Alpaca on the Rocks – Fun on the Farm for the Whole Family

Adorable, friendly live animals and soft, cuddly toy animals delight visitors to Alpaca on the Rocks. Photo credit Joann Goble.

Visiting a farm, petting and feeding the animals, is a fun treat for kids of all ages. But the friendly, soft, sweet-natured alpacas at Alpaca on the Rocks, in the scenic countryside just outside Weed, have a special allure. Children’s faces light up when they see these beautiful, gentle animals with big doe eyes nibble grain right out of their hands. “Alpacas are great fun, easygoing and they don’t hurt anyone,” says Alpaca on the Rocks owner Nancy Shelton. She says the alpacas hold a unique magic for children with special needs. “Autistic children are amazing with the alpacas. Children who are terrified of animals, by the end of their visit, go up to the alpacas to pet them. The transformation is marvelous.”

Personal retreat becomes thriving alpaca farm

Nancy ran the lab at Dignity Health Hospital in Mount Shasta for many years and now teaches instrumentation and does special projects at the hospital Tuesday through Friday. The five-acre farm started as just a quiet retreat for Nancy. She purchased some mini-horses, then some mini-donkeys, a mini-mule and some mini pigs. “I am a scientist,” she says, and living on the farm is the best of both worlds for her. “I get farm and science.”

One day, a friend of Nancy’s suggested she should “get something to pay for the hay and all the other expenses of running a farm.” So in 2009 she decided to get some alpacas to bring in some revenue.

Over the years Nancy has built a thriving business, utilizing carvers, artists, weavers, knitters and crocheters to turn the alpaca fibers into soft, warm garments and snuggly stuffed animals. Working with the easily processed alpaca fibers, Nancy has become a skilled needle felting artist, creating whimsical felted creatures and embellishing alpaca fiber garments with beautiful designs. Her unique alpaca products, along with some alpaca garments imported from Peru, are available at the farm and at events throughout the North State.

Gentle animal menagerie at Alpaca on the Rocks

Besides 11 alpacas, many other friendly animals call this unique working farm their home. Mini-horses Bob and Minutia, mini-donkeys Ginger and Stormy, Wildfire the mini-mule, Sean the Sheep (an Icelandic sheep sporting beautiful, curved horns) share the farm with New Zealand Kune Kune pigs Irma Jane, Ruby Ann and Winston P. Pig­gums. Three cute dachshund, Luke Duke the pit bull, his dog Mia the chi­huahua. Ten cats and two new sheep, Shasta and Shastina, round out the Alpaca on the Rocks menagerie.

Families are welcome to come out on weekends to Alpaca on the Rocks, 5004 Solus Drive, Weed, and visit all these adorable animals. Nancy also hosts school field trips. On what she refers to as “school days,” as many as 30 children, (often from local charter schools), spread throughout the ranch, petting and feeding the animals and enjoying classes in crocheting, dying and needle felting.

Nancy doesn’t run the farm alone. Ranch Foreman Jamal and ranch hands Matthew, Avery, and Rowan help Nancy keep the animals healthy, maintain the structures and land, help make improvements around the farm and shear the alpacas. Mathew’s wife, Emily, is the ranch cook, preparing tasty meals for the ranch staff. Meshell, Jamal’s partner, not only assists Nancy with the mercantile business, but also oversees the animal handlers. “I am so thankful for Jamal and Meshell who have really reset the whole alpaca farm and store,” Nancy says. “I could not have done this without their help.”

Alpaca on the Rocks offers a fun family holiday experience

For a truly unique holiday experience, skip the mall Santa and head to Alpaca on the Rocks in December for photos with Santa and Santa behatted alpacas. Shop for unique holiday gifts in their farm store (10-4 Saturdays and Sundays) featuring beautiful alpaca “fur” trimmed hats, knitted hats, warm antimicrobial alpaca socks, shoulder dragons (knitted scarves with adorable soft stuffed animals), mittens and much more.

For Alpaca Santa’s schedule or to learn more about Alpaca on the Rocks, visit allthethingsalpaca.com. To schedule a family visit or school fieldtrip, call (530)859-1994 or email alpacaontherocks@gmail.com.