Maryland Alpaca Farm Maryland Alpaca Ranch Alpaca Fiber Alpaca Breeding

Our alpaca business has turned out to involve many members of the immediate family, as well as, our extended family. We've enjoyed visits from seldom seen relatives, friends of the family, acquaintances, and curious members of the community. Some of our siblings come over almost everyday and help with the chores. Not that we need help, but it's nice to have someone we trust learn how to take care of the alpacas when we go out of town.

From the beginning, we realized that alpacas were unique and interesting animals. They are curious and can't resist the temptation to poke their nose into everything.

The young alpacas are mischievous and fun loving. Always running and jumping around, annoying the rest of the herd. If you watch, you will see the adult alpacas supervising the cria (baby alpacas). It doesn't seem to matter whose cria it is, they all seem to play the role of teacher.


You never know when you might receive an alpaca kiss. Even though it was a surprise, I know MomMom loved it.	Alpacas love children, but not all children love alpacas. My sister-in-law holds her son who is scared of Cher.	My niece is holding SadieBug a couple of hours after she was born. SadieBug's mother, Jezebel, comes over to supervise. It was amazing how much Jezebel allowed us all to handle her newborn. She was very calm and patient with us all day.
I have many nieces and nephews. They all love to come over to the farm and visit the alpacas. The alpacas seem to enjoy their visits too. They usually meet the kids at the gate.	My sister brings her youngest child over to the farm almost everyday for his morning walk and lets him play with the alpacas. It is really funny to watch him. He squeals, laughs, runs and plays around the alpacas. The alpacas seem to understand he is small and they are very careful around him and the other kids.	One of our friend's daughter is walking among the alpacas. She has never been so close to them before and she is speechless as she tries to approach them. Before she leaves, the alpacas will be eatting from her hands.
The vet is here to give SadieBug her first health exam, but Jezebel, SadieBug's mom, insists on checking out the vet first.	My nephew comes over everyday to insure the alpacas are okay. Then he walks through the pasture to ensure I've cleaned up the dune pile and on this day he gives me the look of approval.	PopPop and my nephew take a load of fertilizer to Ben's farm for the alpaca pasture.
Last summer was very hot and humid here in Southern Maryland, so I bought a large fan to cool the alpacas. Ben was checking it out to see how much of a difference it would make. Alpacas are vulnerable to heat stress under these conditions and we wanted to make sure our girls were as comfortable as possible.	This is me holding my first alpaca baby, Chloe. She was born at Mount Airy Alpacas where I purchased my first alpaca, Jezebel. Jezebel is Chloe's mother.	My niece carries SadieBug to get weighed. It is important to record the alpaca cria's birth weight and monitor the weight daily during the first weeks of life. Not gaining weight or losing weight is one of the first signs of a problem. SadieBug weighed 14 pounds at birth.
Two of my nieces and their friend make their first attempt to halter an alpaca without an adult to help. This alpaca is Aurora and she is about five months old. She wasn't used to the halter and didn't want to stand still for them. But eventually, they got it done.	My nieces' friends come over often to learn about alpacas. Kids usually love the curious and friendly alpacas. The alpacas always love the curious and friendly kids. Alpacas are careful around small children. To watch a mother alpaca (Dam) around a child, you can see her watching and being careful where she steps. To me it seems as though they actually move slower not to frighten the children. I could be imaging that, but I don't think so.	My brother-in-law isn't interested in farming, but he does come over to see the first alpaca baby born on our farm. Even he can't resist SadieBug. He thinks she's cute and soft.
Wayne is walking to the alpaca barn to feed the alpacas. Our alpaca barn is really a carport that we've modified slightly to give our alpacas shade, a place to escape the rain and snow, and a place to sleep. It didn't take us long to find out that they don't always go in out of the rain and they usually sleep in the open under the stars at night.	Ben is loading the alpacas (Chloe and Reinette) into the van. We are taking them to the Greater Frederick Fair in Frederick, Maryland, for an alpaca show. They both won ribbons.	My niece talks to the show judge at the Greater Frederick Fair. This was the first alpaca show for both my niece and the alpaca (Chloe). Both of them were nervous, but they did fine and received several ribbons. The alpaca shows are fun.
	Wayne poses next to his master piece. He carved the Dameron Alpacas sign out of the trunk of an old cedar tree that fell down a couple of years ago. He used a chain saw to carve out the letters. He did a great job and I really like it.	Ben's youngest daughter and Reinette (the alpaca) are getting out of the van. Reinette has been gone to another farm for about 45 days for breeding. She will have her first cria in November 2007.