What's the Difference Between a Caribou and a Reindeer?

Palmer, Alaska
Elk's Lodge

I have to say, I was really wondering about the Reindeer Farm and didn't have great expectations.  We had told Roger, Sharon, Robin and Janice we'd met them there at 10.  
We had our morning visitor barking at our door again this morning and Boo came in and stayed in front of the heater.  When it was about time to leave Bill attached the lead to Boo's harness and told Boo she needed to go home.  She went down the step and sat at the bottom for awhile.  You should have seen the sad brown eyes looking back at Bill.

It was cloudy but had been raining lightly overnight.  Not the kind of day you would have picked to visit a farm.  

We had our coupon booklet with us and saved $9.00 with the buy one get one free coupon.  As the tour group gathered our tour guide suggested we go into the gift shop and put on some rubber boots.  Everyone stood there, but Carlena and I went in to get some boots.  They weren't slip over kind, but we found some to fit us.

It wasn't raining, but kind of misty.  Thank goodness we all brought jackets.  

Our guide told us the only difference between a reindeer and caribou is that the reindeer are domesticated.  I am holding up (with the guides help) a moose horn that weighs 60 pounds.

Do you think Harry looks like a moose?

Roger made it look easy, but you had to bend over and lift it over your head.

Carlena managed to get it up overhead.  The problem was keeping it there.

Antlers are like fingernails and they grow very fast.  

These antlers weren't nearly as heavy as the moose horn.










I think Robin and Janice are enjoying the tour.

Everyone was given a bowl of feed for the reindeer and were told how to feed them.

They knew we had food and came right over to get some.

It was impossible to have the feed in one hand and the camera in the other.

This reindeer had shed his winter coat.

Here's a reindeer who is shedding her coat.

Bill's always a soft touch for treats.  Here has two at a time.

I thought this one was cute but not a very lady like stance.

I was trying to say I've had enough, but as long as there was feed where they could see it, they wanted it. 

They don't hurt or bite but they did slobber a little. 

This was Dolly that they rescued.  She is very very small for a bison.  

These babies were so cute.

We picked some grass and fed the elk through the fence.  

I made sure when they started eating the grass I let go of it since they can bite.

I petted Apollo and he seemed to enjoy it.  There was no doubt he was in charge.

The babies were so cute and I think they said they were about 3 to 4 weeks old.

This baby moose has been rescued and will never be released in the wild.  The screen around the fence is because it is still in quarantine. 



We decided to go to the Noisy Goose for lunch and even though they were crowded it didn't take long for a table for the eight of us.

The food was delicious and my only complaint was there was a lot of noise, which was to be expected considering how crowded it was.

Do you think we had a good time?







Turtle Safely.........