Farmart Centre: Visiting Singapore's Offbeat Pet Attraction
When someone says
Town, they’re referring to the ever popular shopping and hang out streets of
Orchard. It’s probably not the first time you heard someone say “Singapore is
boring, there’s no place else but Town” and if you feel it is true, and you
earn for a short trip in a rural area outside of bustling metropolis and noise,
perhaps this suggestion could be right for you.
Farmart Centre Singapore
Farmart is a quaint
little spot that has been opened to the public since 2001. They house a myriad
of Pet Shops, Local Farm Goods, Grooming Salons, Pet Boarding and even a small
animal Farm. We’d admit that we have never considered visiting this location until
our friend suggested it, telling us it is rather fun, and the
particular thing she mentioned that caught our attention was none other than
the Small Animals Farm.
Mini Animals, Mini Zoo
Friendly Goat |
They’re not kidding
when they say small, it is perhaps the smallest farm we have seen. These animals
are in cages, and they are open to the public for viewing and patting and
feeding. The small animals in the farm include various Rabbits, Hamsters,
Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Parrots, Lovebirds, Goats, Frogs, Turtles, and even Cat
fish.
Signs like such around the Farm: Basic Education of Hamster |
Hamster crawls to greet us! |
Turtles lazing at the pond |
Pssst...Let me tell you a secret |
Though it is a pretty run-down place, the owners made do with what little
they have and they do care for the animals, giving this area a very “kampong”
vibe.
Since these animals are used to being exposed
to public, they are not traumatised or frightened by adults or kids.
Funny Rabbits tryna get a sniff |
Wait a sec...Is he smiling at us?! |
The public
were allowed to purchase feed and spend some time with these tiny cuties and we
saw a couple of families having a great time with their kids. Don’t be
surprised to see a group of school children at the same area, excursions are
conducted by schools to take their students out on an educational trip.
Friendly Goat No.2 with horns |
Catfish Party! |
This is
a great place to introduce your child to small animals and educating them about
it, and if you were considering a small first pet for yourself or your child,
it is a nice opportunity to interact with them!
Prawning
Right before the
Small Animals Farm you will see a small (again) pond where families of all
races partake in an activity we locals call, Prawning. If you are a Singaporean
and you do not know of this leisure “sport”, your friends would humbly say,
“Are you even from Singapore?!”
This is basically
where one would sit and fish for prawns. A pretty straight forward term
combining “Prawn” and “Fish”.
Source |
Prawning was a huge hit about a decade ago, especially
for the fact that you can barbeque your prawns and feast on them after, but it
seems to have died down significantly. As we see other prawning spots shutting
down and the current ones overpopulated by crowd, it was a nice change to see a
cozy prawning spot at the vicinity. Similarly, rates apply at this place, going
at 18 SGD per hour, (kinda steep in our opinion), but that didn’t seem to deter
anyone from prawning. Head over to the booth to find out more!
Bird Stage
As adults now, we can
recall the days our parents brought us to the Jurong Bird Park where we sat and
stare in awe as birds fly around and performed on a huge stage. Not to mention
queueing up to take pictures with Macaws and other parrots. At a small space
right above the Prawning pond, we relived those memories at a closer proximity
here at Farmart, completely free of charge!
Brilliant Red Parrot |
Another pretty Parrot, reminded us of goldfish scales |
These parrots and
parakeets belong to the owner of the Small Animal Farm, coupled with his
friends and their very well tamed pet birds. If you wish to have an adorable
parakeet perched on your hand or feed them, don’t hesitate to approach the
friendly owners, they are more than willing to help you with that request.
Lovely Pair |
We got a first-hand
experience playing with the parakeets, with the guidance and help of the
owners. Honest words of an outsider’s perspective, it may seem cruel and
unethical to make these parakeets perform, but we confirm the fact that these
parakeets are definitely not abused, it is only different on a nicer, bigger
stage. Parrots and birds are absolutely intelligent creatures, this experience
was an accurate display of the close bond these birds have with their trainers,
as amazing as a dog with many tricks.
Shopping At Farmart
We covered these
sections of the Farmart as we believe these are the under-rated area of the
premise, but there are other attractions within the facility as well, like
shops selling locally farmed goods, from quails, to quail eggs, to Chicken eggs
and exotic meat. You will see this space tended by Uncle William, sharing his
knowledge with you on local farming and local produce.
We also came across a
Pet Shop that provides grooming services with a friendly owner, some with sale
of puppies, fishes and also birds. Not forgetting a seafood supplier smacked
right in the midst of these shops (random but interesting).
Frankly, some of
these animals are not kept in adequate housing, especially the bird shop, but
we must say none of them seem ill, just hoping for a better home. There is also
a corner where you could buy stuffs for home landscaping, and potted home
plants for decor.
Eating At Farmart
After a day in the
rural farm, you can treat yourselves to a meal at the food stalls, the area
can’t be missed, its right at the entrance of Farmart. An array of local
delights such as Satay, Seafood, Fired Oyster, Char Kway Teow and Barbequed
Chicken Wings.
Farmart As A Whole
All in all our
experience was quite an eye opener, despite the rain we managed have a
different experience as compared to heading to Town or Café hopping. Farmart is
like a dose of nostalgia, reminding us of the vague (Because we were so young) memories
we had as a kid, following our kindergarten classes to goat farms and such.
Another Rabbit tryna take a sniff! This time a pretty Angora |
If you have kids,
this place would be perfect for a quick relaxing weekend, and if you do not
have kids, go snoop around with your friends, and play with some small animals
without an entry fee!
Location
Farmart is located at
67 Sungei Tengah Road, it is advisable to travel there in a car, otherwise you
could opt for a free shuttle bus ride from Choa Chu Kang Mrt. Visit Farmart Centre's website for more details.
Animal Rescue
Shelters are also located all around the area, so if you feel the urge to see
more or adopt a pet, the vicinities are always open to public as well. Perhaps
some animal in need could be the right fit for you or win your
hearts over!
You might also be interested in:
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