Artist Annette Wagner working with Dunrovin Horse Ranch
This article was first published in the Ravalli Republic.
Artist Annette Wagner is a member of Artists Along the Bitterroot; you can visit her at www.annettewagnerart.com.
Dunrovin Ranch in Lolo is creating an online community and a sense of place as it connects people across thousands of miles with Montana views and way of life. The guest ranch has four cameras that focus on ranch life — the osprey nest (with over 800,000 viewers), the Bitterroot River, the horse stalls and circle pen training area, and one camera on the birdhouses and feeding areas. They also have field cameras to prerecord some programming but most video is live.
Normally, the online website has a subscription of $8 a month, to prevent advertising and to limit the membership to people of goodwill, no trolls, bullies or people who are disrespectful. But, during the pandemic, the website is free one day a week with current members voluntarily serving as camera operators and chat moderators.
Anyone can experience “Montana Socials” at montanasocials.org, the site designed to connect people with nature and each other.
Ranch Owner SuzAnne Miller said their success in reaching people touches lives in positive engagement.
“It is creating an online community and a sense of place and it is connecting people across thousands of miles,” she said. “We have a program called Days of Dunrovin that serves seniors across the country and helps them feel less isolated by watching our ranch and connecting with us. For the pandemic, we have a cyber-ranch with web cameras operating around the ranch 24/7.”
Each Monday from sunrise to sunset, the cameras are turned on for Montana Socials that include an interactive sunrise webcam tour, feeding animals at the ranch, nature viewing and programs such as animal training and seasonal celebrations. Friendly conversations in the chat encourage viewers to engage and explore the sights and sounds of Dunrovin Ranch.
Recent programming has featured horse training by master horseman Brandon Carpenter who owns two ranches near Billings and artist Annette Wagner of Stevensville who worked with online members to create Dunrovin’s Witness Tree. Wagner had viewers share words to describe fall, she wrote on weatherproof “leaves” and placed them on the “tree,” a flag pole modified with branches.
There are more interactive opportunities as viewers can ask questions in the chat, direct camera operators and even search for Farmer Freddie the traveling pig.
Monday afternoons have a focus on birds, ranch chores, building projects and animal life such as beaver and geese on the Bitterroot River. Then viewers can enjoy the day’s end by watching spectacular sunsets on the river, ranch and hills.