Kidwell Farm

Frying Pan Farm Park preserves a piece of Fairfax County's rural heritage with it's working demonstration farm. Kidwell Farm recreates the era of 1920-1950, when family dairy farms blanketed the landscape. This was a period of great transition in agricultural technology.

Down on the Farm

Meet draft horses, chickens, peacocks, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows and pigs at Kidwell Farm, Frying Pan Farm Park's working farm of the 1930s. Greet the friendly farm animals, take a wagon ride, or watch the farm hands at work. At the Kidwell Farm House, you can sit on the porch or take a tour (call for availability) to see how farm families lived in the 1930s. Kidwell Farm is open daily 9am-5pm. Groups are welcome and school programs are available by appointment, call for program information.

Kidwell Farm provides a glimpse of the patterns of family farming. The farmhouse was central to the farm operation, which was run by Mom, Dad, the children and maybe a farmhand. The barn provides a loft for hay storage, a milking parlor, and stalls for draft horses, pigs, and any number of cattle, sheep and goats, as needed for birthing or shelter during inclement weather.

Out buildings include the dairy, smokehouse, corn cribs, equipment sheds, chicken house, outhouse and various run-in sheds for livestock. The Antique Equipment Shed houses horse-drawn and mechanized equipment, including several early 1900 Fordson, John Deere and Farmall tractors which are maintained in working order.

The Moffett Blacksmith Shop, circa 1917, originally located in the nearby town of Herndon, stands at the farm entrance across from the kitchen garden. Volunteer staff occasionally help man the forge of the fully operational blacksmith and wheelwright shop; as well as tend the garden, assist with educational programs, hayrides and special events throughout the year.