march 2019
M A G A Z I N E
In this issue
Ag worker stress Darby rodeo, Calving and more!
WE'RE A LI’L BIT
& ROCKIN’ RC RODEO Ravalli County Fair ★ Hamilton, MT ★ August 28th - 31st ★
THE BEST FAMILY FAIR IN THE WEST! Don’t miss out on all the fun! Sudsy’s Barn ★ Michael Mezmer ★ Freddie Prez Milord High Divers ★ Monte ★ Pioneer Carriage Rides Juggler ★ Balloon Animals and more!
Coming Soon! EXHIBITOR’S HANDBOOK Look for it in June in the Bitterroot Star and several locations throughout Ravalli County OPEN CLASS ENTRIES DUE AUGUST 2ND 4H/FFA DUE AUGUST 9TH
in this issue
Stress in ag workers................................................ 5 Griffin Ranch............................................................ 7 Fork to Farm Annual Ride...................................... 8 Ravalli Co. Right to Farm & Ranch........................ 9 Hamilton Farmers Market.................................... 10 Ravalli Co. Fairgrounds........................................ 11 Agri-tourism.......................................................... 12 Darby Rodeo Association.................................... 14 Forage testing....................................................... 16 Houndstongue...................................................... 17 Agricultural Heritage Notebook......................... 18 Calving, lambing & kidding................................. 21 Biosecurity............................................................. 22
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. Send comments to: Ravalli Republic, 232 West Main, Hamilton, MT 59840 or editor@ravallirepublic.com Photos on this page provided by Katrina Mendrey, Patrick Mangan & Wendy Beye. Cover photo by Perry Backus. Agriculture Magazine is published by the Ravalli Republic & Missoulian Newspapers, divisions of Lee Enterprises Jim Strauss, Publisher Perry Backus, Associate Editor Kathy Kelleher, Lauren Parsons & Jodi Wright, Sales Dara Saltzman, Production & Design Agriculture Magazine is copyright 2019, Ravalli Republic.
232 W Main, Hamilton, MT 59840 ravallirepublic.com
Page 4 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
PHOTO COURTESY RAVALLI COUNTY MUSEUM
A Bitter Root Valley scene by Johnny Johnson c. 1900 from a glass plate negative
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 5
photos courtesy of Patrick Mangan
Ag workers need to deal with stress by Katelyn Andersen MSU Extension Office
The winter of 2019 has been one for the books. The Bitterroot Valley and Western Montana have received record breaking amounts of snow through February, coupled with extreme cold temperatures. While the everyday Montanan was concerned with cancelled school days and clearing snow from their driveways, farmers, ranchers and agriculturalists have had significant challenges they have had to overcome in their farms, operations and livelihoods. February marks the beginning of calving season in much of Montana. Deep snow, extreme cold temperatures and high winds can combine to be lethal to calves in a matter of minutes. One rancher reported that a vaccine they were attempting to give a newborn calf froze in the needle before they could administer it. In addition to the birth of livestock, farmers and
ranchers struggle with their own snow removal on an even larger scale, clearing the barnyard, feeding area, and pathways for animals. Livestock water supplies can freeze up in the cold, animals need more feed, and tractors are hard to start in the extreme cold. At least one farm has lost a covered shed due to the heavy snow load on the roof, taking with it two trucks and a supply of hay. Farmers and ranchers often have to be outside to complete their jobs, battling their own exposure to the extreme cold as they see to their animals and farm tasks. Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural workers are a significant portion of Montana’s labor force. Farm related jobs account for 6.6% of the overall employment in Ravalli County. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found those working in agriculture often deal with stress-related conditions such as heart and artery disease, hypertension, ulcers, and nervous disorders. One study states there is a higher suicide rate among agricul-
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ture workers than others worker between 1992 and 2010. Stress is a part of every day. There are three types of stress: eustress, neustress and distress. Some types of stress can be considered productive, such as eustress, which arises from a situation where a person is motivated or inspired. Neustress is considered neutral stimuli with no consequential effect. The third type, distress, is broken into acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress is present during situations that arise quickly, unexpected and stressors disappear quickly. Typical body responses include sweaty palms, racing heartbeat, or tunnel vision. Chronic stress is not as obvious and duration is longer. Signs and symptoms of stress include neck stiffness, frequent insomnia, forgetfulness or irritability. Physical impacts include increased cortisol levels, low immune system, high blood pressure, anxiety or anger. The University of Maine Extension provides the following examples as signs of stress in farmers and ranchers and their family members: -Change in routine: individuals may stop attending regular meetings or social engagements
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-Increase in illness: individuals may experience more upper respiratory illnesses or other chronic conditions, such as aches, pains and migraines -Increase in farm accidents: risks increase with fatigue or loss of ability to concentrate -Decline in appearance of farmstead: family many no longer take pride in the buildings and grounds appearance or no longer has the time or resources for maintenance work -Signs of stress in children: youth may exhibit disruptive behavior or show signs of abuse or depression -Decreased interest in activities: individuals may be less willing to commit to future activities Agriculture has a number of stressors related to their livelihood that are outside of their control, such as weather, commodity market prices, physical impacts from machinery, and loss of livestock or crops. Finding positive ways to manage or cope with stress is essential to overall health. Test your coping skills with the stress assessment found here: http:// dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/dpc/stressquiz.html If you or a loved one has thoughts of suicide, regardless of occupation, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK for help or text MT to 741741. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones and best practices for professionals. Another resource for mental health is a program called Thrive for Montana through the MSU Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery. It is a free, online Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) program. Thrive is for people who want to take charge of their emotional well-being to lead happier, more satisfying lives. It has shown to be effective for people to deal with stress, depression and anxiety symptoms. To sign up for this program, visit ThriveForMontana. com. MSU Extension has a self-help MontGuide, Understanding and Managing Stress, which addresses the challenges to managing stress. Pick up a free copy at the office or visit store.msuextension.org and search for the title for a free download. Questions or comments can be directed to MSU/Ravalli Co. Extension, 215 S. 4th Street Ste G, Hamilton, MT 59840, 375-6611. If you are interested in attending or hosting an educational workshop on this topic, please contact the office.
