BOZEMAN – As soil acidification becomes a more pressing issue for Montana farmers, researchers in the Montana State University College of Agriculture are conducting on-farm experiments around the state to help explore precision treatments that fit the conditions measured in individual fields.

Assistant research professor Manbir Rakkar and professor Clain Jones of the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences are taking a multifaceted approach to managing and preventing increases in soil acidity, which is largely caused by repeated application of nitrogen fertilizers and can be made worse by growing the crops that require those fertilizers on the same land year after year. 

While other states, such as Idaho, Washington, Oregon and the Dakotas, have been grappling with soil acidity for years, the issue was first really discovered in Montana around 2015, said Jones, who has been working on research into the issue ever since.

“We recognized it as something that needed to be addressed,” said Jones. “The majority of farmers don’t have this problem, but those who do can have up to complete crop loss.”

Jones estimates that around 5% of Montana’s cropland is affected by soils with a pH below 5.5, which is the acidity level at which significant problems can begin to emerge. But one of the things that makes it such a difficult problem is that acidic soils are often found only in patches across a field, and in many instances when soil pH is tested, samples from various locations are combined, resulting in an average acidity measurement for a large area. Low pH and high pH patches may cancel each other out, meaning producers often don’t realize they have an acidity problem.

However, testing more soil samples per acre can be too expensive, so MSU researchers are exploring alternatives such as remote imagery and sensing technology, which could save money and provide a more detailed soil acidity data for a field.

To detect acidic spots within a field, Rakkar said a better approach than traditional composite testing is for farmers to scout their fields periodically. Yellow or stunted plants, poor root development or other unexplained crop growth issue could be an indication of a soil acidity problem. Soil samples from such problematic areas should not be combined with other samples, she said.  

The standard approach to correcting low soil pH is to apply lime products such as spent sugar beet lime, said Jones. However, that requires special equipment and can be costly, especially if farmers opt for blanket application across their fields.

Rakkar hopes her work will help producers to make more informed decisions for precise lime application on acidity-affected areas.

“We’re trying something different than just soil sampling to determine soil acidity,” said Rakkar.

One of those approaches has been to use drones to measure NDVI, or normalized difference vegetation index, which measures the biomass, or “greenness,” in a field — a commonly used indicator of plant and soil health. Jones and Rakkar will seek to identify whether NDVI is affected by soil acidity, something they deem likely.

“If we can correlate NDVI and soil pH, it would be much easier to detect soil pH issues over larger acreages in a very time-efficient method,” said Rakkar.

With funding from the Montana Fertilizer Advisory Committee, Rakkar and Jones are also planning to continue partnerships with producers around Montana to conduct on-farm experiments — rather than only working on MSU’s research farms and centers around the state — that aim to monitor the effectiveness and longevity of different lime products.

They’ll also look at whether different crop rotations could help alleviate acidity. Growing perennial crops such as alfalfa grass or other forages may let producers naturally improve soil acidity. Rakkar hopes to expand those investigations to include pulse crops, such as peas and lentils, which are known to naturally increase soil nitrogen content, which is critical for crop growth and often supplies soil nitrogen to the following crop, thus reducing the fertilizer need.

“We’ve looked at mitigation and prevention, but we are also working on adaptation strategies,” said Rakkar. “We want to identify which varieties of pulses or perennial crops can perform better in acidic conditions. That's important knowledge that growers want to know if they end up with soil acidity issues on their farm.”

Most of Rakkar’s and Jones’ investigations are driven by questions posed directly by Montana farmers, and Jones said the on-farm experiments and collaboration with farmers around Montana shortens the distance between research and implementation. He has received feedback from farmers who have seen improvements in their fields because of MSU’s research.

For Rakkar, who joined MSU’s faculty in 2021, watching that research make a difference in real time has been rewarding.

“It’s been a great learning experience, not just for the farmers. I think for me as well,” she said. “It's always great to listen to what they are doing. We share our findings and then we come up with more fruitful results at the end of the day.”

