Flathead County

Flathead County is in Northwest Montana and encompasses the western part of Glacier National Park and the northern portion of Flathead Lake. As of July 2023, the population of Flathead County was 113,679. As the population of Flathead County has experienced a significant increase over the last ten years, it has started to slow down with a 1% increase in population between 2022 and 2023. Flathead County is comprised of three incorporated towns and several unincorporated communities. The three incorporated towns are Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls. The majority of the landmass of Flathead County is National and State Forest Land, wilderness, agriculture, and corporate timber land. As the population continues to rise, Montana State University (MSU) Extension is committed to providing resources to Flathead County residents in the area of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, and 4-H and youth development.

Legacy Planning Workshops with Marsha Goetting

The MSU Extension Office offered six in-person Legacy Planning Workshops presented by Marsha Goetting to Flathead County residents, in partnership with Flathead County Health Department, Flathead County Agency on Aging, and Buffalo Hill Terrace Senior Living facility. Workshops were held at three different locations throughout Flathead County. Residents enjoyed lite refreshments while they learned about a wide range of topics including basic legacy planning, transferring a ranch/farm to the next generation, wills and trusts, tools to avoid probate, and legacy planning for families with children.

Caption: Marsha Goetting presents about will and trusts to Flathead County residents at the Buffalo Hill Terrace in January 2024

Credit: Ashli Darrach

Family and Consumer Sciences Program Development

Flathead County is continuing to develop the Family and Consumer Sciences Program with food preservation and estate planning as the focus. MSU Extension has provided pressure gauge testing and research-based food preservation information to community members throughout Flathead County. With an increase in requests for estate planning resources, MSU Extension has provided MontGuides and forms to help community members to better understand their options related to Wills, Trusts, and Transfer on Death Deeds (TODD) along with many other estate planning topics.

Fairgrounds Native Plant Garden

In 2023, the MSU Extension Agriculture Agent and Flathead County Fairgrounds Manager, along with a local Master Gardener, 4-H youth, and the owner of The Center for Native Plants, planned and executed the installation of a native plant and pollinator garden as part of phase one of the Fairgrounds Beautification project. This year, the Extension Agent teamed up with a local high school student and the Flathead Conservation District to complete phase two. With funding from the Association of Montana Turf, Ornamental, and Pest Professionals (AMTOPP) grant, a rain garden was installed. Rain gardens help collect and filter runoff from the barns, provide essential habitat for pollinators, and enhance the beauty of the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Caption: The Flathead County Fairgrounds Beautification Project with a newly installed rain garden thanks to the AMTOPP grant.

Credit: Mackenzie Dey

Agricultural / Horticultural Program Development

During the 2024 growing season, the MSU Extension office aims to serve Flathead County by offering site visits to address issues ranging from residential gardens to commercial agricultural operations. This year, the office began providing Noxious Weed Seed Free Forage (NWSFF) certifications for local producers, with over 450 acres certified this season. In addition to one-on-one consultations, the MSU Extension Office in Flathead County offers educational opportunities to the community. The Master Gardener Program, popular nationwide, is no exception in Flathead Valley, with 22 new Master Gardeners this year and another class scheduled for the coming year. A previous series, the Land Stewardship Series, was revived with great success. Several natural resource organizations collaborated to educate local landowners weekly on topics related to land ownership and management in the Flathead. Lastly, during the off-season, the Extension Office hosts monthly meetings dubbed ‘Hort Report’ at local pubs or eateries to bring in horticultural experts, discuss various topics, play trivia, and offer a social space after the gardening season. This series provides both education and community connection.

Flathead County 4-H Innovative Programming - Winter Biathlon

Flathead County 4-H created, resourced, and conducted an innovative outdoor adventure 4-H activity called the winter biathlon project in an effort to provide youth a physically demanding opportunity during the snow season. In January and February 2024, Flathead County 4-H partnered with the Glacier Nordic Club to provide several cross-country skiing and air rifle instructional lessons to youth members. The Flathead County 4-H winter biathlon project culminated with two ski and air rifle shoot biathlon relay experiences that partnered youth from 4-H shooting sports backgrounds with competitive youth cross country skiers to compete in a friendly relay race. Support from the Montana 4-H Foundation enabled the purchase of essential air rifle pellet magazines and biathlon pellet targets for this first-time-in-Montana 4-H outdoor adventure project.

Caption: Flathead County 4-H youth participate in a winter biathlon ski and air rifle shoot relay race.

Credit: Ed Visnovski

Flathead County 4-H Geospatial Mapping Skills Camp

During June 2024, Flathead County 4-H partnered with the Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) to host a five-day geospatial mapping skills camp for ten Flathead County 4-H youth members. The MSU Math and Science Research Center provided a hands-on geospatial mapping skills curriculum and virtual guest speakers for each morning of the camp. Then, in the afternoons, campers participated in a wide-range of field trips to the University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Bio Station, Glacier National Park, Hungry Horse Dam, the Creston Fish Hatchery, the MSU Northwest Agriculture Research Center, and FVCC to collect and analyze data, in addition to familiarizing themselves with several science-based outdoor career fields. A generous grant from the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research completely funded this outstanding educational opportunity.

Caption: An inversion layer completely blankets the Flathead Valley with snowy peaks from Glacier National Park in the distance.

Credit: Richard Balestri

Contact

1108 South Main Street, Suite #4
Kalispell, MT 59901
406-758-5553
https://www.montana.edu/extension/flathead