Colleen Buck: Hill County's new agriculture extension agent

Hill County recently hired a new Montana State University Extension agriculture agent, Colleen Buck, taking over the position previously held by Tom Allen, who left at the end of last year.

Buck started her position last week.

Buck said she's been excited to start her new job, and is especially looking forward to getting to know the people of Hill County and help local ag producers with whatever they need.

"I have a deep passion for agriculture and this is my way of giving back to the producers and to the industry," she said.

She said her passion for agriculture began early in life growing up on farms and ranches before getting an agriculture business degree as well as an animal science degree from the University of Wyoming, before going to New Mexico State University to get a master's degree in ruminant nutrition.

Buck was perviously the Agriculture Agent in Sheridan County, a position which she has held since 2015 but she relocated to Hill County in preparation for her wedding to her fiancé, Beau Pegar, a farmer and rancher in Big Sandy.

Buck, who split 4-H duties with her fellow extension agent in Sheridan County, said she's also eager to work with Hill County's young people in 4-H here.

"I'm very excited for the opportunity to get to work with Hill County youth and hopefully grow the 4-H program," she said.

While it has been a few years since her last time here, Hill County is not entirely new to her, having visited many times when her sister, Robin Weinmeister, was attending Montana State University-Northern.

In her free time, she said, she's an avid reader and enjoys almost any activity that takes place outside including horse riding and hunting.

As Hill County's new ag agent, her job is to provide unbiased research-based information to producers and people in Hill County, and help the county's youth by fostering opportunities that facilitate the growth of better leaders.

Buck said her first week on the job has been good so far and while she's still getting her feet under her, she has been able to answer a few calls about tree care and upcoming nutrition classes.

She said she worked in the county courthouse in Sheridan County and her new office in the Hill County Courthouse is similar and it's been good getting everything set up.

She said everyone at the Hill County Courthouse has been pleasant and helpful and she looks forward to working with them.

She said the first major event she will be a part of is the small animal weigh-in April 10 which she will attend.

Looking forward into the near future, Buck said, she expects to get a lot of calls from people with horticulture question as people in the area start gardening again.

She said she expects ag producers will call with wheat identification and nitrate questions as well as concerns about potential wheat diseases and possible upcoming drought conditions.

She said she's especially concerned about that last one, given how this past winter has gone.

"We haven't had a whole lot of moisture across the Hi-Line this winter and it's going to be important to implement some strategies to mitigate drought," she said.

Buck said potential drought conditions could become especially problematic if the area doesn't receive much spring rain.

She said if anyone has questions on any of these subjects, big or small, they should come to her office at the Hill County Courthouse or give her a call at 265-5481.

"My door is always open," she said.