Chamber readies for annual farm tour

The Agriculture and Forestry Committee of the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce will be conducting its 43rd annual Farm Tour on Wednesday, June 17.

Registration deadline for the tour is Monday, June 8. Pre-registration cost of the tour is $25 per person, and children 15 and under are $10 each. A$30 late registration fee will be accepted on a limited basis June 8 through the day of the tour.

The tour will visit three sites.

At the McNall Shorthorn Ranch watch herding dogs works, learn about the history of the McNall shorthorn cattle ranch and how this family incorporates the balance of nature in their ranching and logging operation.

At the second stop on the tour, Ponderay Garden Center, kids can do container planting, participants can explore the garden center and learn what can happen when agriculture space meets city expansion and when vision is combined with a sense of community. Ponderay Garden Center hosts six different themed retail buildings all part of the original farm buildings; enjoy a series of meandering trails that guide customers through each of its outdoor shopping zones. Smokey the Bear will be stopping by for a visit at the Garden Center during our lunch which is hosted and served by the Cattlewomen’s Association.

The final stop on the tour will bring back memories from days ago, an old fashion hay ride through the 400 acres of Sandpoint Ranch Tree Farm. At any given time Sandpoint Ranch is caring for 350,000 trees. Dozens of varieties of deciduous trees are grown including various types of maples, poplars and honey locust; around 15 varieties of conifers, including firs, pines and spruce are grown to satisfy the annual harvest of more than 20,000 Christmas rrees and 6,000 nursery products.

Registered participants will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Idaho Extension Office – Fairgrounds with the buses leaving promptly at 9 a.m. The tour will return to the fairgrounds by 5 p.m. The fee includes transportation, refreshments and lunch. Each Farm Tour participant will receive a goodie bag filled with fun items, games and educational materials to be used after the tour.

The 43rd annual Farm Tour is sponsored by: Carter Country Farm & Feed, Columbia Tractor, Co-Op Country Store, Farm Bureau, Mt. West Bank, Panhandle State Bank, Dale Reed – St. Farm Insurance, University of Idaho Extension, Wilbur-Willis and Wood’s V-X Ranch.

For more information on the 2009 Farm Tour or to register, please contact the University of Idaho Extension Office at 263-8511.