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“Rhubarbed” out because you have made just about every recipe you can think of with your rhubarb but do not want the rest to go to waste? Canning it may have come to mind. And, then, think of all of the rest of the produce that will be showing up all too soon. Do you have all of your canning supplies ready for canning season? Particularly, how long has it been since you had your pressure canner dial-gauge tested? Why have your pressure canner dial-gauge tested? A dial-gauge should be tested for accuracy. Inaccuracies can happen over time due to...
Highwood Bench Low pH Soil Field Day MSU Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC) and MSU Extension will be hosting a field day on the Highwood Bench on Wednesday, June 28, at 10:00 a.m. The field day will take place approximately one mile east of the Long farm on 1221 Shonkin Road. The field day will begin with a tour of the CARC cereal variety plots, which have been seeded in low pH soil to determine tolerance to soil acidity. Dr. Jamie Sherman (MSU Barley Breeder) will share research based information on barley varieties for Southern...
Last year, during the heat of the presidential elections, I was browsing my facebook feed when I came across an article making very serious accusations against a prominent politician. It caught my attention, so I clicked and read. Within 3 minutes, I figured out that the linked article was from a ‘parody’ website that posts false news stories. The crazy thing about it was that there was no hint of parody to the article. I discovered the truth by googling the web site name and reading the wik...
Last week, I was very busy. As a result, I didn’t get to sermon writing until Thursday, which is usually my last office day for the working week. The sermon was on the parable of the prodigal son, which is a story Jesus told at the end of a series of stories about lost things, specifically a lost sheep and a lost coin. I was working hard trying to finish up before the end of the day, when my 4-year old son came into my office and asked to sit in my lap while I worked. I agreed, with the stipulat...
Q: Since the Bible says God created everything, doesn’t this mean He also created the devil? And if He created the devil, doesn’t this mean God is actually responsible for all the evil in the world? A friend of mine who likes to argue about religion asked me this, and I didn’t know what to say. A: I seriously doubt if your friend really wants an answer to his question; I suspect instead that he is only using this as an excuse to keep from facing his need to repent of his sins and submit his life to Christ. Unfortunately some people are like...
A fellow came in “The Mountaineer” office a couple of weeks ago and said how much he likes the stories about fishing on Clear Creek. He said that he has done a lot of fishing on Sandy Creek and Beaver Creek as well. It is still May and what used to be the most important month of the year for stream fishing in our area as the first day of stream fishing used to be the third weekend in May. I remember old timers saying that if there were still snow drifts in the high country of the Bear Paw Mountains on the first day of fishing season, it was...
Q: Last week I went to a bookstore to buy a Bible to give to my nephew for his birthday (he’ll be 14), but I got discouraged and finally gave up because there were too many choices. Why are there so many different Bibles? A: Don’t give up; nothing you could ever give your nephew is more valuable than a Bible. Remember: The Bible is God’s Word, and God gave it to us to guide us and help us come to know Him. The Psalmist wrote, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word” (Psalm 119:9). Let me suggest t...
My son is almost 4. He is just beginning to figure out that when he and his sister don’t agree on something, he can hit her and get his way. The other day, they got into an argument over a toy they both wanted to play with. His solution to the impasse was to punch his sister. She started crying and told on him. I punished him and he apologized to his sister. About 20 minutes, later the scene replayed itself. My boy literally did the same thing he had done before. He apologized again, but i...
Lawn Management Information The Master Gardener program provides research based information for gardeners. Below are a few notes taken from the turf management portion of the program. • Rough bluegrass is probably the best grass in Montana for shady areas. • Kentucky bluegrass is the best grass for open sunny areas with well-drained soil. • Annual ryegrass can be used as a cover crop following vegetable production. • The standard lawn mix is 60% Kentucky bluegrass, 30% creeping red fescue and 10% annual ryegrass. • Zoysiagrass does not grow...
Last night when I turned off my light on the night stand and prepared to go to sleep, I laughed out loud. Someone would think that to be very strange to laugh when turning off a light. But not to me. Years ago I had a cabin up by Baldy on Beaver Creek that did not have electricity. At the time I was teaching in Glasgow and I went into Markles hardware one day and found an “Aladdin Lamp” for sale. Now I did not know what an Aladdin lamp was but it had a large and fragile wick and it came with directions. I filled it with kerosene and lit the...
Alfalfa Weevil Information for this article was compiled by Dr. Kevin Wanner (MSU Extension Entomologist) and Dr. Emily Glunk (MSU Extension Forage Specialist). Alfalfa weevil is the key insect pest of alfalfa, causing variable levels of economic damage across Montana each growing season. The female weevils lay eggs in alfalfa stems Larvae hatch and crawl up to the developing terminal buds where they chew small “pin” holes in the leaves. The larvae develop through four instar stages. The larger 3rd and 4th instar larvae feed openly on unfurled...
If it takes a village to raise a child, it certainly takes that village to make its schools the best that they can be. That happened with the Big Sandy schools and with Big Sandy High School as well. Probably the most important story I have had a hand in writing since I have been writing for “The Mountaineer” is the story that reported that Big Sandy High School took home a bronze medal for being one of the top 25 high schools in Montana. I hope that the community realizes what an honor that is and all the schools, some that take huge amo...
