Alpaca Farm Days

Long view of "store" set-up Sept. 25th

We spent Saturday at the Wilson County Fair Grounds for Alpaca Farm Days, running the Alpaca Farm Days store in conjunction with a representative from Mistletoe Farm Alpacas for those alpaca farms that came to exhibit their animals and/or to educate the community. The Tennessee Alpaca Association (TAA), led by a small group of enthusiastic and dedicated people, arranged the affair for this year (as they have for prior years), rented the space--a covered pavilion, arranged advertising, set up animal pens, and coordinated everything so that the event would be a success.

Most farms present had offerings available in the store.

By keeping to ourselves at home and not actively showing our animals or participating in public alpaca events, we miss the excitement alpacas can generate. While simply savoring their presence on our farm is a treat, we've been depriving ourselves. This needs to change. Of course, we were reminded Saturday of one of the reasons we choose to stay home: temptation to buy.

Spinning, felting and weaving demonstrations were interspersed throughout the day.

We had a hard enough time not buying up the oh-so-comfy alpaca socks (we love alpaca socks), the soft-and-practical winter head bands and gloves, or the adorable children's sweaters from Peru on Saturday. When we wandered by the alpaca pens and saw breeder ads showcasing sale animals, well, we wanted to break out the checkbook and bring home a few more of the fluffy, fuzzy creatures. This, we reminded ourselves, was precisely why we had left our checkbook at home that morning.

The store was situated on the stage overlooking the rest of the covered pavilion.

From the beginning, a fairly steady stream of interested persons came through to see the alpacas, learn about alpaca ownership and fiber, and peruse the store. Not having attended the event before, I had no idea how busy I would be just staffing the check-out table. On those occasions when I had time to look beyond the confines of the store, I could see alpacas being petted and fed, fiber being felted and spun, and owners busily sharing what they know and love about alpacas.

An alpaca in the pen situated beside the sales counter, one of the fine animals that came representing Double Creek Farm, a neighbor of ours, spent much of the day humming--as alpacas are wont to do. At one time I overheard a comment that he (or she) had not been off of the farm recently, so this event was a new experience for him (or her). Unfortunately, during the infrequent lulls in activity, the sound made me homesick. Despite the enjoyment I was getting from meeting so many new and interesting people, the humming left me eager for the quiet of our own little farm operation here on the hill.

All in all, the 2010 TAA Alpaca Farm Days event was a success. The blessedly cool day sported sunshine and a gentle breeze, the fairgrounds were packed with people attending a myriad of events, we met new people and made new friends, and at the end of the day we toted the little pumpkins and gourds used by the TAA for decoration to the front steps of Lebanon's most recent Habitat for Humanity home--to give it a touch of fall color behind the plantings made by the Wilson County Master Gardeners.