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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

Podcast cover: two hosts in a split-screen video call with a teal tint, for 'Big Sky’s Vet & New Headmaster' (EP. 553).

Big Sky’s Vet & New Headmaster

Residents of Big Sky, Montana have an increasing number of options and opportunities, and on this episode, we’ll feature a couple of great examples.
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Podcast cover featuring two hosts in a studio for 'Big Sky PBR 2026: Elite Rodeo Food' (EP. 552)

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Big Sky PBR, recently crowned 12-time event of the year, will ride again this July 16-18. And I hope you’re hungry, because the lineup of chefs is a murderers row: James Beard Award winner Eduardo Garcia, Top Chef alum Emily Hahn, plus some of the most acclaimed chefs in the Mountain West and beyond: Sheldon Simeon (Top Chef, touring his second cookbook), Jamie Lynch (Top Chef), Josh Adams of Livingston’s Campione (James Beard nominee), and Jarrett Wrisley of Shan (James Beard nominee).

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