MISSOULA — People can now go on an adventure across Western Montana, which will bring them to farms, ranches, restaurants, and even breweries that play a key role in Montana’s agricultural economy.
The Western Montana Food and Farm Trail is an agri-tourism initiative put on by Farm Connect Montana, a non-profit that’s based in Missoula.
(WATCH: The Western Montana Food and Farm Trail connects folks, farms, and flavor)
“Farm Connect is really an organization that works to create a community around food and farms, and to connect farmers and farms to consumers,” co-founder of Farm Connect Bonnie Buckingham says. “When we first started, it was a group of about 20 people that were really excited about agriculture and about community and about all things local.”
There are over 80 farms, restaurants, small businesses, and breweries that are a part of the Western Montana Food and Farm Trail. It spans over 200 miles up and down the Highway 93 corridor. One of the stops on the trail is Turner Farms, a five-acre plot that has a bit of everything, including onions, strawberries, goats, sheep, chickens, and cows. However, they’re mainly known for their pumpkins every fall.
“[Farm Connect] has done a great job,” senior farmer Jon Turner said. “They've expanded it. They're grouping more and more local farmers into this, but people are still people, you know, they like close, they like proximity. There's a desire that we're realizing as human beings that we need, if we eat local, it's better for us.”
Turner said that the trail gives farmers a chance to collaborate.
“ I don't need to have every single customer,” he said. “I don't want every single customer because I can't satisfy them all, but all of us can satisfy more, right?”
Jon says that if anyone is ever curious about your local farm, all you have to do is ask.
“Ask us when you see a farmer, when you see a kid working at a place, ask questions, ask, and if you want something and we don't have it, ask the farmer that's there.”
