The Good Family: A Visit to Eastland Alpacas

Monday, April 29, 2013

A Visit to Eastland Alpacas

On Thursday, April 18, Caleb's preschool went on a field trip to Eastland Alpacas in Manheim. I didn't even know this farm existed. It was a fun trip!

Shawn worked a half day so I could go with Caleb. That morning, we were running behind and Grandpa Georgia stopped in with gifts from Hawaii. While it was time for everyone to leave (Shawn to take Joshua to school and me to get Caleb to Manheim), I felt bad when Dad had just arrived. So, Shawn said he'd quickly take Joshua and I said it was fine to leave Ryan with me for the couple minute walk to school. Shawn & Joshua get along so well chatting that they NEVER remember Joshua's backpack. Lo and behold, they run back for it. The bus watcher man at the corner (the 'stunning' guy) told Shawn to have a nice day and he said "Oh, I'll be right back, we forgot something." At that point, I absolutely had to leave to take Caleb or we would be late, so I gave Dad a cup of tea for the road and handed Schnook over to Shawn. Shawn laughed afterward as Joshua had his backpack (what they had actually forgotten) and he also had the baby with him. Did the guy think that our little man was what Daddy forgot? Haaa!!!! I don't retell it nearly as funny as what it was that day. We may never know what he was thinking (not that it matters).

I plugged the address into my GPS, thankfully, because some of the turns weren't well-marked. I was following an SUV that I assumed was going the same way (after all, not much was back here on these roads) but at the last minute it went straight when the GPS told me to turn. Sure enough, it was Caleb's preschool teacher's aide. She said later "Why didn't you honk?!?! I never saw the road!" Haaa!!! If I had known it was her, I may have just followed her rather than the GPS and we both probably wouldn't have been there for awhile. I was the second car to arrive (even running behind!) and didn't see a single parking spot. So, I asked the woman who was thankfully walking up the lane, and she told me to park on a grassy strip next to the road. So, when I backed in the first car that was near the barn came up and parked further up and then everyone filed in around us.

First, we went into an area with benches and seats where they told us about where alpacas come from (they are cousins to llamas but have different shaped ears). They showed the kids how they give the llamas shots, how they track their llamas, how they cut their hair and teeth and toenails, how they register the llamas with their own "birth certificates," what they make with alpaca fur, and so forth. It was relatively interesting.

Then they took us through their store where they have decently priced alpalca socks, sweaters, yarn and fur, stuffed animals and all sorts of things for sale. If I would have brought money, I would have been tempted to buy some things. Everything was so soft and looked so warm! After the store, we went into the barn to get shoe covers on.

Then to my surprise, we went into the stables with the different alpacas.

The children were allowed to pet them, and the only rule was not to run because that would make them go wild!

They gave the kids feed to feed the alpacas, which Caleb LOVED doing!

I had the opportunity to ask the owner (well, the wife owner) how they came to farm alpacas. She said that it was more lucrative than dairy (and they own a construction business as well) and a lot better all around. She also knows all the alpacas by name (and I'm guessing there were hundreds of them!). She treated them like her household pets.

The alpacas are separated by age and gender. So the young ones are together but once they can mate, they are separated into pens of boys and girls. Then there are pregnant mamas in one by themselves. I'm forgetting if there were other separations.