Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why Missoula’s Green Bench Orchard canceled this year’s u-pick apples
Coming up: Broad Comedy on the Missoula Patch calendar
Coffee in hand, Missoula? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why Missoula's Green Bench Orchard canceled this year's u-pick apples
- How new zoning is finally bringing more affordable homes to Missoula
- How Missoula's barn quilts are quietly saving historic rural buildings
Also on today's calendar: Energy Healing Conference Missoula and 1 more event.
Today's riddle: What happened to the pregnant cat that ate yarn? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny and cool, with a high of 63 and low of 39 degrees.
- Wednesday: Sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 77, low: 43.
- Thursday: Partial sunshine, with a high of 80 and low of 47 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Green Bench Orchard navigates challenges after May freeze, fire blight (kpax.com) — Green Bench Orchard in Missoula has lost most of its apple crop to a May freeze and a rare outbreak of fire blight, forcing the cancellation of this year's popular u-pick season. Owner Fred Stewart is pruning diseased branches and hoping for a stronger harvest next year, while pointing locals toward other Montana orchards if they still want to pick apples this fall. 
2. New affordable housing projects open doors for Missoula residents (kpax.com) — Missoula residents facing high housing costs are finally seeing new income-restricted apartments and for-sale homes become available, including the 16-unit Opportunity Place project. City planners say recent zoning reforms and low-income housing tax credits are helping more dense, affordable developments move forward, though additional projects may still take several years to fully materialize.
3. What Those Painted Squares on Montana Barns Really Mean (945maxcountry.com) — Missoula's growing barn quilt trail is turning colorful painted squares into a tool for preserving historic barns and outbuildings in the Target Range and Orchard Homes areas. Local organizers hope the eye-catching patterns will draw attention, encourage maintenance, and keep these rural structures standing for another century, while connecting Missoula to a broader statewide and national quilt trail movement.
4. Griz seek third straight win as Utah Tech visits Missoula (nbcmontana.com) — Griz fans in Missoula can look forward to a third straight home game as Montana hosts new Big Sky member Utah Tech at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday. The 2-0 Grizzlies aim to keep momentum under first-year coach Bobby Kennedy, while star running back Eli Gillman has a chance to break the program's overall touchdown record in front of the home crowd.
5. Missoula union members, leaders host Labor Day barbecue (nbcmontana.com) — Union members from the Missoula area marked Labor Day with a barbecue at Fort Missoula, raising money for a scholarship fund and celebrating workers' rights. Attendees heard from union leaders and Democratic U.S. House candidate Sam Forstag, who highlighted his experience representing federal employees in Montana's national forests and emphasized the importance of organized labor in the state.
📸 Around Missoula
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Missoula
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Broad Comedy →
The Wilma, 131 S Higgins Ave Ste 2-1, Missoula
7:00 pm
Thursday September 24
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Energy Healing Conference Missoula →
Hilton Garden Inn Missoula, 3720 N Reserve St, Missoula
9:30 am - Mountain Grass Unit →
Top Hat, 134 W Front St, Missoula
7:00 pm - Nolan Taylor →
Top Hat, 134 W Front St, Missoula
7:00 pm
Saturday September 26
Sunday September 27
Tuesday October 6
📣 Missoula Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Soccer White & Blue teams at TR vs CS Porter
Target Range Elementary 4095 South Ave W, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
4:00 pm - Soccer White & Blue Teams @ TR vs Hellgate
Target Range Elementary 4095 South Ave W, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
4:00 pm - Orchard Homes Farmers Market →
Orchard Homes Country Life Club, 2537 S 3rd St W, Missoula
4:30 pm - TR Hoedown - PTO
Target Range Elementary TRS-1-Field & Grounds (100)
6:00 pm - Volleyball B @ Lolo
Lolo Elementary School District , MT, USA
4:00 pm - Volleyball A @ TR vs Lolo A
Target Range Elementary, 4095 South Ave W, Missoula
4:00 pm - Cross Country @ Frenchtown
Frenchtown Pond / Frenchtown HS Softball Complex
4:00 pm - Soccer White & Blue teams vs Frenchtown @ Fort Missoula Field 8
Target Range Elementary, 3401-3499 South Ave W, Missoula
4:00 pm
Wednesday September 9
Thursday September 10
Monday September 14
Wednesday September 16
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Missoula Dental is top notch.
Dr. McGreevy is very talented and gentle and his whole staff is very kind and helpful. He has done an extensive amount of work on my smile and I'm… (Nextdoor Clements Road) - Update:
Found my babies, finally Hi, neighbors, if you see these cuties pls message me. Thank you. (Nextdoor Windsor Park)
- SPECTRUM posted a job opening for Retail Sales Specialist in Missoula. Apply here.
- Bass Pro Shops posted a job opening for CLUB Customer Service - Full-Time in Missoula. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Missoula here.
Ok Missoula! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: She had mittens! (Thank you April M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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