Quicken for the Farm, Ranch, Home, or Small Business

MSU Extension – Glacier County and Farm Service Agency are teaming up to offer a series of classes on Quicken for the Farm, Ranch, Home, or Small Business.  Quicken is a personal finance software (subscription based) that can be used for the home and/or small business/farm/ranch.  It allows for splitting receipts across multiple income and expense categories, using a budget, creating year-end reports for taxes and financial decision making, etc. 

Classes will be June 18, 20, 25, and 27 from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Glacier County Extension Office conference room, 1210 E. Main Street, Cut Bank, MT.  Topics will include: Introduction to Quicken, categorizing income and expenses correctly, managing multiple asset and loan accounts, creating reports for budgeting, utilizing Quicken for business decisions, and utilizing Quicken to track spending. 

Kari Lewis, MSU Extension - Glacier County and Lacy Roberts - FSA Farm Loan Manager will teach and meet one on one with individuals as needed to meet their needs. Lacy Roberts, Farm Service Agency Farm Loan manager brings experience from the farm/ranch bookkeeping side and what is needed from a banker's perspective while Kari Lewis has taught numerous personal finance classes as well. Together, they'll tailor the information to the needs of the individuals.

If anyone is unable to attend in person classes, there are great online bookkeeping resources for the farm/ranch as well, available through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Agricultural Profitability.  There is a self-paced, free virtual Quickbooks Training for Farm and Ranch Record Keeping available at https://cap.unl.edu/quickbooks-register.  There is also a Quicken for Farm and Ranch Financial Record Keeping, self-paced virtual course which is $20 and must be completed within 60 days.  Registration for the online Quicken course is available at https://cap.unl.edu/quicken.  For individuals with no previous experience with Quicken, it might be valuable to take the virtual Nebraska class prior to the in-person sessions in Cut Bank, and then bring questions to the in-person sessions as well.

For more information, please contact Kari Lewis at kari.lewis@montana.edu or 406-873-2239.  To register for the in-person Quicken classes in Cut Bank, please do so at https://tinyurl.com/5pjj68c4 or by calling (406) 873-2239 by June 17.  There is no fee for the classes, and they are open to anyone. 

Knapweed and Leafy Spurge Biocontrol orders

The order form for knapweed and leafy spurge biocontrols is available now.  We need orders for leafy spurge bicontrols in by June 1, knapweed biocontrols in by July 1.  This bulk order provides a discount and free shipping to our office in Cut Bank where you will be able to pick the insects up from.  Leafy spurge insects will likely come late June/early July, knapweed insects will likely come late July/early August.

The following are some MSU Extension publications related to knapweed and leafy spurge and biocontrols as well:

https://www.montana.edu/extension/invasiveplants/documents/extension/weed_posts/2012/June_biocontrol.pdf - Biocontrols

https://store.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/MT199915AG.pdf  - Biocontrol of Spotted Knapweed

https://store.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/MT202009AG.pdf – Pest Management Using Integrated Strategies

https://store.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/EB0204.pdf - Biology, Ecology, and Management of Montana Knapweeds

https://store.msuextension.org/publications/AgandNaturalResources/EB0134.pdf – Leafy Spurge: Biology, Ecology and Management  

Biocontrols are just one tool in the toolbox for weed management, but has proven to be a valuable tool for many folks.  

Pesticide Applicator Training Program

The Pesticide Applicator Training (PAT) Program is for individuals and/or their employees who wish to apply Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) to land they own, rent or lease for the purpose of growing an agricultural commodity.  For complete information on the PAT Program, please visit their website.

To Become Licensed as a Private Applicator

Private applicators must be licensed prior to purchasing and using restricted use pesticides. To become certified an applicator has two options: (1) take an exam or (2) attend an Initial Private Applicator Training. 

Montana Private Applicator Certification Exam

The Montana Private Applicator Certification Exam can be taken here at the Glacier County MSU Extension office. The exam has 50-questions and must be passed with a 70% or better. The exam is open book and not timed.  Please contact our office to set up a time to take your exam.

Initial Private Applicator Training

An Initial Private Applicator Training is a seven-hour program covering the basics of pesticide use. Upon completion of the program applicators must take an ungraded 50-question exam. Initial Private Applicator Trainings must adhere to criteria set forth for initial programs.  Contact our office for information about trainings.

License Fees

Private applicators must pay $12 for each year of the cycle for a total of $60 per each 5-year recertification cycle to the Montana Department of Agriculture. This fee is to be paid at the time of licensing and when the license is renewed. Glacier County is currently in the 4th year of the recertification cycle. 

Recertification Cycle by District

Glacier County is in District 3.  The current cycle ends on December 31, 2020.  The fee for obtaining your license in the current cycle would be $24.  The next cycle will run from January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2025.

Paraquat Training For Pesticide Applicators

An online paraquat training is available, created by pesticide manufacturers and approved by the EPA. This training provides information about paraquat’s toxicity, personal protective equipment, new label requirements, restrictions, and the consequences of misuse. Applicators must print out certificates online and retain for their own records. In addition, the National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC) will retain certification records as well.  In order to take this training you will need an email address to set up a guest account.

Pesticide Disposal Program

If you have unused pesticides that need to be disposed of, please visit the State of Montana website for the Pesticide Waste Disposal Program for more information on the free disposal program and state guidelines.

Palmer Amaranth

Montana, watch out for Palmer Amaranth! 
Palmer amaranth is a competitive and aggressive weed that can grow 2 to 3 inches per day in optimum conditions. Palmer amaranth can easily reach 6 to 8 feet tall, has tremendously thick stalks, and produces up to 1 million seeds per plant! It emerges throughout the growing season and is very prone to herbicide resistance. Palmer amaranth has been reported to reduce yields up to 91 percent in corn and 79 percent in soybeans.  Check out this NDSU guide for pictures and identification tips - https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/palmeramaranth/documents/PalmerAmaranth8.5x11.pdf.  If you suspect Palmer Amaranth, please contact the Extension Office.
woman holding large noxious weed 
Stutsman County Extension agent Alicia Harstad with a
Palmer Amaranth plant (NDSU Photo)

Herbicide-Resistant Kochia

For recommendations on controlling herbicide-resistant Kochia, please see this MontGuide.

Herb Resistant Kochia

Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery Tree Orders

The Central Truck will deliver the Glacier County tree orders to the Glacier County Courthouse Annex (1210 East Main Street, Cut Bank, MT) on every spring as scheduled.  If you ordered trees, please plan on picking them up the day they are delivered to avoid drying them out.  You can place orders for trees anytime through the nursery, but you will be responsible for paying for shipping.  The truck only delivers once a year.  Please visit the Montana Conservation Seedling Nursery website for order forms and the complete inventory.

Helpful Links

Services Offered

  • Forage nitrate testing
  • Disease identification and management
  • Pest identification and management
  • Pesticide Applicator Training
  • Seed testing
  • Soil testing
  • Water testing
  • Knapweed Biocontrols
  • Tree seedling orders

Items Available for Check-Out

  • Hay probes
  • Soil probes
  • Well-water testing kits
  • Live animal traps