You’re not prepared when an emergency happens. But we are. St. Vincent Healthcare offers the highest level of quality emergency care in the region, with a level II trauma center, regional HELP flight program, pediatric trauma services, and extensive trauma surgery capabilities. So whether it’s a serious accident or a critical health event, if you’re having an emergency, don’t delay care. When the unthinkable happens, just say, “Take me to St. V’s.” Learn more at svh.org/trauma
When it comes to the unthinkable, we’ve thought of everything.
We just experienced one of the most beautiful falls we’ve had in years. We enjoyed warm days well into October and even relaxed for a few days after a hectic summer and fall.
Planning this issue took some creativity as our copy editor and website designer, who is also our niece, was up against a timeline that was out of her control. Expecting her first child, she finished editing articles just a few days before the birth of her beautiful baby boy. We couldn’t be more excited for Kayla and Chace Walker.
We’re pleased to feature a couple of young Montanans adding supplemental income to their families traditional ways of farming. Kate Stephens has built a social media following as she explains, by video, different aspects of farming. She also has a successful clothing line.
Clay Boyce started growing hops on his family’s farm and has successfully built his business up to supply a nearby brewery with hops for several of their beers.
Even with positive stories such as Kate’s and Clay’s, we felt compelled to cover an epidemic that is growing in unprecedented numbers across rural Montana and Wyoming. An alarming increase in both suicides and accidental overdoses from substance abuse indicates that there has never been a harder time to be a farmer or rancher. Many are dealing with stress, depression, anxiety, pain, loneliness and sadly, suicidal thoughts.
A visit with the mother of a young man who died from accidental fentanyl poisoning opened our eyes to the easy accessibility to prescription and illegal drugs and the horrible consequences of
experimenting with the drug even once.
But there are people and organizations available for help.
Out of Bosler, Wyoming a young rodeo producer hopes to bring awareness and help to those struggling with unhealthy thoughts and addictions. His organization, No More Empty Saddles, has become a platform for people both suffering and overcoming.
The Montana Department of Agriculture launched a program bringing to light the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse and through a grant are offering free counseling to anyone in the field of agricultural.
With counseling, support and being taught the skills of coping and making good decisions, life can be manageable. But the first step that must be taken is that the one suffering reaches out. As we move into the holiday season, our prayer is twofold: that if we are suffering, we’d let someone know and that we would also be sensitive to the sufferings of those around us. Let’s open our hearts and our minds to one another. If we tackle this together, we will win the battle.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10: 24-25
Melanie was raised on a farm on the banks of the Clarks Fork River in Belfry. Her life-long love of art lead her to a career as a freelance graphic designer. When she’s not busy working, Melanie enjoys being with family, spending time with her dogs, camping, ATVing, collecting rocks and watching the sunset. Check out her art at www.melaniefab. com and follow her on Instagram @melaniefabart.
Originating from a fifth-generation Montana ranch, Kayla Walker has a real connection to the agriculture industry and the cherished western lifestyle. After several years as editor of Western Ag Reporter, she was recently able to return to her roots when she and her husband were wed and embarked on the journey to start a ranch of their own. At the same time, Kayla launched Ranch Raised Media to compliment the work they do on the land. Whether it be through photography, writing, social media, graphic design, or web design she strives to share the story of this way of life on a day-to-day basis. Follow Ranch Raised Media on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.ranchraisedmedia.com to view her work and check out daily Montana ranch life.
Jean is a cookbook and children’s picture book author, freelance writer and has been a weekly columnist with Western Ag Reporter for over 15 years. She and her husband live near the Beartooth Mountains in Red Lodge with their four children. Most days she can be found outdoors with her animals, on a hike, at her children’s activities, or cozying up writing and reading. You can find her at www.jeanpetersen.com
Great Falls writer, Amy Grisak balances her life between the mountains and the prairie looking for stories that catch her interest. This awardwinning author shares what she loves with readers, whether it’s finding gorgeous hikes in Glacier National Park or how to push the gardening envelope in our challenging Montana climate. Look for her book, “Nature Guide to Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks,” published by Falcon Guides and follow her at amygrisak.com
Stella loves to discover new flavors of food and new waters to fly fish. She is author of Flavors Under the Big Sky: Recipes and Stories from Yellowstone Public Radio and Beyond, Billings Food and Historic Restaurants of Billings. She contributes regularly to Yellowstone Valley Woman Magazine, Edible Bozeman and The Last Best Plates column for Montana Food.
Sheryl Foland, MSW, LCSW, is a private practice mental health provider and the owner of Course Corrections LLC. In 2015, shortly after moving to Casper, Sheryl’s only sibling lost his long-fought battle with mental health issues and addictions. Looking for a diversion, she began a journey into rodeo photography. Now a published rodeo photographer, Sheryl and her husband own and operate Sheryl Foland Photography, Catchin the Action. She is also a founding board member of No More Empty Saddles, a Wyoming nonprofit organization which provides suicide prevention and peer support for the ag community and the rodeo industry.
Life without farmers and ranchers would be unrecognizable. However, that’s a simple fact not everyone realizes – some far removed from agriculture believing strawberries grow on trees and beef in a grocery store was harvested from a cow dying of natural causes. This disconnect is something fourth generation farmer, Kate Stephens, hopes to address from her business on the land which has been in her family for more than a century.
“Not many people know where their food comes from,” she said. “I want to bridge the gap between ag and the consumer.”
To better educate consumers, the ambitious teenager launched Kate’s Ag - Farm to Fashion to highlight her family’s farming efforts and show the many hands and steps required to deliver clothing to doorsteps. Kate Stephens Fashion connects the dots between the producer, the manufacturer, and ultimately, the customer. She recently expanded her YouTube channel to include interviews describing the evolution of other ag products as well.
