It wasn?t exactly the North Pole, but a fierce wind blew across the hills of Applewood Farm in northern Harford County. Still, hundreds made the journey there Wednesday for After Christmas Reindeer Day.
Its herd of four reindeer helps Applewood Farm draw more people than other Christmas tree farms, said owner Brian Adelhardt. “Whenever we can get people out to the farm … we?re helping to build that bridge between the city and the farm,” he said. “[The reindeer] certainly pay for themselves even though they only work one month out of 11.”
“We came here to see the reindeer,” said Donna Tippett of Catonsville.
Her 8-year-old daughter Meg and Meg?s 7-year-old sister Caroline were anxiously awaiting a ride on an Applewood pony.
“It?s nice to come out and see what a farm is like,” said Tippett?s husband, Dean.
Sherri Lytle of Airville, Pa., brought her daughter Anissa, 2, to see the reindeer.
Grabbing onto her mother?s leg, Anissa shyly said she really liked the reindeer, and she also enjoyed a life-sized model train that took visitors on tours of Applewood?s Christmas tree lots and dormant pumpkin patches.
Lytle said it was important that a farm was adapting to find a way to survive in today?s economy.
“We have tried to build a business geared toward families with young children,” Adelhardt said. Judging by the number of families and children who crowded onto hayrides and around model train displays in the farm?s pre-Revolutionary War-era barn, Adelhardt is successful at reaching his market.
But a jolly man with a long white beard and a big belly put things into perspective. “I thought I knew everything about reindeer until I met Brian,” chuckled Applewood?s own personal Santa Claus.
