The Small Breeds Farm 35th Anniversary
This year marks the 35th Anniversary of The Small Breeds Farm Park, and we’re celebrating with a Country Anniversary Fete on Saturday 4th July. We’d love you to join us for this special family fun day, featuring everything you would enjoy on a normal visit, plus bouncy castles, a collection of classic vehicles dating back to 1991 when the farm first opened, craft stalls, food vendors, face painting, and much more.
We would like to thank everyone who has supported the farm over the years. Whether you’ve visited, purchased a season ticket, enjoyed the tea room, or adopted an animal, your support has helped us become what we are today. Our team takes great pride in caring for our animals, and seeing visitors enjoy their time with them is what makes the job so rewarding.
The Small Breeds Farm is home to over 500 animals, including rare breeds such as red squirrels, black swans, and miniature donkeys, all with their own unique personalities. Set within 10 acres of beautiful Herefordshire countryside, the farm offers a hands-on experience for visitors of all ages. Guests can enter selected enclosures and spend time interacting with the animals, with our playful pygmy goats remaining a firm favourite. Our on-site tea room serves a variety of hot and cold meals, along with a selection of cakes, including gluten-free and vegan options, all enjoyed with stunning views across the farm.
Over the past 35 years, we have achieved so much for our animals. One of our most recent projects has been joining the Red Squirrel Breeding Programme. We built a brand-new enclosure for our red squirrels, allowing us to contribute to efforts to increase their numbers in the UK, something we are incredibly proud to support.
One of our greatest achievements was winning Best Attraction in Herefordshire at the Herefordshire Tourism Awards. Receiving this recognition was a huge honour and a proud moment for everyone involved with the farm. We have also successfully bred a number of rare species over the years, including our Royal Golden Guernsey goats. With only around 1,500 of these goats in the world, we are proud to be home to 10 of them. This year, one of our goats, Cybil, welcomed two healthy boys who are already full of character.
Our owl collection has also grown significantly over the years and now includes more than 75 owls. Emily, who has worked with our owls for over 10 years, is passionate about breeding rare species and helping to preserve them for the future. In 2022, she successfully hatched a Rusty Barred Owl, a significant achievement due to the rarity of the species. Visitors can often see the fascinating process of hand-feeding young owlets, which takes place several times each day.
More recently, we joined the Zoo and Wildlife Conservation CIC’s Chaco Owl Project, which aims to gather valuable research to support conservation planning for this species. We hope to raise funds towards specialist equipment that will contribute to this important work. We are also preparing a brand-new enclosure near the squirrel pen for an exciting new animal arrival. Be sure to follow our social media channels so you don’t miss the announcement.
Since Ella and Lewis took over the farm, we have expanded our events programme, with fantastic results. Last year’s first-ever Halloween Fest sold out immediately, giving visitors a unique spooky experience with actors throughout the farm. Following this success, our Christmas Lights with the Animals event continued to delight visitors for a third year, transforming the farm into a magical festive experience complete with lights, animals, and Santa.
As we celebrate our 35th anniversary, we look forward to welcoming both new and returning visitors to the farm and thank everyone who has helped make this milestone possible.
Article supplied by the Small Breeds Farm
