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Made in Montana Vendors offer state products

Jim Wohlbach, brewer for the Sleeping Giant Brewery, pitches the company’s Lewis and Clark Lager at the Made in Montana trade show at the Great Falls Civic Center on Friday. The show is open to the public today Saturday 4/3/04.

California’s capital isn’t the only place with its own "Terminator."

By JO DEE BLACK
Tribune Staff Writer

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/news/stories/20040403/localnews/163375.html

Gov. Judy Martz went back to Helena Friday from the Made In Montana show at the Civic Center with The Dandelion Terminator — the first one off the line.

If she could have, Montana’s governor said she would have left with a few shopping bags full of stuff.

Martz, along with more than 500 buyers, browsed among 111 booths showcasing everything from soap to salsa at the trade show. Friday’s event was for businesses and wholesale buyers only.

The Made in Montana show is open to the public today.

A coordinated effort by the state’s agriculture and commerce departments, the only requirement is that products are made in Montana with Montana goods.

Edward Reed of Helena came up with The Dandelion Terminator, a jagged metal tool that attaches to hand-held drills and digs out weeds, after his wife delegated him with dandelion digging duty.

"At first I used a drill, then I came up with something similar to this," he said brandishing the foot-and-a-half long tool. "I kept saying ‘someone should be selling these’."

Instead of waiting, Reed lined up investors and a Bozeman tool company to get the device produced. Reed and his wife, Debbie, along with about eight of those investors, spent Thursday evening in Helena assembling and packaging the first 100 Dandelion Terminators. Friday was the product’s debut.

"This is like giving birth," Debbie Reed said.

"I told the governor this is a very expensive piece of merchandise, it cost us $50,000 to make it," Reed said.

The Reed’s gave Martz the first one assembled as a gift. Since it retails for about $25, she didn’t break a state law that says elected officials can only accept gifts worth $50 or less.

"I told them once I retired I’ll use this all the time," Martz said. "My back yard in Butte is full of dandelions."

Martz’s term ends in January and she’s not running for re-election.

The Reeds weren’t the only ones pressing late-minute deadlines to get ready for the show.

After feverishly spending two weeks up to their elbows in mud to prepare, two Missoula T-shirt makers were all smiles by Friday afternoon.

Renne Labrie and Kim Fraser’s Montana Mud Shirts, dyed with dirt, caught a fair share of attention.

"We made some good contacts and we got great feedback from the buyers and the other vendors," Labrie said. "Now I’m almost worried that we didn’t bring more kids clothes."

Buyer Lynnette Emborg from the West Yellowstone gift store, Smith & Chandler, placed orders with vendors she already does business with and checked out some new ones.

"As far as Montana products go, this is the most unique show I attend," she said.

The bulk of buyers are from Montana, but the show attracts others from surrounding states, Canada and even Japan.

Takashi Kubo, who runs a Japanese import business, was particularly interested in organic and health food products from Montana.

"This is a screaming deal," said Dan Wannebo of Sleep Giant Brewing Co. in Helena. "There is no way we could afford to get this kind of exposure to buyers on our own."

Black can be reached by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at (406) 791-6502 or (800) 438-6600.

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