In 1912, Kate’s great grandfather immigrated from Denmark and homesteaded in north central Montana. Kate picked up the mantle from a very early age. She’s worked alongside her father since she was two but stepped up to a new level of participation when she was a mere 15 years old.
“My grandfather, Robert E. Stephens, Sr., who is 95, asked me if I’d like to run the combine,” she said.
She was immediately hooked, but it wasn’t without a few glitches along the way such as losing a wheel on her combine at the end of harvest. She laughed and said she just gave the combine more gas until she realized what happened.
“I fell in love with driving the combine and being part of the Montana harvest and telling everyone how wonderful it made me feel,” she said.
She soon realized the people she shared her story with couldn’t wrap their heads around the process. While many knew bread was made from wheat, there was no true understanding of how wheat in a field eventually yielded a loaf of bread.
This inspired the creation of iPhone videos to illustrate the process of planting, harvesting, and eventually producing food on their farm, as well as on other operations. Now, over 100,000 subscribers and approximately eight million people from around the world watch her adventures in the cab of the combine or join her in the multitude of tasks required daily on any Montana farm or ranch.
The videos on Kate’s Ag - Farm to Fashion channel give viewers a glimpse into the year of a farmer. From seeding to harvesting and the trials and tribulations of driving new equipment — including the farm semi — Kate depicts how food is produced with frankness and humor.
She also offers a unique perspective of the Montana landscape. In one video, she points out a covered barley pile a grizzly bear had tore into for a snack, and in another, she slows the combine to a crawl to avoid hitting baby pheasants. Of course, weather is always a factor as well and whether it’s working in the bitter cold and wind or drought and excessive heat, Kate explains how Mother Nature dictates the success or failure of the season.
Beyond gaining a better understanding of ag through the videos, a journey through her YouTube channel shows Kate’s growth and increased confidence as both a farmer and agriculture advocate.
Kate’s first design effort was a heavy-duty cotton tote bag. Merging function and form, the white tote is adorned with a wheat design created from a photo she took on the farm. To support U.S. jobs, all of Kate’s Ag products are made in the country, which was a key consideration for her next product. Delving into a more sophisticated style, she spent the next year and a half completing the design and sourcing the materials for a cowhide handbag handcrafted by New York artisans. The elegant design features farm-influenced elements such as a wheat pattern cotton interior lining and a metal combine harvester decoration on the exterior flap.
She donated her first handbag to the Montana Farmer’s Union auction to support their efforts and was delighted when it sold for $1,600. She also flew to Denver to speak at their annual conference about furthering the connection between producers and consumers.
“I was shocked by how positive everyone was,” Kate said. In the 2022 Fire Within event of Great Falls, which recognizes cutting-edge female entrepreneurs, Kate was the youngest recipient of the Aspire Award, recognizing her success as a new business.
Her latest creation is a cotton t-shirt which features the Kate’s Ag logo on the left chest or sleeve. On each shirt, a QR code offers the purchaser the path of the product from the cotton fields in North Carolina to the cotton gin and the manufacturer before reaching the customer.
“It’s about knowing who you are supporting in the farming business,” she said, pointing out that having the knowledge of each step, which often involves other farming families, adds another level of appreciation for products worn or consumed.
Continuing her course to educate as many people as possible about the journey of their food or fashion from field to home, Kate recently began attending Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Science in New York to pursue a degree in communications with a minor in agriculture and soil science.
“My number one priority, no matter what I’m doing, is to support my community,” she concluded.
Stockman Bank opened its doors nearly 70 years ago with a vision to help the people, businesses and communities of Montana realize their dreams. Today, we continue to fulfill this promise with products and services uniquely designed for Montanans and a local banking experience built on relationships, integrity, expertise and results.
• ¼ cup dehydrated carrots
• ¼ cup dehydrated celery
• 1 tsp dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp dried minced garlic or ½ tsp garlic powder
• 2 heaping cups of wide egg noodles
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried rosemary
• ⅓ cup dried chicken bouillon (about 5 ½ bouillon cubes)
• 1 bay leaf
In a 1 quart jar layer the ingredients from the bottom and flush to the jar’s top:
• Dried carrots, celery, onion flakes, garlic
• Thyme, rosemary, chicken bouillon and bay leaf
• Wide Egg Noodles
DIRECTIONS: Secure lid tightly and (optional) decorate top with fabric, twine, ribbon or bows, and include a gift tag with the ingredients and directions. Double or triple the recipe to make more than one gift.
Heat 7 cups of water in a stock pot.
Remove and separate the the wide egg noodles into another bowl
Add all of the dry ingredients into the stock pot and simmer on medium-low about 10-20 minutes. Optional add 2 cups canned chicken or 1-2 average size cooked chicken breasts to soup, and simmer. Last, add wide egg noodles for approximately 6-8 minutes depending on whether you like noodles al dente, firm or tender and simmer until noodles are cooked through, remove bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves approximately 3-4 bowls of soup.
WRITTEN BY JEAN PETERSEN• 1 cup instant chocolate drink mix
• 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• (optional french vanilla non-dairy creamer makes it richer in flavor)
• ⅔ cup instant coffee granules
• ¼ peppermint baking pieces
In a 1 quart jar layer the ingredients from the bottom and flush to the jar’s top:
• Instant Chocolate drink mix
• Non-Dairy Creamer
• Instant Coffee
• Peppermint baking pieces
Secure lid tightly and (optional) decorate top with fabric, twine, ribbon or bows, and include a gift tag with the ingredients and directions. Double or triple the recipe to make more than one gift.
