in 2012, decade since so FFA was the first thing I jumped in to when I then who have earned a state degree are carved got into high school. At first, you try everything in the stained wood. FFA students often recogand then you pick and choose according to your nize the names of their parents, aunts, uncles and talents and interests. It’s a really great process and neighbors. offers a lot to us. If I had to do it all over again, I’d be involved in FFA, no question.” “We have a lot to live up to,” said Josette Potten said her older brother was active in FFA. Hackett, who has served as Stevensville’s FFA “So I saw him doing all these community events adviser for three years, and assisted two years and wanted to be a part of it,” she said. In addibefore that. She said the intercurricular program tion to her swine and beef breeding projects, begins in eighth grade. “serving the community was really important to “There are three parts to our ag program – me and FFA is a great way to experience that. the instruction classroom time, FFA and SAE’s Going to the competitions has been awesome, which are supervised agricultural experiences.
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Cardenas’ rigorous school schedule hasn’t allowed her to take the standard FFA classes her senior year, so she and Mrs. Hackett worked out an independent study program so she can continue to be a member of FFA. “FFA is an important class especially for those of us growing up in Montana,” Cardenas said. “We learn what’s around us and how these rural towns work and the issues Cheri Jackson is surrounding us in a senior who serves agriculture. … Right as FFA secretary this now, I’m studying year. “In my four or prepared speaking five years in FFA, I’ve and electricity. Mrs. logged probably Hackett gives me a 1,000 hours in extrabroad lesson plan curricular activities. It’s and we work through a lot of fun to do.” Morgan Potten and Jennica Hopcroft are officers in the it together.” Jackson is planStevensville FFA chapter and leaders among their peers. Jennica Hackett said FFA ning to study agrialso serves as the captain of the floracultural team and Morgan is is the largest youth culture teaching captain of the food science and veterinarian science teams. leadership program at Northwestern College in Wyoming this fall and later earn a busi- in the United States. “It helps children grow from being quiet to becoming outstanding leaders in ness degree. their community based on an agricultural curricuSenior Jenna Cardenas has also chosen her future plans based on her experiences in FFA. “I’m lum,” she said. The state FFA competition is March 25-28 in going to go to Western Washington University to earn a bio-chemistry degree and then go to medi- Billings. Hackett said around 28 students will be cal school so I can come back to Montana and be competing at state and three are running for state office. an obstetrician/gynocologist. … We have sheep “It’s really exciting and we’re grateful to the and I help with lambing every year. I’ve learned school district for being so supportive of these a lot about helping through the complications. But mostly, I’ve always loved kids and have known kids,” Hackett said. “They bus us where we need to be and provide the support so these kids can since I was little that that’s what I wanted to do succeed.” someday.” meeting hundreds of kids and then qualifying for nationals was amazing.” Potten, Hopcroft and five others traveled to Louisville, Kentucky, last October for the national competition and participated in leadership workshops. They were able to see Nashville and stayed in Lexington. “It was such a great experience,” said Hopcroft.
