Published: September 24, 2009 06:47 pm         

Alpaca farms to host open houses

TERRE HAUTE — Aris Farm of Clinton, Lookout Farm Alpacas of Terre Haute and White Violet Farm Alpacas at St. Mary-of-the-Woods will join alpaca breeders across the United States and Canada this weekend for the observance of the third annual National Alpaca Farm Days.

Aris Farm will host an open house including finger foods from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Lookout Farm Alpacas will host an open house from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. White Violet Farm Alpacas will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visitors to all three farms will be able to meet the alpacas and talk with those who care for the alpacas. All of the activities are open to the public without charge. Those attending all three open houses will have their name entered in a drawing for a basket of alpaca socks, gloves, yarn, and alpaca manure, called Alpaca Gold.

Lookout Farm Alpacas will offer fiber demonstrations by Jane Conner and Indiana fiber artist John Salamone. Children receive an alpaca-shaped cookie.

White Violet Farm Alpacas, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, will have spinning demonstrations by Sisters Jeanne Knoerle and Jean Fuqua. Sister Ruth Johnson will demonstrate the art of needle felting. There will also be activities for children.

Handmade alpaca items such as scarves, hats and yarn will be sold at all three open houses. Lookout Farm Alpacas will have Alpaca Gold for sale.

For best viewing at White Violet Farm Alpacas, visitors should go to the alpaca barn closest to Owens Hall at St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Look for newborn crias roaming the fields at White Violet Farm Alpacas and Lookout Farm Alpacas.

Alpacas are cousins to the llama. They are native to the Andean Mountain range of South America, particularly Peru, Bolivia and Chile. Adult alpacas stand at approximately 36 inches at the withers and generally weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. They do not have horns, hooves, claws or incisors.

Alpacas are shorn annually. They produce five to 10 pounds of luxurious fiber per year. Because of its soft texture, alpaca fiber is comparable to cashmere. Alpaca contains no lanolin, is as warm as wool and comes in 22 natural colors.

For directions and more information about Aris Farm, call (812) 243-9043 or go to www.aris-farm.com; for the Lookout Farm Alpacas call (812) 239-7699 or go to www.lookoutfarmalpacas.com; and for the White Violet Farm Alpacas, call (812) 535-2930 or go to

www.whiteviolet.org.