Agriculture under the Stars

Agriculture under the Stars. . Look up a night and you can see why this is called Star Valley. As early as the 1870's, the Mormon Church was placing cattle here to summer graze on the lush meadows. Later, Mormon pioneers dotted the valley with small farms consisting of dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep and hogs supported by hay and small grain production. As dairies became more productive, Star Valley producers needed a market. Butter, and later cheese, was shipped all over the country, There have been as least 20 creameries and 5 cheese plants in Star Valley. , The extreme environmental conditions and remote location made Star Valley a favorite haven for individuals who had no interest in running into lawmen. The first settlers who stayed the winters fit into this group. After they experienced several of these winters, the settler realized winter hay storage would be an important part of agriculture in Star Valley. , In the 1940's , the Wyoming Game and Fish began to feed elk, giving producers a market for their hay. Ranch and farmland provides open space and needed habitat for many wildlife species. Star Valley boasts some of the country's greatest fisheries and waterfowl areas. , Star Valley is surrounded by three national forests that support thousands of sheep and cattle on summer range. Today, the valley is a mix of agriculture, recreational properties, and homes. The open space agriculture provides is one of the reasons so many people choose to live in Star Valley.