A parcel of land owned by Bozeman Health near the hospital campus growing new varieties of peas, chickpeas and durum wheat for MSU's Foundation Seed Program. MSU photo by Marcus "Doc" Cravens

BOZEMAN — A property in the Gallatin Valley with a long history of agricultural use will enter a new chapter as Montana State University’s Montana Agricultural Experiment Station leases it to grow seed for crop varieties developed by the university’s plant breeding programs for Montana producers.

The roughly 317-acres of farmable land within the Highland Glen area, bordered by Kagy and Highland boulevards and Bozeman Trail Road, will be planted this spring with new varieties of peas, chickpeas and durum wheat as part of MSU’s Foundation Seed Program.

The property, which is owned by Bozeman Health, is a significant addition to the other 1,200 acres of Gallatin Valley farmland that MAES owns or leases for foundation seed production and agricultural research, according to David Gettel, MAES farm operations manager. The new lease is for five years with the option to be extended.

“It’s not often you get access to a good piece of farmland this close to town, so this is a great opportunity for us,” Gettel said.

MSU’s Foundation Seed Program grows the first generation of seed for crop varieties that the university’s researchers breed for the needs of Montana growers facing climate, pest and soil challenges across the state. This year MAES is growing 22 of its 27 new varieties in-house, with the others grown by MAES Research Centers or contracted to local growers.

“Our breeding programs keep putting out new varieties every year, and we need the acreage to be able to get the seed out to Montana farmers,” Gettel said. The property is also conveniently situated between the MSU campus and the Fort Ellis Research Farm, which will make it easier for staff traveling to cultivate and monitor the fields, he added.

Over the past decade, MAES has added two new breeding programs — for durum wheat and pulses, which include green and yellow peas, chickpeas and lentils — to its existing programs for barley, winter and spring wheat. Foundation seed is the first generation of seed that is then distributed to seed growers, who in turn produce seed for commodity growers.

“We’re the first step in the multiplication and purification process,” said Doug Holen, manager of the foundation seed program. “The need for the university to have more land is really a sign of the success of our breeding programs and the demand from Montana growers.”

Roughly one-third of the Highland Glen property will be in foundation seed production, with another third in a rotation crop such as barley and the final third kept fallow. The rotation crop and fallow help prevent plant disease and ensure fertility to meet the high standards for seed production, Holen explained.

The property was previously farmed by the Kraft family, who leased it from the health system starting in the 1960s. The Bozeman Health board had purchased the 500 acres encompassing the farmland in 1956, to ensure essential health services would be available to the communities of southwest Montana, and relocated the hospital to a portion of the property in 1986.

Vaughn Kraft grew up farming the land with his dad, earned a bachelor’s in industrial arts from MSU in 1967, and ran a machine shop in Belgrade before taking over the family farming operation full-time in the early 2000s.

“I’m glad to see this land stay in agriculture,” said Kraft, who will now focus on farming his 80 acres along South 19th Avenue. His family grew foundation seed on contract for MSU in the 1960s and ’70s and planted MSU-developed varieties of barley and other crops, so he understands the importance of the seed program, he said.

“I think, of all the options, this is probably the best,” said Kraft, who had gotten to know Gettel in recent years and helped facilitate the connection between MSU and Bozeman Health to transfer the lease. “I thought it would be a perfect fit.”

The health system is thankful for MSU’s partnership in maintaining this open space and for advancing a connection to the region’s agricultural roots, according to Denise Juneau, Bozeman Health chief government and community affairs officer. Bozeman Health's Highland Glen property also offers trails popular with hikers, bikers and cross-country skiers, and those user groups will continue to have the same access to those trails, she said.

“Bozeman Health is inspired by a desire to take outdoor active and healthy lifestyles and combine them with traditional services, including behavioral health, to increase health and wellness in a way that is accessible to all,” said Juneau. “Trails are critically important infrastructure for an outdoor, healthy life, and preserving agricultural use on this property maintains a natural setting for this active transportation system. As we gratefully honor our 60-plus years of collaboration with the Kraft family, we can think of no better partner to continue the stewardship of these farmlands than Montana State University.”

“I am excited about this new partnership with Bozeman Health as it will allow us to expand the MSU Foundation Seed Program to meet the high demand for our seeds in Montana,” said Sreekala Bajwa, dean of MSU's College of Agriculture and MSU vice president for agriculture. “This effort will help more crop producers across Montana grow MSU varieties, which are the best for the Montana environment and go on to feed people in many parts of the world.”

