Our farm was established in 2003. We found (like it was a buried treasure) a dilapidated old (circa 1700’s) farm house with land, and saw this as a chance to build something unique, sustainable, and enjoyable.( We had our work cut out for us!). But the mission had begun.
Yurts and alpacas that was our goal.
We saw this as a golden green opportunity and like a seed sprouting with energy we embraced the dream, and created “THE GREEN ALPACA”. This carved the path to argritourism, eco-tourism, which to me simply means “share with others”…. Share the land; share how good it feels to be close to nature, and this beautiful gift of the earth.
We purchased our first alpacas, starting out with just 2 females, who were pregnant.
The first year we grew to 4 alpacas. Once we had them we quickly realized the alpacas were a magnificent species. We built a larger barn believing “if you build it they will come!” We moved forward with our plans to offer boarding (called agisting in this industry) for those who would like to have alpacas but do not have farm land, or who want a farm and land at a later time. This was step one in our plan at “sustainability”. It worked. And come they did!
It was not long, actually by the next year our farm had grown to 20 alpacas. Within 3 years we had reached 50, and now presently we maintain our herd around 70 most of the time. Our alpacas have origins in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia. Although most of the alpacas here were born in the USA in fact at least half of this herd is a local product born and made right here in NH!
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| Newborn "Taffy" gets a kiss from aunt Halli |
We also have a small farm store presently on the farm, (and yes we have big plans that go round and round but in this case they actually get somewhere! We plan on a 30 ft yurt store in the near future). Presently our little Green Shop is open to browse around in. Inside you will find alpaca yarns from the alpacas that live here, and alpaca items, such as Red Maple Sportswear, socks, alpaca teddy bears, and fair trade items from Peru and the other countries represented here by the animals we love and treasure.
And then came yurts......
That started with pictures. Yup. Pictures on my walls for years. I always said “someday I will own a yurt”…. I read about them, and read more. I pictured life in them, and I loved them. I mean I really loved them.
Finally in 2008 we met Paul Desrochers, of White Mountain Yurts. That was the clincher! What a great guy, what a great family, and what an awesome yurt builder!Our fabulous yurt deck was crafted by Peter Tudisco, of Tudisco Construction. This guy is the simply the best!
He along with all the precious volunteers raised our yurt up in just hours! They were beautiful hours. Watching the beams make their circle, watching the dome that would be the window of the sky…. And the eye of many dreams as the stars light up the imaginations and sooth the souls of those who peer through them. It would become the secret window to sooth the soul. As I watched the eyes of the spectators, you could see it all in a moment’s time….
Now the yurt rests here, with us, on this great piece of green. Now we can share it with you. It is what we love to do, simply share simple things, the little things, because it’s really not things that bring true happiness. It is life and sharing life that we enjoy; it’s the stuff that dreams are made of!
The sounds of the breeze, the sounds of the night owl, the whippoorwill, the gentle sound of the brook… and the remarkable peace the yurt itself gives as a gift to people who come to stay within it’s womb- like embrace. You will often see me use the descriptive words such as, refresh, renew, and a new one I have coined,(and really love) "re-green" your soul. We all need that chance once in a while, to put fresh new ideas in our minds,lift our hearts, clear away the cobwebs and breathe all the way down to our toes... to the very last tiny toe!
So there you have it, Yurts, Alpacas, a green and sustainable living…. We will take it, how about you?
just testing!
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