[MissoulaGov] FW: Follow-up on Chickasaw

[Jason Wiener]

I requested written clarification from Helen Atthowe regarding our visit
to the site of proposed Chickasaw Place. I've copied Council the
entirety of my and Helen's e-mails for inclusion of this communication
in the public record and to aid our deliberations. The information is
germane to the listserv discussion so I'm passing it along there as
well; the documents Helen attached cannot be posted to the listserv so
let me know off-line if you would like a copy sent directly to you.

Regards,

J.

 

*******

Jason Wiener, Alderman, Ward One

1238 Jackson St.

Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 542-3232

jwiener at ci.missoula.mt.us

 

From: Helen Atthowe [mailto:atthowe at missoulaeduplace.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 1:35 PM
To: Jason Wiener
Subject: RE: Follow-up on Chickasaw

 

Jason,

 

Yes, I think you summed up my comments with great clarity. From the soil
sampling you and I did in the northwest and northeast as well as the
southeast sections,  there was little significant difference in actual
soil quality. All areas are a loam with relatively good texture, and
there appeared to be little cobble, gravel,or rock. Which is unusual for
most of the sites I've sampled in Missoula. Hence the soil probe was was
easy to push down to 18" deep in most locations. The soil was not quite
so deep in that high area in the far northeast corner. The soil pH on
all samples was in a good plant growing range 6.7 - 7.0.  It would be
beneficial to do a complete soil analysis and test for plant nutrient
levels and soil organic matter content. But, I suspect the levels are
all at least adequate judging from the vegetation present. The soils
were more frozen (possibly more wet) in the northeast section. This may
also have been due to vegetation differences. There are more annual
broadleaf and grass weeds in the southeast  which was disturbed by
tillage in the past 5 years. In the north sections, there are more
deeper-rooted perennial pasture grasses. A loam soil would be more
likely to dry out where thinner, annual rather than deeper-rooted,
perennial vegetation is present. So, in summary the soil quality is
adequate for vegetable farming in all the sections we tested.

 

As I already said, the southeast section would be much easier to farm
because it is flat, level and has already been tilled and worked up. The
north section has swales, high spots, and depressions. It would take
more initial work to bring this kind  of topography into production.
This could be important to the economic viability of a potential farmer.
The easier the land is to get started producing on, the more quickly a
farmer will start making a profit. Your question to me is an excellent
one. here's a long answer: I would not consider leaving my Bitterroot
farm because after 15 years, I have removed the swales and leveled most
of the high/low areas in my fields that had been in pasture for 50 years
when I started. Also I have electric-free gravity-flow irrigation water
which is priceless. Well water is expensive and will become more so in
the future. However, at this point in my life, if I were to leave my
land, I would do so for the southeast section and not the north
sections. Twenty years ago when I was just out of graduate school and
had more energy, I would have been thrilled with the north section
because the soil is a deeper loam than I started with and I would work
with the topography and plant perennials (tree fruits and berries) in
the high areas. I have attached an economic analysis and soil quality
study we did on a new field we began to bring into production in 2005. I
wanted to document what a new farmer could expect on good, but not great
land, and test some low labor, reduced tillage methods to improve land
stewardship and decrease labor, fertilizer, weeding, and pest management
inputs.

 

 

Congratulations on your attempts to grapple with these complex issues.
This is a difficult, but important dialogue to begin. The emotions are
high on all sides. Members of CFAC responded very aggressively to my
comments in the hallway last night, but homeowners sitting nearby
thanked me as I walked out. We've had calls at the extension service
from developers and ranchers who are interested in being a part of this
agricultural land preservation discussion.

 

 

Good luck!

 

Helen Atthowe 
Missoula County Extension Horticulturist 
2825 Santa Fe Court 
Missoula, MT  59808 
(406) 258-4205 
Fax: (406) 258-3916 
NEW EMAIL:  atthowe at missoulaeduplace.org 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: Jason Wiener [mailto:JWiener at ci.missoula.mt.us] 
	Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:40 AM
	To: Helen Atthowe
	Subject: Follow-up on Chickasaw

	Helen,

	 

	Thanks again for your input at last night's meeting about the
proposed Chickasaw Place subdivision. We have to take up the issues
again tomorrow and so I want to be clear in understanding your testimony
about soils and the viability of agriculture.

	 

	As I understood your judgment, all of the soil we looked at on
the proposed subdivision site is high quality and well-suited to growing
food-rare in the overall scheme of soils in Missoula County, even if
relatively uniform across the site. As to the suitability of different
parcels for agriculture, more than soils comes into
consideration-topography, availability of water, presence of weeds, soil
microbiology and probably other factors that don't occur to me off-hand.
With respect to these other factors, the southeastern portion of the
property is superior to the northern portion, primarily because there
are few topographical changes and the proximity to the road will make it
easier to get farm equipment and the like off the land. If I remember
your notes, these features make the southeastern portion better for
commercial farming.

	 

	But "better" is a matter of degree and not kind so whether those
advantages outweigh other impacts caused by a design that protects the
southeastern portion instead of the northern portion is a different
matter. I don't expect you to weigh in on that (though feel free to).
However, I did wonder after hearing you joke that you might buy the
three acres if it goes up for sale, whether you would consider leaving
your farm in the Bitterroot to farm the northern piece if that was the
set-aside or if that was just the southeastern piece that was so
attractive.

	 

	Anyhow, please let me know if I have left out important factors
or failed to weigh the ones I included appropriately. As this is a
quasi-judicial land-use matter, information that is material to my
decisions should be disclosed and I am likely to share our
correspondence with my colleagues, both for its informative merit and to
comply with those rules about communication.

	 

	Thanks again for your assistance.

	J.

	 

	*******

	Jason Wiener, Alderman, Ward One

	1238 Jackson St.

	Missoula, MT 59802

	(406) 542-3232

	jwiener at ci.missoula.mt.us

	 

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