Feeding the Deer at Farmer Palmers

We are season pass holders for Farmer Palmers in Dorset and really enjoy our regular visits to the park as they have so much there to see and do.

One thing has eluded me so far and that was their Deer Safari as it is run at 2pm and I normally have to leave about then to ensure I am home in time for the school runs.

On Easter Monday the horrendous winds that we had overnight died down by early morning and the sun was shining brightly so I decided to head out somewhere with the kids, who voted overwhelmingly for a visit to Farmer Palmers.

Farmer Palmers

We spent the morning enjoying everything the farm has to offer, including the slide barn, indoor play area, tractors, park and of course seeing the animals. Sebby bravely groomed a pony with Eliza for the first time and Isaac and Eliza bottle fed some lambs and got to ride a pony.

Farmer Palmers

The kids wanted to do the tractor ride, but were hungry so we stopped for lunch in their cafe so we missed it, however, the Deer Safari was running at 2pm which also involved a ride on the tractor so we paid our £2 extra each and jumped on board.

The tractor ride to the Deer was nice and bumpy, just as the kids like it and we stopped to get off by the deer herd who knew we were coming and were waiting patiently by the gate for us.

We got off the tractor and walked into a special area where we got to hand feed the beautiful red deer herd which is an amazing experience. They are incredibly gentle and snuffle their nose into your hand to eat the feed, Eliza said she felt the deers tongue and it tickled. The only animal that we were not allowed to feed was the stag as they don’t want him to get too friendly.

Deer Safari

The whole experience took around 3o minutes before we climbed back onboard the tractor and set off on the bumpy ride back just in time for the days Easter Egg hunt. Typically the heavens opened and we got a little wet, but the kids came back out of the field with pockets full of miniature chocolate Easter Eggs so they were happy.

Easter Egg Hunting

Thank you for a fun-filled Easter Monday Farmer Palmers, we will be back to feed the deer again soon.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

17 thoughts on “Feeding the Deer at Farmer Palmers”

  1. It’s great that you managed to finally go on the deer safari at Farmer Palmers, what a great experience for you all. Our deer are getting braver and will nibble out of your hands now but I can imagine having Red Deer eating from your hands is a fabulous experience. It’s great that they all got to have much more fun too, lamb feeding, pony grooming and pony riding I’m sure you’ll be back again before the school holidays are over with so much excitement. Thanks for linking up with me on #CountryKids.

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  2. Oh the deer safari looks like such a wonderful day out for everyone! I think I would have been really excited by seeing them as well! And how lovely to feed the lambs too #countrykids

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  3. This looks lovely! I’m glad you managed to avoid most of the bad weather and still have a wonderful Easter.

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  4. As I was reading this I thought of the deer at Coombe mill! We also love next door to Woburn safari so see a lot of deer but can never get close. What a beautiful experience to feed them X

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  5. What an amazing place to visit. We’v only ever once fed a deer, a wild one at a local park which came up very close and had some bread meant for the ducks.

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