Personality plus

Each year the Alpaca Association of Australia celebrates these wonderful farm animals by inviting members of the public to visit their farms to meet them at close quarters. Today was such a day here in South Australia, near the old town of Strathalbyn.

We spent a wonderful afternoon at Serenidad Alpacas, a property also known as "Serenity" which we have visited on a number of previous occasions when it was open as part of the Open Garden scheme. It is tucked away deep in the back blocks of Strathalbyn on the wonderfully named Old Bull Creek Road, at Paris Creek.

This one, Mr Personality, was showing us his unusual flat teeth. If you look carefully, you can see reflections, in large, in the eyes.

Alpaca fleece in assorted colours was also on display, and garments and accessories created from alpaca fleece are soft, luxurious, long wearing and much in demand.

We chatted with the owners, Rex and Norma Keily, took lots of photos of their 30 alpacas, and also some pix of their garden. Concluding with an enjoyable afternoon tea with our hosts.

They have twenty breeding females and their cria (baby alpacas) range in colours from white, grey, caramel through to very dark brown. If only we had a much larger back yard we would have been placing our order today for a pair of babies when the next batch arrives!

We did offer to mind the farm when they next go away on a holiday, but they assured us they already have quite a list of willing helpers who live nearby!