A great way to see what fellow professionals are doing in the field, literally.  It's a tour-packed day with lots of opportunity to network and learn something new or different.

Please join us for the Fall Tour!  Following are some of the highlights of the event and the new additions this year!  You won't want to miss this opportunity to rejuvenate, reconnect with fellow MNLA members, and share new ideas. 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17:

CPP EXAM:  The CPP Exam will begin at 9:00 am at Chadwick Nursery at 3010 Custer Avenue, Helena, MT.  Registration is due by September 1.  You may register on-line at www.plantingmontana.com.

POLLINATOR PROTECTION SYMPOSIUM:  The Department of Agriculture is hosting a Pollinator Protection Symposium on September 17^th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm in Helena. The training is free and pesticide applicator credits will be earned for attending the symposium. Topics include an overview of pollinators in Montana and a review of new pollinator pesticide labeling. The keynote speaker is Craig Regelbrugge, Senior Vice President – Industry Advocacy & Research at AmericanHort, who will be discussing the horticultural industry and pollinator health. Registration will begin on July 1^st.   You may register at www.agr.mt.gov.   

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18:

When & Where:  The 2015 Fall Tour will take place in Helena on Friday, September 18, 2015.  Meet at Marks Lumber in Clancy, MT at 7:30 am for breakfast.  Please reserve your place on the tour as soon as possible.

Transportation:   Bus transportation will be available at Marks Lumber in Clancy, MT, following breakfast at that location.

Where to Stay:  The Elkhorn Mountain Inn at 1 Jackson Creek Road in Montana City, MT will be hosting the MNLA Fall Tour guests.  Please make reservations no later than September 10 by calling 406-442-6625.  The room rate is $70 + tax per night.  They are conveniently located just one block off Interstate 15 at Exit 187.  

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Marks Lumber is a trusted family-owned company who has been in business for over 75 years now overseen by Steve Marks.  Located in Clancy, Montana, 10 miles south of Helena,  they offers quality, specialty lumber products and other construction materials at affordable prices, as well as outstanding customer service. Products include Landscape Products, Timbers, Beams, Custom Timber Framing, Sidings, Flooring, Rough Cut Lumber, Mantels and much more.  www.markslumber.us

Thank you Marks Lumber for sponsoring breakfast.

High Country Growers - Bob and Donna Hitzeroth own and operate High Country Growers.  Located at 4934 US-12, Helena, MT, High Country Growers is a wholesale greenhouse, producing crops year round with an emphasis on spring bedding and potted plants suitable for the Montana landscape. Some of their offerings include giant fall Garden Mums and Poinsettias. Also available are pre-finished geraniums and other starter plant materials. They offer high volume certified organic herb production year round and are Montana’s largest commercial growing range.   Learn about their improved techniques on growing.  High Country Growers wholesales plastic and greenhouse supplies through their Supply Division.  www.highcountrygrowers.com

Valley Farms has been Helena's complete garden center and nursery since 1974 owned by Dennis Flynn. They specialize in organic alternatives for gardening. Valley Farms grows a wide variety of perennials and flowering ornamental plants. They also offer vine ripened pesticide free tomatoes grown for them by Westmont Farms in the Helena Valley.  They offer Montana hardy trees and shrubs with a 5 year warranty on their trees as well as a planting service.  We will learn about their ladybug program.  www.montanavalleyfarms.com

MSU Horticultural Research Project – Brent Sarchet      Two research studies will be highlighted at the MNLA Tour. Montana State University started conducting fruit tree cultivar research in the spring of 2013. Currently there are 10 fruit tree cultivar research sites across the state where they are evaluating different apple, pear and plum cultivars. Some of the preliminary data and future work with fruit trees will be discussed. The other research that will be highlighted is small fruit research that is being conducted by the Corvallis Research Experiment Station. The research has 4 locations across the state with one being in Helena.  www.lccountymt.gov/extension.html

Gardenwerks was opened in 1988 by Michael Hiel.  This family owned and operated garden center is located on 6 acres at 3225 Cooney Drive.  They are a design/build company building gardens and landscapes for over 25 years.  They specialize in water conserving irrigation systems.  Ask them about their composting toilet.   www.gardenwerks.com. 

Thank you Gardenwerks for sponsoring lunch.

Chadwick Nursery is a family owned and operated business. They have been serving their local community for over 30 years.  Chadwick Nursery offers high quality, cold hardy, trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, and grasses that thrive in the Helena area.  They also carry a large selection of fruiting plants, vegetables, and herbs.   View their testing area to see their fruit tree orchard, berry orchard, and maple trees to learn what grows well in Montana and their growing techniques as well as their bee program.  www.chadwicknursery.com

Chadwick Nursery will host the Certified Plant Professional Exam at 9:00 am on Thursday, September 17.  Thank you Chadwick Nursery for hosting the CPP Exam.

LandEscapes – Steve, Jay, Prescott and Sam Wagner have together 85 years’ experience in the landscape industry originally started by Grandpa Jim.  Their design studio, greenhouse, and landscape showroom is located at their East Helena location.  Known all over the west for their expertise in building re-circulating waterfalls and natural ponds, they excel in all phases of residential, commercial and estate landscaping.   We look forward to touring an impressive residential site and one of their waterfalls on the tour.   www.MontanaLandEscapes.com

Equipment Demonstrations – We return to Marks Lumber for equipment demonstrations by CAT – John Deere – Ditchwitch.  See the latest equipment offered by these reputable companies.  You won’t want to miss out on the great door prizes they have to offer!

Tizer Botanic Garden and Arboretum – Located at 38 Tizer Lake Road in Jefferson City, MT, you can find owners Belva Lotzer and Richard Krott tending the business they have nurtured and grown since 1997.  Tizer Gardens is a public garden and internationally accredited arboretum.   You will also find a retail garden and gift shop and an extensive nursery which specializes in high altitude, drought tolerant, and cold hardy plants.  Their gardens are used as a test garden for many growers around the country and, as a result, they are able to sell with confidence many plants that are new in the market.   www.tizergardens.com

Thank you Tizer Gardens for sponsoring our wine and cheese walk through the gardens.

TO REGISTER:  You may register on-line at www.plantingmontana.com , by email at ed@plantingmontana.com  or by calling Jyl Story at 406-755-3079.  Please register by September 10.

We look forward to seeing you there!