Inspiring youth that care

Page 14 - Agriculture Magazine, June 2020

Emy Royc e Bitter Root Land Trust

On a cold spring day, students from Hamilton High School went to Middle Bear Farm in Victor. Their task, as part of their schools highly regarded “Environthon Team”, was to consider the challenges of irrigation delivery, weed control, grazing limitations, fencing, and crop production. These are concepts local farmers and ranchers face every day and every season.

For years, Hamilton High School has sent a team of young resource managers to the Envirothon championship to compete with high school students from all over Montana. In 2018, they placed 3rd in the state competition, bringing home a great success and putting the Bitterroot Valley on the state-wide science stage.

A big part of their success has been the handson approach to learning, and on this day, it was one of solving real-life issues facing landowners. Sheep, cattle, hay fields, crops, an orchard, and a bee keeping operation make up this diverse 115- acre farm—not to mention an important stretch of wildlife habitat along Middle Bear Creek— conserved in December of 2013 by Cindy Jimmerson in partnership with Bitter Root Land Trust.

Working together as a team, they tackled tough questions that landowners often have to grapple with: How many cattle and sheep can the pastures support while keeping the land healthy and avoiding overgrazing? How can we protect the wildlife habitat while keeping the large herd of elk on the property from damaging the orchard and consum

Agriculture Magazine, June 2020 - Page 15

ing other valuable crops? Can the creek be used for irrigation and stock water without harming the creek itself?

Conserving lands for generations means ensuring that generations care. High school senior Olivia, who has been studying aquatics, noted that it is challenging to manage the farm, remarking, “I have a much greater appreciation for the work that goes into caring for farmland now.”

When the teens asked Cindy Jimmerson why she decided to conserve the farm, Cindy beamed, explaining “I did it for you, and for your kids, and grandkids.”

It is that generosity of spirit and investment in our youth that make it possible to pass on the love of the land and knowledge of how to farm and ranch. We are lucky in this valley. Our kids have a number of resources to learn about farming and ranching, like FFA, Envirothon, and 4-H.

These community supported programs are critical to the future of agriculture and the well-being of our youth. Without them, what would our future look like?