Madison-Jefferson Counties

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 MSU Extension services have been available in Madison and Jefferson counties since 1936, and a sole agent served in Madison County as early as 1917. Currently the office staff has two MSU Extension Agents and one support staff offering programs in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and 4-H/Youth Development.

Contact

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

Ruby Valley Master Gardeners

Almost 20 community members joined Madison-Jefferson MSU Extension for two months of weekly meetings as a part of Master Gardener curriculum in Sheridan.

Attendees dove in deep, learning about soil fertility, plant development, tree care, composting, integrated pest management and more. As part of the interactive course, folks had opportunities to identify plant disease symptoms, insect damage, build a compost bin, and try newly acquired tree pruning skills at the Sheridan Senior Center.

One impactful result of the course was that a community of horticultural enthusiasts was built during and after conclusion of the course. Participants swapped vegetable seedlings, recruited each other to volunteer together, and traveled to additional horticulture educational opportunities, always sharing their experience and newly discovered resources.

A highlight of the course for MSU Extension was the diversity in attendees; from new to lifelong gardeners, from young to retired, and from lifelong Ruby Valley community members to new Montana residents. We created a space where attendees could learn from each other, sharing different experiences and perspectives, making the entire course more meaningful for everyone.

Caption: Master Gardener participants using hand lenses to observe pest damage.

Credit: Kaleena Miller, MSU Extension

Red Bluff Field Day

Madison-Jefferson MSU Extension teamed up with MSU Land Resources and Environmental Sciences faculty to host a field day at the Red Bluff Research Station in Norris.

Fifty community members gathered at Red Bluff to learn about the cheatgrass research taking place and practical implications of the research on land in Southwest Montana. A local rancher presented her experience managing cheatgrass with her cattle. In addition to learning about recent research at Red Bluff, attendees learned about grass identification, forage estimation, and mapping vegetation with drones.

In a post event evaluation, attendees shared that they learned new information and skills and as a result of attending the event, they increased their network of producers and agricultural professionals. Many attendees voiced interest and support to make the education day an annual event.

Caption: MSU Extension Beef Specialist Sam Wyffels demonstrates how to estimate forage production.

Credit: Kaleena Miller, MSU Extension

Grizzly Conflict Mitigation Workshops

Given our location between Grizzly populations and the expressed interest from community members, Madison-Jefferson MSU Extension held two Grizzly related workshops for the public in 2025.

In January, we gathered ranchers from the Ruby Valley to learn about resources available to mitigate conflict between livestock and large carnivores. Agency representatives from Natural Resources Conservation Services, Madison Valley Ranchlands Group and Heart of the Rockies Initiative joined us to share information.

In June, we gathered again in Whitehall. We were joined by a local sportsman association, the area game warden, and MT Fish, Wildlife, and Parks staff. They provided up-to-date information about Grizzly activity, general bear awareness practices, and we concluded the workshop with an interactive bear spray activity. Kids and adults alike enjoyed practicing with inert bear spray, testing their dexterity and quick reflexes.

Caption: Youth practicing bear spray skills during a workshop.

Credit: Kaleena Miller, MSU Extension

4-H Backpacking Trip

In November 2024, Madison-Jefferson County MSU Extension received a Jefferson Valley Community Foundation grant to purchase backpacking supplies for 4-H members participating in the county’s first 4-H Backpacking Trip. In June 2025, a group of 11 students, volunteers, and MSU Extension agents embarked on a four-mile hike to Cottonwood Lake and set up camp.

Youth learned how to establish a campsite, filter water, store food safely, handle knives, build an emergency fire and shelter, tie knots, and prepare and load a pack horse. The backpacking weekend introduced foundational outdoor skills and fostered interest in future trips. Plans are underway to expand the program next year with additional opportunities to explore Montana’s natural spaces.

Caption: 4-H Backpacking participants pose at the trailhead.

Credit: Merissa Ford, MSU Extension

Livestock Judging Team

There was a new addition to the Madison-Jefferson 4-H program this year. Based on increased interest in animal science, a Livestock Judging Team was created. MSU Extension and a few volunteers provided monthly livestock judging workshops for 4-H members.

Over five months, participants studied beef, swine, goat, and lamb, focusing on structure, balance, muscling, practicality, and breed standards. Youth also practiced crafting oral reasons to support their evaluations. Three 4-H members and a chaperone attended the statewide livestock judging camp in Red Lodge, culminating in an official competition. Two Madison-Jefferson participants placed first in individual species categories. The group plans to continue livestock judging education and competition next year.

Caption: A group of students learning to evaluate a class of lambs.

Credit: Merissa Ford, MSU Extension

Harvest of the Month with Sheridan High School

Madison-Jefferson County MSU Extension partnered with Sheridan High School to deliver monthly Family and Consumer Science lessons through the Harvest of the Month program. The initiative introduces students to Montana-grown commodities. This year’s topics included chickpeas, bison, winter squash, grains, and beets.

Students learned where each commodity is produced, the volume grown in Montana, and key nutrition facts. After a short lesson, the students headed to cooking stations and made a recipe with that month’s commodity as the main ingredient. Popular dishes included bison meatballs, roasted maple squash, and dried fruit granola.

Caption: A student preparing beets for a Harvest of the Month Beet Chip recipe.

Credit: Heather Pucket, Sheridan High School Teacher