It's been less than two years since the first alpaca Ronchetti purchased gingerly stepped out of a trailer onto the Vineyard, signalling the start of her farm, Island Alpaca Co. of Martha's Vineyard. The animals have proven a practical investment: owners can reap substantial income from alpaca sales, breeding fees, and the abundance of lanolin-free fleece the animals produce. The Alpaca Registry reported 1,509 registered alpaca and 163 farms in Massachusetts in May 2008, and more than 11,000 farms and 123,485 alpaca across the country.
Amidst displays of cozy socks, mittens, yarn, blankets, sweaters, spinning wheels, and a stuffed animal wearing alpaca fur, the petite 16-year Vineyard resident Ronchetti nestles on a sofa in her farm's shop. A corridor connects to a 200-year-old post-and-beam barn salvaged from Export, Pennsylvania, and French doors open to the pasture where the slender-legged alpaca graze. With their curious eyes, perky ears, and whimsical expressions, the sociable alpaca are members of the Camelid family--which includes camels and llamas--and first arrived in the United States in 1984 after having lived thousands of years in the mountains of South America.
Before this endeavor, Ronchetti seemed to breeze through overwhelming projects, among them managing vacation rentals, selling real estate, working as an ad rep, and overseeing construction of a condominium in Como, Italy. But friends and family raised their eyebrows at her plan to start an alpaca farm on Martha's Vineyard. Except for fond memories of visiting a farm while growing up in Lexington, Mass., Ronchetti had never given serious thought to becoming a farmer until alpaca stole her heart six years ago when she first encountered them at the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair. Despite some "What am I doing?" moments while visiting alpaca farms in New England and Italy, she was determined to see the project through to fruition.
The first batch of 10 alpaca arrived from Maine and New Hampshire in November 2006. "I was jumping for joy," she says. "I was so excited. I couldn't believe they were really here!" More shipments from Vermont and New Hampshire followed, and soon she had a batch of adorable strangers looking to her for food, care, and safety. Today, Ronchetti's herd totals 42, and she selects her alpaca for their genetics and their fleece--fine, dense, and lustrous with a well-defined crimp is best.
"Somehow, I do not even consider myself a farmer today, because the farm activity is a great deal of fun," she says with a chuckle. Whether cleaning stalls, tending to a sick alpaca, or helping deliver a baby--known as a cria--she does it with a smile.
Ronchetti receives some assistance on the farm, but she is the primary caretaker for this fluffy, friendly herd. "The farm work is great," says Barbara. "It's a good workout, and it gets me closer to the earth--literally--and the creatures." She calls them by name: Calvin, Comet, Tranquility, Snow, Annie, Dom Perignon. She says she has no favorite, but she is especially fond of Aftiel, who always carries a sprig of hay in her mouth and offers nuzzling "kisses." Ronchetti witnessed the birth of the first alpaca born on the island. Fittingly, she named the baby Noepe, the Wampanoag Indian name for Martha's Vineyard.
Ronchetti is constantly learning about the animals through workshops, from veterinarians, and from fellow Alpaca-owners. Last January, she visited ranches and research facilities in Peru, the original home of the alpaca, under the auspices of the University of Massachusetts Camelid Studies Program.
Barbara turns from farmer to gracious hostess as she greets guests in the farm store, where the public is welcome on most weekends year-round. Many of the store's goods come from Peru, but Barbara looks forward to a time when the stock will be mostly homegrown and locally made. Even now there are sweaters, baby hats, socks, gloves, and scarves fashioned from Island Alpaca fleece. Whether sharing alpaca facts, telling tales of how she got into the business, or offering a cup of hot tea, she makes her visitors feel at home.
"I feel that these are such unique creatures," she says with an adoring glance out the window at her herd basking in the sunshine. "I feel an obligation to share them with the public."
Island Alpaca is located at 1 Head of the Pond Road, Oak Bluffs, Mass. For more information call 508-693-5554, e-mail info@islandalpaca.com, or visit www.islandalpaca.com.
Pat Waring is a freelance writer who lives in West Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard.