Couple Find Their Bliss on an Alpaca Farm by Joe Patrick

this article was originally published in the Fairhope Courier on November 17, 2003.

Somebody said it. "Happiness is like potato salad. When shared with others, it's a picnic."

Surely, Katy and Steve Spears' salad bowl is overflowing, spiced with seeds of contentment, and the fruits of dreams come true. Together with their four children, they nest on 10 acres of pristine green space on County Road 33, not far from downtown Fairhope, separated, but close enough to urban conveniences to have them within easy reach.

This little corner of heaven is also occupied by two dogs - Great Pyrenees - and 38 alpacas, which must surely be among the most lovable creatures on the planet.

Katy, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology, and Steve, a former computer designer who chose to pursue a career as an artist, developed a case of the big city blues, and dreamed of a place in the country where she could be a stay-at-home mom, and he could concentrate on his art in a calm and peaceful setting. A visit to Gulf Shores led them to Fairhope.

"We just fell in love with it," Katy smiled, "and close by we found just the right acreage to fit our needs, and realize another dream, that of establishing a successful Alpaca farm."

Thus, "Fairhope Alpacas" was born. The couple raises and sells high quality alpacas breeding stock on their farm, and also offer fiber and finished products along with breeding stock and educational opportunities for those interested in a lucrative business of their own.

"Our goal," said Katy, "is to make ours the finest operation in the Southeast." The Spears are eager to share information about alpacas, a cousin of the llama. According to the couple, alpacas were first recorded in drawings on cave walls high in the Andes mountains, and were, perhaps, the world's first domestic animals. They became the foundation of a prosperous Andean Indian civilization. When the ancient Incas conquered the Indians and captured these precious "cattle", alpacas became the foundation of wealth for the Incan society. Even after the Spaniards defeated Peru, the alpaca was considered legal tender by the Indian population.

In 1984, the first alpacas were imported to the U. S. from Chile and Bolivia. In 1993, restrictions were lifted, and imports were allowed from Peru, which still considers them a national treasure and still places limits on their export.

Alpaca farms are rather rare in America. According to the Spears, there are only about 40,000 alpacas in the United States. In Alabama, there a but a handful of alpaca ranches in the northern part of the state, and few on the entire Gulf Coast, with just one in Baldwin County: Fairhope Alpacas."

Alpaca fiber is one of the world's finest and most luxurious. Katy described it as warmer, lighter, and stronger than wool, soft as cashmere, and comes in more colors than from any other fiber producing animal. Spinners and weavers around the world can now make products from a substance once reserved for Incan royalty. "As an investment, they have proven sound with excellent return," she said. "Just one pregnant female with good bloodlines can sell for $25,000 or more."

The animals themselves are gentle, shy but intensely curious. They are communal creatures with a strong herd instinct, and tend to prefer staying close to "family". On the other hand, Katy said, they are wonderful with humans, adults and children, and they really make you want to give them a hug. "I just love them," laughed Katy, who had named each of the 38 in the herd.

"It's a really fun business" is Katy's enthusiastic description of alpaca farming. "It's a short commute from the house to the pasture, and gives me time to be a mom and care for the kids, Gus, Evangeline, and 11 month old twins, Atalanta and Anastasia." It also allows Steve, who is on the board of the Fairhope Art Council, to pursue his talents.

On Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003 the Spears, invite the public to their fall open house from 10am to 3pm at the farm on County Road 33. The open house will give visitors a chance to learn about alpacas, see and touch them, and have pictures made with them. All questions will be answered, and there will be finished products for sale on display including caps, gloves, sweaters, and soft cuddly teddy bears that make marvelous Christmas gifts. An even greater variety can be seen by logging on to their website www.fairhopealpacas.com . For additional information or directions to Fairhope Alpacas, call (251)929-2688.