Rosebud and Treasure Counties represent a diverse landscape and population. Covering 6,000+ square miles, the two counties account for a vast geographic area. Three incorporated cities, Forsyth, Colstrip and Hysham, and several additional communities and the Northern Cheyenne Reservation are located in the counties. The northern portion of both counties provides wide open prairies met by the Yellowstone River. The southern half offers rugged, pine-covered hills. Farming, ranching energy development, and railroad make up the majority of the economic drivers. MSU Extension in Rosebud and Treasure Counties strives to meet the needs of the constituents and communities within the two counties by offering various educational programs and services.

Rosebud County sunset.
Photo Courtesy of Sharon Borla

Forsyth is looking to the future with renewed enthusiasm and spirit thanks largely to the MSU Extension-led program, Reimagining Rural. The web-based series began as an approach to help small towns recognize their potential and become reinvigorated with hometown pride. Forsyth is a Reimagining Rural success story. Participating since its inception, community volunteers excitedly took on the task of moving Forsyth forward with some pretty big goals, including a refreshed community brand and branding toolkit, as well as downtown improvements.

With help from MSU Extension, the community successfully applied to become a member of the Montana Main Street Program. Moving forward with the community branding, MSU Extension also assisted the group in creating and completing a community branding survey, which netted nearly 300 responses. Data gathered from the survey will be integral in developing the brand. Through grants, donations and city/county contributions, the group secured a $10,000 match and is seeking an additional $50,000 from the Montana Main Street Program to begin drafting the new community brand and downtown beautification efforts. The branding will include logos, a tagline, and a unified typeset and color palette. All will be in a “toolkit” available to community organizations and businesses for promoting the community. The beautification efforts include new community entrance signs, downtown light pole banners, information kiosks, benches, garbage receptacles and way-finding signage, all incorporating the new brand. Forsyth residents love their small town and all it offers. This was evident from the survey, which has also invigorated the volunteers to work even harder to make important improvements. People want Forsyth to be a thriving, vibrant small town. Thanks to the leadership and guidance from MSU Extension, improvements are happening.

The Rosebud County courthouse in Forsyth.
Photo Courtesy of Sharon Borla

For nearly a century, 4-H has played a vital role in developing Rosebud and Treasure Counties youth. Generations of kids have gained critical life skills needed to become engaged and contributing community members. The county fair is the highlight of every 4-H member's year. The fairgrounds improvement project’s vision is to expand and enhance the fairground facilities to increase capacity and create a positive and safe environment for all fairgoers, from youth participants to our senior citizens, so that our 4-H program continues to thrive into the future. In 2022, MSU Extension secured $33,500 from grants, sponsorships and donations to support the facility upgrades. The project was a high priority as participating youth have worked with temporary make-shift facilities for about five years. The livestock projects have seen an upswing in participation, and the facilities could no longer adequately serve the youth. The improvement project's first phase was erecting a new beef wash rack and barn. The second phase will include upgrading fencing and seating.

Having modern facilities is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it provides a safe environment for all. Secondly, the improved facilities attract more members and spectators, which helps grow the 4-H program, and the program instills life skills like no other. Clubs in Rosebud and Treasure Counties regularly support their communities through service projects like the beef-to-school program, purchasing and installing community benches, road sign improvements, fire relief efforts, community clean-up efforts, and blood drives. Therefore, kids may be attracted to the program because of the fair, but they are gaining so much more through their club participation, activities and being invested members of their communities.

4-H'ers getting market animals ready for the Rosebud-Treasure County Fair.
Photo Courtesy of Jennifer Anderson