Musselshell & Golden Valley
Counties
2016 Program Highlights
Pesticide Programming Helps Applicators Keep Up Requirements
Musselshell and Golden Valley counties make up the Lower
Musselshell Valley, a winding river corridor that is home to
cattle and forage producers aplenty. The Valley is also home
to large infestations of Spotted Knapweed, Leafy Spurge,
Dalmatian Toadflax, and the ever-present prairie dog and
ground squirrel.
One hundred-fifty individuals across the two counties
hold a Private Applicators license to combat these pests with
Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs). Beginning January 1,
2017 these individuals will have one year to finish collecting
six applicator points required to maintain their license.
This will mark the final year of our five year cycle where
applicators must make an effort to obtain those credits.
Since October of 2015, the new Agent in Musselshell and
Golden Valley has been offering an abundance of
programming to get these applicators re-certified for the next
cycle. Training courses have been designed around the needs
of the local applicators, focusing on their problem pests,
areas of interest, and frustrations.
In 2016 MSU Extension has organized six pesticide
programs for producers to obtain credits. These programs
have put forward 18 points of credits for producers, an
opportunity which many took advantage of.
Programs have included real scenarios of producers; tank
mixing, herbicide selection, off-target damage, and of course
rodent control. Varmints play a large factor in many
producers choice to obtain a license to apply RUPs. For
many of these applicators, information on varmints plays a
big role in their attendance. At our spring training in May,
Stephen Vantassel, the Vertebrate Specialist with Montana
Department of Ag, spoke to producers about controlling their
rodent problems.
That same training in May saw a record number of
attendees at 45 across both counties, since the average
number of attendees is between 20-25. Those numbers have
contributed to the 56 applicators across the two counties who
have met their re-certification goal, with another 37 expected
to reach their goal with the next training in March.
With the number of invasive species in the county, which
in recent years has been promoted by flood and fire,
applicator knowledge is at its most critical. Having this
many individuals in the field applying, having up-date
information and trainings that focus on their concerns, rather
than rote-memorization, has become especially critical. And
the number of individuals who come to the trainings
continues to grow, including those who do not hold a license,
but choose to attend based on the information provided.
MDA Vertebrate Pest Specialist Stephen Vantassel speaks to a
room of applicators at the MGV Spring Training in May 2016.
Arianna Bennett ,a Junior at Ryegate High School, shows the new sign she
made for the Extension Office, which she did free-hand with a plasma cutter.
Master Gardener Volunteers and Schools
Master Gardener 2016
MSU Extension had an outstanding Level Two Master
Gardener group during the 2016 winter months. The group
consisted of five volunteers from both counties; Loretta
Albert, Joan Bergin, Jean Kimmel, Nancy Rademacher and
Janet Hamill. They intend to take the experience and the
knowledge gained and apply it to their community and
home gardens. Bergin has spent time with young students
in Musselshell and Melstone teaching basic gardening
skills, and Albert has worked diligently on the local park
and cemetery.
Condensed Master Gardener Program
Helps High School Horticulture Class
The Master Gardener program has been a great success for
MSU and also for communities around the state. One
interested party however was feeling slightly left out. The
local Roundup High School horticulture class was
interested in attending one of the Level Two MG classes to
learn about the program, and gardening facts that they
could take back to their greenhouse.
Instead MSU Extension chose to take the class to the
students. For a week of school, the MG Level One
material was condensed and taught to the students as a
gardening unit.
Based on the unit they were able to increase production
in their on-site greenhouse, which they use as both a
learning tool, and as a fundraising option for selling fresh
produce. This year they used knowledge from the class to
plan, and plant a row of trees for the local BUD
(Beautification and Urban Development) society along the
street to the new Roundup Elementary School.
FFA Chapter Students Use State FFA As An
Opportunity To Learn More About MSU
Diagnostics Lab
During the 2016 State FFA, several students took an
opportunity to tour one of the diagnostic labs at MSU. One
of the students, Senior Katelynn Angel, also took the
opportunity to learn about some of the work-study
opportunities that could be found while attending MSU,
where her studies will take her.
Inevitably the students found themselves in the Insect
Diagnostic lab where Specialist Laurie Kerzicnik showed
them Rosie the tarantula. The students were first a little
leery, but ultimately gave in to the experience.
The tour was an opportunity to show students the
“boots-on-the-ground” aspect of the university. They have
always seen the university as a source of higher learning,
which it is, but it’s also a place that provides service and
outreach. The insect lab was a great example, because
every young person can relate to the fear of creepycrawlies.
They learned how insects can be identified by the
tracks they leave beneath bark, and how to recognize our
states venomous spiders. They even learned that despite
being exceptionally creepy, hissing cockroaches are
particularly hygienic. At the end of the day those who
attended could brag about nothing else to those who
missed out, which immediately garnered volunteers to
attend next
years
tour.
