Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
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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...
