Montana

[9gerianMile]

Congrats to your daughter, Herfrds! Glad her hard work paid off Does she keep her cow, or did she auction her off? (sorry if that's a stupid question, I don't have a 4H age kid yet)

I went to our fair here a week and a half ago- man were those kids worked. They all had check in times/locations and they were sweeping and feeding and watering. The parents just pointed and the kids did it. And gosh, were there a bunch of kids.

The Western Montana Fair (Missoula) had a carnival/rides, loads of vendors/exhibits. It wasn't bad for $6 And it was my baby's first fair. He had fun, but wasn't impressed by too many of the animals since we have about half of the species at home already!

I have somehow misplaced my T-post pounder, and I have some major fencing I need to get done... Other than that, I've been tidying the barns, rearranging the house, and now I'm going to town to get some organizational tools Possibly another post pounder, too.

Anyone else in project mode before fall comes?

 

[karlamaria]

Our fair is over with for this year. DD got Grand Champion in Dairy and Showmanship in Dairy too. Pretty much nothing happening there. I got cut loose early. Normally I help with the tear down but they were going to wait. I had been stocking the water buckets with ice and bottled water and picking up empty bottles during the auction. Also helped DD clean her pen and helped another 4-H'r clean out theirs. Cleaned another pen that was just left.
Gotta work tomorrow too.

How cool she won!!! You must be proud. sounds like you did a lot of work, hope you get some rest in!!!

 

[karlamaria]

Congrats to your daughter, Herfrds! Glad her hard work paid off Does she keep her cow, or did she auction her off? (sorry if that's a stupid question, I don't have a 4H age kid yet)

I went to our fair here a week and a half ago- man were those kids worked. They all had check in times/locations and they were sweeping and feeding and watering. The parents just pointed and the kids did it. And gosh, were there a bunch of kids.

The Western Montana Fair (Missoula) had a carnival/rides, loads of vendors/exhibits. It wasn't bad for $6 And it was my baby's first fair. He had fun, but wasn't impressed by too many of the animals since we have about half of the species at home already!

I have somehow misplaced my T-post pounder, and I have some major fencing I need to get done... Other than that, I've been tidying the barns, rearranging the house, and now I'm going to town to get some organizational tools Possibly another post pounder, too.

Anyone else in project mode before fall comes?

now that's my kind of fair !!! to bad missoula is 112 miles away we are off this weekend to get some goats milk, really tasty stuff.
my chickens are now laying full swing, so glad as I spend a fortune feeding them the best and was getting one egg a day for a long while there. now I'm getting between 6/7 eggs a day out of nine girls ( the tenth is still to young) my maran ( who just laid a real nice chocolate egg) finally made us proud. we were unsure what the heck she was, but she gave us a nice good sized egg for her first time and such a pretty dark color. I need a t pounder, I have 2 t posts i would love to get into the ground, but best done next spring so i can manage the new pullets i plan on getting ( or eggs i plan to put under my girls. I have some birds that are turning 2 and are quit a bossy couple of nits, im thinking there on there way out. .

 

[herfrds]

I am very proud of her!
She did a great job.
No she kept the heifer, now if it was a steer she would have sold him. With the dairy we raise the calf up to go into milk production. She has to keep track of when the heifer is bred. When she calves and how much feed the cow consumes to produce so much milk and the milk has to be weighted.
Some people were asking if the calf was going to be sold. We told them no.

She did not get a trophy or belt buckle like the other winners so we are special ordering one for her. She just doesn't know it. We are going to sponsor a buckle every year. Hope some other kis get involved in the dairy project too.

 

[Chick N Haus]

Congrats to your winner. Know 4-H is really hard work, but certainly is a good foundation for success. My DD was in 4-H and remembers it as a good experience. We go to the market sale, now that we have retired, and buy a lamb each year. Fair isn't as much fun as when the kids were young, but still is a good time for us old folks.

 

[jetmac eric]

Hey there everyone, very new to the site, and was wondering: since it is illegal to have back yard chickens within the city limits of Great Falls, are there any people on here that have them anyway? I think it's a stupid law, and I am very tempted to go ahead and get a few anyway. Thoughts?

 

[karlamaria]

Hey there everyone, very new to the site, and was wondering: since it is illegal to have back yard chickens within the city limits of Great Falls, are there any people on here that have them anyway? I think it's a stupid law, and I am very tempted to go ahead and get a few anyway. Thoughts?

you know you can change that law if you can get some signatures. if you look through some threads you will find hundreds of folks who are illegal. mine are well hidden most of the time though I can have them not sure I can have as many as I do. but my neighbors who I went to an d talked to them about them all said they had no problems about me keeping them. ( I give eggs to my neighbors about one time a month.they love it LOL. your first worry would be your neighbors, if there fine with it and you know there not going to report you I would say get some lol. mine are a pleasure and something I have always wan ted. I also live in the city, but again if you have neighbors who do not care, I say test the waters. Are you sure you can not have any in your town? most allow for at least 3 in city limits.
And welcome to our little part of Montana here on Backyard chickens !

 

[karlamaria]

Hey there everyone, very new to the site, and was wondering: since it is illegal to have back yard chickens within the city limits of Great Falls, are there any people on here that have them anyway? I think it's a stupid law, and I am very tempted to go ahead and get a few anyway. Thoughts?

I found this on the greatfalls zoning site.. how big is your property?
http://www.cascadecountymt.gov/doc/countyzoningregulations2009.pdf

Limited Agricultural uses in platted areas.
The keeping of livestock animals, except buffalo, by a resident of the parcel requires that the parcel must be a minimum of one (1) acre in area.
Large hoofed grazing livestock animals, except buffalo, are allowed on a permanent basis at a ratio of two (2) animals per acre. Small hoofed grazing livestock animals are allowed on a permanent basis at a ratio of four (4) per acre.( this is just for large animals,
this is what pertains to you, can you do 25 feet from from any neighbors property line? and 50 feet from said neighbors house? it does not say you can not have chickens, it just says it has to be so many feet from neighbors property line and so many feet from there house
Any stable, barn, shed, coop or other such structure to house animals shall be a distance of at least twenty-five (25) feet from the property line of an adjacent owner and at least fifty (50) feet from any dwelling other than that of owner.

 

[herfrds]

Karla there was a HUGE battle over the chickens in Great Falls. What is even more stupid is the majority of people at the meeting were FOR allowing the chickens but the city commisioners and mayor were against them so there you go.
I have nothing nice to say about their mayor. Sorry jetmac.

 

[karlamaria]

Karla there was a HUGE battle over the chickens in Great Falls. What is even more stupid is the majority of people at the meeting were FOR allowing the chickens but the city commisioners and mayor were against them so there you go.
I have nothing nice to say about their mayor. Sorry jetmac.

. Wow that's to bad I hate when men in power think they can bully the people. We got Em here to when I got my birds I never asked nothing, I asked here, got confused at the law and just went ahead and talked with my neighbors and got my girls. I guess I got carried away lol I do not even own my property, just decided I wanted and I got!