2009 AERO Farm Tours

Tuesday, July 7th
Healthy fruit trees and diverse understory highlight Home Acres Orchard tour in Stevensville.
1 pm - 4 pm • Home Acres Orchard • Stevensville
Please note: This tour is limited to 50 participants

Interested in starting your own orchard, or just planting some fruit trees in the backyard? Learn more on a tour of Home Acres Orchard in the Bitterroot Valley on Tuesday, July 7. Sponsored by Montana's Alternative Energy Resources Organization and co-hosted by the Montana Organic Association, this Farm Tour is free to the public.

Home Acres Orchard grows 18 varieties of apples, six varieties of pears, and three varieties of Asian pears. The orchard also includes several varieties of apricots and pie cherries, and four varieties of plums, as well as many plantings of berries and nuts.

Kurt Wellborne and Pam Clevenger started grafting their own trees in 1989, and now more than 2500 trees are planted on five acres. Home Acres was Certified Organic in 1994, and maintained that status until 2006 when Clevenger and Wellborne helped start the Western Montana Sustainable Growers Union.

Discussions on establishing and maintaining trees, and how to select varieties, along with insights on fertility, pollination, sustainable insect and weed management, and marketing opportunities, will be part of the tour. Wellborne will also share harvesting protocols, storage guidelines and packaging preferences.

An orchard by definition is a monoculture, but Clevenger and Wellborne try to maintain a rich and diverse understory beneath and between the trees. The understory encourages a strong population of beneficial insects, which in turn helps to maintain a natural ecological balance in the orchard. Plantings include clovers, medics, grasses, wildflowers and herbs.

Wildlife plantings offer safe haven and food for many birds. This helps control insects, while supporting a diverse population of wild pollinators, and eliminating the need to bring in honeybees each year.

The tour begins at 1 PM and is free to the public; however, pre-registration with AERO is required. The tour is limited to 50 participants. Snacks and beverages will be provided.

Directions: Home Acres Orchard is located about 40 miles south of Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley, situated about 400 feet above the valley floor up on the east bench between Stevensville and Corvallis. From Stevensville, travel south on Main Street/Eastside Hwy/MT-269; continue south out of town. Turn left onto Groff Lane. Follow to orchard at 839 Groff Lane.

For more information or to pre-register please contact the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AERO) at (406) 443-7272 or email: aero@aeromt.org.
Co-Hosted by: The Montana Organic Association (MOA)

Wednesday, July 22nd
Tour a diversified, organic cereal-legume crop operation located on over 3,000 acres of dry land in north-central Montana
9 am - 4 pm • Quinn Farm • Big Sandy
Bob Quinn; 333 Kamut Lane, Big Sandy, MT 59520
Registration: Call the AERO office, (406) 443-7272
Fee: $15 includes lunch
Limit: 100 participants Tour Highlights: Certified organic dryland wheat, cover crops, camelina. Oil seed production for farm tractors.

The Quinn organic farm, owned and operated by the Robert and Ann Quinn family, is a diversified, organic cereal-legume crop operation located on over 3,000 acres of dry land in north-central Montana. Bob Quinn has been experimenting with organic systems and crop rotations for over 20 years on this 3rd generation dry land farm on the semi-arid plains. In an area of limited rainfall, Quinn has developed a system to conserve moisture and build the quality of the soil while rotating his crops to break up pest, disease and weed cycles. The operation is diverse: in addition to cereals like winter wheat, spring wheat, and Kamut brand wheat, Quinn grows legumes such as sweet clover and winter peas for green manure to fix nitrogen; edible seeds, like lentils; and alfalfa hay, which is used to suppress Canada thistle. He's been growing oilseed crops like safflower, camelina, and sunflower to experiment with growing to meet the farm's fuel needs.

