Sandra & Phillip Palmer

Headed by Phillip & Sandra Palmer, brother and sister team, together with parents David & Pat helping. The farm has been in the family for 3 generations now, farmed by David Palmer all of his life.

Designed specifically for children 8 years and under, past winners of  The Daily Echo & Bournemouth Tourism’s - Tourism Attraction Experience of the Year & Outstanding Customer Service, we hold the key to your great day out.

Even if it’s raining much is undercover which makes for a fun filled, busy day out that is still great value for money whatever the weather. The play areas are clean and safe, the relaxing environment is achieved by lovely friendly staff & great attention to detail.

In the Animal Barn there is a full timetable of “hands on animal events”, 1 every half hour then tractor trailer rides and lots of play equipment; add to this fresh air and exercise and  we  aim to send your children home tired but happy.

Families can explore the lovely woodland walk together and maize maze (August). When you’re hungry the restaurant has thought of everything, 4 baby changing areas, highchairs, baby food jars and facilities to heat baby milk. Not all fast food here, proper traditionally cooked farmhouse fayre! You can even drink your coffee from a china mug whilst outside.

Our staff's attitude to customer care is brilliant and this is evident throughout the park.

Lets take a step back and look at the history:

Grandfather William Palmer used to run the Bakery in Organford which is now the Tea Rooms. When he retired in 1956 he bought Organford Dairy Farm, the same year that David (our Dad) qualified from Kingston Maurward's Agricultural College in Dorchester. When Grandfather fell ill David took over farming 250 acres.

The farm was principally a dairy farm which milked 110 cows and could boast that no outside cows came onto the farm since 1956. Our father worked very hard, 7 days a week making hay, growing corn, maize, silage and market garden vegetables which he sold locally in Wareham. As a child I can always remember visiting him (mum would take him tea & sandwiches) when he was busy making hay bales in the fields in the height of summer.

Farming has become so hard, there is so much more paperwork (all of the cows have to have their own passports) and so little money. In September 1999 he decided to sell the dairy herd to a local family of dairy farmers.

This was two years after Phillip came up with the idea of turning the farm into a visitor attraction for children & their families. It is wonderful that we have been able to keep the farm in the family although diversification was the only way to keep the land & family together.
Sandra Palmer-Snellin


A Day in the life of a Farm Park
The sun peeps it’s head over the horizon and the cockerel crows. As the Animal Barn staff arrive at work the lambs and goats start to call out. The next 2 hours are spent cleaning out the rabbit & guinea pig area, preparing their handling pen and making up 24 baby milk bottles for the first 8.30am feed of the day. All of the outside animals have to be checked, given hay & fresh water (not forgetting to scrub buckets!) and the ponies have to come in from their overnight field.

More staff arrive and the play areas are tidied and checked, we even clean up with a huge outside hoover. The restaurant staff meet the delivery van’s who are bringing in the fresh fruit and vegetables. They open the doors to the beautifully clean restaurant (Caroline our magic cleaner has been in during the night and made everything pristine). Lights go on, cookers go on, cups go out, picnic boxes are made up and the restaurant is ready.

The shop staff are tidying up from all the little fingers who “kindly” moved the toys to a ‘new home’ yesterday and opening up the front doors.

10.00 and our enthusiastic visitors come to play and join in with the busy animal barn timetable – there's an event every half hour!
The tractor driver checks the tractor & trailer is ready, the gates are open an he can do his 1st ride of the day at 11.45.
The cows are brought in from the field, to eat hay, before the afternoon milking at 1.45pm.

Out in the fields Farmer Palmer (Senior) has the plough fitted on his Case tractor and is ploughing the old grass ready for some maize planting. The seagulls are following along hoping for a tasty treat!
The day gains momentum and it is lovely to hear the children’s squeals of delight as they try something new or hone those mini tractor driving skills!

When it is time to re-fue,l the Hen House Restaurant, is the place to be. It has a brilliant reputation for good quality traditional cooking & value family meals. Dawn, Luke and their team are the stars of our Kitchen. Take your coffee outside in real china mugs, so that even when you’re in the fresh air you can feel like you are at home!

The afternoon sun warms the picnic area, ice-creams can be seen held in little hands as families head off towards the river and the pretty woodland walk with their 2008 activity booklets in hand.

As the day draws to a close the animals need settling into bed, the cows go out into the fields again, the ponies trot off across their night-time field and the peacock finds somewhere to roost.

All is quiet, peaceful and most areas look as though a tornedo has passed through! With our magic care-taking & cleaning it will all be perfect again tomorrow.

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