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Sense of Place

Gardeners in the Intermountain West face two challenges: Short growing seasons and microclimates — even at the garden plot level.

Awareness of these factors allows gardeners to adapt their seed choices and garden layout to mitigate the affects.

Some vegetable plants grow best in cool, damp conditions – peas, lettuce, celery, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, onions, carrots, beets, and turnips. Some vegetable plants like heat – corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, and squash. Therefore it is important to know the hot and cool parts of a garden plot or design a garden layout that modifies temperatures.
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Re-defining Urban and Rural

Kids getting dirty hands in the rural ways of life is important to the Gallatin Valley.

Therefore, the Gallatin Valley Agriculture Committee created the Farm Fair, held May 7-8, 2008, involved an amazing 643 fourth graders over two days.

Duane Burkenpas, the coordinator of the Farm Fair since its inception in 2005, said the goal is “ to provide a rural ranch atmosphere where students and teachers have the opportunity to see and touch where our basic food supply originates, how it is prepared for processing for human consumption, and to demonstrate agriculture’s commitment to protecting the natural resources on which it depends.”

Here’s how kids rate their Farm Fair experience: “Farm Fair is the best day I’ve had at school!” and “It’s the best field trip I’ve ever had!” What makes it so great? Come along and see... [more]

Guest review: Idaho Green Expo

With the Saturday Market and the First Annual Green Expo all being held on Saturday May 17, it was hard to find a parking spot downtown, let alone maneuver through the crowds. The warm and sunny weather beckoned Boiseans to come out and play, and they did – by the thousands.

Boise is beginning to look like a real Metropolis, with people from all over the world at the Expo and many languages being spoken.

Despite the heat, the crowds and the general commotion, people were happy. The atmosphere was festive and chatty, all with one shared interest to learn more about choosing a more environmentally responsible way to live. [more]

Part 1: Conference on Impacts and Opportunities for Agriculture and Energy

Mitigate. Adapt. Use Wind Power as an Engine for Economic Development. Promote Local Action Plans.

Panels of experts shared diverse perspectives this week on the future of Montana as affected by climate change at the Burton K. Wheeler Center Conference on “Climate Change in Montana: Impacts and Opportunities for Agriculture and Energy,” at Montana State University.

The conference format accepted global warming as a given and moved forward with suggestions for dealing with a warming world. [more]

Understanding the land you live on

In the Intermountain West climate varies – by elevation, aspect, within valleys and even within backyards.

In natural landscapes, the varieties of plants (and where they grow) offer clues to microclimates. But man-made landscapes (like wheat fields and blue grass lawns) “mask” the diversity of climate within. The mask leads landowners to assume that the climate on their property is all the same. They discover their mistake when their plantings fail.

Natural features like elevation, aspect, and wind affect local climate, and therefore your backyard is a microclimate. [more]

By spending time with the land, you know

Most people are aware of regional differences in climate. The Southeast is hot and humid. The Southwest is hot and dry. But in the Intermountain West, mountains affect air currents and moisture distribution to create many microclimates within just one valley. Visitors don’t recognize those microclimates. Most residents find out about them by trial and error.

At the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, I met a couple in their mid 30’s that were visiting from Las Vegas. They said they were tired of the rat race and were looking for a place with a little acreage, to garden and maybe raise some livestock. The first question they asked me was “How much snow do you get here?”

“It depends on what part of the Gallatin Valley you are in,” I replied. They looked at me blankly.

“The climate isn’t the same across the whole valley,” I explained. [more]

the abcs of h20

In Montana, and throughout the Intermountain West, water law affects every part of our lives and communities.

Priority dates dictate the volume and distribution of water from wells and streams. Landowners must put the water to beneficial use without waste to retain their right to use the State’s water. News articles about water issues illustrate that many people are confused about Montana’s water laws, even landowners and local officials.

Here are the key points to understand the basics of Montana water law.
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Majestic but not without its challenges

There are challenges of living in this breathtaking environment. Susan Duncan discusses in this continued series how similar risks that faced the pioneers decades ago are still present.

The Western landscape is brawny and majestic, offering panoramic views.

For visitors and residents alike, the appeal lies in the landforms that reflect the raw power of the forces of Nature that created them. The landforms beckon and challenge. Risk is part of the appeal. Volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, forest fires, temperature extremes, and avalanches created this landscape.

The risks they pose are still here and affect our daily lives. Have you assessed the risks of where you live and how you respond?
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Defining Urban and Rural Dialogue

The Western landscape is viewed with different economic, social and recreational values, depending on your livelihood and residence. But can we share the same sense of place? Susan Duncan continues her discussion of urban and rural inhabitants, but this time, with examples of common grounds and shared dialogues that assist in understanding each other.

A shared sense of place evolves from dialogue in an atmosphere of mutual respect for differing views.

How much do you know about the people and places that surround you and the forces that affect your daily life? What does it mean (to you and others) to live in this place? How can you and your neighbors work together to adapt to the forces of change to protect what is important to you?

The result of this exploration is a shared sense of place. A shared sense of place is a large jigsaw puzzle in three dimensions – urban, rural, and public land. Your job is to find where you fit into the whole. [more]

Redefining Urban and Rural

Finding a sense of place in the landscape and in your community is an essential part of the New West. Susan Duncan continues her discussion of redefining urban and rural, and the importance of understanding each other.

A “Sense of Place” is much more than appreciating scenic beauty. Each place has its own unique natural and human ecosystem. To live successfully, each of us has to develop an understanding of how the local system works and our place in it. How can we do that?

Imagine “Sense of Place” as a large jigsaw puzzle. You have been given four pieces of the puzzle. Part of the overall picture is on the front of each piece. On the back, the pieces are labeled: Awareness of Environment, Awareness of Community, Awareness of Process, and Awareness of Choice. These are tools to help you discover your relationship with the place where you live. [more]

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