BOZEMAN, Montana (March 6, 2023) – Late on the evening of Sunday, March 5, the Bozeman School District received an email that included a school threat.

Based on the specifics of the threat, the Bozeman Police Department patrol division, with the assistance of the joint Special Response Team, systematically checked the schools overnight and verified there were no threats present. 

Early this morning, it was learned that multiple school districts across the state also received the same email threat. At this time, the threat does not appear to be credible. The Bozeman Police Department’s detective division is continuing to investigate the incident.

Our first priority during these incidents is the safety of students and staff. Based on that priority, all threats toward the District are taken seriously and appropriate steps are taken to mitigate any danger.  Our School Resource Officers will continue to be present and visible in the schools and our patrol division will increase patrol as school begins again tomorrow.  

We are grateful for our partnership with the Bozeman School District and also want to thank the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance.  

Thanks for your patience during this unfortunate incident. We encourage anyone who becomes aware of a threat toward a school district to notify school administrators and local law enforcement.    

Recreationists can help protect critical habitat 

BIG SKY – Winter and spring are stressful times for wildlife as they must rely on fat reserves and limited nutrition to survive. This can make encounters with people especially detrimental to wildlife as the stress of these encounters can deplete an animal’s energy reserves. 

The best thing people can do to help wildlife survive is give them plenty of space. This helps animals retain the energy they need to make it through this season of cold temperatures and limited forage.  

This need is illustrated in an area of the Spanish Peaks near Big Sky. Bighorn sheep spend the winter months in Deer Creek and Asbestos Creek, which are becoming more frequently visited destinations for backcountry skiing. Backcountry skiing in this area puts recreationists amid critical habitat for a struggling population of bighorn sheep. 

Cold temperatures and heavy snowfall have brought excellent opportunities for recreationists, but they’ve also made this winter exceptionally difficult for wildlife. As people across the state head outside to enjoy skiing, looking for antler sheds and other forms of winter recreation, here are some steps they can take to help wildlife: 

• Avoid recreating in areas with wintering wildlife. If you plan to ski in the Spanish Peaks, be aware that Asbestos Creek and Deer Creek are essential winter habitat for bighorn sheep.  
• Abide by seasonal closures on wildlife management areas. Public access is closed in winter for many wildlife management areas to provide habitat security. These closures are strictly enforced. 
• If you encounter wildlife, especially ungulates, give them plenty of space and consider recreating elsewhere. Animals may seem like they don’t mind your presence, but stress from these encounters is harmful. 
• Always keep pets under control.  
• Never feed wildlife. Artificially feeding wildlife can cause digestive failure for animals and is illegal. 

As people keep their distance from wildlife, they protect an important part of what makes Montana’s outdoors so extraordinary. To learn more, visit fwp.mt.gov.

Taking out a loan to keep up with appearances has become an all-too-common norm, and it sees people falling into debt that puts a chokehold on their lives for years to come. This makes living a debt-free life in a world obsessed and run by consumerism seem like an impossible task.

Living debt-free doesn’t mean that you must sacrifice all your enjoyment in life. Rather, living frugally simply means that you prioritize your spending on the things that matter to you.

Here are some frugal living hacks that can keep you debt-free and happy for the rest of your life.

Budgeting

Budgets are fundamental to any financial success. They can help you to keep tabs on your income and expenses as well as let you allocate spending money to the things that you want to prioritize.

When it comes to drawing up your budget, make sure that you include all of your monthly expenses like groceries, entertainment, transport, utilities, and your rent or mortgage. This will keep you living within your means by restricting your expenses.

Sticking to your budget can ensure that you don’t spend too much money on unnecessary expenses. It’s also a great tool to help you to save a little every month so that you can splurge later.

Cook At Home

Going to restaurants should be a luxury, not an everyday occurrence. Cooking your meals at home will not only end up being cheaper, but it’s also much healthier. That’s because meals at restaurants tend to contain higher amounts of saturated fat, sodium, total fat, and overall calories than a good home-cooked meal. They’re also double the price!

