News

You can all packa lunch and enjoy National Alpaca Farm Days

Posted September 20, 2009 11:00 pm

Marni Pyke

A pair of young alpacas run in the field at Glen Cove Alpacas in Elgin. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Think of them as llama light. Shorter, smaller and with less baggage than their llama cousins, alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains but were first commercially imported to the U.S. in 1984.

This weekend, you can hang with them at 10 locations around the suburbs.

Yes, just in case you shockingly weren't aware - this Saturday and Sunday is National Alpaca Farm Days.

Angela Davis, Elgin resident and co-owner of Glen Cove Alpacas, will open her home - or field - to visitors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days and said her 13 alpacas have promised to be adorable, particularly the crias, or babies.

Among the celebrities will be Primrose, Cameo, Fabio ("he's very cute"), and Stormchaser, who "runs around like lightening."

The event, organized by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, is meant to educate the public about the animals and products created from their fiber, similar to wool. There are more than 150,000 registered alpacas in the United States comprising two types - Huacayas and Suris, distinguished by their coats. Suri coats are long and silky, while Huacaya fibers are fluffy and fine.

"They have some of the most remarkable fleece in the world," said Jim Tomaszek, co-owner of SafeHouse Farm Alpacas in Barrington. He noted that clothing made from alpaca fibers is all-natural, not requiring the pesticides and herbicides a cotton crop needs, for example. "Alpaca fleece is just sheared off the animal, it's very green," Tomaszek said.

Although llamas get an undeserved bad rap for spitting and bad tempers, their little cousins aren't as well known. Alpaca lovers swear by their temperament, describing them as beautiful, curious and intelligent.

Alpacas stand around 4 to 5 feet tall, measuring 36 inches at the withers, where the back and neck join, and weigh between 150 and 200 pounds, fully grown. One other intriguing detail - alpacas communicate by humming.

"They actually do hum," Tomaszek said, explaining that if the alpacas are alarmed by a dog or coyote, it turns into a high-pitched squeal.

And for the spitting? "They do spit, but it's at each other," Tomaszek said. "They're very gentle."

Davis concurs. "Alpacas are easy on the land. It's like having 13 dogs but they're not messy and they don't make noise. They're inquisitive too, they follow you around the farm," she said.

Davis and her family, who live in a subdivision that allows livestock, bring in professional shearers every year to give the alpacas a springtime trim. The proceeds from the fiber and selling the occasional alpaca pay for their upkeep.

"It's a good investment," Davis said, adding that it's about more than money. "It's a great way to relax," she said. "You can sit back on the deck and look at the alpaca babies playing around."

Locally, there are alpaca farms in Barrington, Elgin, Harvard, St. Charles and Woodstock. For more information, visit Nationalalpacafarmdays.com.

Tomaszek will open his doors Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and promised a family-friendly and alpaca-friendly event.

"The babies are absolutely gorgeous," he said. "They're fluffy, little things that look like fawns. Touching them is like touching a cloud."

An alpaca rolls in the dirt to keep the flies off at Glen Cove Alpacas in Elgin. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Lola the dog gives a little love to Phoenix the Alpaca at Glen Cove Alpacas in Elgin. Phoenix was born blind and severely underweight but survived against the odds. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Angela Davis lets her alpacas out for a run. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Alpacas at Angela Davis's Glen Cove Alpacas hang out near the barn in rural Elgin. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Some of the products made from the fleece of the alpacas at Glen Cove Alpacas in Elgin. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Angela Davis gives a little snack to one of her animals, at Glen Cove Alpacas in Elgin. Rick West | Staff Photographer

Where to go for Alpaca Farm Days Here's a look at suburban alpaca farms open the weekend of Sept. 26-27. For detailed information and maps, visit <a href="http://Nationalalpacafarmdays.com" target="new">Nationalalpacafarmdays.com</a>. • Andean Vista Ranch, 26530 Apple Tree Lane, Barrington. For hours, call (847) 366-9147. • Dutch Mill Farm, 19860 Lembecke Road, Harvard. For hours, call (815) 943-3248. • Glen Cove Alpacas, 9N641 Bowes Bend Drive, Elgin. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. • Inspiration Farm Alpacas, 6N925 Glenview Drive, St. Charles. For hours, call (630) 513-5847. • J4 Alpacas, 7711 N. Valley Hill Road, Woodstock. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. • PS Alpacas, 10902 Pheasant Lane, Woodstock. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. • Rivendell Alpacas, 9N942 Dittman Road, Elgin. For hours, call (847) 464-1098. • SafeHouse Farm Alpacas, 25550 W. Cuba Road, Barrington. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. • Waldron Grove Alpaca Farm, 39W856 McDonald Road, Elgin. For hours, call (847) 888-3934. • Wishing U Well Alpacas, 4505 McCauley Road, Woodstock. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

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