Flathead County

Flathead County is in Northwest Montana and encompasses the western part of Glacier National Park and the northern portion of Flathead Lake. As of July 2024, the population of Flathead County was 114,530. The population of Flathead County has experienced a significant increase over the last 10 years. Flathead County is comprised of three incorporated towns (Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls) and several unincorporated communities. Much of the landmass of Flathead County is National and State Forest Land, wilderness, agriculture, and corporate timber land. As the population continues to increase, MSU Extension is committed to providing resources to Flathead County residents in Agriculture, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Family and Consumer Sciences, and 4-H and youth development.

Contact

1108 S. Main St., Suite 4
Kalispell, MT 59901
406-758-5553
https://www.montana.edu/extension/flathead/

Legacy Planning Workshops with Marsha Goetting

MSU Extension offered six in-person Legacy Planning Workshops, presented by Marsha Goetting, to local residents, in partnership with Flathead County Health Department, Flathead County Agency on Aging, and Buffalo Hill Terrace Senior Living facility. Workshops were held at three locations, where residents enjoyed lite refreshments and learned about topics including basic legacy planning, wills and trusts, and tools to avoid probate.

Strong People Exercise Program

Strong People is an effective research-based exercise program that focuses on strength training. The course promotes healthy living to community members of all ages through strength training. The Flathead County Strong People program is offered in sessions lasting 12-14 weeks, with a class meeting twice per week for 60 minutes. We have partnered with Logan Health and Agency on Aging to offer this course in Flathead County four times in 2025. There is currently no cost to participate.

Family and Consumer Sciences Program Development

Flathead County is continuing to develop the Family and Consumer Sciences Program with health and wellness, food preservation and estate planning as the focus. MSU Extension provides food preservation information and home food canning assitance with pressure gauge testing. With an increase in requests for estate planning resources, MSU Extension has provided MontGuides and hosted workshops to help community members to better understand their options related to Wills, Trusts, and Transfer on Death Deeds (TODD), along with many other estate planning topics.

Flathead County 4-H

In the last few years, Flathead County 4-H has seen annual enrollment numbers of around 650 4-H members and over 175 Certified 4-H Volunteers. There are 23 different 4-H clubs in Flathead County that provide youth and adults with opportunities to gain knowledge and experiences that will help them learn, lead and serve to make a positive difference in their community.

The vast number of Certified 4-H Leaders allow Flathead 4-H to offer several outstanding countywide 4-H projects including market livestock, small animal, horse, dog, goat, shooting sports, trail and packing, Cloverbud, and Ambassadors.

4-H members ranging in age from 5 to 19 gain valuable educational experience by attending club meetings, project meetings, clinics, camps, competitions (both locally and nationwide) and participate in an abundance of community service opportunities. MSU Extension and Flathead County 4-H strive to instill the values of 4-H in members and families through education, leadership, and citizenship.

Caption: An inversion layer completely blankets the Flathead Valley with snowy peaks of Glacier National Park in the distance.

Credit: Richard Balestri

Maple Tapping in Montana

Along with annual offerings such as the Master Gardener Program and the Land Stewardship Series, MSU Extension aims to provide free and innovative educational opportunities for the community. In partnership with a grant received by Utah State University, MSU Extension invited David Knudson, owner and operator of Montana MapleWorks in Missoula, to lead a free maple tapping workshop and demonstration for more than 45 participants. Each attendee received a tapping kit that included several tap sizes, collection buckets, and educational materials explaining how to tap sap from a variety of native and ornamental trees, as well as how to boil sap down into syrup.

Caption: Kalispell Parks & Recreation gave permission to demonstrate tapping on a Norway maple in Kalispell.

Credit: Mackenzie Dey

Agricultural / Horticultural Program Development

During the 2025 growing season, MSU Extension offered site visits to address a wide range of issues from residential gardens to commercial agricultural operations. When site visits were not needed, many questions and requests were answered via email or phone consultations.

The office also provided Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage (NWSFF) certifications for local producers, with more than 400 acres certified this season. In addition to one-on-one support, MSU Extension continues to provide community education through programs such as the Master Gardener Program, which welcomed 18 new Master Gardeners this year and has another class scheduled for 2026.

The Land Stewardship Series was revived with great success. Several natural resource organizations partnered to educate local landowners on topics relating to land management and ownership in the Flathead Valley. A third iteration of the series will launch in Spring 2026 as a full-day workshop.

Lastly, during the off-season, MSU Extension hosts monthly “Hort Report” gatherings at local pubs and eateries. These events feature horticultural experts, discussions, trivia, and a welcoming space for community connection after the gardening season. The series provides both free education and an opportunity for social engagement.

Caption: Advanced Master Gardener training at Ninepipes Lodge in Charlo, MT.

Credit: Mackenzie Dey