The Bulletin, Bend / Central Oregon News
NOVEMBER 21, 2009 03:05 AM
bendbulletin.com/Deschutes County
more photosGetting up close and personal with alpacas
Panorama Ranch welcomes visitors, breeders
By Lauren Dake / The Bulletin
Published: September 28. 2009 4:00AM PSTThere are alpacas, and there are llamas, and Susan Inman would like people to know the difference.
“A lot of our friends say, ‘How are your llamas?’ and we have to say, ‘We don’t raise llamas,’” Inman said with a smile.
Although both llamas and alpacas are from the camelid family, alpacas have softer, higher-quality fleece. Where llamas were traditionally used more as pack animals, Inman said, alpacas were once so coveted for their fleece that it was used as a currency.
Inman, 74, was showing two of her 3-month-old alpacas at the Panorama Ranch in Bend on Sunday afternoon.
Darrell and Barbara Pieper, of Panorama Ranch, enjoy opening up their home for farm visits, for the public and other breeders.
“It’s a place we love, and we love to share it,” said Barbara Pieper.
Logan Frost, 4, of Bend, shared Pieper’s love for the animals. As he held out his hand full of food, a mother-daughter alpaca duo, Irene and Ariel, headed his way.
“They’re pretty cool,” Logan said.
Within a second, the food was gone.
“They want some more, OK?” Logan informed Pieper.
The Piepers started raising alpacas in Central Oregon in 2001. Since then, they’ve connected with Central Oregon’s growing llama-alpaca community. Barbara Pieper said breeding alpacas has been the perfect “retirement” job and she’s enjoyed the challenge of breeding the animals until the fleece “feels like cashmere.”
“Alpacas are gentle, curious animals,” she said. “Their disposition is so even and easy.”
Ella Leu, 73, of Terrebonne, was visiting the farm on Sunday.
“I just love to look at alpacas,” she said. “They have the most beautiful faces.”
Pieper said opening her farm to share tips with other breeders or to inform the public isn’t uncommon.
“The alpaca community is very generous,” she said.
Pieper said the next challenge for alpaca breeders is figuring out the best way to use the animal’s fiber.
“There are a lot of good minds thinking about the best end product,” she said.
Lauren Dake can be reached at 541-419-8074 or at ldake@bendbulletin.com.
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