One of Alaska’s most heartwarming Mother’s Day traditions returns this Sunday as families flock to the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, where ancient animals and newborn calves offer a uniquely Arctic celebration.
Mothers visiting the nonprofit farm will receive a daisy and free admission, granting them the chance to meet 75 members of the resident musk ox herd — including three recently born calves just learning to walk. Among the farm’s star attractions is an elderly bull named Trebek, a nod to the late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, who was a long-time supporter of the facility.
“Who doesn’t want to celebrate Mother’s Day with a musk ox mom and the most adorable calf you’re ever going to find in your life?” said Mark Austin, executive director of the farm, which is located an hour north of Anchorage and nestled between the Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges.
Mother’s Day marks the beginning of summer operations at the farm, which began in 1964 and relocated to Palmer in 1986. The move to Alaska’s limited road network allowed the facility to expand its mission, combining conservation with education and community engagement.
Since then, the annual Mother’s Day event has grown into the farm’s most popular celebration, drawing more than 1,500 visitors and spanning multiple generations of local families. “It’s a huge, just kind of rite of passage for a lot of people,” Austin said. “If we ever talked about not doing it, there’d be a riot.”
The event, which Austin described as a heartfelt thank-you to the community, is free to attend, though donations are welcome. Some guests head straight for the baby musk oxen, while others offer generous contributions — including hundred-dollar bills dropped quietly at the counter.
Musk oxen are more than just photogenic mammals. Survivors of the Ice Age, they once roamed alongside saber-toothed tigers and mastodons. Today, they are found across Alaska, thanks to reintroduction efforts that began in 1934 when 34 animals were brought from Greenland to Fairbanks.
With their long, shaggy coats and sturdy builds, musk oxen are adapted to harsh Arctic conditions. Bulls can weigh up to 800 pounds and stand five feet tall, while females are slightly smaller. Known in Inupiat as itomingmak — meaning “the animal with skin like a beard” — these animals have a deep cultural and ecological legacy.
For the Musk Ox Farm, Sunday is not only about showcasing that legacy, but also about connecting people — especially mothers — with Alaska’s wild beauty and enduring traditions.
“It really gives us a chance to give something back,” Austin said.
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