Missoula County

Missoula County is a dynamic landscape in western Montana which combines the best parts of Montana into a thriving county with rivers, forests, local foods, and a large urban city center. The city of Missoula is home to the University of Montana, serves as a regional shopping hub, and has a variety of entertainment options. Missoula County boasts miles of blue-ribbon trout rivers, forested mountain slopes, numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, pristine mountain lakes, and small communities exemplifying living in the west. Missoula County has something for everyone. Missoula County Extension has four full-time Extension Agents, two Nutrition Educators, and a full time 4-H Assistant. MSU Extension partners with the Missoula County Department of Ecology to offer support and programs to all of Missoula County.

Community Vitality

Rocky Mountain Gardens: A garden built by the community, for the community

The Rocky Mountain Gardens are envisioned as a public demonstration space that serves as a hub for inspiration, education, and innovation. The 2.5 acres gardens showcase the range of plants that can be grown in our region as well as the best practices for growing in a changing world. The garden is split up into 18 distinct growing areas including a rose, pollinator, herb, native prairie, sensory, forest, vegetable, ornamental, and waterwise garden beds as well as a fruit and berry orchard. The various working spaces emphasize experiential learning and support and expand our organization’s current programming as well as provide a space for our partners to engage the community. The gardens will also feature a greenhouse, hoop house for season extension crops and gazebo to have small group classes in the garden. This project would not have been possible without the generosity of our community.

Rocky Mountain Gardens design plan

Caption: Rocky Mountain Gardens design plan

Credit: Molly Anton

Family & Consumer Science

Family and Consumer Sciences programming meetings the needs of Missoulians

Missoula County is experiencing rapid growth. The 2023 Missoula County Needs Assessment Report helped prioritize the expressed needs of a portion of the population. Based on that data, program development, planning, and partnerships were implemented. Family and Consumer Science program goals: Help people make healthy, informed decisions about food that helps grow the local economy; Offer nutrition programming highlighting local foods; Encourage multigenerational cooking opportunities that instill greater confidence in the kitchen; Encourage eating and preserving in season; Help participants stay connected to healthy cultural traditions in cooking and growing food. Monthly community cooking classes at the Missoula Public Library met many of these goals. One participant commented “I love these classes! I’m trying new flavors and recipes that I never thought I would and liking them!”

Canning entries at the Western Montana Fair

Caption: Canning entries at the Western Montana Fair

Credit: Kelly Moore

Family & Consumer Science

Nutrition Education program reaches hundreds of Missoula County youth

EFNEP program support was provided to Missoula County which includes one staff member, educational supplies including food samples and other educational materials for program participants, and travel expenses to get to and from community organizations throughout Missoula County. Behavior Change in Adult Graduates: 100% Diet Quality – Improvement in one or more aspects. Indicators (i.e., eating fruits, red, orange, and dark green vegetables, drinking less regular soda, fruit punch, fruit drinks, sweet tea, or sports drinks, and cooking dinner at home). 100% Food Safety Practices – Improvement in one or more practices. (i.e., washing hands before preparing food, washing all items and surfaces after cutting raw meat or seafood, not thawing frozen food at room temperature, using a meat thermometer). Behavior Change in Youth Graduates: 80% Diet Quality; 53% Safe Food Handling. Education: 228 Classes, 14 Adults Reached, 500 Youth Reached

Youth learn valuable nutrition skills

Caption: Youth learn valuable nutrition skills

Credit: Stock photo

4-H & Youth Development

Leaders build relationships and discuss the Why, How and What of 4-H Volunteerism

Missoula 4-H leaders began a series of social and strategy meetings where they built relationships by getting to know more about each other’s backgrounds and interests. At the first social, leaders discussed why they do what they do 4-H. We live in a world where people select social groups that are very homogenous. I love that 4-H is a space where kids and families from a diversity of backgrounds work together with compassion and respect toward a common goal. I think that is the most important skill to learn to have a functioning society. The lessons learned in 4-H are so impactful, throughout life. I love hearing a teacher say, “I can always tell when a 4-Her is presenting in the classroom, they are well spoken and confident… and they make eye contact while they’re speaking. The chance to give a child their first taste of confidence because with confidence they can do anything, but it all starts with confidence in what they can contribute.

4-H Leaders with Shotgun Project members