Animals | Our land serves as an outdoor classroom for our educational programs, research, agricultural and conservation projects.

Livestock Farmhands Volunteers

May 22, 2013 by Casey Leave a Comment

Godiva, one of our spring Hog Island Sheep lambs.

If you love animals and would like to spend a few hours each week working on the farm, join the Livestock Farmhands volunteer team on Saturday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm to assist with the successful management of our Heritage Livestock Program. Volunteers will work closely with staff members to help feed, clean the barn, repair livestock fencing, clear brush, maintain pasture and barnyard areas, and more.

Livestock Farmhands also assist the livestock team during lambing and calving season, help with spring sheep shearing, and assist in the fall at the Charles County Fair. The animals we manage as part of our program are: American Milking Devon Cattle, Black Turkeys, Hog Island Sheep, Ossabaw Hogs, and various heritage chickens including Buckeyes. No previous experience is necessary to join, but volunteers must be comfortable around large animals and animals with horns.

If you are interested in becoming a part of the Livestock Farmhands team, please e-mail the Volunteer Coordinator, Casey, at volunteers@accokeek.org.

For more information on this volunteer program, check out the Position Description.

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming Tagged With: Animals, cattle, community, farming, Heritage Livestock, Sheep, Volunteer, volunteering

Volunteer Position Announcement! Heritage Livestock Program Volunteer

May 8, 2013 by Casey Leave a Comment

The Accokeek Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization involved in land stewardship, historical preservation and sustainable agriculture, seeks a heritage livestock program volunteer to assist our livestock manager in all aspects of successful grass-based livestock program maintenance. This position presents the volunteer with a unique and extensive educational opportunity, as volunteers will receive both on-the-job training and access to farmer training programs and classes.

The heritage livestock program is part of the Accokeek Foundation’s stewardship of Piscataway Park. We care for our livestock in a way that enhances the health and stability of the natural and agricultural ecosystems of this special place. As we manage livestock, we maintain open lands in an ecologically sound manner. The heritage breeds of livestock we manage are American Milking Devon Cattle, Black Turkeys, Hog Island Sheep, Ossabaw Hogs, and various heritage chicken varieties.

Description of Duties:

Assist with all aspects of rotational grazing, breeding, nutritional management, annual forage cropping, barn maintenance, fence maintenance, and general livestock care.
Assist with pasture maintenance, which may include tractor work.
Assist with upkeep of barn and livestock fencing.
Interact with public visiting the site to teach them about our heritage breeds and the program and answer any questions they may have.
Carry large or heavy loads on a regular basis–must be able to lift minimum of 50 lbs.
Assist in exhibiting animals at the Charles County Fair (Fall term volunteers).

Ossabaw

No previous experience is necessary, but large animal experience is preferred, and a demonstrated interest in sustainable livestock management is required. Volunteers will be asked to work a minimum of 8 hours, 3 times a week, or approximately 24 hours per week. Scheduling is flexible, but must be arranged in advance.

This volunteer position is an excellent educational opportunity. Volunteers will receive training in machinery operation (tractors, ATVs, etc.), free access to Foundation educational and farmer training programs and classes, access to Chesapeake CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) events through the Foundation’s membership, and extensive on-the-job training. College students may be able to receive academic credits for their time.

Please see the Position Description for more information about this position. To apply, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to Casey Lowe at volunteers@accokeek.org. All applications must be received by May 30.

Godiva

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Featured News, Stewardship and Conservation Tagged With: Animals, cattle, Farmer Training, farming, Heritage Livestock, Sheep, sustainable agriculture, Volunteer, volunteering

Children’s Day: Frolicking on the Farm

March 28, 2013 by Anjela Leave a Comment

Step back in time to a spring day in 1770. The National Colonial Farm’s annual Children’s Day event is a popular family event that allows visitors to experience history and culture, while spending the day in a scenic national park. Bring your picnic lunches, and be a part of history and farm life while helping the “Bolton” family with their daily chores: spinning wool, churning butter, washing clothes, gardening, and cooking. Visit the farm animals, watch a cooking demonstration, participate in a kid-friendly archaeological dig, play colonial games, and enjoy a musical performance by the Irish Jam Session.

Admission is $5 per person, payable at the Visitor’s Center the day of the event. Members are free.