Griffin Ranch:
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 7
A beacon of hope in the Burnt Fork
owners for placing some restrictions on their land in order Not too long to protect its special ago, 200 acres of attributes, like high hay ground and wild quality soils, abundant meadows lay tucked water resources, or away in the Burnt Fork wildlife habitat, just to area of Stevensville. name a few. Its future unclear. The Where there is land was neglected, farmland, there will be fences falling down, farmers and the landowners “The program of long ago, a distant incentivizes permamemory. nent voluntary protecThat was until Troy tion of agricultural and Dena Griffin found photos Courtesy Bitter Root Land Trust land for the future. this diamond in-theTroy Griffin and Kyle Barber from the Bitterroot Land Trust on the Griffin ranch. The land can still be rough, and spent a sold by any owner number of years breathing life back into the soil and at any time, thereby leaving a legacy of open agrigrasses, repairing fences and irrigation infrastructure. cultural land for future generations, says Alan Maki, The dream to bring this ranch back to life, some Open Lands board member.” would say, came from an unlikely place. The OLB program was approved by two thirds of At a young age, the Griffin’s son, Garrett, joined the voters in 2006, ensuring the conservation of irre4-H and fell in love with raising animals and working placeable agricultural land, wildlife habitat, waters, the land. It became his passion to have his own ranch and open spaces of the Bitterroot Valley. Just under someday. More often than not, young people are 50% of the funds have been spent so far, permanently seeking out careers outside of agriculture, creating conserving over 6,200 acres of land—5,000 of which uncertainty for many long-standing Montana farms are in agriculture—across the valley. and ranches. “The board strives to ensure the dollars are spent That’s not the case with the Griffin family. wisely,” Maki said. “I think what it’s done is given the “It’s my son’s dream to be a rancher. The odds of farmers and ranchers in the county new optimism that happening nowadays are low. He started 4-H, when they see agricultural lands being preserved. kept steers at the neighbor’s, and showed them in Where there is farmland, there will be farmers. Once competition. We wanted that for him. We want to people see that, they are encouraged to know that help him fulfill his dream. With help from Bitter Root agriculture is here to stay in the valley.” Land Trust and the conservation easement funding, It will always be here now we can,” Troy says. Not only does protecting the ranch fortify the Thanks to $200,000 in funding from the local ongoing conservation in the agriculturally and historiRavalli County Open Lands Bond (OLB) program, in cally significant Burnt Fork neighborhood, it stands conjunction with a $200,000 match from the Natural as a beacon of hope for the future of Bitterroot Valley Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural farms and ranches, and the young folks who desire to Land Easement program, and private donations, work them. Griffin Ranch in Stevensville was conserved in Troy smiles warmly, “When we’re gone, it’s over. December 2018. But if we can leave something that lives on—we’d Conserving the ranch was a good fit for the Griffins. know that it will always be here. That’s a legacy to leave behind. The OLB program is designed to compensate landBy Emy Royce Bitter Root Land Trust
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4th Annual Fork to Farm Ride set for June 9 By Katrina Mendrey For the Ravalli Republic
For three years, Bike Walk Bitterroot has hosted a fall ride, Fork to Farm, celebrating agriculture and cycling in the Bitterroot Valley. This year the ride will be held in the spring offering riders the opportunity to enjoy the flavors of a Bitterroot spring and help farmers kick off the season with this fun agritourism focused event. “This ride is an opportunity to bring attention to the abundance of natural and agricultural resources the Bitterroot has to offer cyclists and other visitors,” says Matthew Rohrbach, Bike Walk Bitterroot
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board president. “In years past we’ve drawn riders from across the state and even Canada. It’s a great opportunity for farms and local businesses to tap into the potential of agritourism in our beautiful valley.” The 2019 ride will take cyclists on an approximately 40 mile ride to four
farm stops. Their first stop will be Sweet Root Farm, where owners Mary and Noah have built a livelihood on growing mixed vegetables and lamb which they sell alongside eggs and their own roasted coffee at their Hamilton farmstand accessible 24/7 to customers. Riders will continue north to Tucker Family Farms who will provide tours of their cheese cave and samples of their award winning cheeses while newly born lambs frolic in the spring pasture. Circling back toward Corvallis, riders will tour, Mill Crick Farm where Randi Mark and his team grow mixed vegetables and flowers as well as certified organic hay in Corvallis. The final farm stop will be Willow Creek Vineyard and Willow Mountain Winery. Participants will have the opportunity to tour the vineyard nestled at the foot of the Sapphires on Mountain View Orchard Road. They will also try wines crushed, fermented, barreled, aged and bottled locally by winemaker Roxann McGuire using grapes from both Montana and Washington varietals paired with local flavors. After the tour riders are invited to a farm-style dinner at the Western Agricultural Research Center where they can enjoy more food, libations and live music by Poor Henry. Registration is $50 and limited to 125 riders. Proceeds will benefit Bike Walk Bitterroot, a local advocacy group for safe and accessible walking and cycling in the Bitterroot Valley. For more information about the ride and to register visit www.bikewalkbitterroot.org.