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Duce’s ild Stacie Duce
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Last Christmas, my father commissioned a painting of his late father and gave prints to each of his children. Sounds pretty fancy for an Idaho farmboy who appreciates signed baseball collections over works of art or sculpture. But my left-brained dad who thrived in a career in finance for an agricultural cooperative has surprised me in his retirement, and now includes bronze sculptures and original works of art as part of his expanding investment portfolio. Needless to say, the modest home I grew up in has been transformed into a museum – of not only sports memorabilia – but also pays homage to his agricultural roots. The painting that I now also enjoy in my home is of my grandfather holding the reins to a pair of Clydesdales in the field. He operated a dairy and dry farm, but loved his Clydesdales most of all. In the beginning, they helped plow the fields and our family history includes the heart-wrenching story of the time the pair escaped and ran on either side of a long, wooden fence with the yoke obliterating each picket to splinters. After Grandpa sold the farm, he kept the Clydesdales and a beautiful but simple carriage that took us down Main streets for parades and on winter wonderland rides. He even spent time during one summer giving rides to tourists in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I’ll always remember being about 7 years old in Grandpa’s wagon on huge indoor stage for a commemorative pioneer celebration and praying that those horses didn’t
leave a mess behind for the dancers who would follow. My new painting has spiritual connotations as well. Any marriage advice offered by my dad always included the symbolism of the team of horses who were yoked side by side, each one pulling an equal share of the load. In the painting, I see my Grandpa as a figure of the Savior who, if we will heed spiritual warnings, will tug a bit on reigns to keep a team from running wild or falling into dangerous traps. A newspaper reporter once wrote a feature story on Grandpa and his Clydesdales for his local newspaper back in the 1980s. My dad had a yellowing copy of the paper framed and it still hangs in his personal ag museum at home. The story was a treasure for our family and is something I consider when writing feature stories about others. A person’s legacy can be captured in print for generations to appreciate – not just stuck in fading memories. And so I remember my Grandpa for his love of the land and his love of Clydesdales. I will appreciate his spiritual guidance and example of hardworking, righteous living. Whether in paint or print, it’s important to commemorate those who came before and firmly establish their legacy so it can perpetuate.
Caring for goats
perry backus/Ravalli Republic
By LINDA KAUFFMAN for the Ravalli Republic
Goats seem to be one of the latest fads to hit the Bitterroot Valley, and as a veterinarian I would like to comment on this as well as give prospective goat owners some things to think about prior to making the commitment to owning one of these animals. The first question to ask yourself is “What is my goal in owning this animal?” Are you interested in a pet, 4-H project, weed eater, meat animal , dairy animal or maybe a pack animal for trips into our surrounding mountains? Maybe you are working on a sustainable lifestyle and goats can provide meat, milk and fiber in a much smaller package than other ruminants such as cattle. If you are unsure why you want the animal, it would be best to reconsider, even if the animal is free. Animals of any size or shape require commitment on the part of the owner or the results can be disastrous for the animal. Once you’ve decided how you are going to use your new acquisition, you need to consider what will be involved in having the animal on your property including what facilities will be necessary, fencing, housing, access to water and protection from predators. Where will you get the hay or feed for your animal? Goats are browsers, meaning they prefer shrubs, weeds etc. over the pasture grass. Do you have enough browse for the through the summer or will you need to feed hay year round? Goats can be escape artists. Do you have the proper fencing to keep them in? Do you need to re-enforce what you have with electric fence? Where is your property located? Do you
Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 13
need to make modifications so that your animals are not easy prey to mountain lions and wolves? (Yes, this IS NOW and has been an important reality in the Bitterroot Valley). People who are serious about becoming goat owners at any level should be serious about doing their homework by researching information on goats. One source of information that is easy to access is current goat owners. However, I have seen some serious problems arise with goats from well-meaning goat owners giving advice to new owners. Even if you are being given a goat or rescuing a goat from a bad environment, do your homework! First and foremost, connect with a veterinarian who is at least willing to work with goats. Do this immediately not when you have reached the point of calling GOAT 911! A website highly recommended by Dr. Steve Parish of Washington State University and small ruminant specialist is www. sheepandgoat.com., provided by the University of Maryland. Washington State School of veterinary medicine also has a good website that can connect you with many sites relating to all aspects of goats and their care is www.smallfarms.wsu.edu/ animals/goats . A third site I found to be helpful is from the University of Kentucky www.uky.edu/ag/ animalscience/goat . Once you have a goal for how you will use this new animal, researched the breed you are looking for, and are prepared to have a goat on your property, then you are ready to find the right animal. Again research, especially from references from the breeder or goat owner, would be ideal. Many larger breeders have websites (the Washington State small farms website lists several breeders as sources of information regarding goats in general as well as listing some specific breeders). A good thing to remember whether you are buying a car or an animal is “let the buyer beware”. Find a reliable, reputable source for your new animal. I would like to add some other general comments. Be aware that goats can carry several chronic debilitating diseases and have no outward symptoms. This can be a real problem if you are
