Contributed by Kerry Nelson, The Musk Ox Farm
Along with many other non-profits, the last few weeks at the Musk Ox Farm has been dominated by COVID-19 emergency meetings and contingency planning while frantically building up our online infrastructure to maintain our communications and educational outreach with our local, national and international communities.
We want you all to know that the health and safety of our musk oxen continues to be our top priority, along with the health and safety of our staff during these unprecedented times we've all found ourselves in.
We may have closed our doors to the public for now; but rest assured, we will continue working hard to keep you - our incredible followers, supporters, musk ox cheerleaders - connected to our farm and those musk oxen you've all fallen in love with as best as we possibly can! We hope to be a beacon in the darkness, sharing the incredible animals that have certainly brought perspective and brief moments of peace to us during these uncertain days. We can draw from their strength and their unparalleled ability to survive and thrive in the harshest of environments.
Our team here truly is like a family, and we know that with our combined strength, skills, and love for each other and all 80 (soon to be more!) of our musk oxen out there, we will pull through this. There has never been such a thing as a 'normal' day on the Musk Ox Farm, which we'd like to think, helps our resiliency - something we'll be leaning on heavily in the days and weeks to come. We hope that you'll continue to support us and follow us on this wild ride.
SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO: Musk Ox Calves!
While the world may feel like it has come to a halt, nothing is going to stop our new calves from coming. Calf checks are starting this week, as they are expected to arrive between mid-April and mid-May. We look forward to the pure joy that these little balls of fluff always bring to us, and sharing that joy with all of you! As soon as that first calf is on the ground, you’ll be able to find photos and videos of the new arrival(s) on our website, Facebook and Instagram pages.
VISIT THE FARM FROM YOUR LIVING ROOM!:
LIVE from the Farm: Join us every Thursday at 11am on Facebook as we go live from the farm and see what the herd is up to that day!
Meet a Musk Ox Monday: Each Monday, we’ll post a new video on our Facebook and Instagram pages that introduces you to a new member of our herd! Learn what makes each animal unique in personality and physical traits.
Don’t have Facebook or Instagram? Head to our website, www.muskoxfarm.org/videos, to see recordings of past live sessions and other educational videos. More content will be added each week, so check back often to get your musk ox fix!
As we enter into our usual summer season, we will continue to monitor and adhere to the recommendations of local and federal mandates in response to COVID-19. Any changes to our current status of temporary closure will be updated on our website as we receive the information necessary to make the best choice for our community and our organization. Please check our website before planning a visit to our farm, and don’t hesitate to call: 907-745-4151.
Be well, be safe, be sane, and most importantly, be musk ox strong!
