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While the Gallatin Valley is beautiful, and was
called by the late Theodore Roosevelt, "a fair dimple in the cheek
of nature," when he visited here a number of years ago, the valley
is recognized as one of the most productive in the state.
In early
days, wheat and oats with several kinds of vegetables were the
principal products, and there was some wild hay put up. Later,
barley was a standard product, and then crops of clover, timothy and
alfalfa became especially important. Potatoes have been one of the
principal vegetables in the valley since pioneer days, and records
were made of wagonloads of potatoes taken to Helena and Virginia
City in 1866, and sold for 13 cents a pound. Some sugar beets are
raised in the valley now, but they are shipped to factories in other
parts of Montana.
Canning Factory
With the large plant of the Bozeman Canning Company
in Bozeman, peas and beans for canning have been raised on a large
number of farms in Gallatin Valley, and carrots and peas in
combination have also been canned. Seed peas are raised for shipment
to other states, as well as for home use. During the canning season
and the sorting of seed peas, employment is given to a large number
of men and women of the community.
Strawberries, raspberries, lettuce and onions have
been shipped to market in other states during recent years, and
vegetables of nearly all kinds are raised for home consumption. Wild
raspberries, gooseberries, currants, chokecherries, service berries,
huckleberries and buffalo berries growing along the streams or on
the mountain sides were found very helpful for table use and
preserving in pioneer days, and they were often brought to the homes
by friendly Indians to trade for sugar, trinkets and other articles
that took their fancy. There are still chokecherries in many places
and a few huckleberries and buffalo berries, but only a few wild
raspberries or wild strawberries are found, largely on account of
cattle pasturing along the streams and the removal of much shrubbery
along the creeks. |