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hoping to develop a herd and need to optimize production of meat, milk or fiber. It is wise to test any animal you bring to your property for CAE=Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis, CL = Caseous Lymphadenitis, brucellosis, and possibly tuberculosis. Another fairly common chronic disease in goats is Johnes disease that causes a severe, debilitating diarrhea. As a goat owner, you also need to be aware of a bacteria called coxiella burnetti that can infect humans and causes a disease called Q Fever. Sheep, goats and cattle are the most common reservoirs for the disease. Infected animals shed the bacteria in their birth products, milk, urine and feces. Humans typically become infected through inhalation of contaminated aerosols and dust. In 2011, 15 cases of human acute Q Fever were reported in Montana. One outbreak was associated with interstate shipment of infected goats from the state of Washington. Some human cases required hospitalization however no deaths were reported. Additional information can be found at cdc.gov/qfever. Once you have acquired your new goat(s), it is
important you are aware of their normal behavior. While this may sound silly, it is not – if you don’t know the normal behavior you will not recognize abnormal and that is often an early sign of illness. At least one of the websites noted earlier lists and describes normal behavior in goats. You should also discuss this with an experienced goat owner or your veterinarian. The feeding of goats is a topic for another day, but do your research and remember you CAN “kill them with kindness” or a fat goat is not a healthy goat. Also remember our valley soil is deficient in many minerals and this affects how and what you provide for minerals and type of salt. Please consult your veterinarian for recommendations regarding vaccinations and deworming. Times are changing and parasites are becoming resistant to many if not all of our existing deworming products. This fact is affecting how and when we deworm. GOOD LUCK and have fun with one of my favorite small ruminants! Linda Kauffman is a doctor of veterinary medicine in the Bitterroot Valley.
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2014 Montana crop sales add $2.5 billion to state economy By TOM LUTEY Billings Gazette
Despite devastating fall rains, Montana crops were a $2.52 billion business last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported. The state’s crops were worth $200 million less than they were a year earlier. Many in the industry had expected worse because of sagging prices and a late August rain that ruined wheat, hay and barley crops across the Hi Line just days before harvest. As much as 10 inches of rain fell in a
three-day period, drowning alfalfa fields and causing malt barley and wheat to sprout as it stood in acres too muddy for farm equipment. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock issued a disaster declaration for the affected area because of flooding infrastructure damage. Malt barley losses were so severe one men’s magazine referred to it as the “beerpocalypse.” Marketers doubted whether the value of the state’s wheat crop would clear $1 billion, as it had in five of the previous six years.
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The USDA’s report Wednesday put the value of 2014 Montana wheat at $1.2 billion, down $100 million from a year earlier and more than $400 million from 2012. Much of the value was buoyed by a successful winter wheat harvest, which was all but finished before the rains hit. Also, Montana durum farmers benefited from prices that were at a three-year high for their crop, which is used in premium pastas. “We had good yields, and most of the winter wheat was harvested before the damaging rains, said Lola Raska, of the Montana Grain Growers Association. Crop insurance proved to be difficult for farmers hit by bad weather, Raska said. Weather losses were severe, but Montana also produced a lot of grain, said Eric Sommer of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, though winter wheat prices were also down from a year earlier. “What really drove it up was the pre-rain stuff was really good,” Sommer said. “The post-rain was crap.” Crop diversity kept the overall value of Montana
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agriculture strong even as wheat, the state agriculture’s breadwinner, faltered. The firm showing was a case of several smaller crops each contributing a few million extra dollars to the pot. Edible bean values were up $4 million. Lentil values increased $1.4 million. There were other big losers. Sugar beet prices plummeted 41 percent, though the calculation is older than estimates for other crops. The value of the sugar beets is determined after they’ve been processed into sugar. That process takes several months and finishes in February of the following year. So the values reported Tuesday are for beets harvested in 2013 and processed into 2014, both in Billings and Sidney. The reported value for 2013 beets was $49.6 million, down from $82.4 million a year earlier. Corn for grain values also fell $8 million, as prices slid to nearly half of what they were in 2012. Barley values fell $18 million.
