---

Tom Scheib of Dancing Reindeer Farm in Milltown, Wis., brought two reindeer from his herd that are housed on a leased farm outside of Taylors Falls to the Taylors Falls Elementary School for a visit with some of the classes last week.

The reindeer, Walter and Twyla, spent a day sharing part of their lives as reindeer with the students. Lapland and the Arctic Circle are their ancestral home, along with their close relatives, the caribou, North American reindeer.

The students learned that reindeers’ wide flat hooves make it easier for them to walk on the snow and tundra and to dig for food.

The students were shown some of the food that they eat at the farm, deer pellets and dried beet pulp. Their favorite treat is steam-rolled oats which several of the students said that they liked also.

The students learned the difference between antlers and horns and that both male and female reindeer have antlers. Lots of questions were asked including questions about how reindeer fly. No secrets were revealed. Walter and Twyla enjoyed their visit and were happy to share facts about being a reindeer.

---