Finding help

Photo courtesy Western ag research center Western Agricultural Research Center’s vineyard program manager, Amy Darling, harvests some grapes from the center’s vineyard.

Finding help: Resources for your horticultural endeavors

PATRICK MANgAN MsU MIssOUlA COUNTY ExTENsION AgENT

Planning and implementing a horticultural enterprise can be an engaging, exciting, and stressful time.

There are a lot of important pieces to consider in the design and selection of components of any farm, and those needs can be even more important when building out a perennial cropping system with a high cost of infrastructure and investments at the outset of the budding business.

Don’t run off and make quick decisions. Instead spend the time necessary to dig deeply into your new enterprise. Doing the intellectual heavy lifting during the planning stages can save you time, money, and ultimately lead you to good success.

And don’t go it all alone. There are a host of resources and support services and organizations ready to help you, provide services and advise, and supply a community of fellow farmers and horticulturalists that are moving collaboratively in the same direction to build the whole industry. Below are some good starting points to contact for additional information.

Helping hands and solid information:

Contact your local Montana State University Extension office. MSU County Extension Agents can provide services and advice on a host of land management strategies. From soil testing, to plant cultivar selections, Extension professionals have access to up-to-date research based information on cultivar trials, plants communities, soils, and many other topics in agricultural enterprise development. You can find your local MSU Extension Office and Extension Agents here: https:// www.msuextension.org/

Local economic development agencies and business development centers can help new and beginning agricultural business owners develop business plans, marketing plans, find resources, and apply for grant and funding sources. The Mission West Community Development Partners is a great

starting point: www.missionwestcdp.org

Agricultural advocacy and support non-profit organizations also provide valuable support and information to beginning farmers and ranchers as they plan and develop their businesses. The Community Food Agriculture Coalition supports new and beginning farmers through classes, farmer field days, technical business planning help, and grant funding support. Find additional information about CFAC at: https://www.missoulacfac.org/

Connecting with fellow farmers and growers:

Tap into the communities of like-minded farmers and horticulturalists who are on the same path you are. The grower associations around the state often hold workshops, field trips, seminars, conventions and other educational opportunities to learn from both peers as well as experts in the field.

The members of the associations also work collaboratively to advance marketing and product distribution for their crops, engage in grant development, and hold regular discussions to support all farmers and growers in the industry. Find and join the growers association for your potential crop and reap the benefits of a community working together to support advance the industry together.

Those associations include:

*The Montana Berry Growers Association: https://montanaberries.org/ *Budwood Apple Growers Cooperative: https://budwood. org/ *Montana Grape and Winery Association: https://www. montanagrapeandwine.com/

*Montana Organic Association: https://montanaorganicassociation.org/

Visit the action and learn from previous experiences:

A picture is worth and thousand words, and a field day is worth 10,000 words. Attend field days, visit research centers, and learn from those who have been doing it. Field days and research highlights can help review data about cultivar performance, pest management, best practices for management and development, and many other topics.

The Montana State University Western Agriculture Research Center in Corvallis, MT holds an annual summer field day and research review. The event is held on the last Thursday of July annually, and provides a great opportunity to listen to staff and researchers review the latest up-to-date information they have learned for different crops. The research centers additionally have results, growers guides, and many other resources on their websites to support growers. https:// agresearch.montana.edu/warc/

Other states and Canadian provinces also have opportunities for field days and on-site teaching events. Consider a trip to learn more from other locations.

Whatever crop or horticultural opportunity you are considering as part of your agricultural enterprise, don’t go it alone. Connect with others in the agricultural community, research and education staff and faculty, and those who are working together to help all farmers be successful. Spend the time to research and plan, even if it sets the implementation back a year or two; learning about the best practices and the best available information before you begin is far better than mitigating mistakes after you’ve begun. AG