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 9
Ravalli County Right to Farm and Ranch Board: Preserving Our Heritage and Addressing Issues in Agriculture By Michelle Buker Right to Farm & Ranch
In our beautiful Bitterroot Valley, rich with history and tradition, there is a small advisory board that has worked tirelessly to preserve our agricultural heritage and advise on ag issues in our valley. Today we would like to give you a little insight into what we do and invite you to participate in the discussion and preservation of our beloved agriculture. The Ravalli County Right to Farm and Ranch Board was established as an advisory board to the county commissioners and has taken on a wide variety of issues in Ravalli County. Did you know that we were integral in the Brand Book for First Responders, the Ravalli County Dog Ordinance, legislation for animal rights, and ongoing Animal Disaster Planning and Preparedness? We fought for labeling requirements for Forefront weed chemical, the passage of the Open Lands Bond, and give input regularly on growth policy and zoning in Ravalli County. We support the Bitterroot Water Forum and have drafted legislation to pay for depredation of agricultural resources due to wildlife pressures. We helped with the formation of Farmland Hunting Area HD262. We believe in cluster developments and host estate planning seminars in addition to working to give landowners options to transition their
land and keep it in ag production. We regularly host open forum discussions with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and SKT Water Compact and are researching land use policy of 1930-1980 to help formulate a landuse policy for Ravalli County. We hold seats on the Open photo by Michelle Buker Lands Board and regularly support and work with the Bitterroot Land Trust to continue to preserve agricultural land in the Bitterroot Valley. We write letters of support for agricultural issues facing our valley. We support and have fought to keep the Western Montana Ag Research Center as a resource for Western Montana. We support and have helped to expand Ag Education, FFA, the 4th Grade Farm Fair, and 4-H here in Ravalli County in addition to a host of other projects and causes. Summer and winter picnics and dinners have been a wonderful way to hear and capture oral history of the valley and we have a few videos that we are working to share with the public. We encourage you to become involved in the discussion and share with us any agricultural issues that you would like to see brought to awareness and addressed. We hold meetings at the Hamilton House in Victor, currently on the second Monday of the month. Please watch the paper or our Facebook page for current dates and times going forward. We hope to welcome you at our table soon.
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Hamilton Farmers Market:
keeping it local and supporting our neighbors By Erin Belmont Hamilton Farmers Market Coop Board Member, Owner of House of Ferments
The Hamilton Farmers Market has been serving Ravalli County residents and visitors for over 30 years. Each Saturday morning throughout the summer, we gather in in downtown Hamilton in support of local food, local crafts, and local business. Adding to the farmer’s market experience, this year customers will be treated to our Farm to Chef Events. Market vendors will be supplying local chefs with a variety of seasonally available ingredients. The chefs, who are local celebrities in their own right, will create unique and inspiring dishes showcasing foods that are available at market that week. Customers sample the best of the Bitterroot in a way that maybe they would not have thought of on their own, perhaps nudging us to break out of our culinary ruts and try something new. Eating seasonally means getting creative! We have a short but dense vegetable season here in Montana and often times by the end of spring we may find ourselves out of fresh ideas on what to do with salad greens, radishes, or salad turnips. Learning how to eat seasonally can be a fun and rewarding experience and with the help of some of our favorite local chefs, it can become an easy adventure. In turn, chefs have the opportunity to showcase their skills and interact with customers instead of being behind the scenes in their kitchens. And being at the market, they will learn about sourcing
locally produced food. Our goal is to get more local food on our home tables and more local food on our restaurant tables. Each time we purchase a locally made product, whether it’s a vegetable, photo by dorinda troutman a wedge of cheese, or a handcrafted apron, we are supporting our neighbors who then continue to support our community. There are many statistics out there about the power of the local dollar, but here’s an easy breakdown: it’s September and you buy a melon from a farmer at market. The farmer, celebrating the end of a long hard work season, decides to go the local restaurant of the chef he met during the Farmer to Chef Event. The chef gets his bike tuned-up at the local bike shop, the bike mechanic gets his coveralls laundered at the local laundry, the laundry owner goes for a beer at one of our fine local breweries, and the brewery buys barley from a Montana farm. Buying local ensures that money stays within our communities at least a few times around. Farmers markets build stronger communities and enrich our individual lives. Consumers have ten times as many conversations at farmers markets than they do at supermarkets (Halweil 2004 as cited in McKibben 2007). At a farmers market, you are not just a consumer but a participant, too! Hamilton Farmers Market runs every Saturday April 20th through October 27th from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Bedford and 3rd in downtown Hamilton. Come meet neighbors, enjoy local food and local wares, and participate in your economy.
