BOWLING GREEN, Ky. —  Pigs, cows, miniature donkeys are all animals you would expect to see on a farm in southern Kentucky. But Santa’s most trusted companions? Not so much. The Reindeer Farm, though, bucks the trend. It’s home to some truly special creatures that were born in Alaska but now live in a warmer climate.

It turns out these reindeer have adapted well to a warmer climate. “It’s not as big of an issue as you think that it would be. Of course, in the winter, they do have that nice winter coat. They do shed that in the summertime and we do manage them with a lot of fans, pools and ice water,” Jessica Anderson, the co-owner of The Reindeer Farm, said.  

Jessica loved Christmas so much that she and her family would drive eight hours one way from their home in western Kentucky to the closest farm with reindeer.

So, they bought a few reindeer for their small farm, to experience what she loved every day of the year. And then three years ago, Jessica and her husband, Russell, opened their Reindeer Farm in Bowling Green to visitors. “There’s nothing better than seeing these kids come in and their eyes get really big and just being like, wow, reindeer!” Jessica said.  

Jessica and Russell both have full-time jobs and three children. So, they rise early and go to bed late to maintain the farm. “So even though we are only open for the holidays, they’re our pets. They’re here 365, so you know, it’s scooping poop, and feed and care and socialization, and interaction, every day,” Jessica said. 

She says, though, it’s all worth it, to bring cheer to families and children during the holidays. The Anderson family and WKU Agriculture students completely run the farm. For more information about The Reindeer Farm and how to plan a visit, you can check out their website.