Did you know there’s a place in Parrish where kids (and kids at heart) can feed farm animals, meet an emu, cuddle mini cows, and learn what it takes to properly care for all these critters?
Country Critters Animal Adventure Park is a hands-on educational farm at 15571 Rutland Road, with mini cows, goats, tortoises, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, turkeys, pigs, parrots, quail, a Patagonian cavy, and plenty of other animals waiting inside the gates.
It’s part farm visit, part outdoor classroom, and a solid find for homeschool families, field trips, birthday parties, and adults who never outgrew the urge to stop and say hello to every animal they see.
Meet the Country Critters
Country Critters is designed to be a hands-on experience. Kids can get close to animals they may have only seen in books or behind a fence, and have the opportunity to feed, pet, and hold them.
Owner Devin Brinkley believes it’s important for kids (and adults) to understand that animals require patience, attention, and daily care. Feeding a goat or holding a guinea pig may be the fun part, but it also opens the door to conversations about responsibility, husbandry, and how different animals live.
She also has a bigger vision for the space, with future plans to open a country store on the property and start offering classes for kids. In the meantime, she’s already offering a few fun at-home projects, including a Home Hatchery.
This $90 project includes a rental incubator, 12 fertile eggs, and an easy guide to help children observe, learn, and record the 21-day hatching process. Once the chicks hatch, you can keep them, rehome them, or return them to Country Critters.
Critter Yoga, Farm-Fresh Eggs, and More
While many of the activities at Country Critters are kid-focused, Critter Yoga is the ultimate experience for animal-loving adults. It's sort of like Goat Yoga, but so much better. This casual outdoor class takes place with goats, a mini cow, peacocks, rabbits, guinea pigs, and other animals moving around nearby.
Participants should bring a yoga mat and water bottle, and be prepared for the animals to become part of the experience. It gets hot in the summertime, so the final class of the season is scheduled for July 25th, but you can follow the Country Critters Facebook page for future dates and other fun events.
They also sell farm-fresh chicken, duck, and quail eggs Wednesday through Saturday, and occasionally, you’ll find various farm animals for sale.
Devin says she’s considering opening up part of the land for a community garden, where anyone with a green thumb can reserve a spot to plant and care for their own crops. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, reach out to CountryCrittersFL@gmail.com.
A Petting Zoo That Started as a “Happy Accident”
Devin says the idea for Country Critters started during the COVID pandemic, when a few neighbors began stopping by to feed and pet the animals she had on her property. As word got around, more people came by for the interactions, and it started to feel almost like a petting zoo. That’s when she started to realize the potential to turn it into something more.
Country Critters has been operating officially for about two and a half years, but Devin’s connection to animals started long before.
She grew up homeschooled on Joe Island, where her days included caring for poultry, livestock, dogs, parrots, and other animals.
Her family also operated a clam farm in the bay off the island. She spent years observing fish, crabs, conchs, mollusks, and manatees, learning how the animals around her lived and interacted with their environment.
She later interned at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, started her own aquarium company, became a boat captain, and eventually built an exotic animal farm.
While Devin is the driving force behind Country Critters, she’s quick to say she hasn't done it alone. “It takes a community to run something like this,” she says. And she leans on her partner, family, and friends to keep it going. Volunteers are also always welcome to help out for a day or take on bigger projects.
Plan Your Visit
Country Critters Animal Adventures Farm is located at 15571 Rutland Road in Parrish. They're open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
General admission is $12 for adults and children. Kids under 2 are free. You can book your tickets online at CountryCrittersFL.com.
For birthday parties, private events, volunteer opportunities, egg pickup, or questions about future programs, call or text 941-518-4050 or email CountryCrittersFL@gmail.com. And when you do, be sure to tell her you heard about it on Discover Bradenton.
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