BRC Fallow Deer

This past fall I was given the opportunity to interview a local farm, a local icon actually! You need to plan a visit here during the next holiday season.

Dash Away to Towanda, Kansas if you are looking for the full Christmastime experience; which includes LIVE reindeer.YES! Reindeer in Kansas. Fulton Valley Farms has taken a unique approach with livestock on their farm. They are thinking outside the box.

Fulton Valley Farms is a legacy farm that has been continuously owned and operated by members of the original Fulton family since 1869. David and Betty Corbin (the fifth generation) along with their son Richard are the current owners. They have a strong commitment to the land, with a strong passion for nature; truly delighting in the trees, animals and crops that adorn their land. This love of their property is what inspired them to open their gates and share it with the public. 

A Country Christmas seems like it should be a simple event, however, the Corbins have created a grand experience that has become a tradition for many families. It all started with a desire to share the real meaning of Christmas. Mrs. Cobrin shared that “There really is a reason for the season and it’s a birthday party (for Jesus)! And it’s fun, but we have to know why we are having this party.” The first thing she set up was their living nativity vignette complete with music that happens every night leading up to Christmas. Mrs. Corbin asked herself “How do we get everyone to come and learn about the reason for the season?” And everything else just seemed to fall into place, including the idea to bring reindeer to the farm.  

Fulton Valley Farms Dash Away Reindeer have had reindeer for over a decade and currently have 3 adults (Itsy Bitsy, Sparkle and Jelly Bean ) and 1 calf (Snickerdoodle). These reindeer help to bring the Christmas experience alive; literally. During the holiday season Fulton Valley Farms is known as the place to be. They have over 1,000,000 lights strung all over the property including along the wooden paths. They plan even more lights this year than ever before. The entire experience includes sleigh rides and photo opportunities, visiting Santa in the Santa Station, shopping at the Jingle Bell Emporium and meeting the reindeer. They also have a traveling reindeer team (Itsy Bitsy and Sparkle) that can be rented during the holiday season. They typically do not travel any further than 3-5 hours away due to the travel stress on the deer. Their deer have even starred in a Hallmark movie and are known as local celebrities. During the “off” season, Fulton Valley farms use their venue space for other events such as weddings and conferences. 

It isn’t always glitz and holiday glamour on the farm, there is also plenty of paperwork to wade through having reindeer, or any deer. They are members of the Reindeer Owners and Breeders Association and they have to adhere to all the state and federal regulations just like any other cervid farm. Transporting the reindeer across state lines involves a lot of planning and paperwork as well. There are even several states that restrict the travel of reindeer across their state lines. This makes planning for the traveling team a little more difficult as the utmost care needs to be taken when transporting the reindeer. They prioritize stopping and travel breaks so the deer can stretch their legs and drink some water. As a tundra animal, the heat can cause some concern for the reindeer. Mrs. Corbin shared that reindeer are more delicate than she realized they would be especially in the Kansas climate. When a new reindeer arrives on the farm, they have to give her time to adapt. 

Fulton Valley Farms loves to highlight reindeer facts, stories and anecdotes about their reindeer and what better time to do that than at Christmas time. Reindeer are special in the fact that both male and females grow antlers each year. However, they shed their antlers at different times of the year. Males drop theirs in November and females will shed their antlers in the spring, when their calves are born. It is usually the females that pull santa’s sleigh as they are the ones that have antlers at christmas time. Most people are unaware that reindeer make a clicking sound when they walk, and not just when they are up on a rooftop. They have a tendon in their feet that snap over bones making a clicking sound. This helps reindeer in the wild communicate with each other during snowstorms or fog. Finally, can reindeer fly? It is an  age-old question. While the Corbins have never witnessed a reindeer flying, they do know that reindeer can reach up to 50 mph on foot so it may seem like they are flying. There is usually some wisdom and truth in our holiday stories, you just have to see through the magic to get to the fact. 
Mrs. Corbin shared that it is not uncommon for visitors to say that “Reindeer aren’t real!” to which she always replies “Oh Yes they are. Let me show them to you.” As fellow deer farmers, we understand the shock and awe of owning a special herd of cervids. The magic of meeting reindeer face to face is pretty special, especially for young children. The memories made at Fulton Valley Farms Dash Away Reindeer will stick around for a lifetime. Check out https://fultonvalleyfarms.com/ to schedule a time to meet the reindeer in person.

~The Deer Wife
BRC Fallow Deer