Meagher County

Meagher County is home to 1,900 people residing in 2,395 square miles of rolling hills and mountains of the Little Belt, Big Belt, Castle, and Crazy Mountains. The mountains provide ample recreation opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts. Recreationalists can enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, or skiing at Showdown, the oldest running ski hill in Montana. Recreation, along with agriculture, natural resources, tourism, and small business opportunities contribute to the county’s economic base. The Meagher County MSU Extension office assists residents by providing unbiased, research-based information to meet the community’s needs. The office primarily focuses on the areas of agriculture, natural resources, and 4-H youth development. Community development, economics, and food and nutrition are other topic areas the MSU Extension office supports for the residents of Meagher County.

4-H & Youth Development

Meagher County 4-H Program Continues to Thrive

The Meagher County 4-H Program provides the opportunity for youth to learn skills while having fun and engaging with their community. In 2022-2023, there were 56 members and 14 adult volunteers. Members continued to improve themselves by tackling new projects and goals during the year. Teen members challenged themselves to improve their leadership skills by attending state-wide trainings. These trainings help Meagher County teens become better leaders to serve younger members in the county and beyond. Meagher County 4-H finally accomplished the goal of raising enough funds for a new multipurpose barn. The new barn was completed in July of 2023, just in time for the annual 4-H fair. The new barn housed the indoor projects, concessions, and the growing beef project. This addition provided more space in the main barn for seating during the live auction.

New Multi-purpose barn built in 2023

Caption: New Multi-purpose barn built in 2023.

Credit: Makayla Paul

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Agriculture Producers take Advantage of Learning Opportunities

In 2023, Meagher County MSU Extension focused efforts on providing multiple opportunities for producers to connect, grow their knowledge and improve their practices. Two training courses were offered with Extension agent Makayla Paul, one that educated producers about formulating pesticides, and another on how to optimize forage production for sustainable ranching enterprises. Furthermore, the Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Vertebrate Pest Specialist visited Meagher County to offer a workshop on controlling ground squirrels. As biocontrol agents are becoming a more popular non-chemical method to control many species of weeds throughout the state, Melissa Maggio from the MT Biocontrol Project was invited to speak to local producers about the uses and benefits of biocontrol agents. To highlight some emerging technologies, Meagher County MSU Extension partnered with Meagher County Weed District to bring Red Iron Air for a drone spraying demonstration. Producers were able to earn private applicator license recertification credits through these learning opportunities.

Agriculture Producers attend Drone Demonstration

Caption: Agriculture Producers attend Drone Demonstration

Credit: Makayla Paul

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Supporting Gardeners of Meagher County

In the spring of 2023, Meagher County MSU Extension hosted a short series of gardening workshops in collaboration with local partners. The first workshop discussed garden design, including seed selection, where to place crops, and when to plant. The workshop was hosted in collaboration with Delpine Farms, a local garden farm. Delpine Farms hosted an additional workshop for gardeners to come to the farm to learn more about soil and plant health. As a result of partnering with the local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office to offer a soil health workshop, gardeners connected with the Meagher County MSU Extension office for follow-up services such as soil tests, fertilizer recommendations, and aid to diagnose diseases in gardens and lawns.

Gardeners learn about soil texture