Food, Montana

Our guest today is Tommy Bass. Tommy is an extension specialist in animal and range sciences at Montana State University. He works across local and regional food systems in a variety of advisory capacities ranging from the supply chain level all the way to farms, ranches and processors. He has a background in water quality and conservation work. In recent years, he's worked across the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest on projects including the Mountain Meat Summits, a biannual conference, and in collaboration with other university partners to provide technical assistance to livestock and meat businesses across the region.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 184

Our guest today is Elizabeth Swank. Elizabeth is a doctorate student in the Indigenous and Rural Health program at Montana State University and the development coordinator at Hopa Mountain, a Bozeman-based nonprofit. An enrolled member of the Apsáalooke Nation, she grew up in Garryowen. With a background in nursing and community health, and a masters in Sustainable Food Systems, Elizabeth is passionate about supporting community needs. When not in school or working with communities, she enjoys gardening, hiking, beading, pow-wows, and being with her family.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 184

Our guest today is Kira Jarosz. Kira is the owner of Black Dog Farm along with her husband, Tim. They started the farm, which is northwest of Livingson, in 2017, the same year Kira graduated from vet school. The original goal was to raise food for their family that tasted really good and that they could feel good about eating. But later that same year, they began selling eggs to the public, and the following year, they started raising pork and chicken. She practiced as a vet  in Livingston for 3.5 years before leaving to run the farm full-time. In 2025, they raised 105 pigs, 7,000 meat chickens, 600 ducks and had a flock of 1200 laying hens. 

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 183

Our guest today is Cole Mannix. Cole grew up near the small community of Helmville, on a ranch that his family has run 1882. Today, he lives about 60 miles east of Helmville with his spouse, Eileen Brennan, and their two sons, Finn and Charlie. For the past 15 years, Cole has worked as a sort of urban ranch hand, as he’s built Old Salt Co-op, a vertically integrated, regenerative meat marketplace for fine American meat. He loves good food and live music in small venues.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 175

Our guest today is Ali Moxley. Ali is a graduate of Montana State University’s Sustainable Food Systems Master’s Program. She has worked across the food system in lab settings, grocery stores, restaurants, and at a variety of vegetable farms across the Gallatin Valley. She is a co-founder of SporeAttic, a specialty cultivated mushroom farm here in Bozeman. Ali now works as a consultant helping farmers across the state and country find, write, and apply for funding. 

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 100.

Today we’ve got a bonus episode for you, a recording of a panel I led this past fall for the nonprofit Farm to Crag at Story Mill Park in Bozeman. 

The theme was “Food, Farming, Fairness and Finance: Building Equitable Food Systems.” 

Our guests were two longtime organic farmers, Jacy Rothschiller and Bob Quinn, as well as Caleb Williams, who at the time was finishing a Masters focused on improving access to locally-grown food in Tribal communities. 

Some background on Farm to Crag, the organization that hosted the panel. Founded by a friend of mine, Kate Rutherford, in 2019, it’s a national group that works to inspire the outdoor recreation community to invest in regenerative food systems. We interviewed its interim executive director, Esther Smith, in Episode 9 of Food, Montana, so check that out if you’re interested in the org and its connection to Montana. 

A heads up that since the panel was part of a live, outdoor event, the recording isn’t our usual studio quality. Also,I had completely lost my voice due to illness a week prior, and it was still really scratchy. - Emily

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 100.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 35

Our guest today is Wyatt Nelson, founder of Montana Local Food Distribution, a wholesale food distributor. Sourcing animal proteins from farms and ranches around the state including in Fort Benton, Belt, Corvallis, Hardin, and Big Timber, Nelson provides products to grocery stores, restaurants, and institutions. Previously, he was the meat and seafood manager at the Community Food Co-op in Bozeman for over a decade, and has worked as a butcher, super model and film maker, in that order.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 100

Welcome to Food, Montana, after our one week break. Population: 75

Our guest today is Esther Smith. Esther is a physical therapist in Bozeman and part time executive director of the nonprofit Farm to Crag. In 1999, at age 17, she and her sister and brother taught themselves how to farm organically, tend to an orchard, and raise and process animals including goats, sheep, pigs, turkeys and chickens. Now, through Farm to Crag and her other volunteer efforts in the Gallatin Valley, Esther is looking to create connections between individual, community and planetary health. She is particularly interested in deepening our understanding of food as medicine.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.

Welcome to Food, Montana. Population: 71

Our guest today, Jill Holder, has been working to improve food security in Southwest Montana for the past 13 years. She is the Food & Nutrition Director for the Human Resource Development Council, which operates the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Big Sky Community Food Bank, Headwaters Area Food Bank, the Fork & Spoon pay-what-you-can restaurant, KidsPack, summer lunch and a senior grocery program.

Jill believes in good food for everyone that doesn’t degrade the planet or community. For most of her life, she has worked for organizations that utilize volunteers, and she believes volunteers add compassion and enthusiasm, and that volunteering is one of the few things that makes a difference in this world. In Jill’s past professions, she has worked in therapeutic recreation, energy assistance and even as a guide for Llama trips.

Food, Montana is hosted by Emily Stifler Wolfe and Jeremy Nadison.