Mix in hot water, stir until at desired consistency, serve hot and with whip cream for a fun extra topping.
• 1 bag Caramel Bits
• 16 oz. jar of Honey Roasted Peanuts
• 16 oz. can or bag of Salted Almonds
• 1 box Brown Sugar Quaker Squares cereal
• 1 box Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal
• 1 box Granola Cereal
• 2 bags of seasons Candy Corn
• 1 large bag of seasonal M&M’s
• 16 oz. bag of dehydrated Apples
• 1 large bag of Reese’s Pieces or Peanut Butter Chips
DIRECTIONS: Dump all the ingredients into a large bowl. Toss with a spoon or clean hands so all ingredients are mixed together. This is a large recipe. Can yield approximately a dozen gift jars.
In a 1 quart jar spoon the trail mix into the jar.
Secure lid tightly and (optional) decorate top with fabric, twine, ribbon or bows, and include a gift tag with the ingredients and directions. Double or triple the recipe to make more than one gift.
“It is said that EVERY BUCKLE has a story.” That’s especially true when the buckle was won by a world champion, or specifically designed as a gift for a loved one. As handcrafted pieces of art, treasured buckles become family heirlooms passing from one generation to the next, the story of the origin of the buckle as sacred as the buckle.
Buckles are the crowning glory for Montana Silversmiths. Having designed and hand-crafted thousands, Montana Silversmiths is the official silversmith of the NFR, PBR, and PRCA and has placed buckles in the hands of hundreds of world champions.
Headquartered in Columbus, MT, the company pioneered the development of western fashion in both buckles and jewelry beginning in 1973. 50 years later they are still going strong. Known for their skilled craftsmen, the combination of traditional western designs and crisply executed engraving styles makes their products stand out far above the competition.
It was with this reputation already achieved that Montana Silversmiths decided something BIG would need to take place entering into their 50th year in business.
The team at Montana Silversmiths came up with the idea to craft
COLUMBUS MONTANA
ADVERTORIAL PAID FOR BY MONTANA SILVERSMITHS
the “World’s Largest Buckle.” Spearheaded by Chief Marketing Officer, Judy Wagner, Montana Silversmiths came up with a vision to incorporate everything they have perfected in the prior half-century. Hoping to break the world record, Montana Silversmiths took on the challenge and strictly followed the guidelines which stated the item had to be an authentic replica, to scale, of an existing buckle available for sale.
The iconic Big Horn Trophy Buckle was chosen as the model, having been a customer favorite for years. The artwork for the reproduction was curated in collaboration with Priefert Manufacturing Company, Inc. of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. The design elements were meticulously fabricated, with no detail left undone.
“We needed to bring it to life and share our story authentically,” Judy said, “and the buckle needed a story of its own. Our passion, artistry, and teamwork made this dream a reality.”
The Largest Belt Buckle was awarded to Montana Silversmiths with a buckle measuring 3.2 m x 4.43 m (10’6” x 14’6.4”) from the official attempt on October 20, 2021. Weighing 1000 lbs., the piece was broken down into quarters for transportation from its home in Texas to the first stop at the NFR in December. In late January it will be on loan to the Billings Logan International Airport.
The scale and curvature of the beautiful buckle was created to exacting specifications. Each design element was scrupulously constructed to assure accuracy in the creation of the large-scale genuine buckle that took over six months to achieve.
“The buckle is a perfect way to celebrate the industry and come together to showcase our lifestyle in iconic fashion,” Judy continued. “It’s a culmination of a lot of people’s hard work. We are paying homage to a quintessential piece of the West and cowboy way of life. It’s a way for the world to see the Western Lifestyle in a different light. This is who we are: authentic and innovative, and it all started with a dream.”
BOSLER WYOMING WRITTEN BY CYD HOEFLE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHERYL FOLAND
Wyoming, Alaska, and Montana rank as the top three states for the number of suicides per capita in the nation. According to reports released by the CDC, farmers and ranchers are among the most likely to die by suicide when compared to other occupations, and suicide rates overall have increased by 40 percent in less than two decades.
Sheryl Foland of Rawlins, Wyoming has a master’s in social work and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (MSW, LCSW). She specializes in meeting with farmers and ranchers and even makes house calls in Carbon County, Wyoming.
“There’s so much fear that agricultural people face,” Sheryl said. “Fear that they won’t be able to support their family, fear of finances, fear of prices and nature’s elements, droughts, grasshoppers, fires. Fear is the biggest driver to anxiety and depression. Ag has so many variables that no other industry has to contend with, it’s no wonder there’s anxiety.”
Substance abuse, especially involving drugs, is becoming more prevalent across the country, including in small towns and rural areas, and when combined with mental health issues, it’s taking a toll on folks.
Sheryl said the uptick in suicide and substance abuse is the result of many factors, but one of the most prevalent is the fear of vulnerability preventing requests for help.
Rand Selle, who owns and operates Selle Rodeo Producers, gets that. He raises and trains bucking horses and roping steers and hosts the recently established Tom Horn Days, a three-day ranch rodeo held each summer on his ranch near the town of Bosler, Wyoming.
“I’m a rugged, hard-headed cowboy,” Rand said. “I think I can get through hard times on my own. But that’s not the way it’s supposed to be. We have to change our mindset and ask for help.”
As a rodeo producer, he was aware of the impact the pandemic had on the rodeo community. Cancelled rodeos not only meant shutting down their livelihood, but also their social lives. It was during COVID, that Tom Horn Days, named in memory of the legendary local cattle detective of the early 1900s, was born.
“We go from the first rodeo to the last, every weekend,” he said. “When it all shut down, there were a lot of guys alone for a long time.”
Sheryl agreed and noting that often, the lifestyle of not only rodeo cowboys, but farmers and ranchers is such that days can go by without communication with another person.
“They are independent because they have to be,” Sheryl said.
“They are used to being alone and figuring out things. They don’t ask for help.”
Rand was saddling his horse on a fall morning one year ago when he heard about the death of yet another friend, a Tom Horn Days bronc rider, too young and too soon, to a fentanyl overdose. He recalled thinking to himself, “this is happening too often, we’ve got to do something about it.”
He’d hosted two Tom Horn Days when the No More Empty Saddles idea came about in November of 2021.
“I came up with No More Empty Saddles because an empty saddle on top of a horse at a funeral symbolizes that the rider has passed away. I don’t want to see anymore empty saddles that belong to guys who should still be here,” Rand said. “There’s got to be a way for us to help them out. If we can get them to talk about things, maybe they won’t be so quick to turn to drinking or doing drugs.”
Sheryl was introduced to Tom Horn Days when Rand saw her photographing another rodeo and approached her about capturing his event. It’s a hobby Sheryl enjoys when she’s not providing mental health therapy.
“I feel blessed that it happened that way,” Sheryl said. “I’m supposed to be involved.”
The unique coupling of her career and hobby made her the perfect fit to assist Rand in developing his idea for No More Empty Saddles. Sheryl also has personal experience with the loss of someone to suicide as her brother took his life seven years ago. She has since been a major advocate for seeking help for mental health issues and substance abuse.
“You can’t win the battle on your own,” she said. “I call addiction long-term suicide. Left untreated addictions will eventually lead to death.”
It’s a sobering thought and the very reason the No More Empty Saddles team is so determined to assist those who may be suffering.
“People really don’t want to die,” Sheryl continued. “They just want the pain to go away.”
“Sometimes, all someone needs to do is unload on someone who cares,” Rand added. “It can get really lonely at times.”
Rand understands that as he singlehandedly operates his ranch.
“There’s times I don’t talk to a soul for days on end,” he said.
At Tom Horn Days 2022, No More Empty Saddles was formally introduced when a bucking bronc left the chute with a riderless saddle. The horse was the last one Jonn Beer, a Columbus, Montana cowboy, rode at the previous Tom Horn Days held a year ago. Jonn had since lost his life to accidental fentanyl poisoning and was the one who struck Rand with the need to act that fall morning. Rand asked Jonn’s parents for permission to memorialize him during the organization’s official inauguration
rodeo participants and the audience to seek help with substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. Jonn’s family and friends were in attendance for the heart wrenching moment.
“It made an impact,” Rand said. “It hit too close to home to be ignored.”
Currently those seeking more information can connect with the organization through their Facebook page, “No More Empty Saddles.”
People are starting to reach out in private messages to the organizers and some are even publicly sharing their stories and the steps they took to overcome their struggles. The posts of
success are as important as the ones seeking help.
“It’s important to know that you’re not alone in this,” Sheryl said. “I tell guys, ‘in all the John Wayne movies, The Duke never worked alone, someone was always there with him.’ They don’t have to be alone, either.”
From the beginning, the moniker of No More Empty Saddles has been a “pickup man,” riding alongside cowboys, being there for assistance and safety, and giving the feeling of protection and understanding.
“We all need a pickup man in our lives,” Sheryl said. “Someone you know will be there for you.”
“We don’t have a problem asking for help when we need it on the ranch,” Rand added. “We don’t even think about it. We have to be more open about asking for help when it really
When someone reaches out to the organization, a team of volunteers takes the first step. If there is a need for a professional visit, Sheryl makes contact, and connects the caller with help in their community. The concept appears to be making an impact as hundreds of new followers are finding their way to the site from all over the country.
Rand promised that those reaching out will find help.
“We’ll drop what we’re doing to help,” he said. “All you have to do is give us a call.”
TOM HORN DAYS, BOSLER, WYOMING
Andrea Beer took a deep breath as she began her story about her son, Jonn. One year ago, Jonn’s life was tragically shortened due to fentanyl poisoning.
“Jonn wore his heart on his shoulder,” she started. “Addiction was a part of my son’s life, but it did not define him. He was defined by his huge heart, generosity, and quick-witted personality.”
A vivacious young man who lived life with a passion, Jonn spent his youth growing up outside of Columbus, racing dirt bikes, snowmobiling, and riding broncs and bulls. His career, and passion, was training horses. At 29, Jonn had struggled for a decade with substance abuse. He became addicted
“I hope by sharing who Jonn was that even one person might be saved from the devastating effects of fentanyl. It’s time to step up the battle against it and make people aware of it.
—ANDREA BEERto pain pills after a bucking horse accident left his jaw broken, requiring multiple surgeries. An infection took six weeks of intravenous antibiotics and additional pain meds to heal.
“I hope by sharing who Jonn was that even one person might be saved from the devastating effects of fentanyl,” Andrea continued. “It’s time to step up the battle against it and make people aware of it.”
Through his adventurous lifestyle, he endured and was treated for multiple concussions and broken bones and was always in chronic pain. As a young adult, he was diagnosed with second impact syndrome and six months prior to his passing, he was diagnosed with CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, a progressive brain condition that’s thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head and repeated episodes of concussions.
Before long, pain meds weren’t enough to ease his pain.
“Jonn was so personable and so wanting to please,” Andrea said. “But when he was under the influence, his personality changed.”
Whether it was the CTE or substance usage, or perhaps a combination of both causing these personality changes, as his mother, Andrea knew when he was using.
“He’d just change,” she explained. “He became quick tempered and impatient.”
The struggles were hard on the family, but Andrea never gave up hope that he would overcome his addictions.
