moobeta

MOO News issue VII - Spring 2026

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 17:19:35 GMT

From the President….

The Board of Directors and I are so very happy to see spring arrive this year! This winter felt awfully long, especially with the King Barn encased in “snowcrete” for weeks on end!

The MOOseum will be opening on Saturdays to the public on May 2nd . There are quite a few school groups and community groups signed up for special tours in May and later this summer. Our new exhibit on How To Milk a Cow has expanded hands on experiences for our visitors and is the topic of this newsletter.

The MOOseum has three major special events coming up in 2026:

Heritage weekend on Saturday, June 27th from 10 am – 4 pm
Farm Tour weekend on Saturday, July 25th from 10 am – 3 pm
Fall Festival on Saturday, October 17th from 10 am – 2 pm.
As we get closer to these events, please check our website and King Barn Dairy MOOseum on Facebook for more details.

Planning to attend the Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday, May 16 th in Bohrer Park? Look for a MOOseum table with traveling exhibits.

Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the home page on the MOO’s website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email. Your input helps greatly in our mission of sharing with you all the rich dairy history of MoCo.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 2026

King Barn Dairy MOOseum 2026 Opening Day

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026 - 10am

The MOOseum will be open regular hours for the 2026 season:
May 2, 2026 through October 31, 2026
Saturdays 10:00am - 3:00pm

We look forward to welcoming one and all to join us soon and share
our story of the regions dairy history.

How to Milk a Cow

So head in this open season and experience yourself what the cow experiences as she is milked!

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum

Housed in that long barn through a successful private-public partnership with M-CNNP/Montgomery Parks, the MOOseum is active in preserving the history of dairy farms in Montgomery County Maryland . The mission of the MOOseum is to keep the rich dairy history of MoCo alive for residents and the many out of state visitors to South Germantown Recreation Park.

The MOOseum has a multitude of exhibits on all things dairy – a herd of cows from breeds milked in MoCo, cow models to milk, and information and artifacts on the transportation of milk, the life of dairy farmers and the history of where the 600+ dairy farms were in MoCo. Children enjoy the old-fashioned, outside games, making cow themed crafts, playing with farm toys, hearing stories about farmers, and learning exactly where milk comes from.

We invite you to explore the MOOseum and encourage those interested to come and visit us during our open season, which runs from May to October annually. For the latest details on special events, please check our website .

MOO News issue VI - Winter 2026

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:29:44 GMT

From the President….

Welcome to the King Barn Dairy MOOseum, MOO News.

The King Barn exhibits have been covered for the winter and the King Barn is very quiet. Although no visitors are currently touring the barn, this is the season that folks are arranging for spring group tours. Please be in touch to make arrangements for your group.

We thought it would be interesting to share with you what it was like to grow up on a MoCo dairy farm in the middle of the twentieth century. Advisory Board member Putt Willett did just that and has shared his experiences below. Putt, a retired administrator from Anne Arundel County Public Schools, is active not only with the MOOseum but also with the Maryland

Agricultural Council. He and his wife Nancy operate a Century Farm in Laytonsville, Maryland.

Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the home page on the MOO’s website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email. After all, our mission is to share with you all the rich dairy history of MoCo.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 2026

King Barn Dairy MOOseum 2026 Opening Day

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026 - 10am

The MOOSEUM IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
Interested in scheduling spring and summer 2026 group visits?
Please use the contact info below to send an email with your request.

During the winter, school teachers will be arranging spring field trips to the MOOseum.

This can easily be done by sending an email to dairymooseum@aol.com or

send a message directly from our website .

We look forward to seeing you all again in the spring!

Growing Up on the Farm in Laytonsville, Md..

Submitted by Putt Willett

It wasn’t until later in life that I realized what a joy it was to grow up on our family farm. For me not only was it the opportunities it presented but how fortunate and blessed I was to enjoy this way of life. Numerous events on the farm taught me the understanding of nature and the evolution of life. Life lessons learned was the love I would have of agriculture and to experience firsthand the ups and downs of real life situations on the farm. The lessons I learned were a balance of theory and practice. It was much more than getting an "A" on a written test it was also being able to successfully do the task at hand.

There were many experiences that taught me important life lessons like responsibility, time management, problem solving and teamwork and yes sometimes thinking outside the box.

Image: In 1964 at the Montgomery County fair Retirement’s Marjean my Guernsey heifer won Jr Champion and the fitting & showing contest in the 4-H & FFA division.

Image: In 1959 a field of wheat shocks at our farm. These shocks will be threshed for the grain.

Image: Retirement farms Holstein dairy herd on their way to the barn to be milked.

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum

MOO News issue V - Fall 2025

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:01:45 GMT

From the President….

Since I not only was a student for years, but a teacher and educator as well, Fall always feels exciting because of new beginnings. The MOOseum Board of Directors feels that way, too, tinged by the knowledge that soon the MOO will be closed for the winter. The MOOseum is housed in a 1930 long barn and it lacks heat as well as air conditioning…believe me it gets cold in there in the winter.

The 2025 open season has been wonderful! By the end of September we have had over 2,300 visitors, with one more month to go. We like to celebrate this season with a final special event – our Fall Festival held on Saturday, October 11th this year. There are special, spooky decorations, fall displays about what happened on the farm during that season, a scavenger hunt with prizes, and face painting from 11 am – 1 pm, and, of course, candy! Everyone is encouraged to come in costumes and we hope to have some parades in and around the barn. Listed below is our flyer about the Fall Festival – and since a picture is worth a 1000 words –

pictures from previous years showing how much fun our docents and visitors have had at this event.

