Oxon Hill Farm National Parks

Sometimes life on Oxon Hill Farm seems relaxed, as if the world had returned to a simpler time when afternoons are filled with exploring a field, reading under a tree, or sleeping in the tall grass. With city noises in the distance, we often imagine that life on the farm is better than where we live now, with fewer worries and less stress. Why do farms seem so special? Perhaps it is because they are close to nature and provide for our basic needs. Animals born on farms give us milk, eggs, and meat. Grains and vegetables grown on farms supply us with an abundance of other foods. What do you see when you look around? Perhaps you see sheep or horses nibbling at grass, chickens taking a dust bath, or cows chewing and chewing. It may appear slow-paced but don’t be fooled – Oxon Hill Farm is a lively place.

You can watch the activities or, better yet, you can join in. Let the rangers know that you want to help, and – depending on the time of day or the season – you may get a chance to feed chickens, make apple cider, husk and crack corn, work in the garden, gather eggs, or mild a cow. Why not leave city life behind for a day? Try your hand at farming as it has been done at Oxon Hill for centuries.

Living History Farms

Since the 1600s the Oxon Hill area has attracted men and women who recognized its agricultural potential. Estates raise cattle, wheat, corn, tobacco, and fruit as cash crops for nearby developing urban areas. Much of the labor for these early plantations, such as Mount Welby, (Oxon Hill’s name in the early 1800s), was provided by slaves. Later the area was divided into smaller working farms. In 1891 the U.S. Government acquired the land and established a farm for St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Patients worked on the farm for therapy and to grow their own food. In the mid-1960s the farm was entrusted to the National Park Service, and in 1967 Oxon Hill Farm welcomed its first visitors. The park opened its gates not as a farm museum or a petting zoo but as a working farm that represented the time when horsepower still came directly from horses. The success of Oxon Hill Farm, as with all small farms, reflects an understanding of agriculture and animals, a love of independence, and a willingness to work hard.

Sunlight, Soil, Seasons and Horsepower

Every season at Oxon Hill Farm demands its own special activities. Animals and plants do not use human clocks, but the length of daylight hours and natural biological processes spur them into action. Springs is the time of birth, when baby lambs, goats, calves, pigs, and chicks make a noisy entrance into the world. The increased sunlight removes winter’s chill from the soil and signals the spring planting season. During this busy time of year farmers have little time to spare. On these living history farms they plow fields, plant crops, and get ready for a long growing season. Raising successful crops requires careful attention to timing. The clearly defined seasons offer farmers a narrow period when seeds must be planted and mature plants harvested. Cooperative weather and long hours of hard work ensure a winter’s supply of grain and hay for the animals and vegetables for farmers.

You can see real horsepower in action during these busy seasons. In spring horses plow, disc, and harrow the fields for planting. At harvest time they haul crops to storage. These working horses on Oxon Hill Farm, like all draft horses, are different than horses used for riding. Their wide chests, broad sloping shoulders, slower metabolism, and dense muscle structure give them the power to pull equipment. A two-horse team can plow two acres or disc 10 acres per day. Now that is horsepower.

"Come on down, we’ll put you to work."

Why dream about helping on a farm? Come join the fun. Feel the skin of a cow and the warmth of her fresh milk. Listen to chickens clucking and goats bleating. Smell the sweet aroma of horses and hay.