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 11
What happens at the Fairgrounds besides Fair? By Joy V. McClure Superintendent of Beer & Wine and Canned & Preserved Foods
Restoration is happening at the Ravalli County Fairgrounds. The seats in the grandstand have been painted. The inside of the First Interstate Building has been painted and new water fountains installed. The premium office has been painted. There is a new metal roof on the agricultural building. There will be a new metal roof on the beef barn soon. With the updated electrical in food row means no more tripped circuit breakers. New trees planted in Mandy Park. The Cowboy Ball this year raised $12,000 to be used to improve accessible seating in the grandstand. And that’s just the beginning. The Ravalli County Fairgrounds over the years has served as the command center for the fires of 2000. Not only as base camp for fire fighters and logistics but also for evacuated animals. We opened our gates again for evacuated animals for the Roaring Lion Fire. We have been the host for rodeos, mule shows, flower shows and public comment meetings. We have the largest conference facility at 16,000 square feet that has been used for everything from auctions to walking laps during the winter to weddings to political rallies. The fairgrounds has a lot of potential for use by the public. Just to name a few: • Farm Fair – 4th Grade Farm Fair is held here every year. • Auctions ,Craft or Rummage sales – There are several different buildings to choose from. • Impressive scenery and site for a wedding,
photo by Peg Anderson, co-Superintendent of Beer & Wine, Canned & Preserved Foods
choose from any number of barns or buildings. • Rodeo, riding and roping. Several different arenas to serve your needs. • Graduation Parties or any other kind. We not only have the buildings but the bathrooms! • Reunions whether it be family or a class from High School. • Open riding with several arenas for your needs. • Unique venues. Check with the Fair Office for cost and availability. • Numerous horse stalls for those traveling through, we are horse and pet friendly. • Dances or parties or come down for the 4H Carnival. • Storage for your RV, boat or any other toy you need to store for the winter. So when you are considering a site for whatever event you are planning, let the Ravalli County Fairgrounds be your host. Besides it’s worth the trip down to the Fairgrounds just to meet Tango and Cash, the official Fair office cats. They are the newest addition to the Fair Family and guaranteed to lower your blood pressure and make you smile. Remember… cat hair is both a condiment and a fashion accessory!
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Growing Profits Through Agri-tourism By Tim Southwell ABC Acres
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” For those blessed to live their lives connected to the land, this quote by John Muir surely rings true. I am constantly in awe of Mother Nature and all she bestows across my farming acreage day after day. The sounds of birds signing with the coming of spring, fawns testing out their athleticism on a summer’s day, the dazzling rainbow of colors come autumn, and the absolute silence of an owl gliding across a snow-lit winter’s pasture. Too much to mention, but all provide a powerful connection to the outdoors. In recent years it hasn’t just been those that own land, or live adjacent to a forested landscape, that realize the good fortune of connecting with nature. No, folks from the farthest corners of the country, in the hustle and bustle of the big city, are making conscious efforts to get back to the land. Riches beyond the almighty dollar drive these city dwellers. Call it a fountain of youth, or some other elixir, but folks both young and old are coming out to the rural landscape to capture something missing from their lives. Whether something new, or something lost, this seeking out of a Natureconnect is driving a new economy. Agriculture operators, coast to coast, are realizing an uptick in income opportunities by catering to this demographic of consumer. Coined Agri-tourism, farms, ranches, vineyards,
photos courtesy of abc acres
and nature-based settings are opening up their doors to offer seekers an intimate opportunity to connect to their food and the ethereal intricacies that come with season to season fluctuations in Mother Nature’s symphony. As one such farm that has taken an active role in providing Agritourism offerings, the endeavor has proven mutually beneficial to both
farmer and seeker alike. So what is agri-tourism? Agri-tourism is defined as a commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism in order to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner. This can be as simple as allowing guests to walk your farm, take pictures of your livestock, and enjoy a sack lunch while overlooking the pasture to something more involved like an overnight lodging experience, horseback riding, or picking out the perfect pumpkin come fall har vest season. The beauty in the offering is that each agriculture operation is different, with the owner dictating how much or how little they wish to provide. This last point is widely appreciated by most owners, as full-time farming is a lot of work, and anything that would interfere such demands dissuades hard working farmers and ranchers from taking on more. Take heart, as this is not the case with a customized approach to agri-tourism. For most agriculture operations, the infrastructure is already in place, so agri-tourism is about
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 13
providing services and/or products that marry up with such operations. As an example, ABC acres offers a number of activities that don’t tax our disposable time. We are already doing livestock duties morning and afternoon, so charging folks a ‘per person’ fee to tag along, feed the livestock, pet a goat, and learn about our seasonal care demands is educational and fun. Offering folks the opportunity to walk the farm with their dog for a ‘per car’ fee allows folks to meander the property on their own time, take in all the sights and sounds, but not interrupt the flow of the farm’s chores. In past years, as the provider of beef and pork shares, ABC acres has seen a 300 percent increase in product sales simply by having the consumer connect with the property. They see the livestock, understand the care that goes into a healthy animal and consumable product, and feel empowered to make an educated purchase of food for their family’s table. Additionally, ABC acres has two rental cabins on the property, and has experienced revenues approaching six figures as a direct result of agri-tourism pursuits.