“Jonn never slowed down,” she said. “If he wanted something, he’d go for it, regardless of the risk factor. I think he thought he was invincible. And, sometimes, I did too. He’d come through so much.”
As Jonn entered his twenties, he began to abuse alcohol as well. Andrea and her husband, Doni, tried multiple treatments for him with little success.
“Jonn couldn’t be confined,” she said. “He was wild at heart.”
A couple of years after his bucking horse accident, Jonn endured a snowmobile accident, hitting a stump which threw him over the handlebars. The wreck caused a bleeding artery, which resulted in emergency surgery and a long, painful recovery due to the nerve damage the swelling had caused.
“We almost lost him,” Andrea recalled. “He was in the hospital for four days fighting excruciating pain. When he was finally discharged, once again, he left with a prescription for pain pills.”
At one point, Andrea remembers him saying to her, “I’ve taken so many pain pills my receptors are messed up. Things that shouldn’t hurt me hurt.”
After the accident, alcohol and drugs continued consuming Jonn’s life, yet Andrea fondly recalled times of peace in the family – times when Jonn was doing well. He loved “his girls,” his wife and three daughters, fiercely.
“We’d never know when he’d turn again, though,” she said. “He’d have an emotional high followed by a kick in the face. He just couldn’t get a break.”
She specifically recounted one week when Jonn had been doing especially well. He’d sold one of his horses and was planning to use the money to pay off some debt. Then, a close friend committed suicide and Jonn reverted to his addictions.
Despite his multiple injuries and his continual journey with addiction, Jonn consistently fueled his passion for rodeo. The rush of riding a bronc and the camaraderie he shared with the other competitors were a joy he held dearly. When COVID shut down many rodeos, Jonn was one of the first to support Tom Horn Days, a three-day rodeo hosted by Selle Rodeo Productions in Bosler, Wyoming. He attended the first two years, loved the ranch-style rodeo, and quickly struck up a friendship with Rand Selle, the founder.
As this budding friendship was cut short by Jonn’s death, along with the loss of several other friends, Rand was inspired to take action. He launched an organization for
JONN AND HIS WIFE, MANDI
JONN’S LAST RIDE AT TOM HORN DAYS
PHOTO BY CHEYENNE HANSON
• A powerful synthetic opioid approved by the FDA for extreme pain relief
• Prescribed by physicians in very limited and controlled dosages
• 50-100 times more potent than morphine
• Main importation into America is by drug traffickers across the open southern border
• Manufactured in Mexican laboratories with precursor chemicals purchased from China
• Cheaply manufactured, highly addictive, potentially deadly
• Easily obtainable via social media, (Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram) and delivered to homes
• Most often laced into other drugs such as oxycodone and Adderall being ordered online illegally
• Even illegal drugs are being laced to make them more addictive and in turn more deadly
• Quoted by the DEA as being “the deadliest (drug) threat the DEA has ever seen.”
• The amount of fentanyl seized in the US last year was enough to kill every man, woman and child in the country.
• #1 cause of death among adults 18-45
• 100K people in the U.S. died from fentanyl overdose and poisoning in the past year
• 1 in 4 pills purchased illegally are laced with fentanyl
• Lethal dose: the size of 2 grains of salt (2 milligrams)
• 4 grams (the size of a packet of sugar) is potent enough to kill 500 people
• Sold as fake prescription pills, powder, disguised as candy, in eye droppers or nasal sprays
• “Rainbow fentanyl” comes in bright colors, resembling candy is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults
• Risk of overdoes and/or death is higher than any other illegal drug
• 90% of fentanyl comes across the southern border
SOURCES: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/fentanyl-encounters, https://www.dea.gov/ fentanylawareness, https://republicans-energycommerce.house.gov/news/blog/the-fentanyl-crisis-in-america-isgetting-worse, https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/paxton-signs-multistate-letter-urging-joebiden-declare-fentanyl-weapon-mass-destruction, naturalhigh.org
addiction awareness and rescue called No More Empty Saddles, at this year’s Tom Horn Days in August. (Read more about the organization in No More Empty Saddles on page 18).
As Rand began planning the unveiling of “No More Empty Saddles,” he asked Doni and Andrea if the first ride of the night could be dedicated to their son, Jonn. Kicking off Tom Horn Days on August 13, a riderless bronc jumped out of the chute – the bronc Jonn rode the year prior. Not a sound could be heard as the bronc bucked around the arena in a cloud of white, scattering Jonn’s ashes with each twist and turn.
“My hope for No More Empty Saddles is awareness,” Andrea said. “If just one person can be saved from the ravages of addiction, suicide, or accidental death, then it’s served its purpose. No one wakes up saying, ‘I think I want to be an addict.’”
Andrea is now also on a personal campaign to raise awareness
Even trying it just once can cause death. The amount of Fentanyl in Jonn’s system was the size of two grains of salt.”
While challenging, Andrea hopes by stepping out and discussing Jonn’s death and his life, she can shed light on the effects of addictive substances on mental health and the need to seek help.
“We have to get rid of the stigma around mental health issues and addictions,” she said. “No one should be embarrassed to say they need help. Addiction does not discriminate.”
As Andrea reflected on Jonn’s life, scrolling through photos and videos on her phone of Jonn and his three younger brothers, a smile came over her face.
“He was a great guy,” she said. “The day before he died, he stopped by my office, and we had a really good talk. I never
would have believed it would be the last time I saw him.”
