 I'm near Powell in the Bighorn Basin of northwest Wyoming. Behind me you'll see a field of barley. The Bighorn Basin is one of Wyoming's important areas for field crops. While much of Wyoming is home to livestock ranching, there are relatively few places that support intensive farming. With a combination of productive soils, a long growing season, and adequate irrigation, the Bighorn Basin supports a variety of crops such as sugar beets, corn, beans, barley, and others. 27% of the value of crops produced in all of Wyoming are grown in the Bighorn Basin. In 1910 the nation's first federal water development project, called the Shoshone Project, culminated with the completion of Buffalo Bill Reservoir and Dam. Plants like these have turned parts of this semi-arid landscape into viable farming operations. The University of Wyoming has a research and extension center near Powell. That conducts research and crop trials to assist farmers with growing sustainable and profitable crops. From the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, I'm Barton Stam, exploring the nature of Wyoming.