Vanzant farm brings magic of the North Pole to southern Missouri
The magic of the holidays captures kids of all ages — just ask Sara Prescott. The cattlewoman, wife and mother wears another hat one month out of the year. That’s when she, along with husband, Michael, and children Madison, Emma and Carter, plays Santa’s little helper by giving visitors an up-close look at his reindeer at Prescott Family Reindeer Farm.
“I hate the term ‘petting zoo,’ ” Sara says. “We want it to be an educational opportunity for people to see our animals and learn about them and learn their names. People come and ask, ‘Where’s Tiny Tim?’ They connect with these animals and learn along the way.”
For the Prescotts, showing guests how things are done down on the farm is nothing new. When they’re not taking care of reindeer during the holiday season, Sara and Michael’s primary job is running a cooperator cattle herd and raising calves for customers across the country who want to improve the quality and quantity of their own stock. Before they moved to the Ozarks, the family lived in central Illinois where in addition to raising cattle on 600 acres of leased land they worked with Chicagoland homemakers, bloggers and chefs to educate them on where their food came from, or more specifically, how beef is raised.
“We practically lived in our vehicles,” Sara recalls. “As we got bigger we realized we’re either going to have to downsize or find a place of our own. We fell in love with the tiny town of Vanzant.” But before leaving the Land of Lincoln, Sara visited a reindeer farm and became enchanted with the unique animals.
“That’s where the five-year journey started because reindeer are extremely hard to get,” Sara adds. “You can’t just go to the sale barn and pick one up.”
With an estimated total of fewer than 500 animals in the Lower 48 states, reindeer rearing is a rare science and art. The family relies on breeders and fellow members of the Reindeer Farmers Association as mentors. The more research the Prescotts did, the more they were drawn into the enchanting world of reindeer.
“It’s almost like having another big dog, they’re so friendly,” Sara notes as her kids feed a mini herd of five including Tinsel, Noel, Winter, Snowflake and Mistletoe. She adds both male and female reindeer begin growing antlers at two months. The white, wintery coat they’re mostly known for — which contains between 3,000 and 5,000 hairs per square inch to protect them from the cold — begins as a dark, chocolate brown in the summer. To deal with the sweltering Missouri dog days of August and September, which coincides with the animals putting on their winter coats, the Prescotts set up fans and pools to keep the herd cool.
“Our goal here isn’t just to see a reindeer at the back of the pen,” Sara says. “It’s for people to be able to come right up to the gate and feed them, feel their big, fluffy nose and interact with them.” That said, reindeer are particularly prone to contracting an airborne spore carried by goats and sheep, so Sara asks visitors to wear clean clothes and shoes to prevent any potential spread. Hand sanitizer also is provided to use before feeding or touching the animals.
Otherwise, the only two rules are to feed the reindeer with flat hands and don’t touch the antlers. “We’re pretty sure that’s where the magic is,” Sara says with a wink.
Beyond education, Sara says the farm strives to provide a full Christmas experience, which families can enjoy every year. Visitors to the farm can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus or write the jolly old elf a letter, enjoy hot cocoa, make holiday crafts and find plenty of photo opportunities.
A 12-foot Christmas tree dubbed “the community tree” is laden with gold stars bearing the names of all the families who visit. The reindeer have some farm friends including chickens, horses, llamas, camels, alpacas and fan-favorite Tiny Tim, the miniature donkey. Staff are always on hand to answer questions or help take the perfect family picture.
“It’s a big thing for kids,” Sara says. “You see those big, bright eyes and you know they’re excited. We love that. Bringing the magic of Christmas is magical itself.
“And it’s not all work,” she adds. “It’s just work up until Christmas before their big flight on Christmas Eve.”
This year, Prescott Family Reindeer Farm opens Friday, Nov. 24. The farm is located south of Vanzant off Highway W. Admission is $10. For more information, special events, hours and step-by-step directions, visit
prescottfamilyreindeerfarm.com.