The property’s three large fields, separated by a coulee, will provide enough acreage for MSU to raise three or more foundation seed varieties per year and will also provide numerous research opportunities for soil science, precision agriculture and more, Gettel said.

“We hold ourselves to a high standard in terms of being stewards of the land,” Gettel said.

1. June 5 - July 5: E Main Rouse to Church
2. June 19 - August 1: Church from Main to Babcock, and Babcock from Rouse to Church
3. August 7 - August 21: N Bozeman from Main to Mendenhall
4. August 21 - September 21: E Main from Bozeman to Rouse

All DTNBZN and Community Events will operate a planned and construction will halt or be redirected during these times.

Due to short staffing, the Gallatin County Motor Vehicle Department offices in Bozeman and Belgrade will temporarily reduce office hours to enable staff to maintain current workload.

Beginning Wednesday, June 14, the offices will be open to the public for the following hours during the work week:

• Bozeman office (Gallatin County Courthouse at 311 W. Main St.) – 10 AM to 5 PM
• Belgrade office (312 W. Main St., St. B-8) – 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM

While the offices will be closed to the public for a couple hours a day, staff will be on hand during those hours as it will allow them to catch up on paperwork.

The Gallatin County Motor Vehicle Department is responsible for titling, registration and collection of fees associated with motor vehicles in the county. Drivers’ licenses are handled by the state in a separate office.

Like many employers across the county, our Motor Vehicle Department is short staffed. The offices have a total of 16 positions but are currently down four people with another position reducing to half time soon.

Our motor vehicle offices are the highest trafficked of our county government offices, with more and more customers as our population continues growing. These reduced hours will provide breathing room for our current staff to handle their increased workloads.

We encourage residents to check our website to find information on options like online or mail-in renewals to save them a trip to our offices. We also have a live webcam for the lobby of the Bozeman office so residents can better plan their trips to the courthouse. And we are also going restart some of the programs that were great time-savers for businesses, residents, and staff during the pandemic. We will be announcing programs on the website as soon as they are available.

The reduced public office hours will remain in place until more staff hired. We will keep the public updated.

For information on job openings in the Motor Vehicle Department, and all other county departments, please visit www.governmentjobs.com/careers/gallatinmt. There you can see detailed job descriptions and apply today!

BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension and the Montana Department of Agriculture were recently announced as partners in a $30 million U.S. Department of Agriculture effort to establish a regional center to create opportunities for food producers and increase food security.

Co-led by Colorado State University and Oregon State University, the new Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center is part of a larger effort nationwide, for which the USDA announced $400 million in funding last September.

“This funding represents a great opportunity to both identify and fill gaps that need attention while leveraging the strengths that exist within Montana’s food supply chains,” said Andy Fjeseth, bureau chief of the state of Montana’s Agricultural Finance, Trade and Development Bureau.

In total, the USDA will establish 12 regional food business centers to serve all areas of the country.

“Montana is lucky to have a robust technical assistance network within this space. I am excited to see how this funding can establish new partnerships and help move our food and ag industries forward,” Fjeseth said.

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Center will support farm, ranch and food businesses, as well as broader food supply chain enterprises, through:

• Technical assistance programs, curricula and one-on-one business support.

• Direct investments in projects and professional development for regional food system leaders and innovators.

• Coordination via strategic sharing of resources and coordinated action across the region, and between USDA and regional stakeholders.

“We are incredibly excited for this project to get underway,” said Tommy Bass, MSU Extension livestock environment associate specialist. “Working with the Montana Department of Agriculture, USDA, local food NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and regional land-grant colleagues, I know we can make a significant impact to food supply chains across the region.”

The Northwest and Rocky Mountain Regional Food Business Center will work with partners to target investments in communities across the region. It will focus on four areas: resilient animal protein supply chains; food entrepreneurs seeking to scale up; farms leveraging opportunities aligned with emerging climate-resilient markets; and right-sized infrastructure and investment.

The center will also serve as the hub for regional small- and mid-tier food and farm business development initiatives, supporting resilience across multiple industry sectors and creating a regional collaborative network. The center will also provide timely and relevant data and analysis for market access and development and serve as a gateway and navigator for USDA programs and funding as well as other third-party funding sources.

More information about the Northwest and Rocky Mountain Food Business Development Center can be found at NWRockyMountainRegionalFoodBusiness.com.