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Navigating the issues of small-scale farming By david erickson Ravalli Republic
Even when you factor out the actual “hands in the dirt” physical labor, small-scale farmers in Montana face a headache-inducing maze of legal and financial obstacles in their quest to squeeze a living from their efforts. Just to name a few: Finding adequate and affordable land, gaining access to start-up cash, navigating complex labor, land use and tax laws, dealing with constantly fluctuating prices, finding or creating a market for products, paying insurance, contracts and food safety regulations. These are just some of the dizzying array of challenges that cause paperwork to pile up for farmers and ranchers who already have their hands full moving irrigation pipe from sunrise to sundown. To navigate these issues successfully and still be able to turn a profit is a minor miracle, according to those who have attempted to jump through those proverbial flaming hoops. Greg Peters, who runs a small “u-pick” berry farm and orchard called Red Hen Farm in the Target Range neighborhood of Missoula, has found that agriculture alone isn’t enough to support his family, even if his organic strawberries get bought by upscale restaurants around town as quickly as he can grow them. “If I didn’t have a separate landscaping business, I wouldn’t be able to have this farm,” he explained. The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition in Missoula is hosting a series of workshops and field-days aimed at giving new farmers and ranchers some insight from the crusty veterans of the industry. Annie Heuscher, the program director at the coalition, said that finding land is probably the number one issue facing new farmers. “There’s lots of land that looks like farmland but isn’t because it is slated for development or has a house on it that has priced it out of reach of farmers,” she explained. “As more and more of the land gets broken up into smaller pieces, the price gets higher and higher.” Getting access to financing is another tough
quandary, and was the subject of the coalition’s first workshop. “Because new farmers are trying to find a market niche, they’re typically doing things that are a bit unconventional,” Heuscher said. “Lenders tend to see ‘unconventional’ as ‘high risk,’ making it very challenging for new farmers to gain access to affordable loans, investor financing, or other start-up cash. Simultaneously, farming is a business that can be incredibly expensive to get into, making start-up cash needs higher than they are for many other types of businesses.” Farmers have to be experts at things like controlling soil acidity and pests, but they also have to know how to buckle down and put their accountant hats on. “There are actually a lot of benefits for farmers in the tax code, but you have to know where to find them,” Heuscher said. “Most farmers didn’t get into farming because they love the paperwork and the number-crunching. Learning how to keep good records (even if they have dirt on them) and finding an accountant who knows about farm/ ranch issues are key.” There is also the challenge of creating new markets or new products to fill the market. “There are a lot of people in Missoula who like to buy local food, but it’s still a small community and a niche market,” she said. “When you consider that farmers in the past only needed to drive their cattle to the stockyard sales for ‘marketing,’ this is a whole new realm of issues and a completely new area of knowledge in which new farmers need to build expertise.” Another grim reality that farmers have to confront is the fact that volunteers, interns and visitors are actually a legal liability. For-profit farms aren’t allowed to have volunteers, and even if a visitor signs a waiver before they tour a farm, Heuscher said past court cases have determined that that doesn’t prevent someone from suing if they get hurt. “People love supporting small farms and they love stopping by and visiting, touring around, etc.,” she said. “Of course, for the farmer, that’s customer development, but simultaneously, it’s a risk.” There are complex land-use regulations that
