Claude Moore Colonial Farm To Hold Save the Farm Rally

MCLEAN, VA—As the National Park Service is set to close Claude Moore Colonial Farm in December, the private group that runs the park's programs will hold a "Save the Farm" rally to keep it open.

The community rally will be held Thursday, May 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the Pavilions of Turkey Run. Community members can show their support for the farm while receiving updates on the Save the Farm effort. The Friends of Claude Moore Farm team will be on hand to distribute flyers, posters and sell Save the Farm tee shirts. Attendees can enjoy grilled beef hot dogs, sodas, chips and a cash bar with beer and wine. Anyone attending should RSVP by May 24 to savethefarm@1771.org. A $5 donation per person will be collected.

The Friends of Claude Moore Farm are also getting support through a petition on change.org. The petition to keep the farm open has gotten over 3,000 signatures with a goal of at least 5,000. The group is also asking for the public to contact NPS in support of the farm or contact representatives about "Save the Farm" legislation, H.R. 5201, introduced by Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-10).

The farm is set to close on Dec. 21 after the Friends of Claude Moore chose not to accept the agreement offered by NPS in March. The agreement uses standardized terms that apply to thousands of NPS partners across the U.S. with some leniency to Friends of Claude Moore Farm. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

NPS opened the farm in 1972 and entered into an agreement to allow Friends of Claude Moore Farm to provide living history programs in 1981. The nonprofit charges admission and staffs the national park, but it must sign cooperative agreements with NPS to use the land. Until 2016, these have been long-term agreements. The latest agreement signed on March 30 covers up to Dec. 21.

Anna Eberly, managing director of Claude Moore Colonial Farm, previously told Patch the farm would have to add two staff members to comply with the terms outline in the agreement. For a farm run by six employees and around 400 volunteers, she says that's something the farm's budget couldn't handle. She adds, "We would have to ask permission to do almost anything. If we have an event, we'd have to get a permit. None of that has been in place."

The farm, which has hosted over 2 million visitors since opening, portrays everyday life and work of colonists in late 18th century Virginia, just prior to the American Revolution. Originally named Turkey Run Farm when it opened as a National Park Service operation, it was renamed in for local land developer, Dr. Claude Moore, whose large donation at the time of his death allowed the farm park to establish itself as the only autonomous site in the park system. Among the events held at the farm include the upcoming market fair on May 19-20.

Image via Claude Moore Colonial Farm