FFA member Kately Angel holds Rosie the tarantula as she tours the
Insect Diagnostic lab at MSU.
Roundup horticulture students used the knowledge from
a Level 1 MG class to plan and plant this row of trees.
2
Montana State University Extension
2016 4-H and Youth Development
New Skill-a-Thon at 2016 Fair
The 2016 Musselshell & Golden Valley 4-H fair was a
success in many aspects. Being able to see members come
full circle in their 4-H year is always a source of pride to
those who have been able to watch them grow. But in the
long run the fair is only a finish line. This year we decided
to expand the opportunity for our members to display their
knowledge at a skill-a-thon event which would test their
Musselshell Golden Valley Extension Office (Page 1). The
7x5’ steel sheet was donated by Midland West out of
Billings, and the work was done by Senior Arianna Bennett
using a plasma torch and free-handing the sign.,
Outstanding Youth Experience at 4-H
Camp Rotary
Camp Rotary was an event that I began hearing about as
soon as my first day on the job. Members and parents all
shared how great an experience it is, and how I should look
forward to it. Of course the more they talked about it, the
more I anticipated. Little did I understand the experience
that Camp Rotary, or any 4-H camp, provides for our
members, counselors and even our Agents.
Camp was held again in Monarch Montana. A scenic
drive to be sure, and a complete disconnect from the
electronic world, something that everyone can appreciate
from time to time. The excitement that the counselors
Hanna Goffena and Mackenzie Serrano participate
in a Horse Skill-a-Thon event during the 2016 fair.
memorization skills . The goal of a skill-a-thon is for
members to complete posters featuring fill-in-the-blank
scenarios. We utilize Ohio Learning Lab kits, which
feature up to a dozen posters that challenge members and
students to distribute information in the correct spots. One
example comes from our Horse Kit, where members were
tasked with filling in descriptions of a hoof, anatomy,
breeds and feed types. The event was a success, with 30
members choosing to participate. Next year we will add
kits to our collection to give members more options for the
event.
Ryegate FFA Chapter Joins as 4-H Club
and Creates New Office Sign
The Ryegate FFA chapter has begun to make something of
a name for themselves in the Musselshell Valley as
craftsmen, and certainly as go-getters. Recently they
received funding to start their own school farm just inside
the town of Ryegate. This gave them the confidence to join
our 4-H program as a club. The farm will be used by the
students to obtain hands on experience not only with animal
husbandry, but also with construction, as they will be
building the farm themselves. This made for the perfect
opportunity to invite them to join the program, as they will
be raising livestock, and growing produce. It also gives
members the opportunity to enter much of the work they do
in class. A perfect example is the new office sign for the
www.msuextension.org
Camp counselors practice parachute activities in preparation for the
arrival of camp members at the ‘16 Camp Rotary
produced was immense, not for their own experience, but
from looking forward to when campers would arrive.
When teens are encouraged to be models for youth, and
they succeed, it’s a great sight. It’s even more rewarding
when we are able to see the connections they make with our
campers and each other. It gives them a sense of pride that
they have made a difference in these kids’ summer, and
given them an experience that they will hopefully remember
when they grow to become counselors.
3
Spring Wheat Trials and Pasture Classes in the Valley
Spring Trials
For the first time in over a decade, Musselshell County was
able to host one of the coveted, off-station spring wheat
variety trials overseen by Dr. Kent McVay of the Southern
Ag Research Center. The off-station variety trials provide an
important tool to agents making variety recommendations to
producers, especially when grown locally. In the
Musselshell Valley there are not large numbers of grain that
go to the elevator, but there are plenty that go to the feed
bunk. The Musselshell trial did very well considering the
lack of cumulative rainfall in the area. Being able to provide
this homegrown data to producers and growers is a huge
boon for us in the valley, and we look forward to continued
cooperation with the station and breeders.
Pasture Rec
Beginning in December 2016, MSU Extension will be
offering a pasture reclamation and rehabilitation course for
local land owners. Whether you are on two acres or 200, the
information provided during the four-week course will help
anyone looking to rehabilitate their property after suffering
the effects of floods, fires, or invasive species.
Caption text can be 8 to 10 point, with bold helping set the caption
apart from story text. Captions tell who, what, when, where and sometimes has to explain the ‘why.’ Don’t you want to know what these
people are doing?
Contact Us
Agent
Mat Walter
Administrative Assistant
Candie Stamp
Musselshell & Golden
Valley Counties
Musselshell & Golden Valley Counties
204 8th Ave E, Roundup, MT 59072
www.msuextension.org
Montana State University Extension is an
ADA/EO/AA Veteran’s Preference Employer
and provider of educational outreach.
Phone
(406) 323-2704
E-mail
[email protected]
Web
www.msuextension.org/musselshell