Description
Situated in Palmer, Alaska, the Musk Ox Farm is a private non-profit organization dedicated to the development and domestication of the musk ox, Ovibos moschatus. Every year we host thousands of visitors who come to view the animals, learn about the project and take advantage of this unique opportunity to see and photograph one of the Arctic's oldest living species. For a truly Alaskan experience, come visit the farm and take an informative tour led by a knowledgeable guide. See tame cows, powerful bulls, and newborn calves that will make your heart melt.

The goal of the Musk Ox Project, begun in 1954, is to introduce a gentle, non-intrusive form of agriculture to the Arctic. These animals form the basis of an Alaskan cottage industry for natives living in remote coastal villages. The soft under-wool of the musk ox, qiviut, is harvested once a year and delivered to Oomingmak, an Alaskan native knitter's co-operative. The knitters work at home in Eskimo villages throughout Alaska creating scarves, nachaqs (Eskimo smoke rings) and luxurious caps. Each village has it's own signature pattern derived from traditional designs. For more information about qiviut and the native knitter's cooperative, link to www.qiviut.com.

The Musk Ox Farm, located just outside of Palmer, Alaska (a scenic 50-minute drive from downtown Anchorage) is home to a unique domestication project which began in 1954. The Musk Ox Farm is an ideal place to observe and photograph these animals at close range. On the tour you'll learn about the history of the musk ox, a prehistoric remnant of the last great Ice Age, and how it has been domesticated on the farm. You'll see cows, powerful bulls, and tame yearlings. The Musk Ox Project promotes the use of qiviut (the fine under-wool of the musk ox) as the basis of an Arctic native textile industry, which provides an economic supplement to subsistence communities throughout Alaska.