Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Alpaca 101

Dad and I recently returned from a camping trip in Maine. I love the East Coast, love Maine, and will miss it all when I go back to Ontario, so it was great to have a few days of fresh air and hiking. Our first stop was Acadia National Park. It was soooo crowded with tourists, but once we got out onto some of the trails, the scenery was awesome.


Acadia National Park, ME

Our next stop was Recompence campground, just outside of Freeport, ME. It was a pleasant surprise- a quiet, peaceful campground nestled between a farm and Casco Bay. But perhaps one of the best surprises was the Alpaca farm we found just down the road!

Casco Bay, ME



Indulging my someday-fantasy-mini fiber farm dream, we visited the farm, and the very welcoming farmer obligingly fielded my many questions about alpaca rearing. It was an educational visit, and left me feeling like it's not such a far fetched idea after all.



Tripping Gnome farm specializes in alpaca breeding services. They also focus on keeping their yarns and fiber products 100% alpaca, which has not proved easy when trying to find a place to get their fleeces mill-spun. It was so neat to get such a friendly tour of the farm, and to talk about how they got started, and what's involved with the whole process. I don't know what it is about farms, but they have some sort of intoxicating effect which always leaves me daydreaming and yearning for a simpler life. Maybe it's the quiet, fresh air, natural beauty, animals... sigh.

4 comments:

Yarndude said...

I totally hear you about the simple life. Hobby farms may be the way of the future... :P

Marie said...

Hi Jess! Sounds like a great trip!! I love the little white alpaca's "haircut"! I was thinking thi smorning that you and Christine will both be back in Ontario very soon. Where has the summer gone?

Don said...

Hey Jess,

It was a wonderful trip. Glad we could do this together. A nice way to spend part of the summer. I will miss you when you go back to school. Who will I get to do so hiking with me next summer?

Dad

Anonymous said...

Man, I've been yearning for some mountains and you just made it worse. Thanks. :P

Just kidding, it sounds like you had a wonderful trip, and those little alpacas are adorable!

Lita