Musk Ox Farm
Take a look at the place where musk ox roam free, just as they did in the ice age with saber-tooth tigers and woolly mammoths! Once an endangered animal, the musk ox is now an important part of Alaskan history, providing the finest wool in the whole world, qiviut. Qiviut is eight times warmer than regular wool and softer than cashmere. The annual harvest of this fur economically stimulates the community just as much now as it did in the pioneer days, and the process by which it is harvested is just as interesting as the spinning of the fiber into useful garments. This farm focuses on the domestication of the musk ox and was started in 1954 in the city of Palmer. The musk ox was actually first called the "oomingmak," meaning the bearded one, and has continued to be a staple member of the community.
A visit to the Musk Ox Farm will allow your group to have a close-up experience with these astounding paleolithic ruminants in a historic 1930s era colony setting in Alaska’s heart of agriculture, Mat-Su Valley. Choose between a 45-minute walking tour of the farm or spend some time checking out the informative and interactive exhibits inside the museum. One opportunity you won’t want to miss at the Musk Ox Farm is checking out the gift shop in which you can buy hand combed qiviut fiber, yarn, and garments, a shopping opportunity that attracts hundreds of tourists and locals alike every year!
