Thirty-Seven Years of Service and Growth

The year 2010 marks the 37th anniversary of the Farm's founding, and the 29th year that the non-profit organization, The Friends of The Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run, Inc., has successfully managed the Farm as the only privately operated park in the National Park system. The Friends' Board of Directors is composed of both elected officials serving in an honorary capacity, and area citizens and representatives of local businesses active in the community. The Executive Committee, which oversees the operation of the Farm and all fundraising activities, includes a President, a Vice President and committee chairs for the following committees: Development, Programs, Facilities Management, Finance and Nominating.

A Public/Private Partnership

The Claude Moore Colonial Farm was established as Turkey Run Farm by the National Park Service in 1972 under President Nixon's Legacy-in-the-Parks program. When federal budget cutbacks threatened the closure of the Farm in 1980, the community rallied behind Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Senator John Warner (R-VA) to save this popular educational resource. The citizens' group, incorporated in 1981 as The Friends of Turkey Run Farm, Inc., raised the funds immediately necessary to keep the park open as plans were made for the Farm's long-term financial and operational stability.

During the next two years, the Friends successfully negotiated a thirty-year, no-fee lease for the park, matched a generous $250,000 endowment gift from Dr. Claude Moore of Loudoun County to ensure a more stable financial base for the park's operation, and changed the name to The Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run. Realizing that the $500,000 endowment would provide only a portion of the operating budget, the Friends planned and raised funds in 1984 to construct a rental picnic facility to earn additional revenue. The Pavilions of Turkey Run, as the new facility was named, offers expanded facilities to the community, and enhances awareness of the Farm and its programs through increased visitation by a larger audience. In 1990, after ten years of successful private operation of the Farm, the Congress, through the National Park Service, provided much-needed help with a $225,000 construction grant to replace the badly deteriorated 18th-century farm house and the maintenance/administrative facilities.

Volunteer Support  (top)

The Farm could never manage without the help of a corps of dedicated volunteers supporting a small professional staff of seven persons. Behind the scenes, volunteers help with office work, publicity, maintaining the buildings, livestock and crops, repairing clothing, working in the greenhouse, and caring for the Farm's reference library. Fundraising events held by volunteers include the Annual Book Sale, Garage Sales and Plant Sales as well as staffing the Gatehouse Shop at the entrance to the Farm. Adults and children who portray 18th century farmers, artisans, musicians, dancers and merchants belong to the Colonial Company of Turkey Run. Specialized branches of the Colonial Company include the Farm Children, the Musick of Turkey Run, the Colonial Company Puppet Theatre, the Turkey Run Company of Carpenters and Sawyers, the Company of Cooks and Bakers and the Company of Tradesmen. More than 500 of these dedicated individuals and over 70 organizations annually donate more than 20,000 hours in support of the Farm and its programs.

Donate to the Farm  (top)