The Quinn Farm tour is co-sponsored by the Alternative Energy Resources Organization (AER0), Montana Organic Association, Montana Farmers Union, and the Montana Department of Agriculture, Montana NRCS, USDA SARE, NCAT, and the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee. It will be held on the Quinn Organic Farm outside of Big Sandy. The tour agenda includes a morning session, a break for lunch, followed by an afternoon session. In the morning, tour participants will break into four groups. One group will be led by Montana State University (MSU) assistant professor of soil chemistry, Dr. Clain Jones. Dr. Jones educates extension agents, crop advisors, farmers, and ranchers on soil fertility and specializes in research that explores the processes controlling the availability of nutrients. He will discuss the soil fertility research in organic systems that he has conducted on the Quinn farm and share his findings. In addition, he will talk about his research on the effects of green manure crops on phosphorus availability and the addition of rock phosphate and its effects. Phosphorous is a finite, but necessary mineral and is becoming scarce in Montana soils. Dr. Jones will discuss the implications for organic farming.

The second group will be with MSU associate professor Dr. Perry Miller. Dr. Miller has also conducted research on the Quinn organic farm. His research focuses on the development of dry land principles for diversified cropping systems. On the tour, he will discuss water and nitrogen balances in green manures, weed management, and the economics of transitioning from conventional to organic farming.

MSU weed ecologist Dr. Bruce Maxwell will lead the third group. Dr. Maxwell researches non-chemical weed management strategies for annual and perennial weeds. He focuses on crop-weed competition, economic thresholds of weeds, and weed population dynamics. He will discuss with tour participants his research, as well as general rules of thumb for weed management in the transition to organic as well as management once in an organic system.

The fourth and final group will learn from tour host Bob Quinn about organic agriculture, his research in oilseed production and dry land vegetables, and cereal and legume cropping systems. Quinn has extensive knowledge both as a researcher and a farmer. Participants will take home the numerous lessons Quinn has learned over the past 20 years, from effectively managing a diverse organic farm, to developing an economically successful business operation. Each session will last 45 minutes with 15 minutes between each for participants to rotate to the next station.

A lunch, featuring local organic food will be served, and will provide an opportunity for participants to visit and exchange ideas. In the afternoon, Quinn will take half of the participants to view and discuss his oilseed press and his goal of growing all the fuel the farm needs by using straight vegetable oil in tractors with modified engines. The other participants will follow plant breeder Dave Christensen to his field of black corn, where he will discuss his breeding program and the need for highly-nutritious crops that can grow in difficult climates. For over 30 years, Christensen has been developing breeds of cold- and drought-hardy, highly nutritious corn for people farming in marginal lands. Not only has his corn been successfully grown on the dry plains of Montana, but also in harsh climates in North Korea and Siberia. Each session will last one hour.

During the morning and afternoon sessions visitors will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn valuable insights from the presenters to take back to their own work as educators, extension agents, farmers, or simply interested individuals. Participants can expect to glean insights from the technical information provided by the MSU researchers, as well as from the general knowledge of organic farming systems. Not only will participants learn of the hard work that goes into research, plant breeding, and farm management, but they will also learn from each other's shared experiences. Directions: When entering Big Sandy from the south, take a right on Judith Landing Road, then turn left on Kamut Lane. Go ¼ mile, take a left into the Quinn driveway.

Sponsored by:
State of Montana Department of Agriculture | National Center for Appropriate Technology | USDA SARE | Montana NRCS | Montana Wheat & Barley Committee | Montana Farmers Union | Montana Organic Association

Recent AERO Farm Tours

Saturday, June 20th
11 am - 4 pm • Sabo Ranch Field Day • Harrison
Jenny & Mark Sabo; 303 Pony Road, Harrison, MT 59735
Registration: (406) 685-3248 Fee: Free Lunch: Available for purchase
Tour Highlights: 100% grass fed beef, pasture poultry & pork, off grid home.
Directions: Go to Harrison, midway on Route 287 between Ennis and the Interstate 90/Rt 287 interchange. In Harrison, turn west towards Pony, go 3 miles, take a left (south) into the Sabo Ranch driveway.

Saturday, June 6th, 2009
Rocking Z Ranch Tour to Feature On-Site Biodiesel Processing and Use
Folks who want a first hand look at on-ranch biodiesel production and use are invited to a free tour of the Rocking Z Ranch at 2:00 pm, Saturday, June 6th. The tour will also feature an irrigation system powered by Recycled Straight Vegetable Oil (RSVO). Learn more »

Community Farm Tour and Feast ~ Bozeman ~ September 21, 2008
What better way to wrap up the harvest season than a celebration? The Community Farm Tour is back! With a desire to raise awareness, encourage and support a thriving, local and sustainable food system, Chefs Collaborative and the Community Food Co-op invite you to help us celebrate our local farmers. Join us, Sunday September 21, from 2 to 6 p.m. for a family fun day filled with learning, live music and a Local Feast created by local chefs!