About the National Colonial Farm:
The National Colonial Farm is an outdoor living history museum located within Piscataway Park and established by the Accokeek Foundation in 1958. The farm depicts life for an ordinary tobacco planting family in Prince George’s County in the 1770s. Structures located within the colonial site are open to the public and include a circa 1770 farm dwelling, an 18th century tobacco barn, and an out-kitchen. The kitchen garden features 18th century varieties of herbs, flowers, and vegetables. Historic varieties of field crops such as “Orinoco” tobacco and “Virginia Gourdseed” corn are grown and cultivated for seed. The park offers family amenities and recreation activities such as picnic tables and pavilion, nature trails, and a fishing pier (must have DNR license). The Visitor’s Center offers unique gifts, books, small snacks and beverages, fishing supplies and bait, as well as site related information and a touch-and-feel nature zone for the kids, featuring a rescued box turtle named Edgar.

Filed Under: Events, Featured News Tagged With: Animals, children, colonial, cooking, demonstration, events, family, fishing, history, music, park, picnic

A New Addition to the Barnyard!

November 22, 2011 by Brittany Leave a Comment

Barnyard Blog by Polly Festa

It’s a boy. That’s right, Lynn of the National Colonial Farm and Meadow Brook Gabe are proud to announce the birth of their son “Loin,” who was born on Saturday, November 5^th. When I turned the cows out for the day Lynn looked no closer to calving then she had for the past week. So you can imagine my surprise as I headed out to fix fence in the same field as the cows, to see a newborn calf. The bouncing baby bull weighed a mere 75 pounds and stood a proud 24 inches. Or a least he did when I left the Accokeek Foundation on Wednesday to head out to the 29^th annual American Livestock Breed Conservancy Conference, in Wichita Kansas (I will speak of those adventures in a later post). Loin is a very active and healthy calf. He loves to play chase with Mary Gertrude, Lorelei, Patty, and JuJubee. Momma Lynn is not so fond of the game. She often chases along after him as if to say its time to stop. I swear I can hear her say, “That’s enough of this nonsense! Come Back Here Right NOW!!!” And he usually will in 5-10 minutes, but I think he likes to tweak her tail. When he is not running his momma ragged he is usually eating or sleeping — typical newborn behavior. Come down to the farm and see him soon, you know how fast these youngsters grow up!

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Blog, Featured Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: Animals, Heritage Livestock

Cows on Capitol Hill!

October 20, 2011 by Brittany Leave a Comment

As a feature of our blog, our livestock manager, Polly Festa will be providing updates from the barnyard once a month. This month, she talks about taking some of the animals to the big city.

by Polly Festa, Livestock Manager

The week of October 3 through 7 was the D.C. Farm to School Week, which kicked off the first National Farm to School Month. During this week, I took some of our heritage livestock to two schools in the DC area to teach kids about farm animals.

On Monday, October 3, I went to Garfield Elementary with two of our Buckeye hens. I had planned to take the calves but the weather was too unpredictable. Once we arrived, I visited eight classes ranging from preschool to second grade. The students had many questions about the hens and farming. I really enjoyed the contrast between the grades. Most of the kids had never been that close to a chicken before so, needless to say they were all very curious. The kids asked many questions about the animals and farming in general. They were so excited to pet the hens and learn all about their purpose on the farm. The hens acted like they were about to lay all day but they never did produce that egg.

The second school we visited was Watkins Elementary. At this school, our friends Lorelei and Jujubee took the show. I spoke with five classes of second graders with my helpers, Accokeek Foundation farmer, Jose and my mother, Mary Lynn. We set up on the sidewalk in front of the school so the kids could come to us. Boy, were we a spectacle to those driving by! Some cars circled the block two or three times just to be sure of what they were seeing – Cows on Capitol Hill! All the kids had good questions; each class had different things they were interested in from chickens to horses and everything in between. But the highlight of the day was when the classes formed two lines in order to pet the calves. Some kids got in line more than once to pet the calves while others were so excited they hugged Lorelei and Jujubee. It was great to see kids get so excited about seeing farm animals.

I am glad that there are programs like this to help the students that are so removed from agriculture learn more about it. Every school should get the chance to learn about farms and how they work. I hope that there will continue to be programs like this, not just in the DC area but all over the country.

: Students learn about farming during Farm to School Week

: The girls grab a snack before the next class

: Children wait patiently to pet the calves

Jujubee and Loreiei were hardly phased by the firetruck passing by

The sign in fromt of Watkins Elementary

A 2nd grader pets Lorelei

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Blog, Featured Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: Animals, Barnyard Blog, cattle, Heritage Livestock

Hog Blog: Blue Ribbon Calves in Charles County

October 12, 2011 by Brittany Leave a Comment

by Lorelei and Jujubee

Left to Right: Jujubee, Polly, Lorelei, and Polly’s Mom, Mary Lynn

Hi, my name is Lorelei. I am 9 months old. In human years that’s like being 9 years old. I was the Best of Show Dairy Female at the Charles County Fair.

