On Sunday I went to the Serena Lodge Alpaca Farm in Stowport, just behind Burnie. I’ve been thinking for a while now about getting Alpacas and noticed the Lodge were holding an information day.
Alpacas aren’t the first thing you’d expect a midlife daredevil would race out to buy. After all, you can’t ride them like you can a camel or a horse, they don’t guard your property like a dog and they don’t catch pesky mice like a cat. However, they are rather cute and can, if you shear them and spin their wool, make fine jumpers and general outer garments.
There were all sorts of Alpacas on display, young and old, male and female, long shaggy coats or tight woolen ones. They reminded me of small camels with their big eyes and screwed up mouths. Alpacas are cute and will keep the grass down but I learnt that there is more to one than meets the eye. Yes they look adorable but like all pets they take a bit of looking after.
The Serena Lodge was a slick operation selling the Alpacas or exporting the wool. They provided food and drinks alongside the information session as well as a tour of the farm. However, I wouldn’t consider Alpacas as a viable business for people. The Alpaca farm reminds me of the Ostrich craze that hit Australian shores around 10 years ago. People went out, with no experience of Ostriches and bought thousands. After pouring all their time and money into setting up their Ostrich farm and waiting for the money to roll in they were left twiddling their thumbs and wondering why the industry never got off the ground.
Having said that, the Serena Lodge are doing a good job and have Alpacas at reasonably good prices for sale. Luckily, you can’t do an impulsive buy like you could a couch or washing machine and cart it off in the back of the car. The Alpacas have to be delivered and that gives me some time to think about how many I’d want and where I’d keep them.
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