Local Food Politics Bozeman Co-op Booted from Farmers’ Market

“Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian.” – Dennis Wholey

We thought the idea was so simple, and such a great fit, that there would be no way there could be trouble. After all, what could be a better match than selling Co-op bread at our local farmers’ market? We weren’t looking for conflict or confrontation. We just wanted to peddle our humble loaves of bread. Trouble, it turns out, can plague even the most innocent of pursuits.

We’ve been making our own bread for a few years now, and we are proud of our little operation. We use organic wheat grown by farmers near Big Sandy, Montana, bringing you, our members, fine artisan and sandwich loaves that are significantly cheaper than other bakeries in town. Based on the daily sales and very loyal and repeat customers, we know we are on the right track.

we received a rather tense phone call informing us that we were no longer welcome as vendors at the Saturday Market. They refunded our forty bucks, and that was that.

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Spearmint, Peppermint Still Grown Locally For Montana’s Mint Tradition, Flathead is the Final Frontier

If you’re brushing your teeth with Colgate toothpaste, there’s a chance you’re supporting local farmers, in a roundabout kind of way. After all, Flathead County is home to the four remaining mint operations in the state, but even those farmers know there is more history to Montana’s mint farms than there is future.

But Flathead’s enduring mint farmers are intent on staying upright in a market that has become increasingly saturated by foreign operations in countries such as China and India. They know they have the proper climate and the willpower to keep growing mint, but whether they have the appropriate economic conditions remains to be seen.

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Barkus and Rehberg Political Sparks Begin to Fly Over Boat Crash

In a blog I wrote about two weeks ago I wondered out loud how long it would take before the Aug. 27 boat crash into the rocks of Wayfarer’s State Park became fodder in Denny Rehberg’s 2010 reelection bid. And the answer is ... not very long at all!

Democratic challenger for Rehberg’s seat, Dennis McDonald, has been issuing press releases almost daily blasting Rehberg for how he handled the accident and its aftermath, saying his drinking was irresponsible and asserting that Rehberg bears some responsibility for the injuries suffered by his younger staff members for allowing them to get on the boat driven by Kalispell Republican state Sen. Greg Barkus – who had been drinking that night, though it remains unknown how much.

Let’s be clear: McDonald is not making subtle allusions. He is coming out guns blazing and calling Rehberg’s handling of the crash a “cover-up.”

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Save the Dates: Oct. 12-13 New at the New West Conference: The Tours

For the 4th edition of the NewWest.Net Real Estate and Development in the Northern Rockies conference, we’ve added a new feature: four separate pre-conference tours on Monday, Oct. 12. We’ve done tours like this at our Bozeman and Boise conferences and they were a huge hit, so we thought we’d bring the concept to our flagship event in Missoula.

Two the tours are focused on Missoula. One, a walking tour led by Missoula Mayor John Engen, will look at downtown, the new downtown masterplan, and redevelopment projects past and future. Mayor Engen is both deeply knowledgeable and very entertaining, and this tour promises even downtown denizens a new look at the heart of Missoula.

The second Missoula tour will look at great examples of green building, infill development and other forms of sustainable development around town. Check out the new LEED bank buildings, hear about the plans for the Sustainable Business Center, and much more.

We’re also very pleased to offer two fascinating tours outside of Missoula. A tour in Butte will look at the incredible historic architecture of that city, and discuss how it can be sustained and enhanced in the context of redevelopment. We’ll be offering van service from Missoula, or if you’re coming to the conference from points east it’s a convenient stop on the way.

Finally we have the Idaho conservation development tour, which features an overnight stay at the spectacular Blackhawk on the River conservation development in McCall. This tour begins on Sunday, Oct. 10, and if you’re coming from Boise or points south it’s a great way to make your trip to Missoula. Van transportation is also available.

The full conference program, which kicks off at 4:30 on Monday with Chris Thornberg, is also shaping up extremely well. Check out all the details at www.newwest.net/realestate, or call 406-829-1725 if you have questions. 

Retailing Big Boxes, Bigger Boxes, and Independent Businesses

Last week I posted a piece about the closing of the downtown Missoula Starbucks, and expressed some ambivalance about the idea that locally owned versus chains was always a black-and-white issue. Today I came across a piece that takes a different kind of look at this issue, arguing that Walmart and Costco are killing the so-called category killer big boxes in product categories such as music, books, electronics, toys and more. (Hat tip to Roger Millar for the link). The story, by Stacy Mitchell, is on the Website of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, not a group I was previously familiar with, and it definitely has a point of view. But it makes some great points, and calls for more vigorous anti-trust enforcement on predatory pricing by the mega-retailers.

Conference Coverage Planning in the West: Morning Sessions, Key Word “Sustainability”

The morning sessions at New West's Planning in the West Conference has been devoted to the key issues facing planners today: the challenges faced in an economic downturn; how to turn the buzzword of "sustainability" to actual, on the ground planning; moving beyond planning to sustainable design; and the granddaddy of all issues--the massive growth facing the region.

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