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January 20th is Shelterbelt Tree Ordering Day The MCSN in cooperation with the Montana Extension Service, local Conservation Districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, offers low-cost tree and shrub seedlings for use in conservation plantings. MCSN seedlings are for conservation practices and cannot be used for ornamental or landscape plantings. Landscape plants can be purchased at your local private retail nursery or garden center. The Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery (MCSN) will begin taking orders for shelterbelt trees... Full story
The Town Council had their monthly meeting December 10th. It started with a meeting allowing the citizens of Big Sandy to comment on the upgrades to the town hall. No one attended the meeting. The city has a savings to help Big Sandy with upkeep. Big Sandy will receive a grant from House Bill 355 for $71,672. Big Sandy will contribute $17,00. The idea is to improve the bathrooms which will include three stalls each, and replace the windows and outside doors. The Sheriff’s office will be improved by going out towards the garage and the rocks o... Full story
By Rachel Baumgarn & Laci LaBuda The recent blood drive at Christ Lutheran Church saw another successful donation day, with community members stepping up to support vital medical needs. Scott LeFurgey was honored for reaching a significant milestone, earning his two-gallon donation pin, demonstrating long-term commitment to community health. While the drive was productive, organizers noted a challenge with appointment no-shows and are encouraging more reliable participation in upcoming drives. The 4-H Sunshine Snippers once again provided... Full story
The year 2024 has been positive for the senior center, although it has also brought some sadness. We have been able to offer a wider variety of dishes on our menu, along with homemade baked goods, and engaging activities such as bingo nights and pinochle. We've made new friends and mourned the loss of a few; may they rest in peace. We set a goal to acquire a generator for the facility, similar to the one at the hospital, and we are very close to reaching this goal. We hope to raise the... Full story
I say it every year the grade school's Christmas Concert is my favorite. This year it was obvious it's a favorite for many. The auditorium was packed! The parking lot was full with cars parked lining the street. It started with the 4th grade Recorders! They played A Merry Minuet. Sometime I'd like to hear a song a know so I could recognize it. It's so much fun! The 5th grade band played three songs. I really wanted to hear the 5th grade band this year, because my granddaughter is playing the... Full story
Tomorrow, December 19th, is the big day! At 5:30 pm, the BSMC Board of Directors, the CEO, and the community with gather in the BSMC dining room for the 60th Annual Meeting. Most organizations hold Annual Meetings, some out of transparency, some due to state requirement, but it is a little different than the regular monthly meeting. At the Annual Meeting, e lections take place, financial audits are reviewed, and the happenings in the business as well as the upcoming goals are discussed. On the BSMC Annual Meeting Agenda are the following... Full story
The Big Sandy Christmas Stroll this weekend was a well-attended event. The weather was wonderful, too, so it was easy to go from one event to the other, and the kids enjoyed that! Craft projects for children took place at The Bakery, The Big Sandy Library, and The Club Bar. All three bars had a contest on a special holiday drink, and The Club won. I ate the best sandwich from Pep's: Caribbean pork. It was slow-roasted citrus pork with caramelized onions, garlic aioli, pickled jalapenos, romaine...
Over the weekend, news broke of a possible significant archeological discovery in the Antalya province of Turkey. The limestone sarcophagus could possibly have been the original burial site of the fourth century Christian bishop, Saint Nicholas. Saint Nick is best known for the character his life story elements evolved into: Santa Claus. The recent discovery is interesting on its own, but the story of the bishop and how it evolved into something so different is fascinating as well. The sarcophagus was unearthed near Saint Nicholas Church...
Golden Triangle Cropping Seminar in Fort Benton on January 6th Montana State University (MSU) Extension will host its annual cropping seminar series January 6-10, 2025, in the Golden Triangle area. Speakers will cover noxious weeds, pulse insect management, pesticide updates, and winter barley. The Fort Benton seminar will take place on Monday, January 6 at the Ag Center, 1205 20th Street. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the seminar will begin at 9:00 a.m. A special thanks to MaxAg of Montana for sponsoring the lunch. Montana’s c...
The Big Sandy FFA chapter recently traveled to Boseman for the MSU Ag Expo. competitions sponsored by John Deere. A total of 17 students, along with our dedicated advisor Layne Taylor and assistant Traci Rodewald, made the trip. Our members participated in 12 different events. We departed on Wednesday, November 13th, and spent the next three action-packed days there, returning on Saturday, November 16th. Every day was filled with intense competitions, where we pushed ourselves to give our best performance. Our students developed and demonstrate...
