Montana Farm Jobs
[talent]
Directory of Farms, Orchards, etc
| Anderson Orchards of Rudyard Montana 225 First St NE, Rudyard, MT 59540 406-355-4596 Harvest Time: June – September Main Crops: Apples, Raspberries, Strawberries, and Cider |
Common Ground Farm 31940 Jocko Rd, Arlee, MT 59821 406-726-2030 Harvest Time: June – August Main Crops: Raspberries and Strawberries |
| Fat Robin Orchard & Farm 34126 Finley Rd, Polson, MT 59860 406-887-2869 info@fatrobinorchard.com Harvest Time: July – October Main Crops: Apples, Cherries |
Getman’s Cherry Red Orchard East Shore, Flathead Lake, Bigfork, MT 59911 406-871-5499 getman@me.com Harvest Time: August – October Main Crops: Apples, Beans, Beets, Cherries, Pears, Peaches, and Plums |
| Pine Glen Cherry Orchard 7751 East Shore Rt, Polson, MT 59860 406-887-2727 Harvest Time: July – August Main Crops: Flathead Cherries |
Rocky Creek Farms Bozeman, MT 59715 406-585-0225 Harvest Time: July – October Main Crops: Apples, Corn, Cucumbers, Pumpkins, and Raspberries |
| Sky View Farm 34107 Sod Farm Rd, Arlee, MT 59821 406-726-2211 Harvest Time: July – September Main Crops: Blueberries, Flowers, Raspberries, and Winter Squash |
Wooly Locust Farm 673 Ridge Rd, Stevensville, MT 59870 406-546-8554 Harvest Time: May – September Main Crops: Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables |
Working in Montana
The high-plains of Eastern Montana provide ideal environments for agriculture to thrive. Flat land and modern irrigation methods enable agriculture to rank as the top industry in the state. The two major commodities produced in Montana, wheat and cattle, serve as testaments to the history of the area nicknamed Big Sky Country as part of the American Frontier, when settlers looking for respite from the crowding eastern colonies and territories moved west and found free-range cattle and semi-arid conditions in which only grains originally grew.
Around 28,000 farms comprise the Montana agricultural industry, which encompasses roughly 66% (or 59,700,000 acres) out of approximately 94,000,000 total acres of land. Of the total farms in the state, nearly 10,000 consist of 1,000 or more acres. According to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, one out of every six persons employed in The Treasure State farms or maintains a farming-related job.
Livestock and grain farming provide the largest and widest selections of agricultural employment in Montana. The state ranks first in the country in terms of certified-organic wheat and lentil production, and among the top ten for more than a dozen other commodities, including flaxseed, barley, honey, alfalfa hay, garbanzo beans, and beef calves. Collectively, farms produce nearly 200,000,000 bushels of wheat each year, which requires large teams of employees able to operate heavy agricultural equipment and export the crop to various markets. Ranching operations boast over 2.5 million head of cattle, which more than doubles the entire state population (1,023,000 million). On such large scales, both types of agriculture offer excellent opportunities for farmhands, migrant workers, and fruit and vegetable pickers to find meaningful and lucrative jobs.
Ezoic
The State of Montana agricultural industry flourishes in spite of climates featuring limited precipitation. On average, most of Big Sky Country receives between 14 and 16 inches of precipitation per annum, excluding the mountainous western regions characterized by the Rocky Mountains, which often receive as much as 50 inches of precipitation a year. Many of the areas to the east of the territory remain arid and desert-like. Farming operations in the east require specialized methods to sustain successful production of crops and livestock. Dry farming and major irrigation campaigns remain integral and render the otherwise unusable lands fruitful, expansive, and of great value to the state gross domestic product.
However, Montana features harsh contrasts in weather between warm and cold seasons. In areas under 4,000 ft. above sea level, temperatures remain much cooler than the arid plains regions. During the winter, average temperatures remain in the low 20s throughout the state, while summer temperatures for eastern counties average between 60 and 80 degrees. The mountainous regions experience temperatures 10 to 20 degrees cooler during the summer. Ironically, the mountains retain vegetation much better than the plains regions due to the nearly five-fold difference in annual precipitation and widespread presence of evergreens, which remain live year-round.
Some of the largest commercial agricultural outfits operating in The Treasure State include massive cattle ranches like Broken O Ranch in Augusta, MT, and Mission Ranch in Livingston, MT. Ranches employ dozens of farmhands to drive, roundup, and brand cattle as well as manage small farms within the giant properties, which sometimes reach in excess of 100,000 acres. Commercial farms also need dedicated workers to pick fruits and vegetables. Picking jobs and employment as cattle herders offer pay scales around the national industry median, which sits at $69,000 a year. Entry-level farmhands may earn piece-rate salary options, which vary based on duration of service. Consult the list below to find more information about farming jobs available in the Montana agricultural industry: