Dry land gardening workshop
May
4
11:00 AM11:00

Dry land gardening workshop

Well, we’d scheduled our annual fruit tree pruning workshop for April 6th, but with spring coming as early as it has this year, by then it’ll be well past pruning season! And so, in anticipation of a long, warm summer, we thought it might be more worthwhile to host a Dry Land Gardening Workshop instead.

Unless it snows quite a lot, the well we use to water the homestead garden typically dries up in August. If we want to continue watering our vegetable garden beyond then, we have to truck the water in. All this effort over the years has made us think about ways to reduce our watering needs. We still water a bit to set the seed and give the plants a boost when they’re really looking sad, but last year, we only watered our garden 5 times. Of course, this effort is a “work in progress”—but isn’t that what gardening is all about anyway?

Come kick off our open visitation season and learn a little bit about the water-wise vegetable gardening strategies we’ve found to be successful.

Free. Individuals, families, and kids welcome. Dogs need to be on leash during open hours.

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Fall Gathering 2024 SAVE-THE-DATE
Oct
5
5:00 PM17:00

Fall Gathering 2024 SAVE-THE-DATE

This October, come celebrate another season gone by at the Moon-Randolph Homestead’s Annual Fall Gathering. Join us for a harvest feast, cider and beer, apple pressing, live music and dancing under the moon. Family friendly. Funds raised at this event form the backbone of our annual budget supporting efforts to explore and celebrate Missoula’s human, ecological, and agricultural history. Find out more about how we build community and make history come alive at www.moonrandolphhomestead.org.

TICKETS and VOLUNTEER INFO will be available in early September.

TO SPONSOR this event or find other ways to support historic preservation and community building at the Homestead, contact Katie at: moonrandolph@gmail.com.

MANY THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

  • North Missoula Community Development Corporation

  • Five Valleys Land Trust

  • Missoula City Historic Preservation

  • Missoula City Parks and Recreation

  • Fall Gathering Planning Committee

  • Moon-Randolph Homestead Volunteers & Interns

  • OpenAIR Missoula

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Become a Tour Guide!
Mar
31
11:58 PM23:58

Become a Tour Guide!

Volunteer Tour Guides host public visitation at the Moon-Randolph Homestead. As a Tour Guide, you’ll get to share this special place with curious visitors, helping them get oriented to the site, learn about its history, and share in its many wonders. There is often downtime between visiting groups, during which you’ll also get to savor your afternoon at this unique ranch and historic site.

Applications due March 31st.

For more details and application information visit: https://www.moonrandolphhomestead.org/become-a-tour-guide.

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Volunteer Celebration & Bonfire!
Oct
28
4:00 PM16:00

Volunteer Celebration & Bonfire!

Wow, folks! What a great year 2023 has been for the Moon-Randolph. A vibrant community of folks have given their love, energy, and support this year to this unique and special place. Together we have assembled and disassembled a new stage covering; installed a garden (and put it to bed); completed an engineering report for the barn; pruned the Heritage Orchard; mended fences and gate; thinned, mulched, weeded, & watered the plants that call this place home; fed the pigs; fundraised; picked some apples; pressed cider; held a chicken or two; and put on a pretty magical Fall Gathering despite the rain. This is truly a community site.

In appreciation of that community, the Caretakers are hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Bonfire from 4pm - 7ish on our last Open Saturday, October 28th. Please RSVP to moonrandolph@gmail.com by Wednesday that week (October 25th) so we have enough chili and s’mores to keep everyone warm. (We’ll have some bowls and spoons but feel free to bring your own! Camp chairs might be nice too! Instruments encouraged!)

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Bring in the apples!
Oct
7
2:00 PM14:00

Bring in the apples!

On Saturday, October 7th, help us harvest apples! From 3-5pm, spend time in our 130 year old heritage orchard, collecting several varieties of apples for use in next year’s Homestead Cider! In big apple years like this one, Western Cider brews a single batch cider with apples from this orchard. One keg will be available at next year’s Fall Gathering and 10% of any in-house sales return to the Homestead.

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The Fall Gathering at the Moon-Randolph Homestead '23
Sep
30
5:00 PM17:00

The Fall Gathering at the Moon-Randolph Homestead '23

Sorry, folks: this event is SOLD OUT! Even if you missed it this year, you can still support the homestead and contribute to our fall fundraiser at: https://www.moonrandolphhomestead.org/donate. Funds raised at the Fall Gathering form the backbone of our annual budget supporting efforts to explore and celebrate Missoula’s human, ecological, and agricultural history.

Find out more about how we build community and make history come alive at www.moonrandolphhomestead.org.

TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!

VOLUNTEER INFO: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4DAEAA2CA3FA7-2023

PLEASE SUPPORT OUR EVENT SPONSORS:

  • Western Cider

  • Clearwater Credit Union

  • Good Food Store

  • Awesome Herbs

  • Grist

  • Golden Yolk Griddle

  • Ink Realty

  • Blackcoffee Company

  • Bedrock Sandals

  • Worden's Market

  • Cambie Taphouse

  • Eco Montana

  • Bernice's Bakery

  • Great Bear Foundation

  • Missoula City Zero Waste

  • The Wren

  • Missoula Bone and Joint

  • AlphaGraphics

  • Valley Landscape Supply

  • Dharma Wellness Spa

  • Wild Rockies Field Institute

  • Western Montana Growers Co-op

  • Sweet Pea Septic

  • Big Dipper Ice Cream

  • The Runner's Edge

WANT TO SPONSOR this event or find other ways to support historic preservation and community building at the Homestead? Contact Katie at: moonrandolph@gmail.com.

MANY THANKS ALSO TO OUR 2023 COMMUNITY PARTNERS:

  • North Missoula Community Development Corporation

  • Five Valleys Land Trust

  • Missoula City Historic Preservation

  • Missoula City Parks and Recreation

  • Fall Gathering Planning Committee

  • Moon-Randolph Homestead Volunteers & Interns

  • OpenAIR Missoula

  • Foundation for Montana History

  • National Trust for Historic Preservation

  • Fearless Engineers LLC

  • A&E Architects

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OpenAIR Workshop: Honor your inner creator with Michelle Boulé
Sep
21
6:00 PM18:00

OpenAIR Workshop: Honor your inner creator with Michelle Boulé

About the workshop: This workshop is designed to help you tune into your most authentic, creative, and embodied self. We each have a version of this within ourselves, but we haven't always been given the tools for stepping into this truth. Michelle will guide workshop participants through a short centering meditation, her "Moving with Innate Wisdom" practice, and energy healing and guidance for any participants who want to be in the "hot seat." All are welcome. No previous movement experience is required.

Audience: This workshop is suitable for all ages. No experience is required.

What to bring: This workshop will be outdoors, so dress for the weather! Wear comfy clothes and bring an optional journal and blanket to sit on.

Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated! 

Register here: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins.

About the Artist: Michelle Boulé is a “Bessie” Award-winning dance artist, teacher, transformational coach, and healer who explores the connections between movement, consciousness, human potential, and creativity. She came to Missoula to connect more deeply with nature and herself (loves it!) after 21 years of living in NYC and traveling the world through her professional dance + healing work. 

She’s worked as a collaborative performer with many choreographers, including Bebe Miller, John Jasperse, Deborah Hay, Aine Stapleton, and Miguel Gutierrez (2001-15). She has received numerous awards, including a NYFA Choreography Fellowship, Distinguished Legacy Award (University of Illinois), New Music USA Grant, Boekelheide Creativity Award, Jerome Travel & Study Grant, and residencies from MT Open AIR, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, Summer Stages Dance @The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, MacDowell, Yaddo, Bemis, Movement Research, and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. Michelle has taught at universities and institutions throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Since 2008 she has run a coaching+healing business, helping creatives to manifest their visions with confidence, alignment, and prosperity. To connect with her, follow and DM her on Instagram at @michelle.boule, and go to michelleboule.com to download her free Creative's Guide.

 

Cancellation: If you are registered and cannot attend the workshop, please let us know at program@openairmt.org so we can open the spot for another participant! 

 

Questions? Email program@openairmt.org

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Five Valleys Land Trust Volunteer Event
Sep
6
3:30 PM15:30

Five Valleys Land Trust Volunteer Event

Rescheduled due to heatwave in August. Now on Sept 6th!

Thirty years ago, Bill Randolph worked with Five Valleys Land Trust to protect his land’s agricultural and ecological values. This conservation easement also ensured that the land would never be subdivided.

Come help us celebrate this anniversary with a FVLT Hands-on-the-Land Volunteer Event!

To sign up, email: madison@fvlt.org.

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Artist's Talk with Kerri Rosenstein
Aug
3
6:00 PM18:00

Artist's Talk with Kerri Rosenstein

- Free and open to the public
- Presentation followed by a chance to meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments
- For accessibility concerns email info@openairmt.org
- Register at: https://form.jotform.com/231357145214146

Kerri Rosenstein is an interdisciplinary visual artist and collaborates with various communities as an educator, facilitator, creative director, and wilderness guide – including Pacific Northwest College of Art, Signal Fire’s Wide Open Studios, and Wild Rockies Field Institute. Her personal practice tends to be of a contemplative nature, rooted in ecological values. She is dedicated to ongoing learning and has trained in holistic health, permaculture, wilderness medicine, and heart-based facilitation, as well as degrees in Visual Arts and Psychology.

Open AIR is a project of the Western Montana Creative Initiatives, a non-profit whose mission is to enrich Western Montana’s community through the development of art-based place-making and programmatic development. More information on the Open AIR residencies and how to apply can be found here: https://www.openairmt.org/

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Artist's Talk with Michelle Boulé
Jun
27
5:00 PM17:00

Artist's Talk with Michelle Boulé

- Free and open to the public
- Presentation followed by a chance to meet the artist and enjoy light refreshments
- For accessibility concerns email info@openairmt.org
- Register at: https://form.jotform.com/231357145214146

 Michelle Boulé is a Missoula-based dance artist whose work explores the intersections of traditional and contemporary healing practices with art, to create aesthetically enlived experiences that remind us of the potential of what and who we are.   Boulé has received commissions and presentations from multiple venues in New York (where she lived for 21 years) and beyond, including The Chocolate Factory, Danspace Project, Triple Canopy, Baryshnikov Arts Center, Summer Stages Dance @ICA Boston, River to River Festival, The Met Breuer (with Okkyung Lee), and ISSUE Project Room. Awards received include: Distinguished Legacy Award from the University of Illinois, New York Foundation for the Arts Choreography Fellowship, Boekelheide Creativity Award, Jerome Foundation Travel & Study Grant, New Music USA Grant, Foundation for Contemporary Art Emergency Grant, and residencies from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, MacDowell, Yaddo, Bemis Center, Movement Research, and Dance Ireland. She has also been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Dance Magazine.   She is a “Bessie” Award winning performer, having collaborated with Miguel Gutierrez, Bebe Miller, John Jasperse, Deborah Hay, and Aine Stapleton, amongst others. She has danced, taught, and choreographed in over 25 countries, and also runs a life and business coaching practice that helps creatives all over the world manifest their visions with clarity, confidence, and aligned prosperity.

Open AIR is a project of the Western Montana Creative Initiatives, a non-profit whose mission is to enrich Western Montana’s community through the development of art-based place-making and programmatic development. More information on the Open AIR residencies and how to apply can be found here: https://www.openairmt.org/

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Solstice Concert with Naomi Moon Siegel Quartet & Special Guest Lee Rizzo
Jun
21
7:00 PM19:00

Solstice Concert with Naomi Moon Siegel Quartet & Special Guest Lee Rizzo

GET TICKETS for the June 21 Solstice Concert!

Bring a blanket, chairs, and spend an evening in the pasture listening to Naomi Moon Siegel Quartet with Lhanna Writesel (alto sax), Tommy Sciple (bass), Ed Stalling (drums) and special guest Lee Rizzo! Doors at 6pm, show from 7-9 pm. Kids are welcome. A portion of the proceeds will benefit interpretation and preservation of the Moon-Randolph Homestead.

Parking available on the south side of Spurlock Road 1/4 to 1 mile from site--be sure to leave time to walk from the parking area to the site. Look for signage leading up to the Homestead. Carpooling is encouraged. Hiking via the North Hills trails and biking via Spurlock Road is also encouraged! More accessible parking is available within 100 yards of the event for elders and those with disabilities. Plan for uneven ground in a mowed pasture.

This concert is one of a two part series. Don't forget to also get tickets for our June 14th Summer Concert with Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld.

No dogs, please. We love 'em, but just leave 'em at home for this event. Thanks for understanding!

About the musicians:

"The impression given by Naomi Moon Siegel is that she is serenading the constellations. There’s an imagery inherent to her music that is greater than the calculus of the notes, much in the same way a certain collection of stars become meaningful in the context of their astronomical shape and name and story." - Dave Sumner, Best of 2019 Jazz on Bandcamp

Trombonist, composer and educator Naomi Moon Siegel has "crafted a truly unique aesthetic, combining elements of straightahead, fusion and modern jazz with world-music flavors in a way that sounds entirely of the 21st century" (JAZZIZ). A recipient of the Montana Arts Council Artist Innovation Award, Chamber Music America Performance Plus Grant, and Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Award, she has released two albums as a bandleader to critical acclaim.

Improvisation, composition and community are at the heart of Siegel’s musical practice. Playing Siegel’s original music, the band employs deep grooves, soaring melodies, fantastical soundscapes, creative interplay, and improvisation investigating themes of grief, isolation, and connection amidst climate change and the other challenges of our world. Her ensemble is always listening and interacting, shaping each performance anew with dynamism. Her quartet features Missoula phenoms Lhanna Writesel on alto sax, Tommy Sciple on bass and Ed Stalling on drums.

Lee Rizzo is a humanist folk musician brought up in Missoula Montana. Her music and lyrics are a raw reflection of her inner and outer world serving to expose the love. https://www.leerizzo.com/music

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Summer Concert with Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld
Jun
14
7:00 PM19:00

Summer Concert with Martha Scanlan & Jon Neufeld

Tickets to June 14th concert with MARTHA SCANLAN & JON NEUFELD

Bring a blanket, chairs, and spend an evening in the pasture with musicians Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld. Doors at 6pm, show from 7-9 pm. Kids are welcome. A portion of the proceeds will benefit interpretation and preservation of the Moon-Randolph Homestead.

Parking available on the south side of Spurlock Road 1/4 to 1 mile from site--be sure to leave time to walk from the parking area to the site. Look for signage leading up to the Homestead. Carpooling is encouraged. Hiking via the North Hills trails and biking via Spurlock Road is also encouraged! More accessible parking is available within 100 yards of the event for elders and those with disabilities. Plan for uneven ground in a mowed pasture.

This concert is one of a two part series. Don't forget to also get tickets for our June 21st Solstice Concert with Naomi Moon Siegel Quartet and Special Guest Lee Rizzo.

No dogs, please. We love 'em, but just leave 'em at home for this event. Thanks for understanding!

About the musicians:

Jon Neufeld and Martha Scanlan's unique alchemy on stage started when they first played together at Portland's Indie-roots festival Pickathon ten years ago. It was an immediate musical connection and friendship that has only deepened with time and miles spent touring venues and festivals across the country.

While their collective accolades are impressive- they have shared the stage and collaborated with artists as diverse as Levon Helm, Jim James, Emmy Lou Harris and Peter Buck, and played festivals from Merlefest to Bonnaroo- it is that unique alchemy, that sense of adventure and improvisation on stage and in the studio, that most characterizes their work together and what has earned them a loyal following world wide. When so much began to shift and live shows ground to a halt, what began as a loose plan to work on a new record seemed to become a musical journey of it’s own, a necessary sort of refuge.

They began passing songs and music back and forth from their respective studios; Martha in Western Montana and Jon in Portland Oregon, often in the early hours before the world was awake, often waiting to listen to the track until tape was rolling, almost as though the improvisational live interaction onstage was occurring over time and space, in slow motion.

The result is a continuing collaborative project in motion, an unfolding story.

The first installation, Last Stars First Light, is due out on Jealous Butcher Records.

Jon Neufeld lives in Portland, Oregon and plays with a variety of musicians there including longtime bands Jackstraw (bluegrass) and The Kung Pow Chickens (Gypsie jazz). Well known for his innovative guitar playing, he is also a multi-intrumentalist, producer and mastering engineer. He has appeared on The Tonight Show and NPR's Tiny Desk Concert with his former band Black Prairie and toured Europe in an impossibly small rental car with famed Portland Indie band Dolorean. He recently co- produced and engineered Smithsonian Folkways Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie's 26 Northwest Songs.

Martha Scanlan is an award winning songwriter based in western Montana. Her writing comes out of some of the deepest roots of Americana, winding between the mountains of East Tennessee and some of Montana's most remote landscapes including a 120 year old cattle ranch where she spent years living and working. She appeared on TBone Burnette's Cold Mountain soundtrack with former bandmates Reeltime Travelers. Her songs have been covered by Sarah Jarosz, Andrew Marlin, Amy Helm and Solas and have found their way into books by celebrated American authors Rick Bass and Joyce Carol Oates.

Tour highlights include Jon being mistaken for Jon Bon Jovi while leaving a hotel bar so depressing that "Happy Hour" was written in quotations on the chalkboard at the entrance.

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Laser Scan the Barn
May
13
2:00 PM14:00

Laser Scan the Barn

Join us on Saturday, May 13th to see historic preservation in ACTION as we celebrate Historic Preservation Month! Thanks to a generous donation by A&E Architects, we are able to partner with Kate Beer to laser scan the Moon-Randolph Barn. This effort will help us to more fully understand the engineering and architecture that went into the barn as we explore possibilities to rehabilitate this unique, iconic, and vulnerable structure.

Scanning will be underway by 2pm—come check it out. Between 3-4pm, Kate will be available for questions!

The scan will happen during our regular open hours, which take place on Saturdays from 11am-5pm from May-October. You’re welcome to explore the grounds, open buildings, and even participate in a tour of the site! We might even hit peak apple blossom!

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Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony
May
11
5:30 PM17:30

Historic Preservation Awards Ceremony

Join us at the Missoula Art Museum to celebrate Missoula’s history and the folks who preserve it!

Moon-Randolph Homestead will be honored by the City of Missoula Historic Preservation Commission with the Cultural Features and Landscapes Award.

Longtime homestead supporter and former North Missoula Community Development Corporation ED will be recognized for his lifetime contributions to community organizing with the Centennial Award. Without Bob, the buildings at the homestead may have been burned in a firefighting training exercise. His efforts to recognize the Randolph Ranch as a National Historic District helped ensure that this special place would be stewarded for and enjoyed by future generations.

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Prune-the-Moon!
Mar
11
1:00 PM13:00

Prune-the-Moon!

At our annual Prune the Moon workshop, learn the art of restoring old apple trees in the Moon-Randolph Homestead’s historic orchard! Get tickets!

Learn the long and slow process of bringing an aging or neglected tree back into production, while getting to know some of the 130-year-old apple trees in the historic Moon-Randolph orchard. Both new and experienced pruners are encouraged to attend and help the Homestead maintain the health and vigor of its heritage apple orchard.

Pruning starts at 1p.m. We will break for food at 4 p.m. Coffee, food, and cider provided. Thanks, Western Cider!

All participants will be entered to win a set of FELCO pruners and diamond file donated by Valley Landscape Supply. Must be present at 1:15pm to win!

$10-25 suggested donation per adult. Children are free. Get tickets!

Be sure to bring gloves, appropriate clothing for cold and wet spring weather. Don't forget drinking water and the desire to get to know a tree. For those with pruning equipment, bring along sharp hand pruners, handsaws, and loppers along with gloves and orchard ladders, etc. There will be plenty of tools for the empty-handed.

No dogs please. Thanks, y’all!

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APPLY! Internship in History Preservation
Feb
15
to Mar 15

APPLY! Internship in History Preservation

  • Moon-Randolph Homestead (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

2023 SUMMER & FALL INTERNSHIPS

The Moon-Randolph Homestead seeks interns to provide support for the continued interpretation and preservation of the Moon-Randolph Homestead Historic District. This position will be exposed to the many facets of a community-based historic preservation program; interpretation, handling artifacts, and tour leading.

 

Interns will work in a collaborative setting through a partnership consisting of municipal agencies, Missoula City Parks & Recreation – Conservation Lands Management, City Planning - Historic Preservation Office, and the NMCDC, a nonprofit devoted to community development, and will work with an enthusiastic staff of preservation and conservation professionals.

 

PRIMARY DUTIES

  • Interns will work with Resident Caretakers to select (1-3) seasonally relevant projects to help fulfill the vision of the Strategic Plan. Caretakers will ensure that all projects have necessary structure, while allowing for the intern to explore their own interests and creativity. Some options include:

    o   Curate one room in Randolph House

    o   Carry out oral history project

    o   Develop story map for website with assistance from City Historic Preservation Officer

    o   Coordinate Homestead Heritage Orchard apple harvest (August and September)

    o   Mend and reinforce fences and gates

    o   Other project ideas/proposals will be considered as well

  • Assist the Moon-Randolph Caretakers in leading community tours (2-4/month)

 

ANCILLARY DUTIES

  • Attend Homestead Steering Committee meetings and other meetings (Historic Preservation Commission and Fall Gathering Planning Committee), as desired

  • Assist with fundraising and volunteer events, as desired

  • Assist with historic fruit orchard, gardening, and livestock, as desired

 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Currently enrolled in, or having recently graduated from a university program.  

  • Academic emphasis in historic preservation, history, architectural history, archeology, anthropology, geography, environmental studies, or a closely related field is preferred, but not required.

  • Self-starter with a demonstrated willingness to take initiative and follow-through

  • Strong writing skills and ability to interpret historic meaning and relevancy to the public

  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills, the ability to work independently, participate successfully as a member of team-based environment, work with and educate the public

  • Applicant should be comfortable working in a rural and natural setting, and must have the ability to perform some physical labor and hike up and down hills, up and down steps, and on uneven terrain as needed

  • Some familiarity of western settlement, vernacular architecture and historic preservation process is preferred but not required

  • Experience in curation, archiving, handling of artifacts and delicate documents, interpretation or museum studies

  • Experience in curating digital history projects preferred, but not required

  • Workspace/computer access or ability to coordinate shared office time with the City of Missoula Historic Preservation Officer

 

SUPERVISION: Position reports to the Caretakers who live on-site.

 

COMPENSATION  

  • This is an unpaid internship where interns can gain meaningful, hands-on experience in the fields of history, anthropology, and geography. 

  • If selected, applicants who are also University of Montana students pursuing a Public History Certificate, History Major, or History Minor will earn $400 in pay per credit hour for this position up to $1,200 for 3 credits. 

  • University of Montana students pursuing any major or degree are also encouraged to apply to the Experiential Learning Scholarship Fund to support their internship, up to $2,000.  This funding involves a separate application process.

  • The internship may also be completed for up to three academic credits through the University of Montana (UM)--although early election into this process is necessary.  UM minimum: 1 credit/45 hours; 2 credits/90 hours; 3 credits/135 hours.

 

SUMMER SERVICE DATES:  Mid-May – Mid-August (some flexibility to accommodate college/work/vacation schedules and hours per week)

FALL SERVICE DATES:  August – Late October (some flexibility to accommodate college/work/vacation schedules and hours per week)

 

HOW TO APPLY: Email a cover letter, resume, contact information for two professional or academic references, as well as any questions to Elizabeth Johnson at JohnsonE@ci.missoula.mt.us. Please explain your interest in the position, describe your educational background and work history, and discuss your qualifications for this internship. Please also let us know if you are interested in earning academic credit for this internship through UM.

 

APPLY BY MARCH 15, 2023

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Moon Randolph Homestead is an equal opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate based upon race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin (ancestry), military status, religion, family status, or disability. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees, interns, volunteers, visitors, students, and user groups. 

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APPLY! Spring Internship in History Preservation
Nov
10
to Jan 31

APPLY! Spring Internship in History Preservation

  • Moon-Randolph Homestead (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

2023 SPRING INTERN POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Moon-Randolph Homestead seeks one curatorial intern to provide support for the continued interpretation, preservation and outreach for the Moon-Randolph Homestead Historic District. This position will be exposed to the many facets of a community-based historic preservation program; creating and installing a digital interpretive map of the site, handling artifacts, outreach, and possibly, tour leading.

 

The intern will work in a collaborative setting through a partnership consisting of municipal agencies, Missoula City Parks & Recreation – Conservation Lands Management, City Planning - Historic Preservation Office, and the NMCDC, a nonprofit devoted to community development, and will work with an enthusiastic staff of preservation and conservation professionals.

 

PRIMARY DUTIES

  • Research, design, and implement a digital mapping project for the Moon-Randolph Homestead website

  • Aid in organizing and handling historic material and artifacts

  • Assist the Moon-Randolph Caretakers in leading community tours, as is necessary

 

ANCILLARY DUTIES

  • Attend Homestead Steering Committee meetings, and other meetings as appropriate

  • Assist with fundraising and volunteer events, as needed

 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Currently enrolled in, or having recently graduated from a university program with an emphasis in historic preservation, history, architectural history, archeology, anthropology or a closely related field

  • Experience in curation, archiving, handling of artifacts and delicate documents, interpretation or museum studies

  • Experience in curating digital history projects preferred, but not required

  • Workspace/computer access or ability to coordinate shared office time with the City of Missoula Historic Preservation Officer

  • Self-starter with a demonstrated willingness to take initiative and follow-through

  • Strong writing skills and ability to interpret historic meaning and relevancy to the public

  • Excellent interpersonal communication skills, the ability to work independently, participate successfully as a member of team-based environment, work with and educate the public

  • Applicant should be comfortable working in a rural and natural setting, and must have the ability to perform some physical labor and hike up and down hills, up and down steps, and on uneven terrain as needed

  • Some familiarity of western settlement, vernacular architecture and historic preservation process is preferred but not required

 

SUPERVISION: Position reports to the Caretakers who live on-site.

 

COMPENSATION  

  • This is an unpaid internship where interns can gain meaningful, hands-on experience in the fields of history, anthropology, and geography. 

  • If selected, applicants who are also University of Montana students pursuing a Public History Certificate, History Major, or History Minor will earn $400 per credit hour for this position up to $1,200 for 3 credits. 

  • University of Montana students pursuing any major or degree are also encouraged to apply to the Experiential Learning Scholarship Fund to support their internship, up to $2,000.  This funding involves a separate application process. Applications for spring semester are due Feb 7th.

  • The internship may also be completed for academic credit through the University of Montana (UM) although early election into this process is necessary.

 

SERVICE DATES:  Feb 1, 2023 – May 2023 (some flexibility to accommodate college schedules and hours per week)

 

HOW TO APPLY: Email a cover letter, resume, contact information for two professional or academic references, as well as any questions to Elizabeth Johnson at JohnsonE@ci.missoula.mt.us. Please explain your interest in the position, describe your educational background and work history, and discuss your qualifications for this internship. Please also let us know if you are interested in earning academic credit for this internship through UM.

 

APPLY BY DECEMBER 1, 2022

 

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: The Moon Randolph Homestead is an equal opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate based upon race, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin (ancestry), military status, religion, family status, or disability. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees, interns, volunteers, visitors, students, and user groups. 

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Volunteer Celebration & Bonfire!
Oct
29
4:00 PM16:00

Volunteer Celebration & Bonfire!

Wow, folks! What a great year 2022 has been for the Moon-Randolph. A vibrant community of folks have given their love, energy, and support this year to this unique and special place. Together we have assembled new benches, mended picnic tables, installed a garden (and put it to bed), provided feedback on our barn rehabilitation project, pruned the Heritage Orchard, mended fences and gates, thinned, mulched, weeded, watered, fed the pigs, fundraised, held a chicken or two, and put on a pretty magical Fall Gathering. This is truly a community site.

In appreciation of that community, the Caretakers are hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Bonfire from 4pm - 7ish on our last Open Saturday, October 29th. Please RSVP to moonrandolph@gmail.com. There’ll be chili to keep us warm. (We’ll have some bowls and spoons but feel free to bring your own! Camp chairs might be nice too!)

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Public Meeting: Barn Rehabilitation
Oct
27
5:30 PM17:30

Public Meeting: Barn Rehabilitation

Join us after-hours at Burns Street Bistro for an evening conversation about the Barn Rehabilitation Project! MRH has received funding from the Montana History Foundation and the National Trust to put together an engineering report for the project. Come learn more about the barn’s history, significance, and current status. Help us shape a vision for the future!

Can’t make the meeting? Join the conversation at EngageMissoula. Public survey available through November 11th!

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2022 Fall Gathering - SOLD OUT!
Oct
8
5:00 PM17:00

2022 Fall Gathering - SOLD OUT!

Wow, folks! The 2022 Fall Gathering is SOLD OUT! Thanks to everyone for your support of the Moon-Randolph. To make a donation and support this annual fundraiser, please visit our donation page. You can also sign up for our newsletter to stay on top of future events. Happy fall, folks!

This 8th of October, come celebrate another season gone by at the Moon-Randolph Homestead’s 21st Annual Fall Gathering. Join us for a harvest feast, cider and beer, apple pressing, live music and dancing under the moon. Family friendly. The Fall Gathering is our largest event and fundraiser of the year, supporting our efforts exploring and celebrating Missoula’s human, ecological, and agricultural history. All proceeds benefit the Moon-Randolph Homestead. 

Get Tickets!

FEAST: This year's Fall Gathering feast will be made up of fresh and local hillside picnic fare from Theo at Masala from 5-8pm. Grist Baking and Milling will provide fresh bread and don't forget the salad greens!

For directions and more info on parking and accessibility, please visit our website.

Please leave the pups at home. Thanks for understanding!

Want to volunteer? …and get in FREE? Sign up now!

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Barn Survey!
Oct
8
to Nov 10

Barn Survey!

  • Moon-Randolph Homestead (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

First constructed in 1889 by the Moon family added onto in the early 20th century by the Randolphs, the Moon-Randolph Barn has withstood more than 130 years of the east wind, snows, rain, and sun. Fabricated out of old railroad boxcar siding, the barn is a testament of the creativity, grit, simplicity, and material reuse required of area homesteaders to scratch a living out of marginal farmland. Her silhouette resembles a caboose, evoking the materials she’s made of. Perched on a hill above the old ranch turned historic site, the barn has come to serve as a symbol of that site. But at this point the barn is unfortunately too hazardous for agricultural use or public access. Built into a slope, it is collapsing along much of the 80 foot span that is not visible to the public. The roof is also collapsing in places and interior structure is rotting. It is a very dangerous building. We’re concerned that only a few more snows could topple the structure.

This spring MRH was awarded grants by the Montana History Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to explore options for rehabilitating the structure. As part of that process, we’re seeking public comment on potential uses of the barn, it’s values, and interpretation potential.

You can participate in the Barn Survey until Thursday, November 10th at EngageMissoula.

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Sep
24
2:00 PM14:00

National Public Lands Day!

Help us assemble new benches and paint picnic tables on National Public Lands Day! Take some time to give back to this unique historic site and community space. Volunteers needed from 2-4pm on Saturday, September 24th. Dress for the weather and bring some water! Maybe some gloves? Look forward to seeing you there!

Sign up HERE!

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Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld Concert
Jun
15
8:00 PM20:00

Martha Scanlan and Jon Neufeld Concert

Bring a blanket, chairs, and spend an evening in the pasture listening to musicians Martha Scanlan and John Neufeld. Doors at 7:30, show from 8-10 pm. 

Parking available on the south side of Spurlock Road 1/4 to 1/2 mile from site. Look for signage leading up to the Homestead. Hiking via the North Hills trails and biking via Spurlock Road is encouraged! More accessible parking is available within 100 yards of the event for elders and those with disabilities. Plan to expect uneven ground in a mowed pasture. Kids are welcome. No dogs, please.

Tickets: $20 in advance. Get tickets now! They’ll be $25 at the door.

A portion of the proceeds will benefit interpretation and preservation of the Moon-Randolph Homestead.

Jon Neufeld and Martha Scanlan's unique alchemy on stage started when they first played together at Portland's Indie-roots festival Pickathon ten years ago. It was an immediate musical connection and friendship that has only deepened with time and miles spent touring venues and festivals across the country.

While their collective accolades are impressive- they have shared the stage and collaborated with artists as diverse as Levon Helm, Jim James, Emmy Lou Harris and Peter Buck, and played festivals from Merlefest to Bonnaroo- it is that unique alchemy, that sense of adventure and improvisation on stage and in the studio, that most characterizes their work together and what has earned them a loyal following world wide. 

When so much began to shift and live shows ground to a halt, what began as a loose plan to work on a new record seemed to become a musical journey of it’s own, a necessary sort of refuge. 

They began passing songs and music back and forth from their respective studios; Martha in Western Montana and Jon in Portland Oregon, often in the early hours before the world was awake, often waiting to listen to the track until tape was rolling, almost as though the improvisational live interaction onstage was occurring over time and space, in slow motion. 

The result is a continuing collaborative project in motion, an unfolding story.

The first installation, Last Stars First Light, is due out autumn 2022 on Jealous Butcher Records.

Jon Neufeld lives in Portland, Oregon and plays with a variety of musicians there including longtime bands Jackstraw (bluegrass) and The Kung Pow Chickens (Gypsie jazz). Well known for his innovative guitar playing, he is also a multi-intrumentalist, producer and mastering engineer. He has appeared on The Tonight Show and NPR's Tiny Desk Concert with his former band Black Prairie and toured Europe in an impossibly small rental car with famed Portland Indie band Dolorean. He recently co-produced and engineered Smithsonian Folkways Roll Columbia: Woody Guthrie's 26 Northwest Songs. 