If you’re cooking at home, you may as well cook in bulk. Doing this will stop you from caving into a takeout when you’re too tired to cook after a long day. You can plan your meals based on what’s on special in your supermarket and freeze around seven portions for the week.

Avoid Credit Cards

Interest on credit cards tends to be really steep, and the ease with which they can be used to purchase things that you can’t actually afford means that racking up unnecessary credit card debt can happen pretty quickly.

If you do use a credit card, make sure that you pay your balances at the end of every month to avoid unnecessary interest. But because credit card debt can quickly spiral out of control, it’s best that you avoid using them in the first place.

Do It Yourself

Learning how to DIY a bunch of things around your house can end up saving you a lot of money. For instance, you could learn some simple plumbing and electrical tricks. You could also paint things yourself and even make your own cleaning supplies and beauty products.

Shopping for birthdays and the festive season can become expensive quickly. If the thought is really what counts behind gifts, then why not put a little extra thought and effort in by making DIY gifts for your friends and family?

You can check out apps like Pinterest and YouTube for some DIY gift inspiration. Consider making gifts like a DIY birthstone bracelet, homemade candles, or a handmade dreamcatcher.

Decrease Your Electric Bill

You can find so many simple ways to decrease your electric bill.

For example, to cut back on the electricity needed to run your air conditioner, you could use fans. If it’s a hot summer evening, then make a dinner that doesn’t require your oven or wash your dishes in cold water. There are also energy-efficient light bulbs and remembering to turn off appliances and lights when you are not using them can help you to save on electricity.

Buy Second-Hand

Buying second-hand items like used clothing, electronics, and furniture can save you tons of money. It’s also more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Look for your nearest charity and thrift stores. You could also look at online marketplaces and keep your eyes and ears out for garage sales.

Avoid Impulsive Shopping

It’s so easy to impulsively buy something online these days. Very little thought tends to go behind clicking down on the purchase button—with disastrous consequences for your budget. Tackling your impulse buying habits is a must if you are to live frugally and debt-free. It is the biggest culprit of debt since impulsive buying doesn’t involve the consideration of long-term consequences.

You can avoid impulse buying by creating a strict shopping list and by waiting for 24 hours before buying something that wasn’t on your list. During this time frame, you may find that you no longer have a desire for the item or that you found it for a cheaper price somewhere else.

Save, Save, Save!

A big bonus of living frugally is that you’re able to save for the future. Make sure that you start saving for emergency expenses like unexpected car repairs and medical bills. You could also start saving for retirement.

Having enough cash in the piggy bank will mean that you don’t have to take out a loan and get into debt for paying for things you didn’t plan for.

The earlier you start, the longer time your money has to gain interest and grow.

Sell Old Things

Most of us have unnecessary clutter lying around. So why not sell some of the items that you have outgrown and no longer find yourself using?

You could turn your clutter into cash by having a garage sale or selling on sites like Facebook Marketplace and eBay.

Start Paying Off Your Debt

If you’re turning to frugal life because you’ve already racked up some debt, then you should start as soon as possible to take steps to reduce it.

You can do this by paying off your high-interest debts first, like credit card debt. You can then work towards paying off your lower interest-rate debts, like student loans and car loans. If possible, you could consolidate your debt into one loan which has a lower interest rate, which makes it much easier to pay off.

It’s also a good idea to become a bit more financially savvy and work out how to calculate profit margin based on your earnings and expenses and a few other useful accounting hacks. This will help you to manage your debt and avoid it in the future.

A Frugal Future Starts Now

Living frugally in the age of consumerism is possible, and it will keep you from having to live your life indebted to loans. It may mean cutting down on some cushy benefits, but it also means prioritizing what you care about and want to spend your money on, which can be more rewarding than simplistic impulse buying.

