Uncategorized
Mountain Outlaw magazine: Two Thousand Miles
Published
9 years agoon
By Jon Tester
They’re two worlds apart, Big Sandy, Montana, and Washington, D.C. One’s home, the other’s not. But a farmer’s mind is always on the farm no matter how many miles separate him from his crop.
It’s a Wednesday night in D.C. I get to bed around midnight knowing that I’m heading back home after votes tomorrow afternoon.
But I can’t sleep.
They’re predicting a storm in Big Sandy on Saturday, meaning I’ll only have Friday to finish planting peas and get 200 acres of wheat planted before I’m done with spring seeding. Fortunately, my wife Sharla has
been planting all week, so I’ll only need one more day to get all the seed in the ground. But with my busy Senate schedule, days on the farm are hard to come by.
It’s not the weather forecast that’s keeping me awake though. There’s enough light shining in from the street that I can make out every object in the room. I hear police sirens in the distance.
The noise is constant in this city. Somehow I manage to fall asleep.
On Thursday, I wake up early and put in a busy day in the Senate meeting with four groups from Montana, rushing to the floor to vote, hearing testimony in a committee. I barely make my flight back home.
My truck is sitting in the airport parking lot when I land in Great Falls. I get in, drive off and get to the farm in an hour. After washing up, I crawl into bed and close my eyes.
There’s no noise. When I turn my head toward the window, stars offer the only light I see.
I wake up before the sun does, get dressed, drink a cup of coffee, and put on a baseball cap so faded you can’t make out the team’s name.
When the sun comes up there’s a light dusting of snow on the ground, about a tenth of an inch.
One of the bearings is out on the packer wheel. That’s four hours down the tube.
After smashing a couple fingers replacing the bearing, I’m driving the tractor.
I make long, wide passes over bare earth. I can see the Sweet Grass Hills in the distance over 80 miles away. That’s almost to Canada. I look to the east and see a small herd of antelope standing still. I listen to the low groan of the tractor motor.
Being on the farm rejuvenates me. It’s the open space, the quiet, and the physically demanding work. It’s getting my hands dirty and a little beat up.
It’s home.
U.S. Senator Jon Tester hails from Big Sandy, Montana. He and Sharla still farm the land his grandparents homesteaded in 1912. He was elected to the United States Senate in 2006, and reelected in 2012.
This story was first published in the summer 2015 issue of Mountain Outlaw magazine.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
more
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Event Details
Thursday of the Lord’s Supper Mass
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Time
(Thursday) 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm