Heartland: Calves and crops, the off-season for local producers

Read the full 2026 Heartland publication here.

The 2026 edition of Heartland highlights the rhythms, challenges and traditions of agriculture across the Mission Valley. 

Heartland opens with a look at Glen and Karen Raisland’s Red Angus operation near St. Ignatius, where calving season begins earlier than most ranches. The Raislands rely on artificial insemination and genetic selection to improve herd quality, shorten calving seasons and maintain consistent calf crops.

Check in on agricultural pilot Wacey Cathey of Black Gulch Aviation, who prepares for the busy spring spray season. His work demands long days—sometimes up to 14 hours of flying—and precision passes just feet above the ground. Cathey notes that misinformation about crop treatments remains a significant challenge.

Heartland also features youth involvement in agriculture through the Western Montana Stockmen’s Association Scholarship Heifer Program, where students learn cattle breeding, responsibility and herd management.

Additional coverage includes the Mission Valley’s cherry industry, which benefited from a mild winter, and a profile of the multigenerational Lake family, who prepare their equipment and seed potatoes each year for shipment to major commercial markets.