Author Topic: Children's farm parks (Read 4212 times)

plumseverywhere · « **on:** February 25, 2011, 05:40:00 pm »

went to one today, last day of half term. Not sure how I feel about the place now. Wondering if you ever go to them or you feel a bit 'busmans holiday' there!
we wanted to milk the goats (as promised on the website) but, there was no goat milking to be done. Wanted to hold chicks but no chicks to hold (all advertised on the site)
thought the animals looked depressed but maybe that' s just me being grumpy!
all in all we paid over £50 for 4 small children and 1 adult to get in and have a cheese sandwich (in the freezing cold as no seats indoors) only thing the children enjoyed really was a play on the park, we could have done that for free

katie · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2011, 05:44:29 pm »

Crikey - what a rip-off! You could have come to mine and not milked a goat and not held a chick for £50!

I remember years ago taking my children to one (possibly the same one) where they were supposed to bottle feed lambs. This consisted ot the helper running down the line of children with a bottle and a lamb. They had about a second feeding the lamb before she moved on, The children were disappointed and I'm sure the lamb had indigestion!

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2011, 05:48:55 pm »

I would write to them and ask for your money back, with a note that you would be copying the letter to Trading Standards.

robert waddell · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2011, 05:56:53 pm »

yes complain and get your money back to bad we are in scotland now thats a way of getting profit from 10 acres and we have a swing as well

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2011, 06:20:04 pm »

I do feel ripped off but am wondering if my expectiations are different as we are living a country lifestyle already?
with the exception of not meeting our expectations (which I will write to them about) It seemed that the children who were apparantly from the inner city (likely to be Brum as that is the nearest city) were getting a lot from the experience. many had never even held a rabbit let alone see a sheep up close. they were quite vocal about seeing the goat do a wee and expressing their distaste at the smells! Now we weren't bothered about the natural smells and sights but I really wanted my girls to have more of an experience with holding chicks, milking a goat as we miss our old milker desperately and generally meeting animals that we don't (as yet!) keep.
Katie, I bet it is the same one as we are so close geographically! the other day we went to honeybourne in the pm and stratford butterfly farm morning and the girls (and I) had a brilliant time all for half the price of today!

knightquest · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2011, 06:39:04 pm »

Quote from: plumseverywhere on February 25, 2011, 06:20:04 pm

It seemed that the children who were apparantly from the inner city (likely to be Brum as that is the nearest city)

I'm surprised the little darlings didn't steal the animals

- I'm from Birmingham, so know the little tykes! Although the ones who are taken out of the gloom are usually quite tame

Even so Lisa, if certain things are advertised, then they should be available and you must have some recourse. Good luck!

Ian

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2011, 06:43:55 pm »

Hehe cheers Ian

they did look like they were trying to steal the chickens now you mention it! no, on the whole the children were very nice but there was a handful (always the way) of little toads. I just think the farm park was more geared for children who have little or no exposure to farm animals and now I've put it that way, that seems like a good thing as it would give them chance to see animals in their natural habitat and hopefully learn where their food comes from. However...a) there needs to be a grown up who works there on hand in several key points of the farm to make sure the animals are safe and respected and b) we need to get a refund!

katie · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2011, 08:49:20 pm »

You'd have thought that they would have been geared up for half-term week. I know Honeybourne always make sure they have some chicks hatched for half-term.

Have you taken the children to the Farm Animal Sanctuary, plums? At least that smells like the real thing!

Sandy · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2011, 10:33:02 pm »

I used to go to farm parks all the time, the inner city ones used to have special educational needs helping out too. I was happy for my children just to see the animals but I suppose if you have your own you want more. City kids may just enjoy a little pat on the animals back and just to see them, value is individual, for some it would be but for others with animals NO!!

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2011, 08:01:15 am »

Quote from: Sandy on February 25, 2011, 10:33:02 pm

I used to go to farm parks all the time, the inner city ones used to have special educational needs helping out too. I was happy for my children just to see the animals but I suppose if you have your own you want more. City kids may just enjoy a little pat on the animals back and just to see them, value is individual, for some it would be but for others with animals NO!!

The website promised so much and there was hardly anything to do when we were there. Animal wise it was 5 or 6 goats to look at, 4 cows, 2 donkeys, 5 in lamb ewes and some hens scratching about. so that took about 10 minutes to walk round

Katie - not been to the santuary but have tried. lady is always very busy and when we volunteered, Milli and I , to be helpers she was too busy to 'train us' so shame, but no. we do have 2 of their shetlands in paddock next to our goats though!