We have exciting news from our subterranean greenhouse! About 18 months ago, Bob planted this banana tree in his greenhouse and we finally spotted it's first flower in late October. It's quite incredible, especially considering that this means we may have fresh, homegrown bananas soon in Montana. These photos were taken in order once every week since it was first spotted. Just magical! Stay tuned as we watch it (hopefully) grow some bananas. "... Full story
Christmas is about gifts, following the giving of gifts by the wise man. The Vendor fair at city hall all day Saturday during the Christmas stroll is a perfect time to keep some of our money in our community. Spend your money here and support the community. It’s the perfect day to buy all your gifts from the vendors or certificates from local businesses. I was given the following list of local vendors working for months to get things ready to help you find your gifts for the season. It includes Glenn Braun Jewelry, which I love! Crafty P... Full story
The Big Sandy Christmas Stroll is an important tradition in Big Sandy. The Christmas Stroll Button is pivotal for the success of the event. The students of Big Sandy School enter a contest and enter their design for the button. The winners of the button design contest are London Keane, 8th grade, and Korbyn Jurenka, 9th grade, Ella Chauvet 5th grade, Owen Terry, 4th grade, Ni-ve Washburn, 12th grade, Jamie Jones, Junior. You can purchase the buttons for $10 each at The Grocery Store, although... Full story
With 2.4 million subscribers watching online, 6 young men on the shore of the Missouri River built the raft they had designed at home in Massachusetts and set sail for their 5-day adventure in the style of Huckleberry Finn along the same waterways that Louis and Clark traveled over 200 years previous. The Boys With a Bus, as they were known from their Instagram account, have been covered in two previous Mountaineer articles. The first highlighting their talk with students at Big Sandy High... Full story
Utilizing Snow as a Water Source for Wintering Cattle Careful management of snow fed cows is essential in cattle management in Montana. Consider the following points from the Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Resource Development. The complete article is located at bit.ly/3mmm88F. • Snow as the only water source is not recommended for lactating cows, those in poor body condition, cows on less than optimum feeding programs, or for those who are sick or unhealthy. • An alternate water source must be in place and immediately available in cas... Full story
The countdown to Homecoming 2025, All Roads Leads Home, begins! Soon we will be reconnecting and reminiscing as we gather along Main Street. We are so thankful for all the Pioneers, family and friends who created a legacy that give us a reason to celebrate! Our starting project has been collecting memorials for the construction of the book. To reduce costs, we have simplified the formatting for each individual to the following: • Size - 1/4 page for $25 • Photo - a single photo printed in black and white • Name - spelling as you specify • Gra... Full story
BIG SANDY SCHOOL DISTRICT #2 Board of Trustees Meeting Held on November 19th, 2024 Held in Big Sandy High School Computer Lab This meeting has been recorded and will be available on the school website Trustees in attendance: Vice Chairperson Jessica Sheehy, Amanda Hoffman, Matt Myers, Kyle Danreuther. Absent- Chairperson Brad Weaver Staff in attendance: Superintendent Dan Schrock, Principal Heather Wolery, District Clerk Mary Merrill Guests in Attendance 1. Call to order made by Chairperson Jessica Sheehy at 7:00pm 2. Pledge of Allegiance... Full story
The very first Thanksgiving was held after life had been so difficult the year before. Thanksgiving is a time to strengthen our attitudes, or maybe alter our emotions. We can finds ways to be thankful even during extremely difficult times. It was 1609, and on the coast of Massachusetts was a native tribe called the Patuxets. In that tribe, there was a boy about 12 years old called Tisquantum, or Squanto. A big ship of men from a different world sailed into the bay. Squanto and his friends didn’t fear them, so they ran to see who they were. At f... Full story
For 7 years, my husband worked away from home in road construction: Sunday afternoon through Friday evening, from April to November, he was gone. It was an adjustment when he left for a job and an equally big adjustment when he returned, but it was doable for us, until we had our second child. Once we had two, I discovered how much I wanted a partner in raising our kids. Last year, we put a double wide out on the family farm and moved out to the farm. I never specifically wanted to be a “farmer’s wife” and it has not all been roses, but here ar... Full story
Think Twice About Spreading Manure on Your Garden During my tenure as your Agricultural Extension Agent, I have observed five gardens in Chouteau County where gardens produced no vegetables. Plants that did emerge were stunted and did not produce. The cause of these devastated gardens is usually one of two things. Either pesticide contaminated manure has been applied to the garden, or too much manure has been added to the garden. One issue that can result from a manure application is pesticide contamination. Do not use manure from animals that...
Wreaths across America’s mission is to “Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom. Our volunteers are the beating heart of the program and work year-around to share this important mission and inspire others to join.” “Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, was a 12-year old paper boy when he won a trip to Washington D.C. It was his first to our nation’s capital and one that would change the trajectory of his life and the lives of millions of others across th... Full story
Blaine Ophus is the newest member of the Big Sandy City Council. He took Danielle Weaver's place when she resigned from the council in August. "It was probably a month and a half into taking a seat on the city council that I became a member of the Unified Dump Committee." Big Sandy is the only town in Chouteau County that is part of the Unified Dump Committee. It is an extension of Hill County but not owned by Hill County. It is important to realize that anyone who has paid the necessary fee to... Full story
In late October, a team of 6 recent high school graduates set sail for adventure on the Missouri River in a boat they designed and constructed themselves. The Boys with a Bus' Instagram account documenting their 5-day journey and other adventures has attracted the attention of over 2.4 million followers on Instagram. Their vessel didn't resemble the barges Louis and Clark used to travel the Missouri River or the raft Huckleberry Finn and Jim used to travel the Mississippi. It's safe to say... Full story
Christmas Tree Care There are many recommendations online for Christmas tree care that promote longevity. In truth, all a tree really needs to maintain freshness is adequate water. Longevity is easily achieved by using the proper tree stand and keeping the water level in the stand above the base of the tree. The following research-based recommendations will help to maintain the freshness and aroma of a live Christmas tree this holiday season. Use a tree stand that holds enough water for the size of the tree. The rule of thumb is one quart of... Full story
This year's Veteran Program at the high school was a little different. They usually have a speaker. However, this year's speaker was an essay written by Walter Heimbigner and read by Tucker Taylor. Walter won 2nd place in the state with this essay. "I believe freedom is the ability to live in a country where I may think and act independently. I thank God for the men and women whose service to our country has allowed me to be free in this country. Freedom can also mean having the opportunity to...
