Sorted by date Results 26 - 47 of 47
Richland County is enriched with a vast number of farms that are also located in the irrigated valley along the county’s eastern boundary. Throughout Richland County the majority of the land is agricultural. Over the years many parcels or lots were created using an agricultural exemption from Montana’s subdivision laws. Why? Because an agricultural exemption is a quick and easy way to divide off a parcel. However, to use the agricultural exemption, agricultural covenants are placed on these parcels. Agricultural covenants are placed on the par...
There is perhaps no state that can boast more Western grit, gumption and panoramic nostalgia than Montana. It is a place known for its vast open spaces, abundant natural beauty and time-kept appreciation for the ways of yesterday. From the wooden homesteader cabins and barns dotting the wind-blown prairie to the remnants of bygone farming equipment, its rural setting can captivate home-grown farming community folk and city slickers alike. And for those who call the Treasure State home, it’s d...
A two-day workshop covering a variety of topics related to crop production in Montana will be held Jan. 2 and 3 at the Burns Technology Center at Montana State University. Guest speaker at the 2014 MSU Crop and Pest Management School will be Daren Mueller from Iowa State University, editor of the book “Fungicides for Field Crops,” published in 2012 by the American Phytopathological Society. The Crop and Pest Management School will also include a panel discussion on corn as a potential crop in Montana. Eleven MSU staff members from four dep...
The life of a bull is not simple because, for the most part, his life is somewhat confrontational. The other day while reviewing the bulls, two of the bulls still were sparring for dominance. They have been out of the pasture for almost two months, but they still seem to find the energy to spar. Too often, bulls are penned and the rest of the fall activity goes on, so we forget to check on the bulls. However, the Dickinson Research Extension Center evaluates bulls critically following breeding. Bulls that have a high risk of not passing next...
The Ag Department at Williston State College is getting ready for the 4th annual Carcass Challenge. Students in the program take calves donated from area livestock producers to Hovde Feedlot in Arnegard, feed them the same rations, and weigh and process them monthly and study the data. When they are ready to be processed, they are brought to Prairie Packing and sold as quarters, halves, or wholes. The proceeds fund the Ag Ambassador program. The Ag Ambassador program helps communicate the importance of agriculture in our area. “Students i...
Katelyn Dynneson can see it perfectly in her mind. The brilliant strands of white and colored lights. The misty steam of her horses' breath against the frigid night air. She can hear the loud ringing of jingle bells dangling from their torsos, intermixed with Christmas music blaring from IPods connected to makeshift sound systems. What better place for two draft horses to pull an old style wagon than a parade during one of the most festive times of the year! She plans to showcase her team of...
Harvest Festival Artwork Winner Dani Berry, a 4th grader at East Fairview School, was the winner of The Roundup's Harvest Festival artwork contest. She received her artwork, nicely framed by Ribbon & Rail, and a collection of fun art supplies. Harvest Festival Drawing Winner Steve Smart of Sidney was the happy winner of the $500 Farm & Home Supply gift card courtesy of The Roundup. Smart registered at Eagle Country Ford during the recent Harvest Festival....
A new report released today during a teleconference by Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC) shows how regulatory systems are failing to protect residents and communities from the harmful effects of oil and gas development. The report, Watered Down, identifies and examines the dangers to water quality posed by oil and gas production in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming. “Our members, mostly rural ranchers and farmers, are being showered with pollutants, running dry of safe water, and watching crops in the fields their g...
I recently mentioned that consumers should begin watching the price of E85 and E10 as we enter a period where fuels with higher blends of ethanol could have a lower cost on an energy equivalent basis. Prices are now within a few cents at my regular gas station in Fargo, and there is at least one station in town where E85 is sold at a significant discount, which is more than enough for one to go out of his or her way to fuel a vehicle. How long this situation persists depends on a number of...
Western North Dakota communities received $170,650 in grants from Farm Credit, including five grants for worthy community projects to support cities and towns impacted by oil and mineral exploration and production. “North Dakota is now the second largest oil producing state in the United States, bringing both opportunity and challenges to the towns and cities in western North Dakota. These grants represent our commitment to investing in the needs of these communities through the Rural Community Grant Fund,” said Bill York, CEO of AgriBank. Agr...
The Roundup held its annual Make It With Sugar contest Friday, October 25 in conjunction with Harvest Festival. Reese and Ray’s IGA was the gracious host for the event. Thank you to everyone who entered- the judges had a really hard time choosing the winners. Thank you also to all the businesses that provided prizes, to Sidney Sugars for providing “expert” judges, and to Reese and Ray’s IGA for allowing us to have the contest in their deli. Anne Babb, Savage, was the happy winner of the People’s Choice Award, a $100 Reese & Ray’s IGA gift ca...
