The Musk Ox Farm Palmer, AK

Posted byChristi IfferganPosted inAlaska, PalmerTags:, ,

Outside of Anchorage is a unique non-profit featuring musk oxen. The farm features the largest captive herd of Musk oxen in the world. I didn’t know much about them going in but left with a new understanding.

To learn more about the organization & musk oxen, visit http://www.muskoxfarm.org.

Musk oxen are indigenous to the frozen Arctic & have lived there for thousands of years. They live 12-20 years and grow to be up to 900 pounds. Because they are herbivores, their diet mainly consists of lichen, mosses & roots. During the summer, they supplement their diet with flowers & grasses.

They get their name due to the musky odor the males emit to attract females during the seasonal rut. Its Inuktitut name “umingmak” translates to “the bearded one”.

Female oxen carry their calves for 8 months. Pictured above is one of the young oxen birthed at the farm.

The Musk Ox Farm has been operating and educating guests about these animals for over 60 years. One of the ways they fund the non-profit is by harvesting their underwool, or quviut, to sell or create the hats & scarves available in their gift shop.

Quviut is considered to be the finest wool in the world and is highly prized for its softness, length, and insulation value. Prices for yarn range between $40 & $80 per ounce.

If you find yourself in Palmer, stop by and see these interesting animals in person. The guides were extremely knowledgeable & the tour included lots of time for questions and photos.

In my research, I discovered that the Musk Ox Farm also offers online tours. If you’re interested, visit http://www.muskoxfarm.org/virtualvisit to schedule an online tour today.

Published by Christi Iffergan

Hi! I am Christi, a full-time RV traveller since August 2021. I have always loved to travel, but COVID-19 put a stop to that. I was fast approaching 50, my condo was being placed up for sale and I was ready for a major change. Originally from a tiny town in rural Southwest Virginia, I am the mother to one son and a rescue Shih Tzu, Cappy. For the last 20 years, I worked in public library systems around the Charlotte & Myrtle Beach areas. I met some amazing people and made great friends along the way. Follow along on my adventures as I travel the US. I hope that our paths will cross one day!

4 thoughts on “The Musk Ox Farm Palmer, AK”

  2. Love this. I wish we had had more time to stop at interesting Atlas Obscura recommended places on our cross-country trip. Although we were gone for a month, there were so many things that we didn’t have a chance to see.

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