The Gallatin Valley is a bustling place. Snug in the shadow of towering Rocky Mountain peaks, the valley is home to Montana State University, the hip and thriving town of Bozeman and a diverse, often progressive community of farmers — ranging from container hydroponic growers of salad greens to large-scale commercial producers — that make it feel more like a California valley than one in Montana.

Brian Moore stuck a small shovel into the ground, pushed it down with his foot and pulled up a chunk of soil interlaced with roots and decaying plant matter.