HAMBURG, N.Y. — Yes, reindeer are real and they have a home here in Hamburg.
Mike from Antler Ridge Farms has been raising reindeer for about 22 years. They train, breed, and manage the reindeer on the 10-acre complex.
Mike says the reaction they get the most is shock that reindeer really exist. "That is our biggest question like the people will come up to us and say 'what are they really,' and I say 'reindeer it's a real thing you know.' It's kind of funny when you get the parents to go 'I never knew that.'"
"The calves are born in the spring and the breeding season is in the fall so we're past breeding season, and in the spring, we'll be getting into calving season," says Mindy, one of the owners of Antler Ridge.
Daybreak's Kevin O'Neill asked Mike about what he loves about raising reindeer, and he said, "Just talking to the people and educating them and letting them know that they are domesticated animals, they're very easy to work with. They've got great personalities. And it's just fun."
There are about 10 reindeer at Antler Ridge Farms. If you want to call Mike, Mindy, and the reindeer for an appearance next year, the contact number is (716) 912-4472.