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sometimes prevent farmers from building or living on the land they farm. There are sales contracts and food safety issues to deal with as well. Heuscher gave hypothetical examples: “If you sign a contract to provide tomatoes to a restaurant for example, and your tomato crop is ruined by hail, do you have to dig into your own small pockets to pay the restaurant for not fulfilling your contract? Did that person who came out to visit the farm wash their hands before they walked around touching tomatoes and feeling lettuce leaves?” Just down the road from Greg and Julie Peters’ farm, Brad Isbell raises a specialty breed, Gotland sheep, known for its high-end fiber for hand-spinning, as well as its milk and meat. “Labor is a pain in the ass,” he said. “I literally would hire people all the time, on a regular basis, if it wasn’t for the paperwork. I’m really good at raising sheep, I’m really bad at paperwork. I refuse the paperwork. And so I end up just not hiring people. If the government didn’t force me to do so much paperwork ... it takes as much effort to fill out the paperwork for one person who is going to
work for you for one day as it does to have a permanent employee.” Isbell said that farm labor is cyclical, meaning he requires labor in big, sporadic chunks rather than on a consistent basis. “I’ve got a week’s worth of fencing that I’ve got to do here, well, I can’t do fencing all the time,” he said. “I’ve got lambing over here, I’ve got plowing over here, I’ve got irrigating. I need different people at different times, and it’s totally stifling my operation. Just the paperwork. I don’t have time for that. The government gets their cut, both in my taxes and a huge amount of time figuring out how much I’m going to give them.” Heuscher said that these issues are just the tip of the iceberg. “As you can see, the legal issues are really broad and all-encompassing,” she said. “For folks who just want to provide healthy local food to the community, it’s a huge set of issues to consider and deal with.” For more information on upcoming workshops and field days that will focus on these issues, visitmissoulacfac.org.
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Mountains and Minds
Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 19
Bitterroot Valley producer guide BEVERAGES Big Creek Coffee Roasters 301 West Main, Hamilton, 406-375-7508, www.bigcreekcoffeeroasters.com Offering exemplary coffees, roasted fresh and delivered free within the Bitterroot Valley. Internet orders taken. Bitterroot Brewery 101 Marcus Street, Hamilton, 406-363-7468, www.bitterrootbrewing.com Locally brewed beer and hand-crafted ales. Available year round at brewery. Hours: Monday – Saturday 11:30am – 8pm. Producing since 1998. Blodgett Canyon Cellers Corvallis, 406-360-5680, www.blodgettcanyoncellars.com Syrah, Riverbend, Chardonnay, SMG... Hidden Legend Winery 1345 Hwy 93 N. Suite #5, Victor, 406-363-6323, www.hiddenlegendwinery.com Hidden Legend Winery makes world class wines from all local, all natural ingredients. We specialize in making meads with both pure honey and wild berry flavors. We use wild elderberries, chokecherries and huckleberries, all from Montana to produce award winning wines that straddle the line between mead and wine. Our wines are a new sensation for the traditional wine drinker perfectly blending the taste of honey and fruit. Available year round at grocery and wine stores state wide. Call for direct sales. Making mead since 2001. Higher Ground Brewery 518 North First, Hamilton, 406-375-5204, www.higherground.com Famous Beer, Famous Pizza, 11am-8pm, Tuesday-Saturday; 1-8pm Sunday Hunter Bay Coffee 11300 Hwy 93 South, Lolo, 406-273-5490, hunterbay.com