On Friday, March 3, 2023, at 12:17 pm, Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue West Yellowstone volunteers, Custer Gallatin National Forest Service, Yellowstone National Park, and Hebgen Basin Rural Fire District personnel responded to a report of a snowmobiler who had struck a tree on the Two Top Trail, 6 miles west of West Yellowstone.

The snowmobiler, identified as Christopher Berg, was found deceased at the scene. The Gallatin County Coroner’s Office along with Custer Gallatin National Forest Service is conducting a full investigation into the incident. No foul play is suspected. Speed was found as a factor in the crash.

Sheriff/Coroner Dan Springer wishes to express his condolences to the family and friends of the victim in this tragic event.

BOZEMAN – The 2023 Big Sky Conference men’s and women’s basketball tournament begins Saturday, March 4, at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho. The Montana State Bobcat men’s and women’s teams both enter the tournament ranked second in the conference.

Background

The Bobcat men’s team enters the tournament having just defeated top-ranked Eastern Washington on Feb. 27 in their regular season finale. The women lost their final game of the season to Eastern Washington but ended up in a three-way tie atop the conference with Northern Arizona and Sacramento State. Ultimately, both Bobcat teams are entering the conference tournament as the No. 2 seeds.

Both Montana State teams were Big Sky Conference tournament champions last year. Tournament champs receive a berth in the NCAA Division I national tournament.

Game Schedule

The No. 2 seeding earns both teams an automatic first-round bye, so the Bobcats will play their first tournament games on Sunday, March 5. At 2:30 p.m. the women will play the winner of the first-round game between No. 7 Portland State and No. 8 Idaho State. Later that evening at 8 p.m., the men’s team will play the winner of No. 7 Portland State and No. 8 Northern Colorado.

How to Watch 

All tournament games will stream live on ESPN+, which requires a subscription. Select games will also air live on ESPN2 and ESPNU. More information about ESPN+ subscriptions can be found at https://www.espn.com/espnplus/.

Games will also be broadcast on the Bobcat Radio Network.

Ticket and Bracket Information

Tickets are available for fans traveling to Boise to attend the tournament in person. Single-game ticket prices start at $10, and doors open one hour prior to each tournament session. Ticket information can be found at https://idahocentralarena.com/event/102667/.

Each Big Sky Conference team also has a designated “fan zone” restaurant where alumni and fans can gather to watch the games live. The Bobcat Fan Zone will be at Parrilla Grill, 503 W. Idaho St. in Boise. More fan zone information and men’s and women’s tournament brackets are available at https://bigskyconf.com/tournaments/?id=635.

Links

• MSU Bobcats homepage
• On Twitter: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Bobcat Athletics
• On Facebook: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Bobcat Athletics
• On Instagram: Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Bobcat Athletics
• Men’s bracket (PDF)
• Women’s bracket (PDF)

BOZEMAN, Montana (March 2, 2023) – After being partially closed for renovation since November 2022, the Bozeman Public Library will reopen the main library spaces on Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. All materials will again be browsable and available for checkout. The Library will be completely closed to the public from March 13 through 16 to ensure spaces are organized, clean, and ready to welcome back patrons on March 17. 

“The Library renovation project is the result of several years of listening carefully to community feedback and then trying to incorporate as many of those ideas as possible into the design. We’re excited to be able to offer new meeting room spaces, comfortable reading spaces and a lighter, brighter interior for everyone to enjoy,” said Bozeman Public Library Director Susan Gregory. “The Bozeman community is extraordinary in the way that it supports the Library. We’re grateful for this support and for the patience people have shown as we work through the different phases of renewing our much-loved Library.”

The elements included in the renovation were thoughtfully designed to reflect the needs of the growing Bozeman community and are centered on creativity, connection, and community. At the center of the Library, a newly created Hub will be a place to meet (and make) friends, read, play a game, or work. New overhead lighting will provide better illumination and 76 percent energy reduction. The central business center will provide quick access for copying, printing, and scanning needs. And there are several new and improved spaces like the Teen Corner, a laptop bar overlooking Lindley Park, and the First Security Bank Reading Lounge on the second floor.

