Health and Safety Farm Policy

We want everyone to have a great time while they’re here but to stay safe. Please take a moment to read through our 10 golden rules for staying safe and do follow the guidelines when visiting.

1. Animals carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans. This includes E.coli, parasites and bacteria. This can cause a range of illnesses which can be life-threatening. Pregnant ladies, the young, the elderly or those in ill health are most at risk.

Please take care and wash your hands after animal contact, before entering the gated summerhouse area, before eating and drinking, before you leave the premises and before smoking. Disposable gloves can be purchased in the entrance cabin for those who wish to use them.

If a child’s dummy or toy drops on the floor please don’t give it back to them. Please ensure that children don’t put their fingers in their mouths in the animal contact area or before washing hands.

Please note that hand sanitizer is no substitute for washing with running water and soap in a farm animal venue.

2. Picnics are not permitted.

3. Please keep the gate to the eating and drinking area closed at all times so the animals can’t get in.

4. All animals can be unpredictable and may bite so please supervise children at all times, in particular making sure they don’t touch the pig’s pen or attempt to feed the pigs by hand. Never walk behind the donkeys or the alpacas, they may kick if startled. When walking pigs please walk behind them. Small children must be accompanied by a responsible adult during pig walks and held by the hand at all times, ensuring they walk behind the the piggy, are unable to fall on the pig and don’t try and feed the pig.

5. Please don’t let your children eat food from the animal feeding buckets or put the treasure hunt pencils in their mouths.

6. Please don’t go into any of the animal enclosures, this is a risk to your health, that of other visitors and the animals.

7. Please step on the disinfecting mat on the way in and ensure your children step on the disinfecting mat by the slide before using the play equipment.

8. Please try to be calm and quiet around the animals. Don’t chase them or throw things at them. Please note that any visitors chasing or otherwise harassing our pets will be asked to leave immediately.

9. We’ve put up a number of safety signs around the premises. Please do take a moment to read them and act upon them while you’re here and supervise your children at all times.

10. Huckleberry Woods is an ancient orchard with outdoor hazards. Please beware uneven ground, rabbit holes, tree stumps, logs, twigs, nettles and overhead branches. It’s advisable to wear stout shoes or wellington boots and long trousers. If you’re concerned about uneven ground or unsteady on your feet please stick to the main central walkway and perhaps don’t book an animal walking experience. To manage expectations, we’re not a graveled pathway, chemical weed killer type of place – but a wild, back to nature type of place. It’s small, charming and understated rather than large, slick and commercial. Please consider whether this type of experience is what you’ll enjoy before booking.

And finally – please don’t wear open toed sandals or flip flops for your visit. We reserve the right to refuse entry to anyone not wearing footwear appropriate to a farm with freeranging and hooved animals.

Please note: All visitors enter Huckleberry Woods and take part in animal encounters and experiences at their own risk.

​Thank you!