The Deanna Rose Farmstead…A Great Family Attraction!
When my husband was offered a job in the Kansas City area we were really excited. We knew that moving closer to a major city was going to offer us so many things to do as a family. Kansas City would offer opportunities that we wouldn’t have if we were still living in Iowa. There are so many things to do in the Kansas City area that are geared for families, especially for families with young children. We couldn’t wait to take advantage of all that the area had to offer.
So, out of everything that the Kansas City area has to offer, what is one of the first attractions we decide to visit? The Deanna Rose Farmstead. Yes, you got it! We Iowa folk went to visit a farm, right in the middle of a city. You may be wondering why we choose a farmstead to visit over every other attraction available in a city this size. Well, the main reason was the price: free! You can’t beat free, especially for a budget conscious family such as mine.
We herded our brood into the minivan (yep, I am a minivan momma!) and off we went to the farmstead. Upon arrival, we found almost all of the main parking lot to be full. Evidently, unbeknownst to us, this place was popular! It was only 10:00 o’clock in the morning; we weren’t expecting this many people at this hour. We decided that it must be some place, and we were right. After parking in the free parking lot, we started toward the gate and entered the farmstead.
Originally opening in 1978, the farmstead was renamed after an Overland Park, Kansas police woman who died in the line of duty in 1985. She was the first woman police officer to die in the line of duty in the state of Kansas. The farm was renamed to honor her memory, her love for animals and life in general, and I have to say it is an incredible way to do just that.
When entering the farm, you first notice just how vast it is. This place is huge and it is filled with all sorts of farm animals. The animals are incredibly friendly and come right up to the gate just begging to have you pet them. Had I had braver children, perhaps we would have touched one of these animals, but no such luck. You can tell immediately that this place is geared toward families with small children. The majority of the adults had strollers and most of them were holding onto a toddler sized child while walking around the farmstead.
The farmstead was crowded, but not over-run with people. There were excited children to be found everywhere. We began by going to see the baby lamb and its mommy. After much baaing, my children decided it was time to move on. We encountered a beautiful barn and once inside, you could climb up stairs to go down an awesome slide. Again, my children chose to watch rather than participate(that bravery issue again!). We then moved onto the bunny rabbits, and watched them hop around their habitat for a bit.
It was then time to move on and go visit the fishing area. Yes, the Deanna Rose Farmstead has a fully stocked pond and for a small fee ($3.00) you can rent a fishing pole and some worms to catch fish. This was one busy area and such a fun one to boot! After spending some time fishing, we decided it was time to go feed a bottle to the pygmy goats. Again, for a small fee you can give a pygmy goat a bottle through the fence. This didn’t work out so well with my children, because it would have required getting a bit too close for comfort. So, we just watched from a safe distance while other children fed the goats. Those children certainly looked like they were having a great time.
After washing hands at a wash station, which the farmstead has many, it was off to the Kanza Indian Encampment area. My boys were enthralled with the three different tee-pees in this area. We spent some time walking in and out of them, discussing who lived here and why. Of course, they are only two and four, so they really just had fun running in and out of the tee-pees rather than really caring who used to live in them.
Once we finished in the Kanza Indian Encampment area, it was off to mine for gold. Who knew that mining was once important in Kansas history? Well, we do now! This area has actual bags of “rough” that you can purchase, costing between 4.00 and 6.00 dollars, and an actual mining trough. My boys had a blast pouring the rough into the trough and then shaking it in the water to see what gems would appear. A true mining experience and a lot of fun for little ones!
Upon finishing up with the mining, we ventured over to more animal exhibits. We were able to see pigs, cows, ponies, buffalo, bobcats, peacocks, chickens, and even an American Bald Eagle. There were pony rides being offered in the pony area, and wagon rides offered in another area. All of these areas had several children and parents waiting in line to participate.
Throughout the Deanna Rose Farmstead are areas to purchase feed for the animals. The feed is a quarter for a handful. The farmstead is also equipped with playgrounds for children to play on, a butterfly and garden area, a nature trail and a well-stocked concession stand in which you can purchase a brown-bag lunch. The lunch is pretty filling and very reasonably priced.
All in all, the Deanna Rose Farmstead is a wonderful family attraction for the Kansas City area. Yes, it is free to get in, and any money you spend inside is your choice. We spent a total of 7.00 dollars on a fishing pole rental and the mining experience. You can’t really beat that. It probably cost us more in gas to drive to the Farmstead than it did for us to actually experience the attraction.
The Deanna Rose Farmstead is a place we plan on visiting several times in the next few years. It is a fun, family-oriented, educational place for a family to visit!
