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Polson youth education program lets students sample ranch life

Clouds of dust swirled behind the Polson school buses as they rolled over hill and dale to reach the remote expanse of Walt Vermedahl's ranch.

Fourth-graders, like the nearby team of horses hitched to a hay wagon, were chomping at the bit, ready for a day of ranching. After a briefing from their teachers, the students were separated into small groups and another Lake County Youth Education Program was under way.

"It's a rite of passage," said Greg Gardner, a neighbor of Vermedahl who has helped with the event every year since it began 12 years ago.

The Western Montana Stockgrowers Association started the project initially as a one-day field trip. It later expanded into two days and now includes Ronan fourth-graders on the second day.

"We thought it would last a year and we'd be done," Gardner said. "It really caught on."

Two years ago the stockgrowers turned the program over to the Lake County Conservation District, but local ranchers remain heavily involved.

Spring is a busy time for farmers and ranchers. There's calving and field work to be done, but the workload takes a temporary backseat as neighbors faithfully gather at the Vermedahl ranch to help out. Local chambers of commerce put on a noon barbecue with food donated from several sources.

Students spend about 15 minutes at each station to learn about various aspects of ranch life. Inside Vermedahl's enclosed arena, demonstrations range from carding fleece and spinning wool to operating a milking machine.

"That milking machine rocked," one boy exclaimed.

They learn how to measure the fat content of meat, how to prevent soil erosion and how to brand a cow.

Outside, students this year got a close-up look at a quarter horse and newborn colt. Then they wound their way through myriad pens and climbed a wooden fence to watch Vermedahl and his crew rope young calves for vaccinations and castration banding.

Facial expressions ranged from fascination to horror as the fourth-graders watched intently. There was plenty of empathy for the bawling calves.

"None of them likes it very much," one boy confided as the calves' mothers, stricken with separation anxiety, bellowed in the background.

This year's class didn't get to witness the time-honored branding. Since Vermedahl had just sold the ranch, there was no need to put his brand on the livestock.

Vermedahl was born and raised a couple of miles away from his ranch, across the hills at the now defunct town of Radio.

"I'm about the only one I know with Radio listed on his birth certificate," he said.

He's been ranching full time since 1973, but figured it was time to slow down a little. He'll continue to train horses.

"I hope they carry on with this," he said as the students scrambled from one station to another. "This does a lot of good for the beef industry, when you get a kid out here and show them what to do."

Sigurd Jensen, this year's chairman, headed up the wagon ride and used the time to tell the students about ranch life.

"Kids like you used to do a lot of the ranch work," he told one group.

Fourth-grader Damon Whealon assured Jensen that he pulls his weight on his aunt and uncle's farm.

"You better believe it," Whealon said. "I do a lot of work. I'm the one who gets the calves into the branding [arena]. I help a lot."

Jessica Bagnell said she, too, is no stranger to ranch life.

"I have over 20 cows and 40 horses," Bagnell said, later adding, "I'm not that much of a horse person. My sister barrel races, but I'm more into sports."

As more ranch land is developed in the Polson area, fewer students are exposed to that way of life, Gardner said. Some students said they'd spent time on their grandparents' ranches, but for many, the events of the day were brand new.

The sale of the Vermedahl ranch has put next year's educational program in question, but long-time volunteers want to find a way to keep it going, even if it means moving it to a different ranch.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com