Martha Scanlan is an award winning songwriter based in western Montana. Her writing comes out of some of the deepest roots of Americana, winding between the mountains of East Tennessee and some of Montana's most remote landscapes including a 120 year old cattle ranch where she spent years living and working. She appeared on TBone Burnette's Cold Mountain soundtrack with former bandmates Reeltime Travelers. Her songs have been covered by Sarah Jarosz, Andrew Marlin, Amy Helm and Solas and have found their way into books by celebrated American authors Rick Bass and Joyce Carol Oates.

Tour highlights include Jon being mistaken for Jon Bon Jovi while leaving a hotel bar so depressing that "Happy Hour" was written in quotations on the chalkboard at the entrance.

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Outdoor Summer Squares Kick-off!
Jun
9
7:00 PM19:00

Outdoor Summer Squares Kick-off!

Join Lake Missoula Old Time at the Moon-Randolph Homestead for a square dance, Thursday, June 9th! 7-9 pm; Caller Bev Young, Music by LMOT musicians, $5 Admission to benefit LMOT. Find out more about Lake Missoula Old Time and their Outdoor Summer Squares Series at: https://www.facebook.com/LakeMissoulaOldTime/

Parking available on the south side of Spurlock Road 1/4 to 1/2 mile from site. Look for signage leading up to the Homestead. Hiking via the North Hills trails and biking via Spurlock Road is encouraged! More accessible parking is available within 100 yards of the event for elders and those with disabilities. Plan to expect uneven ground in a mowed pasture. Kids are welcome. No dogs, please.

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Historic Preservation Month Tour & Service Project
May
14
11:00 AM11:00

Historic Preservation Month Tour & Service Project

May is Historic Preservation Month. We’re kicking it off this Saturday, with the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission for a tour and service project at the Moon-Randolph Homestead. Tour begins at 11am and the service project will run from noon to 1:30pm. Come for the tour, for the service or both! Bring your own snacks and water. If you plan to participate in the service, gloves can’t hurt! Hope to see you there!

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Historic Preservation Month Tour & Volunteer Event!
May
10
1:30 PM13:30

Historic Preservation Month Tour & Volunteer Event!

May is Historic Preservation Month! It also just happens to be spring and a glorious time to visit the Moon-Randolph Homestead. Join us for a special tour with the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission and a volunteer activity. Tour begins at 11am and volunteer service will run from noon to 1:30pm. Come for the tour, the service, or both! Bring snacks/lunch and water. Gloves can’t hurt! Hope to see you there!

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Saturday Open Hours & Tours
May
7
11:00 AM11:00

Saturday Open Hours & Tours

Bring your friends and family to the Moon-Randolph Homestead's open days, which run every Saturday, May through October, from 11 am - 5 pm.

Public tours are available during open days on a first-come, first-served basis, or explore the Homestead's heritage apple orchard, claim shack, barn, root cellar, and livestock at your own pace. Visitors are encouraged to picnic, draw, write, play, and spend time at this unique, public, cultural site. 

Visitors to the Homestead can access the site on foot on the North Hills Open Space trails. See our maps page for a trail map to plan your route. Or, drive up via Spurlock Road.

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Register for Summer Camp!
Apr
3
9:00 AM09:00

Register for Summer Camp!

Kids get back-to-the-land at the Moon-Randolph Homestead nestled in the North Hills on City of Missoula public lands. We'll garden, cook, and care for chickens and pigs. Camp will also include games, crafts, and projects.

This camp is run by Parks and Recreation's Missoula Outdoor Recreation and Education (MORE) Program and is facilitated by MORE Program staff.  This one fills up fast, so register at 9am on April 3rd to reserve your kids's spot.

Ages 5-12, one room schoolhouse style. Income-based scholarships available: apply NOW!

To find out more, visit the Missoula Parks and Recreation website.

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Prune-the-Moon!
Mar
26
1:00 PM13:00

Prune-the-Moon!

At our annual Prune the Moon workshop, learn the art of restoring old apple trees in the Moon-Randolph Homestead’s historic orchard! Get tickets!

Learn the long and slow process of bringing an aging or neglected tree back into production, while getting to know some of the 130-year-old apple trees in the historic Moon-Randolph orchard. Both new and experienced pruners are encouraged to attend and help the Homestead maintain the health and vigor of its heritage apple orchard.

Pruning starts at 1p.m. We will break for food at 4 p.m. Coffee, food, and cider provided. Thanks, Western Cider!

All participants will be entered to win a set of FELCO pruners and diamond file donated by Valley Landscape Supply. Must be present at 1:15pm to win!

$10-25 suggested donation per adult. Children are free. Get tickets!

Be sure to wear a mask, gloves, appropriate clothing for cold and wet spring weather. Don't forget drinking water and the desire to get to know a tree. For those with pruning equipment, bring along sharp hand pruners, handsaws, and loppers along with gloves and orchard ladders, etc. There will be plenty of tools for the empty-handed.

No dogs please. Thanks, y’all!

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