For those wishing to connect with nature, to understand where their food comes from, or simply wishing to disconnect from the buzz of electronics and the noise of city life, agriculture operations can provide such a respite. These offerings are helping fuel a new industry. An industry that heals lives and educates all to the benefits of a healthy environmental system, all the while bolstering the farmers’ livelihood in the process. In part two of this three part piece, we will dive into the nuts and bolts of building an agri-tourism based offering for your farm or ranch. ABC acres will dissect our services further, discuss the time and expense attributable to offering certain activities while better understanding the annual revenues. Furthermore, and perhaps of more interest, we will dissect the concept of Farm Stays (overnight lodging), look at detailed financial models, and give you, the reader, a clear understanding of how you can roll-out the same for increased revenue opportunities for years to come. Stay tuned, and as always, Happy Growing!
’
Page 14 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
photos courtesy of kathy hamilton
Darby Rodeo Association is getting it done By Sandy McNamara Darby Rodeo Association
The ranching and farming community’s traditions of hard work, hospitality, and helping your neighbor are woven into the fabric of the Darby Rodeo Association (DRA). DRA is well known for producing high quality western entertainment events, however, we do very much more! We are so excited about the unique work that we’ve completed and the
work we continue toward accomplishing to help our neighbors of Darby and the Bitterroot Valley that we’re sharing the happy details and invite you to participate in something special. Here’s a list: • We restored the Richard Cromwell Memorial Rodeo grounds in Darby into a oneof-a-kind facility with a traditional “Old West” feel that sets ours apart from all other arenas in Montana! Our arena is sought after not just for
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 15
rodeo events, but for moto-roundup, concerts, and even for use as a wedding venue. Come visit us this summer to see what else we’re up to. • We shouldered the expense for the benefit of all in donating back to the Town of Darby all the capital improvements we’ve made to the arena. The Town of Darby has awarded to Darby Rodeo Association a long-term lease to continue serving as custodian of the facilities. • Partnering with Tough Enough to Wear Pink Montana and Marcus Daly Hospital, we’ve raised approximately $100,000 for charity. Over nine years we’ve used our Elite Bull Connection event (one of the biggest bull ridings in the state) to raise funds for the cancer center at Marcus Daly Hospital. • We’re home to Youth Rodeo in the Bitterroot Valley. We host the Ravalli County Junior Rodeo Club, and the Bitterroot Valley High School Rodeo Team’s MHSRA Darby Rodeo. It is part of our mission to build community and promote western heritage. Youth rodeo athletes are the future who will pass our western heritage on to the next generation. We want to encourage them, so we don’t charge youth rodeo for the use of the facilities. • We build young leaders through our rodeo royalty program that provides young ladies with community service opportunity and prepares them for leadership roles in their future. This program awards a $500 scholarship annually. The pageant is held during the Elite Bull Connection event July 6th & 7th. Additionally, we’ve created a $500 scholarship to be awarded to a graduating rodeo athlete in the Bitterroot Valley. Check our website for pageant registration and scholarship application details.
• World Champions appreciate our program! The cowboys know they’ll be valued at Darby with an even pen of excellent stock and abundant paychecks worthy of their effort. DRA is endorsed by World Champion Saddle Bronc riders Jesse Kruse and Zeke Thurston who’ve seen the growth over the years and voiced their encouragement saying of us, “they’re dang sure doing it right.” Over the years, Darby’s arena has hosted many high-caliber bull riders. To name a few, PBR’s Stetson Lawrence, Cody Campbell and River Stephenson have competed here in the past few years, and even Jess Lockwood (who later went on to become PBR’s 2017 World Champion) competed here in here in high school. Most recently, we’ve enjoyed the work of Montana’s top PRCA bull riders, Parker Breding and Brett (Payton) Fitzpatrick. • We’re booked every weekend from midMay through mid-September and now beginning to fill up on weekdays. Our high energy entertainment draws spectators not just from the Bitterroot and Missoula Valleys but from around the state and the country creating high exposure and high value for our sponsors. This season’s main events include the new monthly Moto-Roundup, Barrel Races, Senior Pro Rodeo, Elite Bull Connection, 406 Rodeo Mini-Buckers, and the 406 Rodeo State Finals held in conjunction with the Joe Reynolds Memorial Saddle Bronc competition. Our event schedule and arena reservation information can be found at www.darbyrodeoassociation.com. Now in our 10th season, with the hard work and support of fabulous volunteers and generous sponsors we continue to grow and positively impact more and more lives in our community. We invite you to join the fun and partner with us in growing into the future. We’ll see you soon!
