After a restful night at Naomi & Johnny‘s house, we took a drive up to the farm where they keep their alpacas and help care for the landholders animals.  The farm is Bonny Doon Llamas and Alpacas, owned and operated by Eric Hoffman, one of the original and foremost experts on alpacas ( http://bonnydoonalpacas.org )

Johnny told me many things about alpacas, their origins in South America, the way they are bred for show and fiber, yeilding very different results.  Then they went about the tasks typical of animal husbandry – feeding, cleaning up their poop, irrigating an oral wound.  Eric came down to chat, and it turns out he‘s been to the restaurant several times with members of the OSU Vet School.  Small world!

I was impressed with the gentle ways of both the animals and of their caregivers, Johnny and Naomi.  It was more like the relationship between family members than owner and livestock.  Love is the word I‘m looking for, I think.