Jonn’s legacy continued even after his death as his family decided to donate his heart, lungs, liver, and both kidneys, saving
“Jonn would have loved that. I always wanted him to see himself through my eyes and not his,” Andrea said. “I read a quote once that helped me to understand him. ‘Why do you always take the hard road? What makes you assume I see two roads?’ That was Jonn. That was my son. That’s
Weather. It’s a topic among farmers and ranchers in almost every conversation – over coffee, at the sale barn, on the side of the road. Weather is one of the biggest factors impacting the livelihood of those in the agricultural industry. But imagine what could be learned, noticed, and observed about one another if conversations went “beyond the weather.”
Montana ranks among the top three states in suicide rate per capita. According to statistics, 1 in 5, or 20 percent, of Montanans are being treated for, or are experiencing, mental health issues. Like the proverbial elephant in the room, it’s a concern often ignored.
The Montana Department of Agriculture aims to change that and recently introduced a campaign to bring awareness to the struggles of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts and provide direction toward professional counseling for those in need. “Beyond the Weather” is a grant funded program which seeks to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues and encourages seeking assistance with stress management.
The Ag Department has partnered with Frontier Psychiatry, a telehealth company, to provide counseling. While the help is readily available, getting people to take advantage of it has been more difficult. To help farmers and ranchers understand the need to seek help, Kerri Danowski, Senior Manager of Communications at Frontier Psychiatry, compares the issue to that of equipment maintenance.
Numerous answers quickly surfaced, many revolving around finance concerns, like trying to budget with just one income check per year of an amount that is relatively unknown and the unpredictability of markets and rising input costs. Other daily stressors included uncontrollable factors like drought, and more emotionally tasking issues like a lack of connectivity, burnout, long hours with little sleep, feelings of unappreciation, or the concern of not adequately providing for the family. The list was long and solidified the reason agriculture tops the list of number of suicides per industry across the country. Dr. Arzubi followed up by asking how many of the women felt they, their husband, or other family members could benefit from counseling and hands shot up all over the room.
Using the Department of Ag grant, Frontier Psychiatry has set up an online scheduling tool for those interested in seeking help to connect with a licensed therapist.
“Every one of our therapists for this program have a connection to farming and ranching,” Dr. Arzubi said. “They understand some of the battles. We hope that the connection will be made sooner between the therapist and the patient because of that understanding.”
After the initial appointment, the patient will receive their first telehealth session with a therapist. Shayna Chupein, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, is the first individual patients interact with before a referral.
“You wouldn’t keep using your farming equipment with the check engine light on,” she said. “We’re hoping people see the need for mental maintenance. It’s a tune up.”
Through the program, access to counseling is free to anyone in the agricultural industry.
“This helps so much as cost is no longer a factor for those that truly want help,” Kerri said.
At the Women Stepping Forward for Agriculture convention held in October, Dr. Eric Arzubi, a clinical psychiatrist and the founder of Frontier Psychiatry, asked attendees to shout out challenges farmers and ranchers deal with on a daily basis.
“We start out by asking questions,” she explained. “What are their top concerns, why are they calling now, what are the stressors in their lives, what kind of support do they have, what expectations do they have?”
Building rapport is paramount for the patient’s success and Frontier Psychiatry wants everyone to feel safe in their visits with therapists.
“We are here to help,” Shayna continued. “We meet them where they are at and work from there. With so many of us relating to the agriculture life, we can validate and normalize what they are going through.”
Often the first contact is from a spouse, relative, or friend inquiring on how to assist someone they believe is in need. In that case, the therapist offers communication tips and ideas to encourage the individual to seek help.
“Ultimately, we can’t help someone that doesn’t want help, or doesn’t think they need help,” Shayna said. “But we can give tools to those trying to help them.”
Along with counseling, the Department of Ag is also offering grants to ag organizations to fund speakers at events to discuss mental health. From grain farmers to wool growers to cattlemen, organizations taking advantage of the program are beginning to see the benefit and value of counseling.
“It organically starts conversations,” Dr. Arzubi said. “People are beginning to see the need to open up and share with each other.”
Telehealth is bridging the gap between those seeking help and those who can provide it. With miles and miles between ranches and access to counselors, telehealth has become an excellent avenue to receive needed help from the comforts of home or in the seat of a pickup. As internet access is compromised in some areas, cell phone service allows rural Montanans to access the
help they need.
For those uncertain about reaching out for help or questioning the difference between a bad day and depression, Shayna posed the following question.
“It’s a bad day if you move beyond it in a day or two, but if your worry and anxiety is interfering with the ability to function as your best self, if you’re losing sleep, not eating right, irritable, or just not yourself, it might be time to seek help.”
After a decade of planning, the time had finally arrived to begin the remodel and expansion of Billings Logan International Airport Terminal, then COVID-19 hit. Kevin Ploehn, Director of Aviation and Transit and head of the remodeling project, was unsure how to proceed.
“Airports completely shut down across the country,” he said. “We had to make the decision whether to put a hold on the project or move forward not knowing what the future looked like.”
In the end, Kevin and his team took a leap of faith and started the $60 million dollar project. It turned out to be the right move for several reasons, economics being one.
“If we’d waited, the project would have cost 30 percent more,” Kevin said.
COVID-19 relief funding financed a large portion of the project and with the decrease in air travel, the nearly empty airport made it more convenient for construction workers to proceed.
Today, several phases have been completed and the result looks more like a luxurious hotel lobby than an airport terminal. Complementary colors give the feel of warmth and thick carpeting cushions the noise. New gates, comfortable chairs, and additional bathrooms make the area more efficient. Charging stations for electronics, a quaint coffee shop and deli, plus a full-
service bar offer travelers options while waiting on flights. Large, full-length windows on three sides of the terminal give travelers their first glimpse of the beautiful Montana landscape and the ability to watch planes land and taxi to the terminal.
