Walney Barnyard

Walney Barnyard. Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. , Fairfax County was a rural and agricultural society in the 1800s and for many homes, the barnyard was the center of activity., Across the road, can you see a pile of stones where once stood the three story barn of Walney? Many barns in the region were commonly made out of wood timber frame, but Walney's barn was constructed out of field stone. Stone was a cheaper material because it was commonly found on the property and it was a more durable building material., Imagine a barnyard bustling with activity. , Horses and cows grazed in the cattle yards and the stables. Enslaved African American and hired white workers gathered supplies from the sheds to work in the fields. The barnyard was where the Machens kept the animals and tools needed to operate the farm. According to the 1850 agricultural census of Fairfax County, Lewis Machen owned 5 milk cows, 49 cattle, 150 sheep, and 11 horses. These animals helped the Machens survive by providing food and supplies as well as a source of income., From where you stand, can you see the dairy? , Not all of the farm buildings were located in the barnyard. The dairy was located near the spring so the Machens could use the water to keep their products, including milk, cheese, and butter cold and fresh. The cows were milked twice a day in the barnyard and the milk was carried to the dairy to be processed and stored., In 1879, James P. Machen hired a man named Tobe Horton to milk his cows in the barnyard:,

Agreed with Tobe Horton this 1st day of January 1879 that from the space of one year from date he shall milk half of my cows night and morning; get them all up into cow pen or stable yard for said milking… Said Horton further agrees to clean the cow stable of manure daily when occupied by the cows; wash and thoroughly cleanse the milk vessels and cans after each milking…

, How would you feel if you had to milk cows and carry the buckets of milk down the hill to the dairy twice a day, and then clean the stables? How heavy do you think a bucket of milk is? Lift the bucket to find out!