The non-profit Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, AK is dedicated to the domestication of the musk ox, an Ice Age mammal that once roamed the earth alongside saber tooth tigers and woolly mammoths.  Known to native Alaskans as “Oomingmak”, which means “The Bearded One”, this once-endangered animal produces an annual harvest of qiviut, the finest wool in the world.

Musk Ox Farm Photos

The musk ox, Ovibos moschatus, is an ancient species of arctic mammal currently found in remote areas of the far north, including Greenland, Alaska, Canada and Siberia. During the Pleistocene, musk oxen wandered across the Bering Land Bridge to populate North America with the likes of the woolly mammoth, saber-toothed cat, and giant ground sloth. Fossil records indicate musk oxen ranged across Europe, Asia and North America during the last Ice Age, roaming as far south as France and Ohio.  They lived both in Arctic regions that were not glaciated as well as more southerly regions beyond the ice sheets.  At the end of the Ice Age, they died off in more southerly regions but persisted in the north.

The largest wild populations of musk oxen can be found in Canada, especially on Banks and Victoria Islands, Northwest Territory.

Despite their common name, musk ox have no musk glands and are not oxen. Although they may resemble small bison, musk ox are more closely related to goats and sheep. This arctic ungulate, like domestic cattle, has a four-chambered stomach and eats a wide variety of foods such as lichens, grasses, and leaves. It was long believed  that their closest relative was the golden-fleeced takin which lives in China, India, Bhutan and possibly Myanmar. Recent genetic research indicates that this is not actually the case, and that their closest relative could be either the Asian goral or North American mountain goat.

One of the first things we learned about Kenai, AK is that there are a ton of Moose to be seen.  The first day at our friend’s house in Kenai we were greeted by a Mother and her twin calves.  She stopped just feet away from our friend’s bedroom and fed her hungry twins.  What a sight.  Never would I have thought that we would get this close and would be able to witness the event.

Photos of Moose feeding her twins

Video of Moose feeding her twins
Video of Moose and her twins after feeding

When an author decided to write a book about Governor Sara Palin he rented the house next to her.  This author has written other articles about the Governor but none of which were very favorable.  The Palin’s chose to protect their privacy and built an 8 foot fence on the existing fence to protect their privacy.

Here are photos of the NBC Network truck that chose to glorify this author’s actions along with photos of the fence, and Governor Palin’s family residence front gates.  We of course did not infringe on their privacy.

Click here to view photos

Our hosts, Grant and Debbie, built a small tug boat on plane floats to cruise Anderson Lake with.  Here we are taking the tour of the lake.

Photos of Anderson Lake

We have arrived at our summer residence and getting a lay of the land.  Here are some photos showing where we will be parked for the next 3 months in Alaska while performing our caretaking responsibilities for Grant and Debbie at Matanuska Air Service in Wasilla, AK.

Photos of area, planes, and hosts.