Page 16 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
Know your numbers: Get your forage tested by Patrick Mangan MSU Ravalli County Extension Agent
How do you know when you’ve found good quality hay? Is it the color? The smell? The leafy or stemmy character of it? Do you look for the makeup of different plants and maturity stages of those plants? Do you look for weeds, or signs of mold? All of these observational measurements can be a good starting point in assessing the hay and forage we buy for our livestock, but there are better ways that can give good concrete data about the quality, digestibility, and safety of the forages you are considering. A simple laboratory forage analysis test can give you a look into the nutritional components of the forage you are considering as feed for your livestock, and help you make the best choices possible for the species, condition, and needs of your animals. Take the guess work out of it, and get some good numbers to inform your decision. Many contract laboratories throughout the nation offer comprehensive forage analysis test packages, and calculate key nutritional information into a usable report. Baseline forage tests often use a NIR Test, or Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Test to measure several forage qualities. These tests are fast, not expensive, and can report out the percentage of dry matter, crude protein, carbohydrates, micronutrients, and measurements of both digestible and indigestible fibers. Labs will run the data through algorithms to calculate the net energy, digestibility, and quality of the forage, so livestock owners can compare one forage to another. Is all this new data really needed? After all, horses just need some good grass hay, right? Well, not necessarily. We don’t like to call them fat horses anymore, or even near- diabetic, so we have switched the term to metabolically challenged, in order to encompass that some horses need to go on a diet of good, lower energy forage or hay, to maintain a healthy weight and avoid the problems associated with too many carbohydrates. With the advice of your veterinarian, a low-carb, low energy
horse hay might be the answer to your horse’s dietary needs. There are similar benefits for knowing the nutritional quality of forages for ruminant livestock, like cattle and sheep. Cows in their last trimester of pregnancy and during lactation need a different quality of forage than they do during periods of the year when they are in more of a maintenance mode. Younger growing animals have different needs compared to mature, older cows. Knowing the crude protein, digestibility, and micronutrient content of forages can help livestock owners make decisions about nutrient supplementation and nutritional intake, optimizing their growth, health, feed efficiency and potential. There is a vitally important forage test that is needed when we use annual cereal grain crops or brassicas as a source for forages and hay. These crops can concentrate nitrates in the stems and leafy material and can lead to nitrate toxicity, a dangerous situation for livestock that may cause abortion of fetuses, and even death of an animal. A lab analysis for nitrate accumulations can literally be a life-saving test when using these crops as a source of forage. The MSU Ravalli County Extension Office can help facilitate forage testing for any type of forages. We have an on-the-spot semi-quantitative analysis test for nitrate concentrations in cereal forages that we offer in the office, using nitrate testing strips. And, we have connections with contract laboratories to send hay and forage samples to for complete nutritional analysis. We even have a free loaner probe to take core samples from hay bales. We can also help interpret the final report, and understand the nutritional quality of the forages sampled. Using a forage analysis test to determine the nutritional quality of your forage is a cheap, easy way to get a good hold on the quality of feed you are using with your livestock, and can help you to make the best decisions possible for the welfare of your animals. Come visit us in the office, and we can tell you all about it. We are at 215 S. 4th Street, Suite G, in Hamilton.
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 17
Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale) By Christy Schram Ravalli County Weed District
Houndstongue, considered to be a part of the Borage family, is also known as “Gypsy flower”, “Rats and mice”, “Dog bur”, and “Beggars lice.” Houndstongue prefers well drained, relatively sandy and gravelly soils. It can also be found in shady areas and especially under the canopy of forests and wetter grasslands. It can be found in pastures and meadows, along roadsides and in disturbed sites. Houndstongue is a biennial forb that forms a deep tap root and basal rosette the first year. It forms a flowering stem in its second year. The rosette leaves are broad, oblong, petioled and resemble a dogs tongue in shape. Leaves are alternate, up to one foot in length and up to three inches wide. They have smooth margins and are soft and velvety to touch. In the second year, stems form and often branch at the top of the plant. Plants can grow up to four feet in height. Flowers have five petals, reddish-purple in color and produce four triangular, rounded seeds. They typically bloom in June and July. Seeds are small brown nutlets about 1/3 inch in length that easily attach to animals, vehicles, and humans. The entire plant has soft white hairs on it. The single tap root of houndstongue is thick, black and woody. Houndstongue reproduces from seed only and each plant can produce up to 2,000 seeds that can remain viable on the parent plant for two to three years. The plant dies after its second year. Houndstongue carries an alkaloid poison that can kill livestock through loss of production of liver cells. Animals won’t normally graze on it, but if cured in hay, it will remain toxic. Sheep are more resistant to this plant than cattle and horses. Horses are especially susceptible and symptoms of houndstongue ingestion include loss of weight, diarrhea, convulsions and even coma. As with many invaders, houndstongue does have medicinal properties as well and has been used as a remedy to acne, corn callus, eczema, and as a fever remedy. Houndstongue is a native to western Asia and Eastern Europe and was introduced into the United States as a medicinal. Historically, houndstongue was used as a folk remedy for ailments including acne, corn callus, eczema and was also used as a fever remedy. As of 2013
the Houndstongue is on the state as a Priority 2B. The most important management tool for houndstongue is prevention. It is important to not let this weed spread and establish in new areas. You can help stop the spread of this weed by: containing infestations, limiting weed seed dispersal, identifying and eradicating new infestations, minimizing soil disturbance, planting competitive grasses, and properly grazing infested areas. Hand-pulling this weed is beneficial, as long as at least two inches of the root crown is removed. After removing houndstongue bag or burn the weed in order to not spread the seeds. An effective biological has not yet been released in Montana. If you are considering herbicides to treat the Houndstongue, or have any questions about Houndstongue or other noxious weeds please contact the Ravalli County Weed District at 777-5842.
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Page 18 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
Agriculture Heritage Notebook The Bitter Root Cultural Heritage Trust
interpretation and affirm cultural values.
works in partnership with families,
The Heritage Trust provides an article for
neighborhoods and communities to restore
each edition of Agricultural Magazine,
historic structures, bring back traditional
highlighting the Bitterroot Valley’s
events and celebrations, encourage
agricultural history and heritage.
