"Wife returns home not with desired handbag, but with unexpected alpaca stock alongside husband"
**"There I was, thinking our day out in Belfast was gonna be all shops and sushi," laughs Pamela Houston, 51. "But boy, was I wrong. My old man, he tells me to slip on a fancy outfit and out the door we go, none the wiser."
"Turns out, he'd planned a detour to a nearby herd of alpacas. Hell, I still thought it'd be a quick pit-stop en route to the mall, but three hours later, we were still there, smitten by these bloody gorgeous, friendly critters."
"Our guy announces his scheme, and I'm still thinking it's just a quick peek. Turns out, he'd agreed to purchase one to keep our horse, Zara, company. Can't say I wasn't surprised when he told the breeder to throw in the whole damn herd. I mean, these are herd animals, right?"
"We end up choosing eleven male alpacas, each more charming than the last - from the handsome Sebastian to the grump but lovely Albert. We can't resist the urge to take them all home and convert our 5-acre field into an alpaca haven."
Welcome home, boys
"So, there we were, preparing to become alpaca farmers, thanks to Peter's hasty husbandry course. The herd arrived a couple of weeks later, just in time for summer 2019. Zara was overjoyed to have some new buddies, and the alpacas accepted her as one of their own."
"At first, we struggled to tell them apart, but their unique personalities soon shone through. It wasn't long before we hosted a small Christmas alpaca event, where someone suggested we try walking them. With Covid-19 lockdown, we had plenty of time on our hands, so we decided to give it a go."
Off leash and on the loose
"Training them took some time, but before long, we were strolling our crazy crew along the beach, leads in hand. A family of tourists asked to join, and before we knew it, word got out. They say curiosity killed the cat, but it brought alpacas to our doorstep."
"We starting charging a small fee for short walks, andbusiness took off. I left my CEO gig to start Cranfield Alpacas. Can't say I didn't get a few funny looks when I told folks I was ditching my career to walk alpacas on the beach. But hey, it's been bloody brilliant, and I'm chuffed as chipmonk to have been recognized as Northern Ireland's Best Tourist Experience (Small) at the 2022 Tourism Northern Ireland Giant Spirit Awards."
Alpaca lovers and fans
"Alpacas might seem high-maintenance, but they're surprisingly easy to care for. Peter handles the manure, injections, and such, while I feed them and handle the walks. We're open every day during the summer, then weekends and holidays for the rest of the year. With all ages loving them, it's a joy to see teens transform from being too cool for school to alpaca-obsessed."
"The walks have become a daily dose of serenity for me, like my personal therapy. And who wouldn't want to spend their days in the great outdoors, surrounded by friends and nature? So, forget cats – I'm officially an alpaca lady, and I wouldn't have it any other way."
- "Upon our return home with our new furry friends, we began transforming our 5-acre field into a tranquil home-and-garden for our alpaca family."
- "As our lives revolved more and more around these charming creatures, we soon discovered the joy of integrating them into our lifestyle and family routines."
- "The wellness benefits of owning alpacas became apparent as we started to learn about their gentle and calming demeanor, making them perfect pets for our household."
- "Our love for these beautiful creatures continued to grow, and we found ourselves embracing the alpaca lifestyle wholeheartedly, with our home becoming a sanctuary for these enchanting animals.
