Madison-Jefferson County

Jefferson and Madison Counties encompass an expansive 5,262 square miles of Southwest Montana and are home to just over 21,000 residents. Agriculture, mining, recreation, and tourism represent the top industries these counties have to offer. Centrally located between the two counties, our office is in the unofficial Southwest Montana hub of Whitehall. Shared county Extension services have been available in Madison and Jefferson counties since 1936, and a sole agent in Madison County as early as 1917. Currently, the office staffs two Extension Agents and one support staff offering programming in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and 4-H/Youth Development.

Rancher Roundtable Calving Simulator

As part of our annual Rancher Roundtable winter speaker series, we welcomed Katie Rein from Crazy Mountain Veterinary Service. Over 90 community members joined us in Whitehall for an interactive workshop highlighting difficult calving situations. With her life-sized fiberglass calf and cow model, Rein described different scenarios and let attendees ‘pull the calf’ out after positioning it in various ways to test their newly acquired skills. Attendees learned new tips on calving management, such as using a chain if the head is back, checking cows for uterine tears, administering an epidural when pulling, and giving oxytocin after every pulled calf. Several experienced ranchers shared that they appreciated the hands-on practice during the workshop, as many of them had to ‘learn the hard way’ in high-stakes situations on the ranch. They also shared that even though they had spent decades calving, they still learned new information at the workshop that they intended to put into practice in future calving seasons. 

Caption: Youth practicing their newly acquired calving techniques

Credit: Sadie Gooch, MSU Extension

Landscaping with Less Water

In partnership with the Madison Valley Public Library and the Town of Ennis, MSU Extension’s Horticulture Specialist led 25 community members through a workshop on water-wise landscaping. This was our second of three workshops on this topic in the region, as water conservation and alternatives to turfgrass lawns are becoming a greater interest to land managers. Attendees learned about different landscape strategies that contribute to reduced irrigation requirements. Additionally, attendees learned about the development and implementation of a new water conservation town ordinance in Ennis, and learned strategies to comply with this ordinance. This collaborative effort highlighted interest from the community, a concern from elected officials in town, and educational support from Montana State University. One of the ripple effects of the program included a specific request from an elected official in the Ruby Valley for a similar program in their community. 

Caption: Flowers on full display at Jackson’s Garden in Sheridan, MT

Credit: Kaleena Miller, MSU Extension

Summer Squash Harvest of the Month

In collaboration with the National Center for Appropriate Technology and the Montana Department of Agriculture’s AgCorps AmeriCorps Program, we developed and implemented a summer squash presentation for Whitehall’s 21st Century Program. We introduced kindergarten to eighth graders to squash biology, nutritional benefits, and culinary creations. The students started growing squash seeds they were able to take home in hopes of transplanting and then harvesting later in the season. As part of the lesson, students participated in a taste test, trying spiralized squash bites and zucchini brownies. Recipe cards were distributed at the end of the day. To conclude the lesson, students divided into teams and engaged in a squash relay race and huddled to share what they learned during the workshop. For a glimpse into the workshop activities, follow this link to watch local news coverage of the presentation: https://www.kxlf.com/news/local-news/montanas-harvest-of-the-month-program-shines-a-light-on-summer-squash.

Caption: Whitehall youth showing off his Mr. Squash Head

Credit: Cady Brown, MSU Extension

4-H Program Experienced Growth

The 4-H Program in Madison-Jefferson Counties grew to 330 4-H members and more than 50 volunteers this year. The 4-H'ers enjoyed many workshops, including some that introduced them to fine arts, baking, and cookie decorating. They participated in workshops that focused on important life skills like record keeping and interviewing. Volunteers from both counties provided our youth and families with healthy competition, sale opportunities, community awareness, and fun at the fair. Both Madison and Jefferson County Fairs had an increase in show participation, as well as an increase in the number of projects. MSU Extension was proud to have positive feedback from several community members about how much they enjoyed both fairs this year.

Caption: The participants of 2023 4-H Achievement Day

Credit: Sadie Gooch, MSU Extension

4-H Kids Learn About Livestock

One of the main focuses for the Madison-Jefferson 4-H program this year was educating members about raising healthy livestock and pets. Our largest livestock project was a Swine Health Workshop that focused on successfully bringing a piglet to harvest. The 4-H'ers learned about a variety of topics, including reducing the animal’s stress level, training swine for the show ring, and identifying common health issues and vaccinations. The kids interested in raising beef had a workshop that focused on balancing show steer feed rations and when to use supplements. We also held workshops for small animal projects, such as poultry and cats, where kids learned about egg production and how to show a house cat.

Caption: 4-H members taking notes and asking questions at our Swine Health Workshop.

Credit: Submitted photo to MSU Extension

Contact

103 West Legion Street
P.O. Box 1079
Whitehall, MT 59759
406-287-3282
https://www.montana.edu/extension/madisonjefferson/