Montgomery County Fair Celebrates 75 Years: Generations of Farming Families Shine

GAITHERSBURG, Md. — When people think of county fairs, they think of food, games, and rides, but the main attraction is the livestock.  And for 75 years, the Montgomery County Fair has been helping to make this a DMV tradition.

WUSA9 met the Kellers, who own Vista View Farms in Damascus, Maryland. Their 8-year-old daughter, Hannah Keller, is participating in the Clover’s Shepherd’s Lead Show.

"Do you work with your sheep a lot?" a judge asked Hannah. "Yes," she replied. "Where do you keep her?" "In our barn."

For Hannah, this year is an opportunity to learn the ropes of 4-H competition, where entrants are judged on how well they handle their sheep, the outfit they make using wool, and, of course, how they answer questions.

"How often do you work with your sheep?" the judge asked. "About every day when it’s cool," Hannah responded.

She’s as cool as a cucumber, thanks to her mom, Marla.

"I grew up showing here at the fair, showing beef cattle for a number of years," Marla Keller said.

Keller also grew up on a cattle farm in Damascus, Maryland. Today, she runs Vista View Farms in the same area, focusing on sheep and produce.

"You know, small farms can produce quite a bit, but we need big farms too," Keller explained.

And it’s here at the county fair where we get to see her daughter follow in her footsteps.

This time, Hannah gets a participation prize. "Next year, you'll get a ribbon and you'll get placed," she said.