Hey, Blog Hog, What about me! I am Jujubee, and I am 10 months old. I was the first place Fall Calf at the Charles County Fair. My sister, Lorelei, and I won the best two head any age class too.

Ladies, it is not nice to call each other names. – Sally

Sorry, Sally

At the Fair we saw many interesting things. Like all the exhibit buildings. My favorite building was the 4-H building, because Polly told me that the Human Calves made or grew everything in the Building.

My Favorite building was the animal Barns, because of all the cute boys. My least favorite was “Lenny’s Ethnic Sausage.” They had every type of sausage going, Polly told me not to worry about it, but it made me sad. So Polly bought us ice cream at Antietam Ice Cream. It was good, even if it was made with Jersey, not Devon, milk.

Poor Baby, I’m glad Polly was there to comfort you. – Sally

I liked when the Chick-Fil-A Cow came over for a visit. I was getting clipped (my hair done) and my horns polished for the show when she came up. Polly offered to clip her, too, and polish her horns. I think Polly did a beautiful job getting us ready for the show.

Yeah, me too! I thought the wood carvers were cool. They are building a merry-go-round. They even let the little human calves help. I think Polly liked the tractor exhibits best.

The Fair was fun. I hope Polly takes us next year.

Yeah, I had fun too. I heard Polly saying that she was taking us next year. Below are some photos that Polly took for us to add to our album. More photos can be seen by clicking here.

Polly's Favorite Tractors

Wood carver and "human calf"

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Blog, Featured Blog, Uncategorized Tagged With: Animals, cattle, Center for Agricultural and Environmental Stewardship, Hog Blog

The Hog Blog: Sally welcomes a newcomer to the farm

June 29, 2011 by Brittany 1 Comment

by Sally

There’s a new animal at the farm that has everyone aflutter: a horse named “Lady.” Livestock manager Polly is the proud owner of Lady. I experienced a brief period of jealousy at the addition of a tall, gorgeous female with long legs in the field across from me, but I got over it when I learned how nice Lady is. One day after the gates were closed at the National Colonial Farm, I sauntered over to interview Lady (Polly thinks she has me “contained” with that electric fence – Ha! I scoff at your electric fence.).

Me: (in my best Jerry Lewis imitation) Hey, Lady!

Lady: Sally, I’m glad you came to visit.

Me : (returning to my own throaty, sultry pig voice) I thought I’d interview you for my famous “Hog Blog.” I’m hoping that if I spice up my column with some celebrity interviews, I might have a chance at syndication.

Lady: I’m flattered you think of me as a celebrity.

Me: Honey, if you live at the National Colonial Farm, you are certainly a celebrity. We don’t take any riff raff here.

Lady: I’m happy to be able to spend more time near Polly, and I’ve really been enjoying getting to know all the folks at the farm.

Me: I know it isn’t polite to ask a woman her age, but just between us girls, how old are you?

Lady : I am 12 years young, my dear, and not ashamed to admit it.

Me: What kind of horse are you?

Lady: I am a Morgan Friesian Cross, a very specific dutch breed. I am very proud of my heritage.

Me: And can you share any juicy tidbits about your life?

Lady: Only that I feel like the luckiest horse on earth. My previous owners in upstate New York were not very kind. Then Polly came along and rescued me and made me feel like a part of her family. And then she recently brought me here and I feel like I am apart of a bigger family – with cows, and sheep and beautiful hogs, like yourself.

Me: Oh, you’re making me blush. One last question: I’ve heard my sweetie, Matt Mattingly, calling you “Snip.” What’s that about?

Lady: Funny you should ask. I was wondering the same thing, when I heard Matt explaining it to some visitors. Apparently, the scenario for the National Colonial Farm was developed after real tobacco farmers, The Bolton Family. This family had a horse named Snip and he knows this because Snip was left to the Bolton’s daughter in their will – pretty interesting stuff. So, like most people on the National Colonial Farm I am playing a character too – just not while wearing one of those colonial outfits.

Me: Lady, I know you’re new to this celebrity business, so I’m just going to give you a little advice I give all of my protégés: ask for more perks.