Story WENDY BEYE photos courtesy of the RENNAKER FAMILY
While I was researching the story of Anna Mae Paddock’s barn for my September 2018 Barn Story, I was pointed to another historic barn in the same area. Beryl and Evelyn Cooper owned a ranch from 1959 to about 1980 where the barn known to locals as the “Charlie Norman barn” still stands. The current owners are Craig and Sandy Nickles according to Mary, a Cooper daughter, who I tracked down with the help of a map sketched on my notepad by Bill Kyle. Barn stories require a lot of sleuthing. Without a phone number for Craig Nickles in hand, I decide to drive to the barn to see if any-
one is home. I hesitate at the driveway gate after reading a sign that says the property is home to Anatolian Shepherd guard dogs. “Dogs love me,” I tell myself as I open the gate and drive through, closing the gate behind me while keeping an eye out for the beasts. As I park by the house, Craig Nickles steps out to see what I want, while two big white guard dogs keep a careful watch on my car. I explain that I’m known as the “barn lady” and have been writing a series of articles on historic barns in the Bitterroot Valley. Craig very graciously spends the next 40 minutes showing me around the beautiful barn while I take photos.
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 19
He says that he and his wife recently moved to the property, but he has already done a lot of research on the barn. He had been told it was built in 1903, with another section added to the north end a few years later. Some of the construction materials in the barn bear the imprint “Louden.” The Louden Machinery Company of Fairfield, Iowa provided barn construction plans at low cost to ranchers all over the United States from 1906 to the mid1920s. The company’s profit lay in supplying hay trolleys and forks, barn door hardware, metal stalls, cow stanchions, livestock waterers that could be installed in individual pens in a barn, windows for barns, concrete forms, and all kinds of tools to help with construction of barns. For an interesting read, see one of the Louden barn plan catalogs at https://archive.org/details/loudenbarnplans00lmcuoft. The barn is in excellent condition, with metal roofing added by a previous owner about 25 years ago. The spacious loft has an open hay chute extending from the floor all the way to the peak of the roof. It must have been added to the barn after the Cooper family began storing hay in the barn in small bales rather than moving loose hay with the trolley and fork system because a trolley loaded with hay would not be able to pass the structure. Four wooden ventilation flues extend from the lower level to the south two cupolas at the barn’s ridge, as recommended by Louden barn plans. The downstairs area has been extensively remodeled and the milking stanchions removed. A milk processing and cooling shed used to stand at the south end of the barn, but it is also gone.
The Norman barn loft interior.
As usual, I later research ownership records for the property at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office in Hamilton. The supposed date of construction may be off by a few years, based on sale information in the records. The value of the property jumped from $1,375 for a 1907 transfer to $24,000 in 1910. Jane and Gertrude Grant owned the property from 1907 to 1910, and may have built the barn during those years. Also, as noted above, Louden A Renewable Organic Plant Food Mulch & Soil Builder A Renewable Peat Moss Replacement
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Page 20 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
Machinery Company first began offering barn plans in 1906 (Source: National Register of Historic Places, Multiple Property Documentation Form, 1998, for Louden Machinery Company in Fairfield, Iowa), and marketing all-steel cow stalls in 1907. A metal bull stall remains in the north end of the barn, which is thought to have been an addition to the original structure, and the date “1909” is stamped on that metal tubing. The property was lost in a 1926 Sheriff’s sale by Perry Endsley, who had bought it from the Grants in 1910, and was purchased by Minnesota Mutual for $33,500. Charlie Norman obtained a deed from MM in 1940, probably after paying off a contract. Norman may have operated a dairy in the early days of his ownership, but by the time the Cooper family purchased the ranch in 1959, he was raising Hereford cattle, and according to Clifford Cooper, Mary’s brother, 160 head came with the ranch. Clifford said he and his siblings wrestled up to 100 tons of hay to the barn loft each summer, using a bale elevator, then stacking the hay by hand. They never utilized the loose-hay transfer equipment installed in the barn when it was built. Hay was thrown down the chute to the lower floor
for distribution to the animals. That left a soft landing spot for his six-year-old sister when he and his brother tried to pull her up the chute to the top of the barn with a rope. She almost made it, within six inches of grabbing a helping hand, when she let go and fell into the hay below. Her brothers were horrified until they heard her shrieking with laughter, saying “I want to do that again!” Clifford said he was amazed at the modern appearance of the milking parlor, with its steel stanchions (courtesy of Louden Machinery Company) and concrete floors that included concrete feed bunks in front of the stanchions. The barn plan catalog of 1915 details these features, encouraging farmers to think about the health and well-being of their livestock. Louden even sold pre-cut concrete forms so that the proper configuration of floor slope and drains would be assured during construction. The Louden Machinery Company motto was “To modernize your farm, Loudenize your barn.” The Charlie Norman barn builders took that motto to heart, and raised a fine, sturdy barn. No doubt the cows loved it.
