Hi All!!!!!!!
Thought I would pop by and visit the Montana thread and ask some questions as my hubby and I are thinking of moving to your beautiful state. Looking to be in or around the Helena area, give or take an hour or so in any direction, or surrounding areas.
How different is it raising chickens in the Montana climate? I'm in SW Washington state, winters here are very mild, but very wet. I don't worry too much about the birds here when we have our annual 2 week cold snaps, but I know the winters in Montana are slightly different. I'm a snow lover so I am looking forward to the change, but wonder how the birds will fair.
How do geese get along?
Anyone have any tips on gardening....vegetable and flower? I'm a fanatic about being able to grow my own food and dabbling in ornamental flowers....how do tubers and bulbs fair the winters there? Do you have to remove them from the ground and over winter in storage?
Tell me if you will what it is that you love about life in Montana.
Thanks in advance!
Kim (aka Pink)
Very different, actually. Winter, you'll see spates of negative temperatures. Around Helena, you can expect to see temperatures dip as low as -40F with serious wind in some parts. Rogers Pass which is near Helena has the all-time lowest recorded temperature in the lower 48 of -70F.
Different areas have different snowfalls, but depending on your elevation, you can get anywhere from 30+ inches a season all the way up to huge amounts in the 6 to 15 feet range. Some places get thaws and freezes that cause thick layers of ice. Unless you stay in the valleys, you'll need 4WD. (Even so, I recommend it).
Growing season is brutally short even in the valleys. Plan on starting seeds in greenhouses of cold frames and expect the frost in either September or October. Most people don't plant their gardens until after Memorial Day. Early harvesting plants are important. Altitude is hugely important. Just a few hundred feet makes a significant difference either direction. The good news is that we get a lot of light here during the summer so plants grow well. Cold storage -- you can do that, but don't forget we have rodents. Also, deer can cause a huge loss in your flowers and vegetables. Plant flowers and plants that will thrive in Montana and you'll be better off. The extension office can give you ideas what will work where you're going to live. Either that, or plan on planting annuals and paying for a new group every spring.
Water is difficult. It pretty much stops raining July 1st and we don't get decent rain until sometime late in September or October. Fire season hits shortly after the rains stop. This year has been ugly. Right now the air quality has been unhealthy for several days here in Missoula. Helena has a lot of beetle kill, so be aware of that. Those beetle kill stands make great fuel for wildfires. Look up the fires in the local papers. The Mustang Complex and the Sawtooth Mountain are the ones we're dealing with on the western slope.
Chickens -- you'll need someplace where the chickens can get out of the wind and elements. You also have to figure in predators such as wolves, black bears, mountain lions, grizzly bears, lynx, bobcats, coyotes, hawks, eagles, and probably dogs. I've dealt with frostbite on my chickens, even with an enclosed barn, and had to amputate chicken toes. Even so, losing a few chickens do occur from time to time due to the extremes. Plan on cold-hardy chickens with small combs. Geese do pretty well.
I love hunting here in Montana. I also love having animals and being away from people. It's a great state, but it can be a headache for folks who aren't prepared for the extremes and the wildness.