Filed Under: Agriculture and Farming, Blog, Featured Blog Tagged With: Animals, Hog Blog, National Colonial Farm

Pic of the Week #4 – June 14

June 14, 2011 by Anjela 9 Comments

If you haven’t yet met Edgar, then you are truly missing out! Edgar is our newest addition to the farm family and when he’s not feeling adventurous, you’ll find him relaxing and hanging about in the Museum Visitor Center and Gift Shop. Recently, Edgar took a trip down to Sandy Point Park to meet with thousands of school kids at the 2011 Maryland Green Schools Youth Summit: Celebrating Children in Nature. Needless to say, he stole the show and won their hearts (he certainly has won our hearts).

Can you think of a great caption to go along with the photo for this week’s Pic of the Week? The above photo was taken while following our friend, Edgar, around the site. We “found” him hanging out in the farmhouse on the National Colonial Farm. You’ll never know where you may find Edgar next!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog, Recreation Tagged With: Animals, box turtle, edgar, education, National Colonial Farm, Pic of the Week, Piscataway, Visitor Center

The Hog Blog: A Hog’s-Eye View of Children’s Day

May 26, 2011 by Catherine Leave a Comment

by “Sally”

Rocky and Sally on the National Colonial Farm.

When word came down that this year’s Children’s Day would be celebrating the life and work of colonial apprentices, I got a little nervous. Schoolchildren on field trips to the National Colonial Farm are always asked, “What are pigs used for?”—which is followed by a lot of talk about ham and bacon. I was relieved to hear that the apprentice activities planned for “How Things Were Made: Colonial Apprentice” were things like blacksmithing, woodworking, and churning butter. There was no mention of anything involving pork.

I asked Tricia, our Coordinator of Public Programs, if she wanted me to do anything special during the Accokeek Foundation’s annual event. She said, “Well, Sally, it would be really nice if you didn’t spend the whole day napping.” Napping? What does she take me for? A lazy pig? I was about to utter a snide retort, when she added, “After all, you are our star attraction.” Ah, well. She had a point.

A.J. was the first apprentice to run by the pigpen, intent on getting to the blacksmith station. When he stopped by to visit me later, he proudly displayed the S-hook he had crafted with help from my secret flame, blacksmith Tim Buckley, who taught his apprentices the origin of the phrase, “Strike while the iron is hot.” Don’t you just love a man in colonial britches?

Planting tobacco at this year's Children's Day.

All afternoon, the sweet smell of Johnnycakes spread with fresh-churned butter wafted over from the kitchen and the shouts of children playing colonial games echoed out from the Tobacco Yard. It was a fabulous day of fun at the farm. And, though I am a star attraction, please know that the fame has not gone to my head. I am very approachable, and I love having visitors (as do the rest of the farm’s menagerie). You can come see us each and every day—it’s fun, and free!

P.S. Inky, that teenybopper sheep, is now being mentored by Yours Truly. And if you are wondering who that woman is with the lamb following her everywhere, it’s not Mary, but Polly, our new Livestock Manager.

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog Tagged With: Animals, Children and Youth, Hog Blog, National Colonial Farm

The Hog Blog: An Encounter With Inky

May 4, 2011 by Catherine 1 Comment

by “Inky”

Inky is one of the Foundation's friendliest Hog Island Sheep.

With her photograph in a book and her bristles in what seems like everyone’s business, Sally thinks she’s such a star. But that Ossabaw Hog isn’t the only animal at the Accokeek Foundation. There are Dominique Chickens, Milking Red Devon Cattle, and—more importantly—Hog Island Sheep like me!

Our entire flock of 20 sheep was shorn last month. In and out of the shearer’s station we went, in preparation for warmer weather. Of course, the new buzz cuts suit some of us (let’s be honest: me) more than others. And last weekend I even heard from several members of the Stitch ‘n Time Club that my wool—so soft, so white, so easy to spin—is going to be woven into an afghan. Not a scarf, not a pair of stockings, but an afghan! All of the compliments the club members gave me sure were nice. Now they just have to learn that I’d much prefer a scratch under the chin.

This is my first spring on the National Colonial Farm. First spring ever, really, as I was only born in July. But I can see why the other animals love this season so much. Grass-eating and field-frolicking and shady-spot-under-a-tree-sleeping now make up much of my day. And there has been a huge jump in admirers—I mean, visitors—to the site. I have noticed that the newborn lambs get a lot of the attention, but I think our visitors can recognize a teen dream when they see one!

Filed Under: Blog, Featured Blog Tagged With: Animals, Hog Blog, National Colonial Farm