Having a garden and / or animals is something you can do for your own personal pleasure, but also to share it with others: in this case we are talking about an educational farm or an interactive zoo. Probably, in this case, visitors will also pay a price! Read how to start this type of business!
Steps
Step 1. Buy or rent a piece of land that fits your project
In general, it will have to comply with the regulations that apply to land used for commercial or agricultural use. It will need to be the right size and in an appropriate area.
Step 2. Plan your project
You will need to consider various aspects when planning your petting zoo or interactive zoo. Here are some of them:
- Plan how you will use your space. For example, an educational farm will need to have spaces in which you will feed your animals, wash them, give them shelter in case of difficult weather conditions and show them to the public in order to interact with them.
- Plan the crops you will plant and harvest for your trade if you choose to set up a small farm. Vegetables, flowers, seedlings and bushes are examples.
- Plan a roadmap. If you are in an area that has a tourist season, you will need to be able to open your business at times when you think there is a better chance of tourists coming to your farm.
- Plan the financial resources that will allow you to survive while setting up your business, and pay all the expenses you will have to do in the beginning: buy the animals, equipment, seeds and other products you will need.
- Make plans to succeed in setting up your farm. It might be a good idea to find partners instead of hiring people if you're on a budget.
Step 3. Check the regulations for your new business
You will need to take out special damage insurance if your farm has public access, and you will also need to have a business license or even professional licenses to be able to open it.
Step 4. Start small
A small garden, for example, can produce an incredible amount of vegetables that last a whole season, such as tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, beans and more, and crops such as wheat, melons and others that, on the contrary, are harvested only for a small period during their season.
Step 5. Find out what the public in your area is interested in
If you open your farm / zoo for commercial purposes, you will need to try to meet the tastes of your audience. Interactive zoos have beautiful, docile and well-tamed animals such as sheep, goats, pigs, ponies, etc. Try to avoid aggressive species and larger animals (e.g. cows and horses) unless you are sure you can handle them well.
Step 6. Build the infrastructure
You'll need cages, an entrance, driveways, bathrooms, parking lots, and maybe even a souvenir shop. For a small farm, you'll need a place to store your crops, one to process them, one to display them to sell - and, of course, the farmland itself.
Advice
- The areas where the animals will stay must be kept clean and must have areas for their washing.
- Ask grocery stores if they can donate or sell merchandise for your needs at a reduced price.
- Many barns and barns have extra provisions: try asking them!
- Diversity is the key to survival. If you also build a small shop that sells books or other items related to animals or crops, you will help your business grow.
- Starting an educational farm or an interactive zoo is an activity that will require a high investment of time and money.
- Always look for alternative sources of food and grain for your pets.
- Plastic buckets or large ice containers are perfect for children to play with animals, feeding them.
- Contact known animal trainers so they can give you lessons and hands-on demonstrations.
- Often, farms or zoos may need "additional support": guard dogs, electric fences and other safety devices that can prevent animals from escaping or being attacked by predators.
Warnings
- Zoos may need insurance and financial coverage to start the business, but also to prevent damage or loss.
- It will also be advisable to install signs that can be seen by everyone to prevent damage or incorrect behavior.
- Restrict the entry of younger children to areas with more dangerous animals, and make sure they are always under the supervision of an adult or zoo manager.
- Any business is risky: watch out!