Montana’s premium gourmet coffee roaster. Master Roasters hand-craft coffees using award-winning recipies & European small-batch techniques. Offering 12 premium coffee blends, quality single-origin coffees & Italian-style Espressos, all roasted fresh-to-order. Certified organic coffee handler, offering a wide selection of 100% organic coffees. Montana Cider Words Sula, 406-360-5078, www.montanaciderworks.com Offering exceptional English-style ciders crafted from Bitterroot Valley apples and other local fruits. Available at Sula Country Store, Conner Grocery & Deli, Darby Wine & Spirits, Hamilton’s Market Place (IGA), Super 1 Foods, Wild Mare. Mountain View Orchards & Distillery 1775 Mountain View Orchard Road, Corvallis, 406-961-3434, mcintoshcider@gmail.com 20+ varieties of apples, mid-Aug to Jan. Fresh apple cider Sept -
Oct. Direct sales during apple season Mon-Sun 9am-5pm. Also at Missoula and Apple Days in Hamilton and local grocery stores. Producing since 1907. Call or email for types of distillery products. Harvest Legacy dessert cider currently available. Trapper Peak Winery Darby, MT 59829, 406-821-1964, www.trapperpeakwinery.com Products include: Cabernet Sauvignon made with Flathead cherries; Petite Sirah and Merlot made with grapes grown on the north slope of Mt. St. Helena, Rodeo Red - Cabernet Sauvignon, Muleshoe - Merlot, Roll in the Hay - Chardonnay, Sitting Bull Petite Sirah. Call for availability. Producing since 2004. Zaxan Coffee Roasters 140 Cherry Street, Hamilton, 406-363-4006, www.zaxancoffee.com Locally roasted, brewed and served since 2003. DAIRY Lifeline Creamery and Farm Store 2427 Meridian Road, Victor, 406-642-9717, www.lifelinefarm.com Certified organic, biodynamic dairy (cheese, butter & milk), beef, pork, sausage (see listing under Meat). Available year round. Sold at Rainbow’s End, Hamilton Marketplace, Super On. Farm visitors by appointment only. Producing since 1978. FRUIT Blue Moon Orchard Stevensville, 406-777-3326, bluemoonorchard@gmail.com Apples, pie cherries, plums, pears, apricots, raspberries. Mid-June through Oct. Call for availability. Email us to be put on our availability list. Cider’s Orchard 227 Surrey Lane, Florence, 406-273-3134 Organic Macintosh & Spartan apples. 40 lb. boxes. Available late-September - mid-October. Call for direct sales. Call early in September to place order. Delivery in the Bitterroot Valley from Hamilton north. Farm visitors by appointment. Producing since 1992. Fenced-Out Mule Deer Vineyards 822 Promise Lane, Corvallis, 406-961-3285/381-6480, putman. alan80@gmail.com Tree fruits, berries, and vegetables. Call for availability. Producing since 2005. Frost Top Orchard 634 Quast Lane, Corvallis, 406-961-1509 Apples (Macintosh, Spartan, Honey Crisp, and others), onions, squash and other late season vegetables. Utilizing integrated pest management (IPM) growing methods. Apples available beginning in October. Available direct and at Hamilton Farmer’s Market. Unpasteurized cider available at Orchard only. Producing since 1998.
Page 20 - Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015
Healthy Harvest Fruits 579 Porter Hill Road, Stevensville 406-777-3783/546-4851 hhfruits@gmail.com Organic Apples (Macintosh and other varieties), pears, plums, sweet cherries, mixed vegetables (see listing under Vegetables & Herbs). No pesticides. Available July – September at Stevensville Farmer’s Market. Call for direct sales. Producing since 1989 Home Acres Orchard 839 Groff Lane, Stevensville, 406-777-2831 Apples & pears. Available August – December. Sold at the Good Food Store, Clark Fork market, and direct from the farm. Call for direct sales. Member of Montana Sustainable Grower’s Union. Producing since 1990. Mountain View Orchards & Distillery 1775 Mountain View Orchard Road, Corvallis, 406-961-3434, mcintoshcider@gmail.com 20+ varieties of apples, mid-Aug to Jan. Fresh apple cider Sept Oct. Integrated Pest Management growing methods. Direct sales during apple season Monday-Sunday, 9am-5pm. Also at Missoula Farmers Market and Apple Days in Hamilton and local grocery stores. Producing since 1907. Call or email for types of distillery products. Harvest Legacy dessert cider currently available. HONEY Apiaries of Montana 403 Grantsdale Road, Hamilton, 406-381-7179,
