Hidden Gems at Deanna Rose Farmstead

Hidden Gems at Deanna Rose Farmstead | Kansas City Moms Blog

If you’re a regular at Deanna Rose Farmstead like we are, you probably know all about the long list of fun things you can do there with your kids: bottle feed baby goats, go on a wagon ride, pole fishing, pedal tractors and of course tons of animals to see. I don’t have to tell you how awesome it is, but here are some tips to make your visits even more fun. My family visited Deanna Rose once a week during the 2015 season from April 1 – Oct 31st and learned about some real hidden gems that we weren’t aware of before.

  • Late hours in the summer: OK, I almost hate to share this because evening trips to the farm last summer when there were LITERALLY like four or five other families there were amazing. Deanna Rose can be very crowded during the mornings, lots of field trip groups and strollers everywhere. I know more than one mom that has pulled up to a full parking lot with about 10 school buses and turned right around and left to avoid the madness. If you go in the evening though, it’s quiet, peaceful, and you can really admire how beautiful it is. After hours you can’t do the “extras” like mining, pony rides, feeding the goats, etc, but you can still admire all the animals, play on the playgrounds, walk through the gardens, and feed the ducks. Late hours are on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from Memorial Day to Labor Day and admission is free during this time.
  • Goat run: I learned about this randomly last summer when we went to the farmstead late in the afternoon. Near closing time they announced something about a goat run over the loud speakers. I had no idea what they were talking about but figured we’d go check it out. The goat run is when they move the baby goats from their daytime pen to their nighttime pen. They open the gate and all the goats run as fast as they can down the long path to their other pen. It is hilarious to watch, and your kids will totally get a kick out of it. It’s like a horse race with baby goats.
  • Live cow milking: This is for the early comers and the late stayers. In the dairy barn, they milk a cow at 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. There are benches where you can sit and watch them do the milking.
  • Chicks in the general store: Every time we visit the Farmstead we make sure to pop in to the general store. 1) Because it is air conditioned, and 2) BABY CHICKS! Last season we saw baby chickens, baby ducks, and baby quail! Ask the person behind the counter if they have any eggs that are hatching and sometimes you’ll get to look inside the incubator to see the little chicks halfway emerged from their eggs! If they have baby ducks ask about the “duck swim” they do in the afternoons to help them learn how to swim. They fill a big metal tub with water and let the ducks splash around and get some swim practice!
  • Special events: There are too many to mention, but check out the June Bug Ball (free!), evening concerts (free!), plus daytime events like Dairy Day, Safety Day and Georgia’s Chicken Run.
  • Membership: This is an excellent deal if you are a resident of Overland Park ($35) but is still a pretty good deal even if you aren’t ($50). Admission prices changed in the 2016 season: Monday – Thursdays admission will no longer be free except between the hours of 2 p.m. and close. The Friends of the Farmstead membership gives you unlimited admission for two named adults and up to five children. With the membership card, you’ll get to skip the line and go right in and you’ll get lots of perks like 2 free drinks, 2 pony rides, 2 goat bottles, 2 fishing rentals, and a discount on Night of the Living Farm and Pumpkin Hollow tickets.

Have you discovered any hidden gems at Deanna Rose Farmstead that you’d be willing to share?

*If you’ve never been to Deanna Rose Farmstead before, check out Erin’s post about their first visit for a rundown!*

Julia Willhite
I'm Julia and I live in Olathe with my husband of 16 years, my 10 and 6 year old daughters, and our rescue pug Mabel. I’m a social worker turned SAHM and love Dr. Pepper, thunderstorms, and talking to other adults. I hate coffee, diet culture, and washing dishes. I'll talk your ear off about the best local parks and which restaurants have wronged me by changing their long-standing menu items. I try to walk the line between knowing a lot of stuff and not being a know-it-all. Some days I'm better than others.

1 COMMENT

  1. My daughter’s favorite thing in the farm are the giant wind chimes in the butterfly gaden. Most people miss them

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