Sky Park Farm

At Sky Park Farm we have an eye on the past and our sights on the future. Inspired by the days, long ago, when Harting was famed for its deer parks, our family-owned farm is now devoted to deer. We breed deer. We farm deer. Our butcher offers prime cuts of venison and other meats. Our Visitor Centre celebrates the varied delights of deer. Our menus include dishes featuring lean, healthy venison. Although we’re devoted to deer, the Bar & Grill and our Butcher offer a wide range of meats and we cater for all dietary requirements.

Join us in our venture. Get close to our herds of majestic red, white and sika deer. Let your children loose in our Adventure Playground. Explore the Farm Trail and take a break by the river. See the local produce in our Farm Shop and Deli. Join us for a meal. Or simply stop by for a coffee and a cake. You’ll play a part in reviving the glorious heritage of Harting in the South Downs National Park.

Ancient History

For around 800 years, from medieval times to the 18^th century, the Manor of Harting was known for its private parks containing both red and fallow deer in landscape parkland. Ownership of such deer parks was a symbol of high social standing, with the Lords of Harting owning three for much of this period.

The local deer parks were especially reputable. According to A History of Harting, published in 1876, the Duke of Richmond and three succeeding Bishops of Chichester declared Harting deer to be ‘the best venison in the world’.

Today, Sky Park Farm lies just across the road from one of the original Harting deer parks. Remains of the banks and ditches made to enclose the deer can still be seen and earthworks mark the site of its hunting lodge.

Recent History

Husband and wife team Pierce and Victoria Noonan bought Sky Park Farm in 2016. They took ownership of a dilapidated 75-acre farm that had been neglected for many years.

This was actually a blessing in disguise, as features that may have fallen victim to farming practices during this time remained untouched. These include stretches of magnificent oak trees and a section of railway embankment dating back to the days when steam trains chuffed between Petersfield and Midhurst.

The new owners aim to revive the ancient tradition of red deer in Harting, inviting visitors to experience life on a working farm. Unlike the medieval Lords of Harting, however, who presented gifts of venison to their aristocratic friends, the venison will now be available to all... at our butchers.

Our Team

Our family-owned farm is managed by a dedicated team of specialists. Our Estate Manager is a recognised authority on deer husbandry. Our Executive Head Chef is a culinary innovator. Our Front of House Manager and Farm Office Manager have proven track records. And our owners combine an enterprising spirit with a commitment to preserve the farm’s rare parkland landscape. Each team member brings different skills and talents, yet they share a common outlook. Individually and as a team, they’re devoted to deer.

Directions

A Scenic Stroll from Petersfield .... a Bike Ride Stop. A Free Car Park

Our new postcode, GU31 5PT, is currently only available on Google Maps. We recommend using Google Maps or follow these directions:

If you’re driving, from the A272 you’ll see the Sky Park Farm sign on the road signposted towards Durford Mill and Harting. Follow the road for 1/2 mile and turn right into our free car park and look forward to a fulfilling farm experience.

For bikers, the Bar & Grill and Farm Shop offer a welcome break with bike racks, bike fixing station in the Stable Courtyard and a comfortable seat with delicious food and drinks available in the Bar & Grill and our Courtyards.

For walkers, a public footpath, following the Serpent’s Trail, meanders its way from the eastern edge of Petersfield to Sky Park Farm. The path crosses wildflower meadows, pasture and streams along the way, reaching West Harting after a brisk 40-minute walk.

For those who use the what3words app, you can find us by entering ///rewriting.dinner.potential

Sky Park Farm

West Harting
Petersfield
GU31 5PT

T. 01730 634634

Deer Farming

As more people appreciate the importance of a healthy diet, strict animal welfare standards and sustainable meat production, more British farmers are turning to deer. Unlike meat from wild deer, farmed venison provides consistency in both size and quality.

Sky Park Farm is a pioneer in this movement, producing ultra-high quality venison with total traceability and a gentle carbon footprint. We’re introducing innovative methods of husbandry, such as the micro chipping of each animal with an ear-tag to automate record keeping.

As we expand our enterprise, we’re determined to reduce the amount of venison that has to be imported from far away countries, a practice that’s hardly sustainable or environmentally friendly. To this end, along with venison, we also rear male and female breeding animals for live sales to other carefully vetted UK deer farms and deer parks.