honey@montana.com Raw honey, flavored honey, pollen, pollination, beeswax, manufacturing hives. Available year round. Also sell 8 and 10 frame beehives, frames, lids and bottoms. Call or stop by for direct sales. 2nd generation, producing since 1968. Bee Happy Honey Farm 743 Sheafman Creek, Hamilton, 406-360-1393/360-5435, bugoff95@dishmail.net Raw natural honey, flavored honey. We are vendors at the Hamilton Farmers Market and at the Darby Farmers Market and several bazars. Call for availability in the winter. Keeping honey bees since 2002. Morris Honey Co. 270 Golden Pond Drive, Hamilton, 406-370-3677, marilyn@morrishoney.com Locally produced honey – selling 55 gallon barrels only. Prairie Sunshine Honey 250 Silverbow Drive, Victor, 406-642-3535, www.prairiesunshinehoney.com Available year round at Super One (Hamilton & Stevensville), Rainbow’s End, IGA (Hamilton & Stevensville), Darby People’s Market, Victor Merc. Producing since 1989. 3rd generation honey producers. VEGETABLES & HERBS Biodesign Farm
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Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015 - Page 21
1541 South Burnt Fork Road, Stevensville, 406-381-1554, wlpeterson5@yahoo.com Organic vegetables & fruit. Native bedding plants for restoration and waterwise gardens. Available at Missoula Farmer’s Market or wholesale orders only. Please phone for availability. (Also see listing under Meat for butcher lambs) Bitterroot Organics 345 Indian Prairie Loop, Victor, 406-642-3653 Vegetables grown sustainably and without the use of petrochemicals. mid-May thru Nov. Sold at Hamilton and Missoula Farmer’s Markets. Farm visitors by appointment only. Producing in Ravalli County since 1997. Diamond Bar D Ranch 851 Middle Burnt Fork, Stevensville, 406-544-3763, bevclagett@ yahoo.com Organic produce and jams. Available at Hamilton Farmer’s Market or call or email for availability. Member of Homegrown. Producing since 1980. Garden City Nursery Hamilton, 406-363-0773 Homegrown mixed vegetables and herbs. Bedding plants (see listing under Garden Nurseries & Supplies). Available at the end of April – September. Call for direct sales. Also available at Hamilton Farmer’s Market and Clark Fork River Market. Producing since 1984. Healthy Harvest Fruits 579 Porter Hill Road Stevensville, 406-777-3783/546-4851, hhfruits@gmail.com Mixed vegetables, apples (Macintosh and other varieties), pears, plums, sweet cherries. Available July – September. No pesticides. Also see listing under Fruit. Available at Stevensville Farmer’s Market or call for direct sales. Producing since 1989. Heirloom Apothecary 406-239-5272, heirloomapothecary@yahoo.com We offer Community Supported Herbalism (CSH) shares, based on the CSA model. Our CSH shares allow you to have direct access to high quality, herbal preparations produced by local herbalists from locally grown and wildcrafted plants. When you purchase a share, you receive 5 monthly deliveries of herbal products of your choice. (June - October). Homestead Organics 175 Skalkaho Road, Hamilton, 406-363-6627, www.homesteadorganicsfarm.com Certified organic mixed vegetables. Specializing in greens. Produce available mid-May – November. Sold direct through Community Supported Agriculture program, farm stand open Tuesday 2-7pm. Hamilton Farmers’ Market. Farm tours by appointment and on farm commercial kitchen available for your event or we can cater it for you. Producing since 1999. Jill’s Garden 329 McVey Road, Victor, 406-642-3601, rivercare@blackfoot.net Organic garden vegetables and strawberries, not certified, sold to email list by weekly order, also locally adapted heirloom seeds.