As Director for the past seven years, the remodel has been Kevin’s largest undertaking. He and his team worked diligently with the expansion and dealing with COVID-19, all while operating the airport.
“It was a huge undertaking,” he said. “We’re very proud of how it’s turning out.”
Employed in airport administration for the past 29 years (33 overall with the City of Billings), Kevin has observed firsthand the changes that have taken place over the years.
“There was a time when pay phones brought in $40,000 a year to the airport,” he said. “Cell phones have definitely been the biggest change to travelers, from ticket purchases to checking in. Of course, everyone has one, so there’s no need for pay phones anymore.”
Billings Logan International Airport remains among the largest in the region catering to Southcentral and Eastern Montana and Northern Wyoming. This past summer, planes were at 90 percent capacity or more and that appears to be extending into fall and
BILLINGS MONTANA
ADVERTORIAL PAID FOR BY BILLINGS LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Direct
Eastern
Arrival time prior to flights is now at least two hours
The airport is a regional cargo hub for FedEx and UPS
The two-mile runway is 100’ higher on the west end, making it a destination for training for Boeing and the Air Force
The yearly economic impact to the local economy in the region is $450 million
The annual operating budget is $8,700,000
The Airport provides over 700 jobs in the community
winter travel.
“Ticket prices and the schedules are all determined by the airlines,” Kevin continued. “We’re just a landlord, providing the facilities for the airlines to operate out of, as well as the facilities that cater to the traveler’s needs.”
Owned by the City of Billings, the airport is completely selfsufficient and does not utilize any local taxpayer funding. Revenues are generated through landing fees, building rentals, parking, advertising, food and retail services, and ground rentals.
A high-tech TSA area is still under construction, along with a gift shop and more gates. When the project is finished, even the lower level will have a fresh look with new flooring, updated restrooms, a better system for advertisers, and more comfortable seating.
“The Terminal project was all planned out to be more efficient, secure, and welcoming,” Kevin said. “It’s a huge improvement. We are a very necessary presence in our community. You can’t grow a city without an airport. We’re very proud of our airport and we want our community to be, too.”
Billings Logan International Airport is serviced by five major airlines (United, Delta, Alaska, American, and Allegiant)
Flights to major cities include Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Denver, Seattle, and Dallas, with seasonal flights to Chicago
Montana is serviced by Essential Service airline, Cape Air offering flights between Billings and Sidney, Havre, Glasgow, Glendive, and Wolf Point
The World’s Largest Belt Buckle, made by Montana Silversmiths, will be on display beginning in January
Annual “Best in Wyoming” and “Best in the West” meat producers’ competitions held in Riverton, Wyoming in September.
For the “Best in the West” competition, over two dozen cattle producers from thirteen states congregated on the campus of Central Wyoming College to showcase their finest product. Each producer provided top shelf New York and Ribeye steaks to be prepared by a professional chef and blind tasted by a panel of judges. In the outdoor courtyard, a half dozen barbeque grills were set up in front of the Intertribal Center and booths of producers and businesses selling ag products flanked the sidewalk.
Chef Ashley Osterman of The Rustic Plate, a restaurant in Burns, Wyoming, and her team took on the task of preparing the steaks using only salt, pepper, and fire. Only Ashley and one contest organizer knew which ranch provided each steak.
are the best cuts of meat the producers can provide, so I wanted to do my best to cook them perfectly.”
Labeled only with a number, the panel of five celebrity judges favorably welcomed the job of rating a one-ounce portion of each steak by smell, texture, and flavor. As the tasting continued through the afternoon, it was obvious the judges had a difficult job. The bite-size piece of each steak was tender enough to cut with a fork and little discrepancy in the scores showed the flavor was fiercely competitive as well.
Colter Brown, Ag Director of Northern Ag Network in Billings, Montana, felt honored to be part of the judge’s panel.
“It was a great event, and I appreciated the opportunity to connect with Wyoming beef producers,” he said. “Any gathering of people to promote beef is another way to educate consumers.”
“I ate more great steak in one day than I have all year.”
—COLTER BROWNAG PRODUCERS AND AG BUSINESSES SET UP FOR THE ROUNDUP
As more ranchers adapt to the directto-consumer marketing concept, just as many offer their own ideas on how to raise the best beef. Sixth generation ranchers raising Black Angus cattle finished on grain, progressive cattlemen feeding and finishing crossbred cattle exclusively on grass, and newcomers experimenting with Corrientes cattle eating discarded hops from local microbreweries were just a few examples of the what the producers presented at this years’ competition. In the end, though, taste, smell, and tenderness determined the judges’ choices.
“It was a challenge for sure,” Colter continued. “I ate more great steak in one day than I have all year.”
At the end of the “Best of the West” competition, with a potential high score of 300 points, first, second and third place were separated by just three points and the top award went to Kain Meats, Kersey, Colorado.
“It’s competitive,” Tyler McCann, founder of the events, said. Tyler is a rancher from Pavillion, Wyoming, and owner of Wyoming Cowboy Cuts. “These producers have given it their all and they are proud of their product.”
Like other ranchers, Tyler is always seeking ways to financially
to consumers. With the supply chain broken and consumers taking more notice of the source of their food, the timing couldn’t have been better.
“We were all trying to do the same thing,” Tyler continued. “We wanted to reach as many consumers as we could with the amount of beef we produce. We’ve tried farmer’s markets and social media. We’re all competing for the same customer. We thought this would give exposure to the producers and add a little fun to it.”
Tyler has built a customer base that purchases 60 to 80 head of finished beef cattle, or about a tenth of his herd, per year. Like other producers, he offers quarter, half, and whole beef, along with specialty cuts and snacks. He’s working on a dog treat made from the liver, a less than popular cut, to utilize as much of the carcass as possible.
