This article is from KTVH News – Montana AG Network. Written by Evan Charney.
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HELENA — One Helena agricultural research site turned berry orchard is cultivating passion and spreading awareness for Montana’s berry growers.
In Montana, we’re all familiar with grains and beef. But there’s another sector of Montana’s agriculture industry that should be on people’s radar: berries.
“I feel like we’re all in this together, and if we’re gonna make it a big industry in Montana, then we need to be able to share and grow,” said Apple Bar Orchard Owner Catherine McNeil. McNeil and her late husband started the Apple Bar Orchard in Helena as a research site through MSU Extension in partnership with the Western Ag Research Center. The goal is to see which berries can grow in Montana’s colder climates.
When they identified what thrived, they continued to grow and harvest them. As the berries grew, so did the support network around them.