Harlowton, MT

Larry Steuben, owner of Snowy Mountain Trading Post, has generously provided the community of Harlowton with a plot of land to cultivate into a garden that will serve a diverse group of the town.

Through use of the local newspaper, word of mouth, posters on community bulletin boards, windows of local businesses and fliers distributed within neighborhoods, word is spreading about the Harlowton’s Community Garden. There will be weekly activities revolving around the garden throughout the summer, starting on Thursday, July 10 at 7:15pm. The theme of the first activity will be rhubarb,  involving an educational piece on the dangers of ingesting the leaf, what rhubarb tastes like fresh from the garden and a number of ways to prepare rhubarb. A sampling of prepared recipes will be enjoyed by all that attend.

Groups and individuals have come forward to participate in the growth of the garden, such as H.A.P.Y. (Harlowton Advantage Program for Youth) who came to plant the garden with over 40 youth in attendance. Some of these children had never worked in a garden. Questions arise as the children see me in their neighborhoods; “are the plants growing yet?” or “when can we eat the tomatoes?” The concept of food growing out of the ground is new to many of Harlowton’s youth.

Senior citizens are enjoying participating in the community garden with such comments as: “we have moved to a home that has no space for a garden”, “we enjoy being outdoors and being useful” or something as simple as, “what a wonderful idea”.

Volunteers have come forward from all walks of life represented in Harlowton, especially those who have never volunteered before. I imagine the list of helpers will continue to grow as does the needs and care of the garden.

The garden is built around the idea of growing a community and what better place to grow a community than around a garden.

Please join in making Harlowton’s Community Garden a place where community grows together and learns!

Laughing Yoga has come to Harlowton through a partnership with the Wheatland Memorial Healthcare, Adult Education and Hillcrest Elementary. Adrie Min, physical therapist at Wheatland Memorial, is leading participants through gentle breathing techniques, stretching exercises and laughter.

Classes are available, free, to anyone in the community and meet on a weekly basis, Tuesday evenings, 5:30-6:30pm at Hillcrest Elementary. With all the busy schedules of summertime, classes will resume when schools are back in session mid-August.

Laughing Yoga is something anyone can do!!! There are no age barriers, no socio-economic barriers, no barriers period. The only requirement is the ability to laugh. Classes have a contagious element and bring you back wanting more of that calm and peaceful sensation. Tools that enable us to relieve stresses from our everyday lives helps to create a more peaceful home life, interactions with others can begin with a smile and a sense of wellness is just a laugh away.

Please join in and bring a friend or two for Laughing Yoga classes with Adrie Min.

Eureka! Winning Ways Worksession:  Cream of the West was one of the first agriculture-based companies selected to participate in the Eureka! Winning Ways process/training in Junert.  During the process, the CREAM OF THE WEST TEAM generated over 35 ideas for ways to grow our company.  We’re now in Stage 2 of being coached through the feasibility and implementation of our  ’top priority’ idea.  ThIs is just one of the excellent trainings we’ve been involved with this spring and summer.   I can’t give enough KUDOS for the direct assistance, the excellent training, and the constant flow of information  that I’ve received from the Montana network of assistance — which includes the Dept. of Agriculture, MMEC, Dept. of Commerce, W.I.R.E.D., Central Montana BEAR (Dept. of Labor) and the MT Extension Service/Horizons.  Each one worked together and/or separately to provide our company with information, expertise, training, funding assistance or all of the above.  I commend the people in these agencies for working so hard to help small Montana businesses grow.  Thank you!  THANK YOU!!!  Alicia Moe, Owner, CREAM OF THE WEST