George Washington: Pioneer Farmer Site

While George Washington is honored as Commander-in-Chief, he thought of himself first and foremost as a farmer. Washington came to recognize the inadequacies of 18th-century farming techniques and began an untiring effort to improve his farming methods by experimenting with crop rotation, fertilizers, plowing practices and more – quite uncommon during the colonial era. He was among the first Virginia planters to abandon tobacco production in favor of wheat.

At Mount Vernon, the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site stretches over four acres adjacent to the wharf on the Potomac River. Here, guests can watch horses tread wheat in the ingenious two-story, 16-sided barn of Washington's design. Treading demonstrations take place daily July – September 3 at 10:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Demonstrations are offered weekends only September 3 - October 28 (please consult our calendar for dates and times). A variety of 18th-century farming and cooking demonstrations also take place April – October.