I spend a good chunk of my time on the road… I always love events in Kansas… and it’s fun to remind outsiders… there really is no place like home. At the end of my first year on the road, I finished out 2024 setting up the Kansas Mobile Visitor Center at Fulton Valley Farms. I would like to turn it into a yearly tradition.
The family was very nice from the beginning… and just kept getting better and better as I spent time with the matriarch, Betty Corbin. Over a quiet dinner in a giant ballroom… just the two of us… she shared stories about the farm’s history and how their Christmas celebrations grew from a small living nativity scene into a major holiday event.
Fulton Valley Farms has been in the Corbin family for five generations. David’s great-great-grandfather established the property in 1869, after the family’s ancestors arrived from Ohio in 1863. On the maternal side, the Fultons — yes… related to Robert Fulton, the steamboat inventor — helped lay the foundation for the homestead.
One of the most magical parts of the farm… and a definite holiday treat… is the reindeer. And not just any reindeer… these are the only 100% registered North American reindeer in Kansas. The Corbins brought home their first five in 2014, and now they’re total family celebrities. Two of them even made it to the big screen in a Hallmark movie… yep, you could say they’ve gone Hollywood.
Here’s a fun twist you might not know… Santa’s reindeer are mostly female! You can tell because the ladies keep their antlers through the holidays, while the males shed theirs in October or November. That means the sleigh team flying through the sky is girl-powered… and honestly, that feels just right. As Betty says, “That tells you something about the legendary stories… and how the big guy really gets around.”
The farm is packed with holiday fun… there are sleigh rides pulled by Clydesdales… a children’s hay maze… a living nativity … a chance to visit the big guy himself… and even a gift shop. There are over a million lights along the “Path of Lights,” and the Boot Scootin’ Barn features a tree that nearly touches the 30-foot-high rafters.
It’s not just the lights, rides, or reindeer that make Fulton Valley Farms magical… it’s the people… the history… the care that goes into every detail… and the way Betty and her family make you feel like you’ve known them forever… even if you just met.
As my last full post of 2025… I wanted to share a little about this special place. So, grab a cocoa… maybe an extra cookie… and let Fulton Valley Farms fill you with holiday cheer.
Merry Christmas from Jeremy and me!
For other great nearby getaways, check out our Road Trips page.