Organic Gardener Podcast

Jim Swanson shares his journey of raising llamas at the Fantasy Land Ranch in Bigfork, MT and raising vegetables in a Montana rain forest climate. Living near the famous Flathead Cherry Orchards on the East Side of Flathead Lake, Jim turns hard work and initiative into a successful life living in Montana’s beautiful outdoors. Tell us a little about yourself. Bigfork (elevation 2900’) is like a rain forrest. We get double the rainfall in Kalispell, same with snowfall, they’ll get a couple of inches in town and we’ll end up with a foot out of the deal. The confluence of the Columbia range runs up there behind me and then there’s the beginning of the Swan Range and where those two ranges meet, is what makes it’s own little weather system there. The lake has a lot to do with it, the extra moisture in the air helps with the greenery and ability to grow fruit. Born in Whitefish grew up in Eureka. Tell me about your first gardening experience? My memory with my first gardening experiences was with Mom, always had