Flook Farm History

Flook Farm History. Early Farming in Frederick County. , The property on which you are standing is the Daniel "Charles" Flook Farm. The Flook family was among the many families involved in agriculture in Frederick County in the early 19th and 20th centuries., Mills , Mills were among the earliest agricultural supporting businesses in Frederick County., Utilizing the natural terrain and waterways for powering their operations, mills were established along many of the tributaries throughout this region., Mills were an essential part of agricultural production, providing the ability for farmers to turn their harvested wheat, corn, and other grain products into flour to sell at market., In 1798, there were 80 grist and flour mills throughout Frederick County, and by 1808, that number had increased to 104 mills., In the Brunswick region, there were at least 14 mills operating along the waterways of the area. Among these mills was Bloomfield Mill, which was located near Picnic Woods Road and Middle Creek., The Flook family had owned and operated the mill from about 1765 until they sold it to Jacob Leatherman in 1826., The mill continued operating through the late 1880's. Grain production declined in the region, and mills, like Bloomfield, ceased operations., Westward expansion allowed grains to be grown in larger quantities, and railroads increased the ability to move that grain to all areas of the country. These changes along with changes in industrialization and urbanization led to new trends in Frederick County ariculture., By 1880, farm production was beginning to diversify from grain crops to include more orchard and dairy operations., The annual output of Bloomfield Mill was 2,000 bushels in 1850, and by 1880, it had dropped to 800 bushels, demonstrating the shift in local agricultural practices., Flook Family Farm , In 1896, William Snively Flook purchased this property from the Claggett family, where he farmed the land. When William passed away, his oldest son, Daniel Charles Flook, continued the farming operations., The Flook farm produced a variety of crops, including wheat and corn, throughout the 19th century., The development of the railroad and the rapid growth of industrialization created a shift in the agricultural landscape and practices of Frederick County away from grain production., As part of this shift, Flook and his fellow farmers began to focus on dairy farming. As other farmers throughout the County changed their farming operations, Frederic County became the leading dairy-producing county in the state of Maryland., Changing technologies and practices gave rise to new agricultural organizations to ensure farmers had access to best standards in agricultural practice., One of the first of these new organizations was "The Agricultural Society of Frederick County", founded November 3, 1820. Charles Flook was an active member of the Frederick County Farm Bureau, which also established to help promote Frederick County farm standards and preservation of agricultural land. During the 1920's, Flook represented the Petersville and Mount Pleasant Districts on the Frederick County Farm Bureau., From Horses to Machinery , Horses have been an instrumental part of agriculture for centuries. Prior to mechanization, farms like this one, relied heavily on horse power for planting and harvesting. Here, on the Flook farm, horses were an integral part of all of the agricultural operations., In 1918, the livestock on the Flook farm was valued at $1,190, among which were cattle ($400), hogs ($20), sheep ($230) and horses ($540)., As farm machinery began to replace the use of horses in the early 1920's, the agricultural use of horses turned to recreational purposes, including riding and racing., Maryland's equine heritage includes not only agricultural development, but also thoroughbred racing and therapeutic riding., Today, 25% of Maryland's agricultural land is used for horse-related purposes. Frederick County has over 2,700 horses, ranking the third highest equine farming in the state., [Captions:] , Mary Howard, granddaughter of Bernard Howard, was employed by the Flook family, as the cook and housekeeper., James and Alice Cramer and friend with their horses, enjoying recreational riding on trails around Frederick in the 1940's., Katherine Cramer with Peppermint at Rose Hill Farm, where she raised race horses in the 1940's.