Bozeman Build #60

Welcome back the Bozeman Build Report discovering Montana and Northern Rockies trade content, thanks for tuning in to the 60th edition of the build :) .

Today we talk tornados, Montana Agritourism speakers, Night Sky Tourism, Ag Trucks and Equipment of Fife designing and manufacturing sprayers, hail insurance rates, $250M bill for new women’s prison, $6M Sawmill Revitalization Act, Missoula developer completing work in Rapid City, Little Shell Ceremonial Center, wind energy controversy, Superior Meats of Superior MT, Town of Pray for Sale, weather, and the Sage Wall.

In Bozeman we discuss the Tour de Franzia, Give Big Gallatin Valley 2025 is this week, Three Forks Airport expansion, Big Sky Pond skim, tractor park, URBAN + FARM development.

Around the Northern Rockies we found articles around technology to eliminate coal plant smokestacks, backwards driving, WY to expand manufacturing capacity, and Idaho milk.

Enjoy!

Daniel

_{When and what is the Bozeman Build? The BB is a 1x/week free email newsletter delivered Monday mornings focused on Montana trade content and news. We are not a financial or building advisors.}

Montana and Bozeman Trade Pulse

Montana trade pulse

April 14, 2025 Bear tooth Highway clearing is underway! (MDT /Beartooth)

Apr 20, 2025 There was a tornado in north-central Montana Sunday afternoon (April 20, 2025). This tornado was on the ground on the east side of Highway 87, east of Rocky Crossing, and between Box Elder and Big Sandy. (KRTV)

April 21 2025 The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is excited to invite proposals from potential speakers for the upcoming Montana Agritourism Conference set to take place on November 21, 2025, at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT. (MT Department of Ag)

April 22 2025 The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Kalispell Unit is proposing to harvest timber at Davis Mountain located approximately 30 air miles southeast of Libby, Montana near Happy’s Inn. The proposed project would harvest approximately 2 million board feet of timber from approximately 570 acres using individual tree selection, and commercial thinning prescriptions. (DNRC)

April 22, 2025 UM Research Promotes Montana Night Sky Tourism. (UMT News)

• In Montana, there are already two designated dark sky sites in Glacier National Park and Medicine Rocks State Park, both certified by the International Dark Sky Association.

• In eastern Montana there is fertile ground for stargazing thanks to expansive spaces with minimal human populations and light pollution. This was the impetus for Montana’s Trail to the Stars initiative, which spans the eastern region of Montana and includes more than 45 locations, all ideal for stargazing. Use our map below to explore and learn more about each location.

Apr 23, 2025 In a time when agricultural equipment manufacturers often restrict repair options, one small Montana company is taking a dramatically different approach. Ag Trucks and Equipment, located in the small community of Fife east of Great Falls, is challenging industry norms by designing high-capacity sprayers that farmers can repair themselves. (Montana Ag Network)

April 23 2025 Applications for the State Hail Insurance Program are now available through the Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA). Producers can insure crops against hail damage at the maximum coverage rate of $75 per acre for dryland and $114 per acre for irrigated land. (MT Department of Ag)

April 23, 2025 Senate pushes $250M bill for new women’s prison, $6M bill for closed sawmills. The Senate also approved House Bill 876 , the Sawmill Revitalization Act, sponsored by Rep. Fitzpatrick and Rep. Connie Keogh, D-Missoula. It passed 29-21 on Wednesday, and also raised questions about property tax bills. The bill sets aside $6 million for loans with interest rates of a maximum 4% “to parties with the capacity to revitalize a closed sawmill and return it to commercial operation.”(Daily Montanan)

Apr. 23, 2025 Missoula based Blue Line Development Incorporated recently built Sagebrush Flats which had its grand opening last week. A 180 affordable housing complex to Rapid City, SD (Kota Territory)

Apr 23, 2025 Montana Legislature passes $100 million bill to raise starting teacher pay (Montana Right Now)

Apr 24, 2025 The Little Shell Tribal Council has officially broken ground on the new Little Shell Ceremonial Center, marking a significant milestone for the community. Once completed, the center will feature a large gathering hall for up to 200 people, outdoor ceremonial spaces, and a community kitchen. It will also anchor an 18-acre housing development planned adjacent to the site. (Montana Right Now)

Apr 24, 2025 Gusty Conditions: Wind energy production in Montana shows great promise but faces some blowback. Montana, while only ranking 24th in energy produced from wind, has excellent wind resources, placing it somewhere between second and fifth for potential to produce wind-generated power.

Apr 24, 2025 Anglers charged by grizzly bear in Centennial Valley (MT FWP)

Apr 25, 2025 The U.S. Small Business Administration named Superior Meats owner Jerry Stroot as Montana's Small Business Person of the Year with Superior Meats.

Apr 27, 2025 Montana State's Tommy Mellott on Saturday was taken in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Mellott, from Butte, was the 37th pick of the sixth round and the No. 213 overall selection. Mellott is the first Montanan to be drafted into the NFL since Dillon's Troy Andersen was taken in the second round by the Atlanta Falcons out of Montana State. (Montana Sports)

MDT News

Releases from last week dated 4.21 - 4.24 (MDT News)

• Proposed pavement preservation throughout MDT's Glendive District

• Proposed resurfacing on MT 83 near Swan Lake

• Proposed resurfacing on Eastside Highway near Florence

• Kalispell Bypass repaving to begin in late April

• Improvements planned for Three Forks Interchange

• MT 200 improvement work begins west of Jordan

• Proposed I-90 resurfacing south of Lodge Grass

• Proposed culvert rehabilitation along I-94 near Miles City

• Proposed pavement preservation on I-94 west of Miles City

• Pavement preservation work to begin on MT 200

MDT Upcoming Lettings

Advertised Bid Packages for May 15, 2025 (MDT Contracting)

• 101 – SF 159 SE COLUMBUS SHLDER WID

• 102 – N 7th AVE INT IMPROV – BOZEMAN_tied

• 103 – DENTON EAST AND WEST

• 104 – FOYS LAKE ROAD-S-503

• 105 – 14TH AVE – HAVRE

Montana Logging Association

The MLA has some new posts for the month of April. Logging.org

Pray, MT for Sale

Founded in 1907 by Valentine Eggar and named after U.S. Congressman Charles Nelson Pray, the town has long been a fixture of the Paradise Valley community—long before the area became a destination for travelers and adventurers from around the world.

For over 20 years, Pray was lovingly cared for by Barbara Walker, who inherited the town from her husband’s family. Acting as landlord, caretaker, and even its unofficial mayor, Barbara’s stewardship helped preserve its charm and historical character. She sold the property in 2018, and now, the opportunity has come again for someone to carry on the legacy of this Montana town.

The town of Pray Montana is/was for sale. The roughly 5-acre property includes a post office (leased by the U.S. Postal Service), the historic Pray General Store, multiple short-term rental units, and space for future development—all for $2.6 million. (Bozeman Real Estate Group)

Bozeman trade pulse

Nature pulse - trees are finally starting to blossom and grass will be due for the first mowing of the season by end of this week.

2025 Tour de Franzia Bozeman was last Friday - Teams of four bur a box of wine and go to certain checkpoints and must finish the box by the end. This tradition started 3 or 4 years ago and attracted a crowd of over 500 hipsters (unofficial estimate)

Give Big Gallatin Valley 2025 runs from May 1 - 2, 2025, there are over 259 participants. (Give Big)

April 22, 2025 Finalists announced for Montana State’s $100K Venture Competition (MSU News)

Apr 25, 2025 The Gallatin County Airport (Pogreba Field) is formally requesting electronic bids for construction services for the 2025 Taxilane Expansion Project. (Bozeman Classifieds)

04/26/2025 Big Sky had their pond skim event on Saturday

Tractor Park

Found this cool playground design replicating an old John Deer Tractor in the Norton Ranch Neighborhood. Landscape Structures Inc designs these modern playgrounds across the country - www.playlsi.com

Bozemans URBAN + FARM

The Urban + Farm Design Guidelines are organized around three Character Areas: (1) neighborhood One Residential, (2) neighborhood Two Residential, and (3) Mixed- Use Village Center. Phase 2 is an 85 acre project. UrbanFarmBozeman.com

Northern ROckies

April 22, 2025 Clean Energy Company Says Its Tech Could Eliminate Smokestacks On Coal Plants. A group of engineering and technology experts are meeting there this week with the goal of making them obsolete. The 8 Rivers innovation uses pure oxygen to burn hydrogen and carbon monoxide generated from coal, and this process creates a stream of pure carbon dioxide. This CO2 is then recirculated through a new type of turbine that will not need smokestacks to release emissions. (Cowboy State Daily)

April 24, 2025 State Treasurer Curt Meier said he has plans to use $1 billion to $1.5 billion of the state’s investment earnings to bring more manufacturing to Wyoming. The timing of this proposal is in direct alignment with President Trump’s ongoing tariff war, he said. (Cowboy State Daily)

April 27, 2025 Lander Man Turns Heads Driving Pickup He’s Modified To Go Backwards (Cowboy State Daily)

Apr 27, 2025 Idaho's Dairy Dynasty: Major Players Keep State at Industry Forefront. The scale of Idaho's dairy industry is impressive. Milk production alone was valued at over 3.1 billion dollars in recent years, contributing to a total economic sales impact estimated at 10.7 billion dollars and supporting over 33,000 jobs statewide, according to industry reports. (Salt Creative)

Montana Weather

Southwest Montana starting this week off with some precipitation, the Beartooths are projected to get anywhere between 1 and 3 feet of snow. Later this week will mellow out.

The GEFS Day 5-10 Temperature Anomalies is hinting at a warm transition into May for Montana and Northern Plains.

History

"Deep in the remote mountainous wilderness of Montana, we find this remarkable structure known as the Sage Wall. This imposing megalithic wonder is composed of massive polygonal granite stone blocks intricately stacked and aligned in a perfectly straight line. The Sage Wall's unique features, such as its straight lines and angular formations, set it apart from the natural geological formations commonly found in the region, connecting it with other sites commonly known as the Montana Megaliths." (Sage Mountain)

Make it happen!

Daniel

bozemanbuild.com & blockbiome.com