Some farmers have extra reason to rejoice at Christmas: ‘Tis the season for renting out animals for live Nativity scenes and other holiday events.
Growing up in rural Burlington, Wis., one of Larry Squire’s favorite Christmas traditions was helping to set up a Nativity scene in his uncle’s barn.
“We borrowed the animals from all over the neighborhood,” he recalled.
So several years ago, Squire brought the tradition to Cargill United Methodist Church in his current hometown of Janesville, Wis., renting animals from petting zoos and small farms.
Farm animals, reindeer and camels are in high demand between Thanksgiving and Christmas, said Megan Powell, event coordinator at Honey Hill Farm, a mobile petting zoo with locations in Berry, Ky., and Utica, Ohio.
“We will do 25 to 30 events in one weekend,” Powell said. “It’s not uncommon for us to sell out.”
Rentals start at $325 an hour for a group of animals, depending on which ones are requested and for how long.
“We do have a camel,” she said. “But we only have one — so he goes really fast.”
Customers also want reindeer, said Powell, who does not raise them but has thought about it.
“The demand for reindeer is really high,” she said.
From his farm in Knoxville, Tenn., Kyle Wilson rents reindeer to malls, Christmas tree farms, zoos, hospitals and other businesses. His prices start at $1,500 for a pair of reindeer for four hours.