This year Amaltheia Organic Dairy LLC, situated at the base of the Bridger Mountain Range just west of Bozeman, has graciously committed to hosting the Tour. Since 2000, Melvin and Sue Brown have been producing and providing natural chevre, ricotta and feta to area restaurants and businesses.

Here are a few highlights to look forward to: Enjoy tours of the dairy; Gallatin Valley Farm to School will be on hand; Montana Outdoor Science School will be hosting an array of children?s activities; live music of Jawbone Railroad, The Ashley Holland Band and Red Hen will fill the air and we will invite other local producers to sell their own produce or products. As the ultimate celebration of our local food system, Chefs Collaborative will bring together talented area chefs to create a delicious feast comprised of local goods.

The Tour is free and open to everyone. Pre-sale tickets for the Local Feast are $13 for adults and $8 for kids. Tickets are available now, available on a first-come first-served basis, at the Co-op?s Customer Service desk. For more information, call Alison Grey at 587-1919 extension 76. We hope to see you there!

Directions:
From Interstate 90, you take the Bozeman 19th Street exit to Springhill Road and turn right or from Bozeman, you take the Frontage Road and turn right onto Springhill Road. Travel north on Springhill Road, approx. 9.5 miles, take a left onto Penwell Bridge Road, the road is initially paved but turns to gravel and continue straight – we will post signs. The address is 3380 Penwell Bridge Road – the website is www.amaltheiadairy.com - please let everyone know that they can park at the Co-op Central Kitchen, 711 W. Main and carpool – also, Streamline Bus is offering one bus to transport folks to the Dairy @ 1:45pm (from that same parking lot) and returning to Bozeman @ 6pm.

Sponsored by:
The Co-op | Chef’s Collaborative | Yellowstone Distributing | The Club at Spanish Peaks | Lone Mountain Ranch | J & V Restaurant Supplies | Streamline Bus | Organic Valley | Odwalla | Big John’s Pure Technologies Water | Thompson’s Rental Shop | AERO | Tributary | KGLT | Corporation for the Northern Rockies | KMMS AM 1450

September 6th, 2008
AERO & FarmHands to Host Harvest-Time Farm Tour September 6th, Whitefish, Montana

Pam Gerwe and Mike Jopek began coaxing their family market farm out of rocky clay soil near Whitefish, Montana, 15 years ago. They sell a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and eggs to the local community and use many innovative techniques to extend their growing season.

September 6th, 2008
Purple Frog Gardens is a family market farm on the outskirts of Whitefish. Pam Gerwe and Mike Jopek have slowly coaxed this farm out of rocky clay soil with the help of countless volunteers, community members, and young people.

Hoop houses, row covers and use of micro-climates all help to extend our short Montana growing season. Our 350 laying hens, compost, crop rotation, thick mulch and worm bins help fertilize, control pests and increase the soil vitality. This soil vitality feeds the salad greens, herbs, hops, vegetables, raspberries, currants, apples, pie cherries and pears which are mostly marketed within 3 miles of the farm. Our family, our volunteers, farmer's market customers, local grocers and restaurants easily devour all the grub we grow.

We await production from our young plantings of old-fashioned and northern acclimated fruits such as quince, gooseberries, seaberries, aronia, honeyberries, persimmons, pawpaws, and artic beauty kiwis.

As first generation farmers, we have made countless silly mistakes, failed expensive attempts and a few very successful decisions in designing and creating our farm. The practical production models of our farm have been shaped by a patchwork of permaculture, biodynamic, organic and conventional techniques, as well as the experience offered by agricultural leaders like John Jeavons, Ruth Stout, Elliot Colman. Mostly though, our guidance has come from a few older generation Montanans who inspired and encouraged us to believe in ourselves and the capacity of the land.

Our long-term vision includes more economic stability from our farm, as well as facilitating the connection between the soil and food for people. Our hope is to inspire others to grow some food to feed themselves.

