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YES Compost & Big Sky Resort Tax

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Big Sky, Montana is technically unincorporated — no town council, no mayor — yet it generates $25 million a year in resort tax revenue and just became the most taxable community in the state. We sat down with Daniel Bierschwale, Executive Director of Big Sky Resort Area District (BSRAD), to break down how resort taxes work, what the new hospital district means for residents, and why Big Sky is essentially funding two teachers per school district across all 391 Montana school districts.

And while we’re talking dirty details, Karl Johnson, owner of YES Compost, joins to explain what vermicomposting is. It’s hundreds of thousands of worms eating your food scraps and pooping out garden gold. We talk worm aversions (no citrus, no onions, definitely no diapers), scaling from 10 lbs of worms to a city-wide composting operation, and the one commercial client who really should have read the green bucket guidelines.

This episode was made possible by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce, for your enjoyment and information.

Learn more about Big Sky Resort Tax: ResortTax.org

And sign up for YES Compost here: YesCompost.comTopics covered: Big Sky resort tax | BSRAD | Montana local government | vermicomposting | worm castings | Big Sky housing | hospital district | Gallatin Valley composting | Big Sky Chamber of Commerce

Remembering Andrea Eastman (1940-2026)

A sad look back at a special conversation.

Our friend Andrea Eastman passed away August 26 and we wanted to remember her in her own distinctive words. Andrea was a legendary casting director (The Godfather, Love Story) and longtime Gallatin Valley local.

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