Pettit Creek Farms

About Pettit Creek Farms

Pettit Creek Farms is an 80-acre working family farm at 337 Cassville Road in Cartersville, Georgia, in the foothills of North Georgia about an hour north of Atlanta. It combines a working farm with guided tours, a petting zoo, seasonal festivals and animal rentals. It is a farm attraction rather than a conventional zoo and is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The farm's website quotes owner Scott Allen describing its mission: "We live to educate and entertain - it's a privilege to live and work with such a wide variety of animals."

History

According to the farm's Our Family Farm page, the farm was established in 1945 when Raymond and Fannie Mae Allen relocated to the area after Allatoona Lake expanded. The Allens initially grew cotton and corn, using mules. The page says their children took over in the 1970s, expanding cattle operations as row crops declined, and that grandchildren joined in the 1980s, followed by great-grandchildren. It names Scott Allen as the current owner, a farm passed down from his father and grandfather, with Chris Allen making sure people and animals are where they need to be and Candace Hillhouse handling logistics. The page says the farm still functions as a working farm, where hay is mowed, cows give birth and chickens lay eggs.

Exhibits and habitats

The website lists camels, which it describes as the largest herd in Georgia, along with reindeer, giraffe, zebras, capybaras, kangaroos, goats, sheep, llamas, cows, ponies, horses, donkeys, pigs, chickens, ducks, rabbits, emu and peacocks. The Our Family Farm page also mentions buffalo and Patagonian cavies. The school field trip page describes more than 20 different species from South America to Africa.

The farm tour page describes a leisurely 1-mile walk over gravel and grass that takes about 1 to 1.5 hours with a guide, with a petting zoo and optional animal feeding. A drive-through option is offered only on certain dates and times, and guests must stay in their vehicles along the route. A separate Capybara Experience add-on lasts about 20 minutes for up to 8 people.

Conservation and programs

The farm's programs are agricultural and educational. School field trips run Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for groups of at least 20 students, and include a hayride, a petting zoo experience, scarecrow building and a small animal display, plus a corn field maze in October. The page says the trips support curriculum topics in agriculture, geography, biology and natural sciences. The farm also hosts birthday parties and rents animals such as reindeer, camels and lambs, including live nativity packages.

An aerial adventure course is offered, with two zip lines, a cargo net and four bridges, with a minimum age of 4. A zipline canopy tour was listed as currently unavailable.

Planning your visit

Farm tours run January through August. According to the website, guided tours operate most Saturdays from February through August and select weekdays, with typical Saturday times of 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m., and tours are booked online. The tour page asks visitors to arrive 10 minutes early and recommends sunscreen and hydration.

The farm's Pumpkin Fest page lists weekend dates of September 19 to 20 and 26 to 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., then October 1 to 31 from Tuesday through Sunday, with October weekdays starting at 2:30 p.m., October weekends starting at 10 a.m., and October 31 hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission covers items including a corn maze, hay maze, hayride, petting zoo, ring toss and duck race, while camel rides, pony rides, swings, animal feed and the aerial course are add-ons, which the page says are cash-only. Reservations are not required for Pumpkin Fest, and tickets can be bought at the gate. The home page lists Country Christmas from Thanksgiving at 6 p.m. through December 30.

Signed waivers are required for all ages, and pets are not allowed. Prices are on the farm's website. The farm's phone number is 770-386-8688.