May, June, 2008
Three Montana Farm/Ranch Tours to Feature Biodiesel Processing
and Oilseeds Production and Crushing More Info »

June 19th
Time: 9:30AM Registration begins at 9:00AM
Location: MSU Central Ag Research Center
2.5 miles west of Moccasin, MT on HWY 87
[MAP]

The Montana State University Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC) Field Day at Moccasin will feature research comparisons of several "ley" farming experiments designed by Dr. Chengci Chen of the CARC and his cooperators. The ley farming demonstration uses forage legumes including black medic, pea, lentil and birdsfoot trefoil with grazing livestock as well as green manure crops, all in rotation with grain crops, to increase soil health.

The tour will include presentations by Dr. Clain Jones (MSU Soil Fertility Specialist), Dr. Dave Buschena (MSU Ag Economist), Dr. James Krall (University of Wyoming), and Dr. Roy Latta (Australia). Field research will feature Buff Oats and Kamut, as well as winter wheat crops.

The tour at CARC starts at 9:30am. Lunch will be served for attendees. For more information contact Chengci Chen at (406) 423-5421

Co-sponsored by AERO and MSU Central Ag Research Center.
To see "ley" farming practices in a field setting, CARC tour participants will then travel twenty-eight miles up the road to Stanford for the second tour on June 19.

June 19th
Jess Alger Farm, 4 PM, Stanford, MT
The tour at the Jess Alger farm north of Stanford continues to look at the long term advantages of the “ley” farming techniques researched at CARC and seen in the morning tour. Jess Alger is cooperating with the Central Ag Research Center to do field size organically certified ley farming plots.

Alger began experimenting with ley farming when he seeded black medic in 1994. He grows fall-seeded lentils that might be adapted to use in ley farming.

Organic winter wheat, Kamut, hull-less oats, hard white wheat, flax, peas and lentils are Alger's principal cash crops. Alfalfa grown on the farm is fed to his cattle, and both the alfalfa and livestock are rotated for weed suppression.

The sustainable agriculture practices Alger has adopted give him flexibility; depending on the conditions, his crops may be used for cash sales, green manure plow-down or for livestock pasture and feed.

Alger will also showcase his 10 KW wind generator that provides his entire home and farming operation with electrical power.

Tour participants are invited to stay for dinner and enjoy Jess's famous burgers. Cost for the BBQ with trimmings is $12 and an RSVP is required. There is no cost for the tour and no RSVP required for those attending the tour only. Please RSVP to Jim Barngrover at AERO (406) 443-7272.

Directions to Jess Alger's Farm: Enter Stanford from Hwy 87, turn north at the railroad tracks and go 8 miles. If coming from Fort Benton heading south, turn west at mile marker 57 and proceed 3 miles. [MAP]

Friday, June 20 - Bob Quinn Farm, 9:30 AM
12 miles SE of Big Sandy, off MT Secondary 236 [MAP]
The tour at the Bob Quinn Farm near Big Sandy will update the progress Quinn is making on growing and using his own biofuels. The tour will focus on new camelina research applied to agronomic production and processing for biofuels, and for cattle feed and table use.

Quinn purchased a German-manufactured farm scale oil press and is working with MSU researcher Dr. Dave Sands to select for naturally occurring mutant variants of camelina, which have shorter chain fatty acids, to burn directly in his diesel farm equipment and for enhanced omega 3's for nutritional supplements.

Jacob Cowgill, Quinn's research associate, has expanded the organic certified dry land production of potatoes, squash, onions, corn and other vegetables for local markets. This dry land vegetable growing component is in its third year of testing. Cowgill also is experimenting with the development of value added pasture raised heritage turkey pilot project this year.

Tour participants will also join in discussions about the practicality of using nitrogen producing pea and clover plow down crops. Other crops Quinn is growing include organic food grade legumes, Kamut, barley, camelina, sunflowers and safflower.

The farm energy workshop is in the morning, beginning at 9:30am, and a tour of the farm and test plots is in the afternoon following a catered local organic foods lunch.

RSVP is required for the tour and lunch. The cost is $15. Please contact Jim Barngrover at AERO for reservations. (406) 443-7272.