“It’s competitive. These producers have given it their all and they are proud of their product.
With so many options, consumers have become more specific in their desires, too. They want to know not only where the beef is raised, but how it is cared for, and how it is finished. Since the elimination of COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) there is no way to tell where beef being sold in grocery stores originates – unless it’s a local, special label product. Most chain stores source their beef through large suppliers.
“We are hoping to get the word out to buy local,” Tyler said. “Not only in Wyoming, but across the country. If we do a good job of educating the consumer about the different breeds and ways to finish beef, if they don’t want what we offer, we can at least direct them to a neighbor that might be able to. If our communities support each other and we keep more money local, we all benefit.”
Tyler felt that collaboration over competition would help everyone, so beyond the competition, the event also featured workshops led by beef industry professionals providing education and insights to producers. This year’s lineup included such topics as direct marketing, processing, meat packing, and labor force and sustainability discussions. Dozens of booths offered meat samples, free merchandise, and beef packages for purchase.
At the “Best Beef in Wyoming,” competition later that evening, ten producers from around the state submitted New York steaks to be sampled at a VIP dinner attended by over 100 ticket holders. The VIP attendees sampled each producer’s steak, which was the main course of the meal, then judged each offering according to smell, taste, and tenderness. At the end of the dinner, scores were tallied and Flying E. Inc of Greybull, Wyoming, took home the “Best Beef in Wyoming” title.
By the end of the day, judges, producers, consumers, and VIP dinner guests would all agree they enjoyed some of the best beef they had ever tasted while learning more about the industry.
WINIFRED MONTANA
Water is wetting the way for Clay Boyce’s return to his boyhood home in Central Montana to live and work.
On just five acres on the Bear Springs Bench in Fergus County, located between Winfred and Denton, Clay is an anomaly. In a landscape where wheat, barley, and alfalfa are the dominant crops, he is instead growing hops for his company, Triple XXX Hops.
“I started the hops business to be able to come back home, have a business, and be able to help my folks,” Clay said of his growing the flowers of the hop plant, Humulus lupulus, for bittering and flavoring of beer.
After graduating from MSU Northern in Havre with an Agriculture Science degree, Clay hoped to return to Winifred. He was not alone in the desire to settle where he had grown up as his sister, Jesse, and older brother, Casey, also wanted to be with family.
Although Clay’s parents, Dan and Laura, had enough land for all of them to live on, there was not enough water to sustain everyone’s livelihood. Dan and Laura purchased their property on the bench from his parents in the ‘90s, who were living on the Judith River at that point.
“We had hauled water from the river at his parents’ place for 13 years,” Laura recalled. “As the kids got older, it got a little harder keeping up with enough water for all of us.”
Finally, in 2000, they drilled a well which provided just enough water for the cows and the family learned to do with as little water as possible, often sacrificing showers.
“We had the cows up here in the winter and it was just barely enough water,” Laura said. “As the kids got older, they all kept saying they wanted to come home, but we didn’t have a big enough place for everybody to make a living. But how do you pick
someone? We just told them they were all welcome as long as they had an extra source of income to help out.”
Casey worked in Denton as a bank loan officer while Jesse commuted to Lewistown to nurse. With more families and homes on the ranch, they drilled for water one more time.
“The water comes from a 3,040-foot artesian well. It does its own thing and its hard water, but good water,” Clay explained.
The Bear Springs Bench, at 3,451 feet elevation and about 400 feet above entrenched sources such as the Judith River and Wolf Creek, affords views of the Big Snowy, Little Snowy, Judith and Moccasin Mountains. Here, Clay erected an 18-foot-high and 260-foot-wide trellis system on five acres to grow four varieties of hops: Centennial, Chinook, Crystal, and Nugget.
Completing an internship at Cricket Yard Hops in Bozeman with Jake Teselle a year prior to planting his own hops helped Clay with his endeavor. Additionally, Sarah Del Moro, an agronomist at the local Co-op in Winifred, offered much advice from her background in hops farming. As an agronomy consultant with a Masters in soil science and experience working at hops operations around the world, Del Moro helped Clay choose the varieties he is now growing by considering the clay-like soil type and harsh weather conditions on the Bench. Since 2018, Clay has been the only commercial grower of hops in North Central Montana.
“Back in the 1930s or when homesteading was getting going, a lot of people brought hops with them,” Clay said. “People used hops basically as a shade tree, and let it grow over their houses.”
The plants produce vines with green leaves in the spring, turning to producing flowers in mid-summer which eventually became the hops resembling soft papery pinecones. Triple XXX Hops harvested this year’s crop in early September.
CLAY“Once the cones are developed, they produce lupulin glands, and the cone is prime for harvest when they’re really golden,” Clay continued.
During harvest, family and friends gathered to help. On a lift, one person downs the ropes that have trained one to four vines growing on the trellis. A mechanical harvester strips the hops from the leaves. In a converted grain storage shed, where the dryer, hammer and pelletizer are housed, the hops are placed in a dehydrator to dry at 100 degrees. Once dried, they are run through a hammer mill and made into pellets, resembling rabbit food. The pellets are then frozen and sold to brewers for making beer.
Gally’s Brewing Company in Harlowton, Montana, buys hops from Triple XXX Hops for three of their popular beers, Speed’s Blood Orange Wheat, Montana Hef, and Happy Gail.
“That's been my go-to bittering hop this summer,” Matt Speed, owner and brew master, said of the popular hops with herbaceous, floral, fruity, and spicy notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper.
For now, water is supplying the essence of life for Clay and his siblings to be able to return home and be a family.