Bruce Nelson, state executive director for USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Montana, urges Montana honey producers who want to purchase 2013 coverage through the Noninsurable Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to do so before the sales closing date of Dec. 3, 2012. NAP provides financial assistance to producers of noninsurable crops when low yields/grazing loss, loss of inventory or prevented planting occur due to normal disasters. Honey is the only 2013 Montana NAP crop with a Dec. 3, 2012 sales closing date. All other NAP crops (except...
Ranchers and land managers will be shown how to manage grasslands with biologically effective grazing strategies that increase available soil mineral nitrogen and generate greater wealth from grazing land’s natural resources without depleting future production. A biologically effective pasture and harvested forage management workshop will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 7-9, 2014, at the North Dakota State University Dickinson Research Extension Center. Traditionally managed grazing land pastures are chronically deficient in available m...
The MonDak Area Stockgrowers Association held their annual banquet at the Sidney Elks Lodge on Nov. 21....
So You Thought You Were Buying the Family Farm - Guess Again! Dr. Ron Hanson, Neal E. Professor of Agribusiness at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will be speaking on four topics Thursday morning Jan. 9 at Ag Days in Sidney: 1) You Can Buy Our Family Farm But Remember That I Still Own It 2) How Much Did Your Lawyer Cost Our Family Farm Estate? 3) What If The "What If" Actually Happens In Our Family? 4) Keeping Your Farm In The Family For The Next Generation-Is There A Plan? Dr. Hanson will...
The Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center (MCHF & WHC) is seeking nominations for the 2014 Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame induction round. Every year, the MCHF & WHC honors living and historical figures that have made notable contributions to Montana's western heritage. “We really want to encourage people from across Montana to get involved and help us identify those in their communities who are most deserving of inclusion in the Hall of Fame,” said Christy Stensland, executive director of the MCHF & WHC. “Nominations are open to t...
The District 5 Make it With Wool contest was held in Sidney on October 27. There were 3 contestants, one in each of the categories. Cortney Hecker from Sidney is our Teen entry and Sara McMillen is the Senior contestant. Kodi Bilquist from Bainville was our preteen entry. Cortney and Sara are both eligible to compete in the Montana State competition that will be held in conjuction with the Montana Wool Growers annual convention in Billings, MT, the first weekend in December. From there, one Junior Contestant and one Senior Contestant will be...
7 marks the first year that Elgin-ND, a hard red spring wheat variety from North Dakota State University, will be available for general distribution to commodity growers. Elgin-ND's attributes are yield, quality and disease protection. Elgin-ND has high yield potential. According to North Dakota variety trial results for 2012, Elgin-ND's yield beat five of the top six most popular varieties for the year in eastern North Dakota. The average yield in 2012 for Elgin-ND across eastern North...
Montana State University is set to begin a national search for a dean of the MSU College of Agriculture and director of the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station. A 22-member committee has been formed to conduct the search. Brett Gunnink, interim dean of the College of Engineering, is the search committee’s chair. The committee will be assisted by Greenwood/Asher & Associates, an executive search consulting firm. Members of the search committee are listed below by name and title in alphabetical order: Shannon Arnold, assistant professor, D...
A free forum on new technologies in pesticide education, weeds and insect management will be offered Thursday, Dec. 5, in Bozeman. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Comfort Inn. Those who wish to attend should pre-register by contacting Montana State University Pesticide Education Specialist Cecil Tharp at [email protected] or (406) 994-5067. The program will be worth four private applicator credits, as well as three commercial/government credits in the categories of aerial, dealer, ag plant pest, forest pest, ornamental and...
We're offering up a virtual Winter Weather Survival Class on Dec 6th and again on Dec 7th. You don't have to leave the warmth or comfort of your home! All you need is a phone and a computer or mobile device with internet access. I hope this will be a two way street, and that I'll hear best practices from you as well. Many of the tips in the presentation came from our spotters who are sharing their lessons learned with me. Everyone who attends will get a packet in the mail that includes the Montana Winter Survival Handbook. There are two...
Recently, I ate lunch with my 18-year-old son at the campus food service. I hadn’t eaten in the student cafeteria in quite a long time, and I was pleasantly surprised by the vast number of choices. We each grabbed a plate and proceeded to make our choices. They no longer use trays at the food service, which trims food waste, labor and water use. We stopped at the hot food line first. “Do you want red sauce or Alfredo sauce on your spaghetti?” the pleasant young worker asked me. “Could I have some of each?” I replied. “You sure can!” he sa...