Kangaroo House Garden 131 Deer haven Drive, Hamilton, 406-375-0331, wombat@cybernet1.com or Facebook Small producers of pesticide-free fruits and mixed vegetables, dahlias. Available at Farmers Market, visitors welcome by appointment. Lifeline Farm Produce 2363 Chief Victor Camp Road, Victor, 406-642-3943 Garden vegetables, bedding plants, and organic lamb and beef (see listing under Meat). Available June – October. Call for direct sales. Also available at Super One (Stevensville) and Missoula Farmer’s Market. Farm visitors welcome but please call first. Over 35 years producing. Longview Farm 2961 Hunters Lane, Stevensville, 406-777-3371/396-0618, www. lvfarm.com Wide variety of vegetables and fruits. Hay and registered Hampshires for breeding, markets, 4H. Call or visit website. We also sell an all natural “horse cookie” treat made fresh at Longview Farm. Available online at www.bbhorsetreats.com or at local farm stores. McPherson Farm 457 Willoughby Road, Stevensville, 406-777-1378/381-2773, mcphersonfarm@gmail.com, Facebook - McPherson Produce Large producer of sweet corn, potatoes and squash as well as other seasonal vegetables. Visit farm stand on Willoughby or find at Hamilton Farmers’ Markets. We also have hay and pork for sale. Misty Hollow Farms Corvallis, 406-370-9797 Produce stand on Eastside Hwy, just north of Corvallis. Open June - Sept.; vegetables, fruits, melons. Organic but not certified. Also, Grass-fed beef from “Lowline” Angus - whole, half, quarter orders available. Moeller’s Nursery 946 Eastside Hwy, Corvallis, 406-961-3389 Home grown produce available in season (April – November). Specializing in super sweet corn, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, and squash. Also see listing under Garden Nurseries & Supplies. Call for direct sales, nursery hours Montana Gourmet Garlic 2711 Snyder Road, Stevensville, 406-777-1566, www.montanagourmetgarlic.com Gourmet hardneck garlic. Call, email, or visit website for availability. Producing since 2002. Rod’s Organic Produce 1464 Summerdale Road, Corvallis, 406-961-4055, rodnjamie@q. com Full variety of fresh, organic vegetables and eggs. Also heirloom carrot seeds and redworms for composting. Available June – November. Sold at Hamilton Farmer’s Market and direct from farm by appointment only. Visitors welcome by appointment only. Producing since 1992. Sleeping Child Farms 1639 Sleeping Child Road, Hamilton, 406-360-6326/375-2408, www.sleepingchildfarms.com
Page 22 - Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015
Growing sustainably produced berries, flowers, herbs, and vegetables; free range eggs, baked goods, jams/jellies and pastries. Find us at Hamilton Farmer’s Market. Peace Gardens Hamilton, 406-363-8068 Vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers. Available at Hamilton Farmers Market. Producing since 2005. West Naturals Farm Pinesdale, 406-961-4286 Spring flower baskets, mixed vegetables, specialty tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, melons, green peppers, hot peppers, and cut flowers. Available May through October at Hamilton, Stevensville, Missoula, Polson, and Butte Farmer’s Markets. 15 years producing. Woodside Farm Winter Garden 876 Hwy 93, 406-360-0770/360-0056, thewinterfarm@gmail.com, Facebook Organically grown greens from our innovative (Solviva) greenhouse offered in winter. Contact us to be placed on email list, order from email list of available produce that we send out, pickup Friday from noon - 5pm. We also sell eggs.
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Woolly Locust Farm & Garden 673 Ridge Road, Stevensville, 406-546-8554, wlfarmandgarden@ cybernet1.com Organically grown lettuce, mizuna, broccoli, peas, Swiss chard, radicchio, green beans, pickling cucumbers, yard long green beans, eggplant, beets, hot peppers (large variety) amaranth (for canaries, finches, flower arrangements etc.) squash ( zucchini, yellow summer, acorn, patty pan, lakota, spaghetti etc.) tomatoes (various types and colors) painted mountain corn, sweet corn, teddy bear sunflowers. Homemade soaps, mustards, hot pepper jelly, green tomato relish. We are at the Stevi and Missoula Farmers Market. Visits by appointment only. Offering a limited number of CSAs. Yourganic Farm - Know your Farmer, Know your Food 1550 Chaffin Lane, Hamilton, 406-961-5452, yourganicfarm. wordpress.com Mixed vegetables, available May – October. CSA: fresh, in-season vegetables available once/week; drop off spot in Missoula. Call for direct sales. Farm visitors by appointment only. 15 years producing. Also grass-fed beef, pasture pork and lamb for direct sale - see Meat section.
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Page 26 - Agriculture Magazine, MARCH 2015
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