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Big Sky Connection Northern Plains Resource Council is holding presentations on soil health at farms and ranches across Montana. (Northern Plains Resource Council)
Click on the image above for the audio. The Northern Plains Resource Council next week will hold another presentation on soil health in Montana as part of its soil crawl. Comments from Bob Quinn, an organic farmer in Big Sandy, who specializes is innovative growing techniques in arid climates.
Eric Tegethoff
Montanans get a sense of what soil health is like on farms and ranches across the state with Northern Plains Resource Council's soil crawls.
The presentations highlight innovative agricultural methods designed to increase the sustainability and productivity of agricultural lands.
Bob Quinn, an organic farmer in Big Sandy who specializes in innovative growing techniques in arid climates, is being featured this month and said the main concern for growers in northern Montana is water.
"Every drop that falls on your land, you want to keep on the land and not have it run off," Quinn explained. "That's what we've been trying to do is learn how to better increase the water absorption and the water-holding capacity of our soils, which goes hand in hand with soil health."
Quinn pointed out that healthy soil provides greater yields and more nutritionally-dense foods. The soil crawl, which includes an on-site workshop, is on July 9 and costs $15 to attend.
Quinn noted the region has faced increasingly severe droughts in recent years. A similar event was planned on Quinn's farm last summer but had to be canceled because of the dry conditions.
He emphasized typically, there are intense droughts followed by wet cycles, but they've skipped a few of those rainier seasons recently. Quinn added it makes some of the techniques he is pioneering for arid conditions even more crucial.
"That's really important in these days," Quinn stressed. "Where water shortage is going to just be a looming and a more pressing problem continuously.
Some techniques they will explore at the soil crawl include drought-resistance practices, such as heavy mulch and cover crops grazed down with animals.
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Click on the image for the audio.
PNS - Friday, July 1, 2022 - The U.S. Supreme Court strips the EPA's power to curb pollution, California takes a big step toward universal health care, and a Florida judge will temporarily block the state's 15-week abortion ban.
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After a long absence of nearly three years, the Pipes and Drums Band of the Edmonton Police Service could not wait to return, and they are coming to Butte July 2-5 to help the city celebrate the 4th of July.
The Fourth of July parade will include the Pipes and Drums Band of the Edmonton Police Service, a group that has been coming to Butte to perform and help celebrate Butte’s Celtic heritage since 1984, 38 years ago.
They will perform at only a few locations throughout Butte for their 4th of July visit.
July 3rd
2:00 pm @ Mac’s Tavern, 125 N. Main Street
4:00 pm @ Butte Brewing Co., 465 E. Galena Street
6:00 pm @ Headframe Spirits, 21 S. Montana Street
8:00 pm @ Chester Steele Park (Butte America’s Big Bang Celebration) S. Clark and Alabama Streets
July 4th
10:00 am @ Parade
4:30 pm @ Shenanigans Bar and Casino, 1000 S. Excelsior Ave.
Contributions large and small are gratefully accepted and acknowledged to help defray the expenses of the Pipers while they are in Butte. They are planning to bring a much larger contingent for next year’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations and contributions received will be applied toward that visit in 2023 as well.
Donations can be sent directly to Mainstreet Uptown Butte, P.O Box 696, Butte, MT 59703 with a notation that the donation is for the Friends of the Pipers Fund.
For more details, call Mainstreet Uptown Butte at 497-6464 or send email to
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PNS - Thursday, June 30, 2022 - The Supreme Court weakens Miranda rights protections, a campaign gathers signatures to start a consumer-owned utility in Maine, and the Jan. 6 Committee subpoenas former White House counsel Pat Cipollone.