A little history about the Fall Festival : our first student service learner (SSL) who started in the summer of 2010 when she was going into 6th grade, and who continued working with us through middle school, high school, college and into her working career was the MOO member who advocated for a special fall event. Her enthusiasm was contagious and she finally won the Board over to scheduling this special event which has become a highlight for all of us. So, please come and join us on Saturday, October 11th from 10 am – 2 pm for a joyful celebration of all that is Fall at the MOOseum!

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 2025

King Barn Dairy MOOseum Fall Festival

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2025 - 10am to 2pm

The MOOseum is open all Saturdays in October from 10 am – 2 pm.
The last day for this season is Saturday, October 25th with the MOOseum
opening to the public again in 2026 on Saturday, May 2nd from 10 am – 3 pm.

During the winter, school teachers will be arranging spring field trips to the MOOseum.

This can easily be done by sending an email to dairymooseum@aol.com or

send a message directly from our website .

We look forward to seeing you all again in the spring!

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum

MOO News issue IV - Summer 2025

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:38:25 GMT

From the President….

The MOOseum has had a fantastic beginning to the 2025 open season. There have already been 1,609 visitors to the MOO in May and June. On Heritage Weekend alone, 118 visitors came to check out our exhibits and hear presentations on Cow and Climate Change and the history of Irvington Farm/King Farm community.

We hope to see you visit this year. Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the home page on the MOO’s website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email. Your input helps greatly in our mission of sharing with you all the rich dairy history of Montgomery County (MoCo.)

When I think of summer, I think of family reunions with all their fun and connections. Although there are currently only two working dairy farms left in Montgomery County out of the hundreds that existed in the twentieth century, there are many residents with deep family ties to former MoCo dairy farms. Since the MOOseum opened in 2010, farm families have been holding family reunions at the MOOseum when their farm was the Featured Farm of the Month.

Below is Board member Suzanne Gartner’s story about her farm family reunion held at the MOOseum in September 2022. I hope you enjoy reading about her experience. Make sure you come out to the MOOseum this summer to learn more about Montgomery County Dairy Farms.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 2025

Open Saturday July 5, July 12, July 19 and July 26 10 am - 3 pm

Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) special presentations at 10:30 am and 11:30 am on Saturday, July 26th during FarmTour weekend.

WCC is collecting donations of dog treats, food, chews, toys, etc. through out July at the MOOseum.

Featured Farm Experience

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum

MOO News issue III - Spring 2025

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:55:01 GMT

From the President….

The Board of Directors and I are so very happy to see spring finally here! This winter felt awfully long, especially with those bitterly cold temperatures in January and snow that just stayed around way too long.

The MOOseum will be opening on Saturdays to the public in just a few short weeks with the first Saturday May 3. There are quite a few school groups and community groups signed up for special tours in May and later this summer. We can’t wait to see how our new exhibit on How To Milk a Cow is received by our visitors. Our goal was to make this exhibit more hands-on with easy to read explanations. Currently, work continues on the exhibit; it appears, however, that is will be ready for our opening weekend.

During the MOOseum’s open season we have three very special events. In this newsletter we want to share information about these 2025 events. We hope to see you at them this year. Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the home page on the MOO’s website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email . Your input helps greatly in our mission of sharing with you all the rich dairy history of MoCo.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar Spring 2025

King Barn Dairy MOOseum Opening Day

SATURDAY, MAY 3, 2025 10 am to 2 pm

King Barn Dairy Farm History & MOOseum

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum

MOO News issue II - Winter 2025

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 20:07:13 GMT

From the President...

Welcome to the King Barn Dairy Newsletter, MOO News.

The King Barn exhibits have been covered for the winter. Although no visitors are currently touring the barn, this is the season that folks are arranging for spring group tours. Please be in touch to make arrangements for your group.

In this issue, we thought it would be interesting to share with you how the Map & Research Committee identifies where past MoCo dairy farms existed. A big thank you to members Bill Duvall, Shelley Herron, Rich Rowe, and Chris & Howard Williams for your dedicated work.

Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of Moo's website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email . After all, our mission is to share with you all the rich dairy history of MoCo.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 1st Quarter 2025

The MOOSEUM IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER
Interested in scheduling spring and summer 2025 group visits?
Please use the contact info below to send an email with your request.

The 2025 Season Opening Date will be Saturday, May 3rd!

King Barn Dairy MOOseum 2025 Opening Day

SATURDAY, May 3, 2025 at 10 am

Finding Dairy Farms

MOO News issue I - 3rd Quarter 2024

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 18:36:38 GMT

From the President...

Welcome to the NEW King Barn Dairy Newsletter, MOO News.

Over the course of time, this newsletter will share with readers information about the exhibits in the MOOseum, the history of dairy farms and farmers, and any current events or happenings in and around the MOOseum.

Please encourage your like-minded friends, to sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of the home page on the MOO’s website. Also, let us know topics you would like to learn more about by sending us an email . After all, our mission is to share with you all the rich dairy history of MoCo.

- Peg Donnellan

Calendar 3rd Quarter 2024

The MOOSEUM IS OPEN!

For the remainder of the 2024 season, the MOO is open Saturdays from 10 am - 2 pm.
Our last Saturday open is Oct 26, 2024

The 2025 Season Opening Date will be Saturday, May 3rd!

King Barn Dairy MOOseum Annual Fall Festival

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2024 10 am to 2 pm

This special event held every year is fun for the whole family!
You can look forward to special decorations & exhibits, such as making apple cider, and face painting!
- wear a costume if possible -

King Barn Dairy Farm History & MOOseum

The non-profit King Barn Dairy MOOseum