Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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Nestled in the sweeping plains of north-central Montana, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a 15,551-acre sanctuary that provides beneficial habitat for an array of wildlife. From the greater sage-grouse to shorebirds, waterfowl, and pronghorn antelope, the refuge serves as a haven for species that rely on the unique sagebrush and wetland ecosystems of the region. Amidst the bird song, a familiar sound to northern Montana cuts through. Was that a moo? While...
In the vast grasslands of the Northern Great Plains, ranchers have long been the silent stewards of some of America's most fragile ecosystems. These are people who understand the land in a way few others do-people whose hands are calloused from years of hard work, and whose education often comes from the very soil they nurture. A Polaris UTV serves as steed as Leo Barthelmess ushers cattle to the next pasture on his south Phillips County, Mont., ranch. Meanwhile, buzzwords are thrown around a...
Birds chirp in no-man's land. A tall red barn, weathered paint but no hint of a lean, stands as the beacon welcoming you into the yard of Paul Williams, military veteran and newly invested Montana landowner. For all the silence, his yard is lively. A smiling Jack Russell Terrier looks up from the seat of an old ranch pickup. The reluctant Australian Cattle Dog keeps a wary eye on a drone capturing aerial footage, eager to grab hold if it gets too close. Crisply colored chickens waddle behind...
If walls could talk, the pistachio green surface of Sally Austin's kitchen would instantaneously have you settled in over a cup of steaming Folgers. A gallery of framed photos, some slightly askew, tells the story of the 70 years Austin has lived on the ranch. Tucked among them, funeral programs and a well-worn flyswatter remind you of life's unvarnished realities. Legacies experience loss. Ranches have bugs. Perched atop a cushioned kitchen chair, Austin reflects on the history of the 125 years...
Beneath wispy clouds set in a blindingly blue sky where Montana and Saskatchewan become indistinguishable from one another sits the Louie Petrie Ranch, an exemplary model in ranch tradition, innovative trial, and targeted implementation. It's on this land outside of Turner where you'll find multiple generations strategizing for the long-term viability of the ranch originally homesteaded in 1901. "If you improve the resource, you're improving your bottom line," says Tyrel Obrecht, a...
The sweet peas are popping up in north Phillips County, enjoying the cool Montana spring before the heat of summer puts them to rest for another year. Birds chirp. The breeze is cool, the air fresh. And in the mind of Brian Fox, the gears are turning. Will the ranch improvements he's made in the last year equate to the improvements he's after? They were unconventional, he'll give it that, but also natural in a way that we may be just starting to appreciate. Fox has found himself at the forefront...
There's been entire books written on the history of fencing in the West. The evolution of barbed wire, the impact fences had on the landscapes, and the range wars that ensued when fences first went up are all remarkable and fascinating stories that will forever stand in the history of the American West and the ranching industry. But when those same fences that made history are still standing today, plans to upgrade have likely been discussed. Modern day ranchers, however, know the harsh reality...
It’s emotional. It’s financial. It’s pivotal. And it often gets put on the back burner. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that family-owned farms and ranches account for 97 percent of the 2.1 million total in the U.S. Yet only 30 percent of these survive into the second generation. Only 12 percent are still operating by the third. What’s more, some 69 percent of the family farms surveyed expected ownership to continue into the next generation, but only 23 percent had a plan. Where is t...
It’s emotional. It’s financial. It’s pivotal. And it often gets put on the back burner. Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that family-owned farms and ranches account for 97 percent of the 2.1 million total in the U.S. Yet only 30 percent of these survive into the second generation. Only 12 percent are still operating by the third. What’s more, some 69 percent of the family farms surveyed expected ownership to continue into the next generation, but only 23 percent had a plan. Where is t...
If there is a water line to add, a tank to set, or a unique water set up to try, it's likely Dusty Emond has done it on his ranch south of Malta, Mont. Of the nearly 12 miles of pipeline on his place, six new miles were added just last fall following the harsh drought of 2021 to send water to an additional 7,500 acres that could not be utilized by cattle last summer due to a lack of water. However, along that pipeline there are yet to be any tanks. "Even this year, we will have at least 20,000...
We've heard it time and time again: good fences make good neighbors. But when it's your community that's teaming up to pound those posts and stretch that wire, the "neighborhood" becomes a whole lot bigger. Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit started by a group of 30 plus ranch families in 2003, joined a widespread effort in 2019 to improve fencing for wildlife migration. While major partners include the Department of Interior, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and...