Children meet alpacas at open house

Yarn made of alpaca fur can be used to make a variety of warm, soft garments, from hats to socks to sweaters.

On Saturday, children were finding out what could be done with the animals themselves at an open house at Home Again Farm in the town of Theresa.

Two boys led alpacas around on leashes, while a woman watched her young son give a seated animal a big hug. Then she took pictures as he posed, sitting on its back, looking eager to ride away. The furry creature sat still in the grass, calmly tolerating the fuss.

Nearby, a boy squatted near a large alpaca repeating "Hello!" apparently disappointed in his conversation partner, while another child tried tickling an animal. There was even an alpaca obstacle course.

The open house is an annual event at Daryl K. and Gail A. Marsh's farm, at 37098 Schell Road. Proceeds benefit several charitable organizations, including the Theresa Food Pantry, Christmas Shoe Box Ministry and Relay for Life.

The open house, which included concessions, a martial arts demonstration, live bluegrass music, various educational exhibits about alpaca farming and a shop where browsers could purchase imported goods made from alpaca yarn, was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and is open during the same hours today.

About 2 p.m., Daryl Marsh was being recruited by a girl for the ice-cream eating contest.

"I'm a three-time champ," he said. "I don't know if I'm disqualified or not."

With his wife's permission, he was in.

A stand selling ice cream, hot dogs and popcorn was being run by members of the youth group of Theresa Presbyterian Church, to benefit its program to purchase and send Christmas packages for children around the globe.

At the obstacle course, Seth L. Burdick said the animals wouldn't go through it unless led by someone they trusted. Mr. Burdick, a student in Jefferson Community College's animal management program, was volunteering for the day — a way to get some practice working around exotic animals in his quest toward a job as a zookeeper.

Behind the barn, Joan E. Kimmis, Connie J. Cummings and Lisa L. LaRue were busy transforming bags full of raw alpaca fur into yarn. They straightened the fibers with big brushes, then spun them on wheels operated by foot pedals.

Mr. Marsh said Home Again Farms got its start when he and his wife moved back to the north country from New Jersey to take over the property — at the time an idled dairy farm — from his wife's elderly parents in 2005. They brought with them several alpacas they had purchased the year before, after learning about the animals from a nearby New Jersey farm.

"We were trying to think about how we could make the farm work without getting into dairy," Mrs. Marsh said. Alpaca farming was a less taxing endeavor — the animals require a little less attention than a family dog, she said — and they "are very gentle on the pastureland."