Lee and Karen Duquette,
The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers

visited The Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run
and The quaint town of Occoquan
in the northeastern part of Virginia
May 21 - 22, 2008

The Claude Moore Colonial Farm At Turkey Run demonstrates the life of a poor farm family in northern Virginia prior to the Revolutionary War. The two RV Gypsies entered the farm and stepped back in time to the year 1771 when most of the population of Virginia lived in farms like this. Tobacco was the main cash crops and transactions were done via Barter (exchanging goods) or with tobacco notes. Virginia was still a colony of England under King George III. The staple foods for poor Virginians were corn and ham, supplemented by seasonal vegetables and fruits.


Below: FOOD; CROPS: Lee Duquette relaxed in the doorway at the tobacco house that was once used for curing tobacco and storing crops. The steeply pitched roof provided maximum strength and space for hanging the leaves to cure in the open, airy structure as shown in the photo below. Rye was grown on land too poor for tobacco or wheat. The grain was ground into flour and mixed with wheat and corn for the family's bread. A variety of vegetable crops, herbs and seed beds were grown in the garden. The orchard provided apples for fresh and dried fruit as well as the farm's principal beverage; cider.

ANIMALS: The farm is home to two rare breeds of turkeys: Standard Bronzes and Spanish Blacks. The turkeys help the farm family by eating worms off the tobacco plants, or the worms could destroy the entire farm. A flock of Dung Hill Fowl chickens were near the house and they provided eggs and meat for the family. Hogs were kept penned to fatten for slaughter.
The spring is the primary water source for the farm


Below: The Red Devon Cattle provide the family with dairy products - milk, butter & cheese

Below: The wooded land surrounding the farm provided logs for fence rails, building timbers and firewood. The "worm fencing" throughout the farm protects planting areas from roaming domestic and wild animals. The zigzag construction of the split rails makes the fence strong without having to use posts, nails or pegs.

Below: The Quaint town of Occoquan - shopping, dining, wine tasting, and very friendly people. Occoquan is a Dogue Indian word meaning "at the end of the water."

Founded in 1734 as a trading post, this tiny Virginia hamlet hugs the banks of the Occoquan River, providing a picturesque setting for visitors to escape mall and city shopping. Over 100 specialty shops and restaurants line the streets of this well preserved historic town, which stretches for four blocks long and three blocks deep.

Karen Duquette was actually standing at the top of this waterfall by the railing, but can not really be seen in the above photo	another view of the falls