To kick off Montana Noxious Weed Awareness Week, the Gallatin County Weed District announces the opening of nominations for an annual award recognizing area landowners for their work in controlling noxious weeds in our area.

Gallatin County would like to honor landowners and managers who do an exceptional job of controlling noxious weeds. These stewards are not only caring for their own land but are helping to protect the wild lands and local agriculture that make our county such a wonderful place to live.

The Weed District would like to celebrate these individuals or groups who are a vital part of noxious weed management in our county with the Gallatin County Outstanding Noxious Weed Management Award.

Last year’s inaugural award went to employees at Bridger Bowl Ski Area for their contributions to noxious weed management and their dedication to promoting healthy plant communities in Gallatin County.

If you know of a person or a group who has shown exceptional leadership in the management of noxious weeds on private land in Gallatin County, please nominate them for this award. 

Nominations will be reviewed by the Gallatin County Weed Board, who will pick the winner. The Gallatin County Commission and the Weed District will then recognize the winner at a public meeting in September.

To nominate someone, fill out this form or contact the Weed District to get a copy of the form. Nominations are due by July 31.

The Gallatin County Weed District is located at 903 N. Black Ave. in Bozeman. Staff can be reached at 406-582-3265 or weeddistrict@gallatin.mt.gov.

Information about the Outstanding Noxious Weed Management Award can also be found on our website.

More info on Montana Noxious Weed Awareness Week:

Montana Noxious Weed Awareness Week was established in 2021 as a way to highlight the invasive plants in our state that outcompete native grasses and wildflowers and can seriously impair wildlife habitat, agriculture and recreational opportunities.

Noxious Weed Awareness Week is observed the first full week of June. This year it will be celebrated June 4-10.

When it comes to popular spots in the home to update, the bathroom often sits high on the list of priorities. It’s a room that gets plenty of use, and for that reason, wear and tear can show up faster than in other spaces. But just because you want to update the bathroom, doesn’t mean you have the desire or budget to do a full gut job, and the good news is that you don’t have to. Here are four ways to modernize your bathroom in 2023 without having to rip everything out.

A New Shower Screen Can Be Just What Is Needed
Want to update your shower but don't have the budget for a total gut job? Homeowners will be thrilled to find that, by replacing the shower screen, you can create the illusion of a brand-new shower. This is often the best shower part to update since you have so many options available to you. Just be clear on the style you’re going for. For example, do you like clean lines, modern features and a simple design, or are you looking for a shower screen with some uniqueness to it? There is also clear and frosted glass, both of which can work in a modern bathroom.

Another tip is to remove the old caulking between shower tiles, which may be discolored, fading, peeling, cracking or missing, and apply fresh caulking.

Choose a Trending Color Palette
If you want more of an impact than just the shower and vanity, a fresh new color palette will do the trick. You don’t have to choose a trending one, but some are proving stylish for 2023. The good news is that most of these act as neutrals, which means they will work with existing flooring and fixtures.

Some trending bathroom color palettes for 2023 worth looking into include:

Install New Lighting
Finally, take a look at your current light fixture and ask yourself if it works with the bathroom updates. Installing a new light fixture means you can choose an entirely different style and finish, and even pick one that offers more light – as you can never have too much light in a bathroom.

Using all of these tips will help you update your bathroom and transform the space so it matches your vision.

The Bozeman Public Library mobile library zips around the county all summer long. The following stops will include special hands-on learning and play opportunities for kids. For a complete mobile library calendar, please visit bozemanlibrary.org/bookmobile. Note: some of these stops will be accompanied by the library SUV instead of the bookmobile.

• Bethel Church, 12:15-1:45 PM, June 13, 27, July 11, 25, August 8, 22

• Elk Grove, 3:30-4:30 PM, June 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18, 25

• Gallatin County Regional Park, 10 AM-12 PM, June 24, July 8, 22, August 19, & 1-3 PM August 5

• Gallatin Valley Mall (inside), 1-3 PM, June 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18, 25

• The Lakes @ Valley West, 10 AM-12 PM, June 17, July 1, 15, 29, August 12, 26

• Lunch on the Lawn @ The Emerson, 11:30 AM -1:30 PM, July 12, 26

• Monforton Middle School,11:30 AM- 1 PM, June 20, July 18, August 1, 15, & 9:30-11 AM July 6

• MSU Family Housing @ Paisley Park, 12-1:15 PM, June 16, 30, July 14, 28, August 11, 25

• Quail Run Park, 4:30-5:30 PM, June 20, July 5, 18, August 1, 15

• Valley West Park, 3:30-4:30 PM, June 16, 23, 30, July 7, 14, 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18, 25

• Walton Homestead Park, 11:30 AM - 1 PM, June 23, July 7, 21, August 4, 18

It is natural to worry about developing a life-altering medical issue, especially as you enter your senior years. Even if you look and feel great, you might worry about losing your mobility, struggling with memory, or developing an age-related health condition.