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Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 21
Calving, lambing and kidding through cold and wet weather is a challenge Cowpoke Ranch Supply
As the winter months turn to spring, the valley starts to fill with the sounds of new babies all around us. Keeping those new lives going is a full time plus job for our valley’s farmers and ranchers. Temperature regulation and colostrum intake are the two most essential things to keeping them safe and alive in the first 24 hours. The problem with calves, as well as lambs and kids is they do not have the ability to regulate body temperature for the first 1 -3 hours of life. Along with being wet and more easily chilled calves in cold or wet environments are not able to get up and suckle to get colostrum and this compounds the problem. However, a dry calf, lamb or kid that has a stomach full of colostrum within the first few hours has an amazing ability to regulate its own body temperature. Therefore, it is essential that these new babies are brought in and dried off within the first few hours of life and either nurse colostrum or are tubed with a colostrum replacement within the first 6 hours of life. Care needs to be taken with extremely cold
newborns, which may be hypothermic. Their body temperature needs to be regulated prior to giving colostrum replacements. At a veterinary clinic warm IV fluids would be given to regain internal body temperature, at home a warm bath can be used. However, be careful to stay with the animal, keeping its head above the water level, and taking care that the animal is completely dry before ever returning to the outside environment. It is also crucial that the animal’s mouth is warm to the touch prior to giving colostrum. Normal body temperature of a calf is between 101 and 102 degrees, lambs and goat kids are 102 – 103 degrees. A digital thermometer is a fast way to know what you are dealing with. Any temperature below 94 degrees in these animals is considered hypothermic. Signs of hypothermia include cold pale nostrils, and mouth, cold hooves, and shivering. It is always a good idea to call your veterinarian if you have any questions or problems. Visit Cowpoke Ranch Supply in Corvallis and now in Deerlodge for all of your calving, lambing and kidding needs. www.cowpoke.com 406-9614917
Page 22 - Agriculture Magazine, March 2019
Biosecurity is issue facing small ag operations by Dr. Linda Kauffman Burnt Fork Vet Clinic
While the total number of farms in Montana has increased only slightly since 1990, the number of farms consisting of fewer than 50 acres has nearly doubled. With an increase in the demand for locally grown foods, more people are experimenting with smallscale farming here in the Bitterroot, raising livestock for sale or to fulfil their family’s needs. As the number of animals and operations goes up, so does the incidence of disease and the risk of disease-transmission, not only between farms and animals, but from animals to their handlers. This latter class – called “zoonotic” diseases – is especially concerning for family farmers, but being aware of common biological hazards to your livestock and how to avoid them by maintaining the “bio-security” of your operation is becoming a necessary part of farming in our valley. If you currently raise livestock, you’re probably already aware of the most common threats to your animals’ health. You may not realize how easily many of them can be introduced to your farm. For example, most farm animals (including dogs and cats) can carry ringworm, which is a fungal infection rather than a parasite. It is characterized by a red or gray, dry, circular patch on the skin and is spread easily through skin contact. A stray dog can pass bordatella (kennel cough) to your farm dogs or canine livestock guards, even without direct physical contact. Soremouth, a pox virus common to sheep and goats, lives in the scabs shed by infected animals and can be easily transported to your farm on boots, gloves or clothing. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), a common and devastating pig virus, remains viable for up to 100 days, and while it is most often transmitted through close animal-toanimal contact, it can also catch a ride on boots or coveralls. Strangles, an extremely contagious upper respiratory virus in horses, can be spread through shared buckets, stalls and equipment. Educating yourself about these threats to your animals is the first step in protecting your farm. Networking with other producers and animal own-
photos courtesy of kathy hamilton
ers in your area can help you sort out the real threats from the hearsay. Your veterinarian is also an excellent source of reliable information and can provide you with recommended vaccination protocols for the livestock you’ve acquired and the geographical area where your farm is located. While vaccines are an important tool for disease prevention, they aren’t always the answer, either because there is no vaccine for a particular threat or because the vaccine isn’t the best choice. The immunization against soremouth, for example, involves a “live” virus, which actually introduces the disease to your animals. If your herd is “clean,” you don’t plan to show your sheep or goats or to transport them to another farm for breeding, your veterinarian may recommend against vaccinating. According to Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, “The most basic method of disease control in individual herds/flocks is to avoid introduction of disease agents” which most often occurs “…when new animals are added; when animals co-mingle at a fair, show or sale; or when animals contact wildlife.” Isolating new animals (or those returning to the farm) for two to four weeks is essential, in conjunction with close monitoring of the quarantined animal for developing symptoms.
Agriculture Magazine, March 2019 - Page 23
Controlling access to your farm – both human and animal - will go a long way toward reducing the threat of biohazards. Something as simple as posting a sign at your gate asking guests to check in at the house will ensure that you know who is visiting and limit unauthorized visitors from coming in contact with your livestock. Keeping a list of deliveries and visitors can also be helpful in the event that your animals develop a highly infectious disease. Cleanliness is another essential tool for ensuring the health of your animals. Keeping barns and pens clean and well-ventilated and maintaining low animal-density rates will reduce your facility’s contaminant load. Members of your family who visit other small farms should be aware of the possibility of transporting biohazards on their clothing and footwear – both to and from your farm – and be sure to wash their hands and boots and change clothes before handling your own stock. If you buy livestock, feed or farm equipment, make sure it comes from a reputable dealer, and clean and disinfect newly acquired equipment (especially feeders and livestock-handling equipment). Remember that rodents and insects can spread disease, so
take measures to keep these pests under control. Large farms across the United States have long recognized the numerous (and increasing) biosecurity threats, and most now have strict protocols for protecting their operations. While the scope of these threats to your animals may seem overwhelming, it’s not necessary to turn your small farm into a maximum security prison. Following a few basic bio-security rules will go a long way toward a happy, healthy farming experience: • Educate yourself about the diseases common to your livestock • Vaccinate your animals • Restrict traffic in and out of your farm and isolate new or returning animals • Employ good sanitation practices, including clean feeders and bedding, pest control, and proper ventilation and stocking/animal density rates Farming is a lot of work, but it can also be a fun, rewarding and educational experience for the whole family. Maintaining your farm’s bio-security will help ensure that outcome.
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