Last Friday evening, I was ordained as a pastor in the Church of God. Up until this point, I was a licensed minister and had been for about 7 years. This seems funny to me, because I have been working as a minister in one capacity or another for nearly 17 years. Regardless of licensing or ordination, I have been in a vocation that I felt God called me to do for almost 2 decades. I didn’t actually need anyone to tell me what God called me to do, nor did I need confirmation from other pastors t...
Q: Our church’s education committee really wants me to teach the high school class, but I’m not sure I want to take it on. I’ve never done anything like this, and to be honest I’m not sure I want to give up my time. Am I just being selfish? A: Only you can answer this question, of course, but I hope you’ll be honest about your motives—and if they are selfish or wrong, I hope you’ll ask God to change them. The Psalmist prayed, “Search me, God, and know my heart. … See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psal...
Knees Area Field Day Scheduled for June 7th The MSU Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC) and MSU Extension are hosting a field day in the Knees area on June 7th at 9:00 a.m. The event will begin approximately ½ mile north of J & A Farms. J & A Farms is located at 2226 Knees Church Road. Dr. Jamie Sherman (MSU Barley Breeder) will share research based information on barley varieties for the Knees area. Dr. Luther Talbert (MSU Spring Wheat Breeder) will speak about successful spring wheat varieties for the Knees area. John...
Grass Establishment Notes for Ranchers Below is a list of questions and answers I have compiled from specialists on seeding techniques for grasses. For further information about forage establishment, please contact the Chouteau County Extension at 622-3751 or stop in for a visit. We are located in the green building next to the Courthouse. Should I include a nurse crop in with the seed mix? “I usually don’t like to put a nurse crop in. I think it is too much competition when the plants are trying to get going, and we have seen it have a neg...
National Volunteer Week is April 23-29 Our office would like to thank all the parents, grandparents, family and community members who currently volunteer or have previously volunteered with the Chouteau County 4-H youth development program. The skills and knowledge gained through the hands-on experiences that you present and help the 4-H members with will last them a lifetime. Past, present and future volunteers—know that you have contributed or will contribute to the foundation of lifelong success of many 4-H members. 4-H members—take a mom...
Maybe it was T. S. Elliott or some other poet who said that April is the cruelest month of all. I agree! When I look at the three months of spring, not counting June, but starting with March, April and May, March usually is as much winter as summer and we all have grown to expect that. But when we finally get through March, and are basking in the early April sunshine, that sunshine can turn cloudy in a heartbeat and the next time you go out the back door, there is three inches of snow on the sidewalk. That is what I find so cruel about April....
Camels are able to build a resentment toward their handlers. They can literally get angry at their handlers over a long period of time, then suddenly attack to release their pent up hostility. Some observers have compared them to pressure cookers that explode after enough heat has built up. An experienced camel handler can learn to observe and recognize that their animal is reaching the limit and about to blow up. Interestingly, their solution is to give the exasperated camel their coat, right...
Q: Both my parents were alcoholics, and I always vowed I’d never go down that path. But now I’m in my 30s, and I’m afraid I’m about to go the same way they did. What’s wrong with me? I hate myself for being so worthless. A: I don’t need to tell you that you’re about to go down a dead-end road; you saw what happened to your parents. One reason I wanted to reprint part of your email here is because I hope it will warn others who are in danger of making the same mistake. Don’t beat yourself up, however, or tell yourself that you’re worthles...
New Montguide for Gardeners is available at the Extension Office A new Montguide (MT201612AG) is available at the Chouteau County Extension office or on-line at orderpubs@montana.edu. The Montguide is titled “How to Prevent Non-Target Injury of Broadleaf Crops and Vegetables by Residual Herbicides”. The Montguide was written by Katrina Mendrey at Ravalli County Extension and Noelle Orloff (Associate Extension Weed Specialist). Segments of the Montguide are included in this article. In 2016 the Schutter Diagnostic Lab received 17 vegetable sam...
I went into my mother’s bedroom the other night and found it to be like it was when she used it. Some of her favorite pictures and mirrors were on the walls. An old cannon ball bed, vanity, and chest of drawers were used for years by her and there are Oriental rugs on the floor along with a huge mountain goat rug made from four mountain goats. She said she liked put her bare feet in the rug as it kept her feet nice and warm. There are some odd pictures that make a good story for mother, me, and Grandma Lucke. I was about ten years old and we h...
One of the most difficult and meaningful experiences I ever had was teaching the Bible at the home for kids with emotional disorders. Every day, I would sit with different groups of kids and talk about Jesus’ teachings to young people, many of whom had almost no experience with Jesus or the Bible. The experiences they had had were negative. Most kids saw everything about Jesus to be boring, disconnected from their lives, and aimed at telling them how bad they were. I noticed a strange p...
Q: I know we’re supposed to trust God instead of worrying all the time, but I just can’t help it. Our budget is very tight as it is, and I worry constantly about what will happen if one of us loses our job or something. How can I stop worrying so much? A: It’s not wrong to plan ahead or budget our money; if we don’t, we easily end up spending money we don’t really have on things we don’t really need—which is wrong. The Bible says, “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways” (Proverbs 14:8). But planning ahead isn’t the same as...
While I was at the Montana Gerontology Society conference last week, I attended a session on nutrition for seniors and wanted to pass some of the information along. As we age, our life circumstances and bodies change and it becomes necessary to adapt our food intake accordingly. Many factors such as income, mobility and health issues and accessibility to food can have a profound effect on the level of nutrition. The negative effect of the above mentioned factors may lead to malnutrition. It was astounding to hear the high rates of malnutrition...