Down at the Farm

We are a small family run farm which has been in the Sunderland area since 18th century. Over the years the family has been involved in many types of farming from milking Friesian cows, growing potatoes, crops and rearing cattle. Even just a decade ago, Down at the Farm was a large cattle enterprise run by the Weightman family with over 400 Limousin cows.

Our main season runs between Spring & Autumn each year – we close every winter. We have a wide variety of farm animals to hold and stroke, play areas and activities to make your day even more fun! We have lots of different types of farm animals for you to meet from sheep, cattle, donkeys, and pigs.

Just like the farm, our animals needs change with the seasons, depending on whether they are breeding , giving birth or needing shelter and our animal activities and talks are the perfect opportunity for us to inform our visitors of these changes.
farmer-with-cowsWe also have a small collection of non native species of animals such as Reindeer, Snowy owls, Meerkats, Raccoons and Reptiles. In doing so, we hold a zoo license which ensures that we meet the required welfare standards for these animals. Please see our animals page for more information on specific animals. We are also undertaking small conservation projects to encourage wild birds to come back and nest at the farm, as well as redeveloping pond areas to encourage wildlife habitats. We also believe that by allowing specific areas of the park to be left in a wild state, they will help more habitats to form. We hope you enjoy your day at Down at the Farm! Don’t forget, we are open every weekend and school holiday until November 1st.