You might be unable to stop the inevitable, but you can take steps to preserve your grace and respect should your health decline. Keep reading to learn how to age with dignity.

Decide How You Want to Age

Rather than worrying about what will happen to you should your health deteriorate, you can decide how you want to age and convey your wishes to your loved ones. Many people avoid the conversation with their loved ones, as it may feel difficult and overwhelming. Yet, it is a discussion worth having to ensure you spend your golden years feeling happy and comfortable.

For example, now might be an ideal time to consider the right facility for senior living in San Jose, CA, and receive 24-hour care that will adapt to your specific needs. It will provide peace of mind that you will enter an assisted living community when necessary to avoid feeling a burden and receive around-the-clock support from a licensed nurse and a trained team of staff.

Ask for Help When Needed

There is no shame in asking for help when needed, and your loved ones might be more than happy to lend a helping hand. As much as you might want to retain your independence for as long as possible, you might need to admit that you need assistance washing, dressing, taking medication, or performing household chores.

As hard as it might be to ask a loved one for help, it will stop hygiene issues, household problems, and health complications from arising. Leaning on others for support will allow you to maintain your dignity, but pretending an issue isn’t happening could destroy it. Don’t allow pride to stand in the way of your quality of life.

Stimulate Your Mind

An active mind is crucial for dignified aging, as it will support your cognitive health, prevent a mental health disorder, and help you maintain an optimistic mindset. Find activities that will bring you joy and force you to use your brain, such as solving complex puzzles, reading books, gardening, or completing a course.

Move Your Body Daily

In addition to helping you to maintain a healthy weight during your senior years, exercise can help your body function, slow down the aging process, strengthen muscles, and lower blood pressure. Look for ways to get your body moving daily, such as stretching every morning, walking outside, gardening, or swimming. However, consult a doctor to create an effective exercise plan to suit your health needs and capabilities.

Growing older doesn’t mean saying goodbye to your dignity, regardless of your health issues. If you care for your mind and body, ask for help, and plan for aging, you could protect your decorum and respect throughout your golden years.

ALDER – Flooding on the Ruby River has inundated Alder Bridge Fishing Access Site, and the site has been closed temporarily for public safety.

Recent rain and snow runoff have raised water levels in many areas. Flooding poses hazards to recreationists, including colder water temperatures, unseen obstacles and reduced access.

Alder Bridge Fishing Access Site will reopen as conditions allow. For updates on restrictions and closures of Montana waterbodies and lands managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, visit fwp.mt.gov/news/current-closures-restrictions.

BOZEMAN — On June 27, the Bozeman City Commission will discuss an ordinance aimed at improving short-term rental compliance by applying several requirements to hosting platforms, such as Airbnb and VRBO. If adopted, this would require platforms to include the city permit number for each listing within the City and, if no city permit number is supplied, the hosting platform must remove the listing within five days.  Platforms would also need to share information on listings with the city, including addresses.

Having an up-to-date list of existing short-term rental listings would allow city staff to more easily bring short-term rentals into compliance with city regulations. This would ensure all owners and operators of short-term rentals are treated fairly, and that all rentals are operating safely. In addition, the ordinance would provide staff with a more accurate picture of the number of short-term rentals operating in the city.

“This ordinance is backed by research we have done into other similar communities. Many of them have seen success after improving compliance in this way,” City Planner Nakeisha Lyon stated.
 
During the Aug. 9, 2022 Commission work session on short-term rentals, Commission directed staff to explore improving short-term rental compliance through this type of ordinance.
 
The last time the Bozeman City Commission passed an ordinance on short-term rentals was in 2017. Ordinance 1974 established a number of regulations, including the need to register, have a fire inspection, and requiring owner occupancy of the short term rental in certain zoning districts.
 
City staff are also in the process of a more in-depth analysis of how the City regulates short-term rentals, which the City Commission will discuss at a future meeting.
 
More information on short-term rentals and the regulations around them can be found at https://www.bozeman.net/departments/community-development/planning/short-term-rentals.