Farm Tour Stop 8: Blue Top Farm

“We will have a regular day with several hundred people around,” said Robin Lancaster, co-owner of Blue Top Farm in Nokesville, talking about the 11th annual Wild Western Prince William County Farm Tour, which is Sept. 24 and 25.

She and her husband, John, bought the property in 2000; it’s now a 43-acre boarding facility for amateur sports horses with a focus on good conservation practices, she explained. Robin had been around horses since childhood; she took lessons weekly and her father grew up on a dude ranch in Cody, Wyo. Before moving to Nokesville from Arlington, she was a veterinary technician, visiting farms throughout Northern Virginia. Eventually, she wanted her own operation.

“I met people and horses, did research and saw the mistakes other places were making and wanted to design my own place,” she explained.

Visitors during the farm tour will experience a day in horse country, including what’s involved in caring for horses and running a sustainable operation.

“We participate in the farm tour because it’s fun,” Lancaster said. “All the horses will be out, so that visitors can meet and greet them. The boarding customers will be riding their horses as usual. We’ll let people pet the horses but we can’t allow treats and hand feeding. We’ll also have the goats and chickens out. We’ll just do what we do and let visitors enjoy the space and quiet,” she continued.

More information is on the farm tour website: http://www.pwcfarmtour.com