Alpacas!
Who doesn’t love an alpaca? Or two? Or eighty stepping toward you in unison, eyes wide, ears cocked in rapt attention, tails twitching? Well, we do. So when we saw Misty Acres Alpaca Farm on our Harvest Hosts list, right on our way to Bar Harbor, we gave them a call. Of course they had room for us to stay the night! Even having been woken from a precious nap, Carolyn welcomed us with open arms to their remote home and farm. She would be going to a fair that evening, and her husband, Red, was in Massachusetts at another fair. They sell most of their alpaca products during fair season. “But choose any spot you like,” she told us. “You won’t be in our way.”
The alpaca barn.
We chose to be right down by the barn, so we could watch the alpacas from Bessie. They were curious about us, too, and all came to the fence to greet us. When I walked Bailey uphill to the top of the pasture, then followed us timidly in one giant pack. One twitch from a nervous one would send them all stumble-racing down again. A brave one would lead them back up again, then they’d all flee in a panic together. I laughed out loud watching them. They had such a serene setting here, so much space to run and play, green grass for rolling and munching, warm shelter and hay to return to any time they like. They seemed delighted in their game of chase.
Gypsy stands her ground.
Alpaca farming is the most benign form of ranching possible. You won’t find any veal cages around the corner to jolt you into the brutal reality of farm animals. No early weanings, no slaughter, no milking machines or stealing of eggs. They just mate, have babies, and get a good haircut once a year.
Carolyn came down to the barn after a bit and talked to me while she fed the alpacas fresh hay. They’d driven by this farm for years and loved seeing the alpacas. When the farm came up for sale eight years ago, they decided to buy it. There were 12 alpacas then. Now they have over 80. A few males were off sowing their oats at other farms, but they all come back for winter.
The barn is divided into four separate sections: the grown males, the nursing mamas and babies, the young males, and the young females. The separation is to keep the peace, and each barn section opens into a large green pasture with plenty of room for kicking up heels. The place was so well kept that there hardly any mud (even after all that rain), and it didn’t smell at all.
We loved our little alpaca getaway, and our nice connection with Carolyn.