Join Our Team

Maybe you crave the outdoor life and enjoy working with animals. Or perhaps you seek a career in hospitality. Think you can contribute? Send us an email explaining how.

About Red Deer

As the UK’s largest wild land mammal, the red deer is an icon with a history in Harting going back 800 years. And, of course, in the Scottish highlands…The Monarch of the Glen, The Stag at Bay … red deer crop up everywhere from framed prints to shortbread tins.

Living up to its fame, a stag’s antlers, growing at the rate of up to 2.5 cm a day, can stretch up to a metre wide with up to 16 branches. The antlers, shed and regrown each year, are used as weapons to intimidate and see off other males during the autumnal breeding season known as ‘the rut’.

As farm animals, red deer are as tame as cattle and the most efficient converters of grass to meat. Compared to other species of deer, they also produce larger cuts of venison.

About Sika Deer

Sika deer were introduced into Britain from the Far East in 1860. It is possible that almost all living English, Scottish and Irish Sika are descendants from only one Japanese stag and three hinds introduced to Viscount Powerscourt’s deer park at Enniskerry, Eire in 1860.

The name comes from shika, the Japanese word for “deer”. In Japan, the species is known as the “nihonjika”.

Sika graze on grasses and browse on dwarf shrubs and occasionally coniferous tree shoots and tree bark. Sika populations require careful management to maintain health and quality and ensure a sustainable balance with their environment.

Sika, similar in size and pellage to fallow deer, have white spots on their coats with a white caudal patch on their rump and a short, white tail. There is often a dark coloured dorsal stripe running the length of their back. In summer, they boast a rich chestnut coat mellowing to a dark mushroom colour in winter.

You can spot a sika deer as its head is small in comparison to its body.

About White Deer

White Red deer are rare in the UK, with only a handful of sightings in the wild reported over the last few decades.

The white colour is explained by leucism, a unique condition that has resulted in their hair and skin losing its natural colour. White Red deer are not albino – in fact, the chances of a pure albino deer being born are about 1 in 20,000, according to John Bates, Wisconsin Northwoods naturalist and co-author of White Deer: Ghosts of the Forest.

In certain cultures around the world, stories and myths have been told for centuries about white deer. Striking in appearance, the white stag or hart, often appeared in stories relating to the forests around King Arthur’s court, sending the knights on adventures against gods and fairies. One fable relates how King Arthur arrived at Sir Pellinore’s Well, a magical site, without his hunting party or his horse after pursuing a white deer. The white stag was also the heraldic symbol of England’s King Richard II and even makes an appearance in Harry Potter as Harry’s Patronus Charm!

Venison & Health

Venison is good for you, in so many ways. With more protein than other red meat, it promotes lean muscle growth and satisfies the appetite more. It’s also rich in minerals such as iron, helping to prevent anemia and lift energy levels.

It’s also full of important B vitamins including B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin), which help regulate the metabolism, and B6 and B12, which are thought to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Crucially, venison is lean, as it’s low in saturated fat…lower than beef, ham and even salmon. At the same time, it has exceptionally low cholesterol for a red meat. At Sky Park Farm, our venison is free range and pasture fed, boosting its healthy-eating credentials.

red deer looking at the camera. venison & health

FAQ’s

To make the most of your visit, please see our frequently asked questions and keep up to date with what’s going on at Sky Park Farm on Facebook and Instagram.

Dogs: Unfortunately, for health and safety reasons, we are unable to allow dogs into the Farm Experience, Adventure Playground, the Bar & Grill, Farm Shop and Butcher. Well behaved dogs are welcome outside of the Bar & Grill in the Courtyards.

Assistance dogs are welcome throughout Sky Park Farm

For further information please view our Frequently Asked Questions below.

Download Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Us

If you would like to get in touch with Sky Park Farm, please fill in this form. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Telephone:

01730 634634

Email:

info@skyparkfarm.com

Post:

Sky Park Farm
West Harting
Petersfield
GU31 5PT

Farm & Visitor Centre

Open DAILY

Monday to Sunday

9:00 – 17:00

The Farm Experience is open seven days a week.

As a working deer farm there may be occasions where the farm may need to temporarily close for operational reasons. In such instances we will give you as much notice as possible.