Beginning March 20, phase 2 of the renovation will continue in the main lobby area, community rooms, and staff spaces on the second floor, and be far less disruptive for our patrons. A creative lab with a full demonstration kitchen will provide a space for cooking, nutrition, and art classes. The technology lab will house a 3D printer, laser cutter, gaming station, and a recording studio for podcast production, music, and more.

Phase 2 also involves the completion of several new community meeting rooms and collaboration spaces which will provide 65 percent increased capacity for events, community meetings, book clubs, and more. All meeting areas will have state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. Once fully completed, the renovated Bozeman Public Library will be the go-to place that connects all Bozeman residents to their neighbors and the world. Phase 2 construction will be complete this fall. The $5.6 million renovation was funded by generous donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses made to the Bozeman Public Library Foundation.

“Donor support is the sole reason we are able to make these impactful updates and ensure this space has all the amenities of a modern library and meets the needs of everyone in the community,” said Janay Johnson, Executive Director of the Bozeman Public Library Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed.”

BOZEMAN, Montana (March 2, 2023) – After being partially closed for renovation since November 2022, the Bozeman Public Library will reopen the main library spaces on Friday, March 17 at 10 a.m. All materials will again be browsable and available for checkout. The Library will be completely closed to the public from March 13 through 16 to ensure spaces are organized, clean, and ready to welcome back patrons on March 17.

 
“The Library renovation project is the result of several years of listening carefully to community feedback and then trying to incorporate as many of those ideas as possible into the design. We’re excited to be able to offer new meeting room spaces, comfortable reading spaces and a lighter, brighter interior for everyone to enjoy,” said Bozeman Public Library Director Susan Gregory. “The Bozeman community is extraordinary in the way that it supports the Library. We’re grateful for this support and for the patience people have shown as we work through the different phases of renewing our much-loved Library.”

 
The elements included in the renovation were thoughtfully designed to reflect the needs of the growing Bozeman community and are centered on creativity, connection, and community. At the center of the Library, a newly created Hub will be a place to meet (and make) friends, read, play a game, or work. New overhead lighting will provide better illumination and 76 percent energy reduction. The central business center will provide quick access for copying, printing, and scanning needs. And there are several new and improved spaces like the Teen Corner, a laptop bar overlooking Lindley Park, and the First Security Bank Reading Lounge on the second floor.

 
Beginning March 20, phase 2 of the renovation will continue in the main lobby area, community rooms, and staff spaces on the second floor, and be far less disruptive for our patrons. A creative lab with a full demonstration kitchen will provide a space for cooking, nutrition, and art classes. The technology lab will house a 3D printer, laser cutter, gaming station, and a recording studio for podcast production, music, and more.

 
Phase 2 also involves the completion of several new community meeting rooms and collaboration spaces which will provide 65 percent increased capacity for events, community meetings, book clubs, and more. All meeting areas will have state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment. Once fully completed, the renovated Bozeman Public Library will be the go-to place that connects all Bozeman residents to their neighbors and the world. Phase 2 construction will be complete this fall.

 
The $5.6 million renovation was funded by generous donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses made to the Bozeman Public Library Foundation.
 
“Donor support is the sole reason we are able to make these impactful updates and ensure this space has all the amenities of a modern library and meets the needs of everyone in the community,” said Janay Johnson, Executive Director of the Bozeman Public Library Foundation. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed.”

Montana Wildlife & Transportation Partnership Addressing Growing Concerns Through Program

A new planning tool was announced Wednesday by the Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership (MWTP or Partnership), aimed to help local groups identify areas of greatest need for decreasing wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVCs) and improving wildlife movement across our state highways.

The Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership is a collaborative group of representatives from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP), and Montanans for Safe Wildlife Passage (MSWP). Formed in 2019, the Partnership recognized that reducing WVCs means finding ways to accommodate wildlife movement across highways. As a result, the Partnership developed a statewide project application process for the public to propose collaborative, stand-alone wildlife accommodation projects within the state’s highway infrastructure.

“Montanans care deeply about protecting our natural resources and keeping one another safe,” MDT Director, Malcolm Long, said. “After years of planning, MWTP celebrates a new opportunity to further public-private partnerships that reduce wildlife and transportation conflicts and improve wildlife connectivity in Montana.”

Without action, this problem isn’t going away. Montana has one of the nation's highest incidences of wildlife-vehicle collisions per capita. Each year, MDT maintenance crews collect more than 6,000 wildlife animal carcasses, and more than 10 percent of all crashes in Montana result from wildlife collisions. Nationally, WVCs kill more than one million large mammals, cause hundreds of human fatalities, and lead to more than 26,000 injuries, all at an annual cost of nearly $11 billion nationwide.

"The best solutions for wildlife vehicle conflicts are found at the local level with all the stakeholders engaged," said FWP Director Hank Worsech. "This tool provides the kind of information needed for those solutions to come forward."
To draw out these solutions, the Planning Tool can identify one- to two-mile state highway segments that may be candidates for wildlife accommodation projects upon further analysis. It has been built on various data sources that have been compiled, weighed, and ranked, representing five key criteria for identifying areas of need across the state.

The Planning Tool supports the larger Project Program, which addresses the need for transportation projects dedicated to accommodating wildlife with the collaborative engagement of stakeholders, including leveraging capacity and capital investment.

Collaboration will be essential to focus public-private resources as groups prepare applications for the Project Program. The first application cycle will be open from May 1 to May 31. Readying projects for application will require coordination, time, and investment, which is why the tool and Project Program guidance documents are being launched three months prior to ensure those interested have ample opportunities to review resources before applying.

The next application cycle is expected to be open from Nov. 1 to Nov. 30. MWTP will have one or two application cycles per year for the foreseeable future. Once an application is received, the MWTP will evaluate project proposals and select stand-alone wildlife accommodation projects that reduce WVCs and improve safe wildlife passage across Montana highways. The MWTP will then support selected applicants through the study and potential development phases. 

The MWTP expects proposed projects to demonstrate collaboration between landowners, the public, non-profit and non-governmental organizations, sporting groups, philanthropic interests, public agencies, local governments, community groups, and/or Tribal governments.

The project selection process integrates information from the Planning Tool with other evaluation criteria and considerations, such as community support, surrounding land use, and engineering feasibility, to rate project proposals.

To demonstrate the tool and explain more about the application process, members of the MWTP will host a live webinar in mid-April. The exact date will be determined in the coming weeks. Those interested in attending can visit the project webpage,  https://www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/mwt/, to learn more about the Partnership, the Planning Tool, and the Project Program, and be directed to the upcoming webinar.

Montana Contemporary Arts Collective, now in its fifth year, is showcasing local Montana artists for their Journeys exhibition at Zoot Art Gallery, at 555 Zoot Enterprises Lane, in Bozeman. The show will be on view from April 5 through June 29, 2023, 9 am - 4 pm daily, reception April 6, 5 pm - 7 pm. 

Journeys is a group show that explores the concept of travel and movement through a variety of mediums. Each artist in the show has their own unique interpretation of the theme, resulting in a diverse and dynamic exhibition. From literal physical journeys to metaphorical emotional ones, the works in this show offer a glimpse into the many facets of the human experience. Each piece tells a story of transformation and growth, inviting viewers on a journey of their own.

Our latest exhibit features the work of 14 diverse artists from Montana Contemporary Arts Collective, each with their own unique style and perspective. Visitors will be treated to a wide range of mediums, including oil, acrylic, and fiber art. The exhibit includes both emerging and established artists, offering a chance to discover new talent and appreciate the skill and craftsmanship of more experienced painters. This diverse collection of works is sure to have something for everyone, making it a must-see for art lovers of all kinds.