By Colleen Marshall
Gazette Editor
It was love at first sight.
When Nancy Durst attended her first Open Farm Day, she looked into the eyes of
an alpaca. The Buxton resident said that is all it took – she knew she was going
to be an alpaca owner.
“When I saw my first alpaca, it was love at first sight,” she said. “It warmed my
heart, and it had the most soulful eyes. I said right there, ‘One day I am going
to have them.’”
Looking out over the vast acreage that make up her White Barn Meadows, Durst
points out her dream realized. Alpacas sporting coats of all colors span her
property, surrounded by rows of trees that soon will be bare.
Wide-eyed and curious, the herd moves closer to Durst as she addresses each
one by name, before launching into a description of their personalities.
“They are my therapy,” she said. “I love to just stand here and muck, it’s just so
calming. And, they make you laugh. What is better than that? You can’t help but laugh.”
Durst moves her head closer to one of the male alpacas, blowing gently in its
face. He responds by looking her directly into her eyes, and…is that a smile?
Durst keeps her hands at her side, explaining alpacas do not like to be touched,
or pet. Instead her herd of 13 alpacas turn to her, and raise their ears.
“They are pretty animals – but they are not cuddly like a dog,” Durst said.
“That’s how they were kept alive all these years, because they are very
suspicious animals.”
Durst said she and her husband, Scott, purchased their White Barn Meadows
home in 2002, and he was deployed to Iraq for what ended up being two years.
Upon his return home, Durst said the pair set out fencing their property to
safeguard the newest additions to their family. Soon after, Durst said she brought
four alpacas home to live.
“After such stressful years with Scott in Iraq, I just needed to laugh,” she said.
“And these guys just make me laugh.”
Since that time, Durst has been busy.
“This is my new passion, it’s added so much joy in my life – it’s just added so
much,” she said.
Durst said a typical day has her up at 5 a.m. to feed the alpacas, and provide
them with water, and mucks the stall, which takes about 20 minutes.
“Muck, water, feed – muck, water, feed,” she said. “They are very docile, and
easy to take care of. They really don’t take a whole lot. Once a month, I have to
give them a shot for meningeal worm, and I clip their toenails. It’s all very easy.”
She then heads out to her full-time job as an art teacher at Falmouth High
School. When she returns home, it’s back out to the barn to care for the animals
once more. She also works to promote the farm, which she is the only farm
within Maine – and possibly in the U.S. – that specializes in just selling geldings.
Other area farms specialize in breeding the animals, but Durst said she knew
almost immediately that she wanted to focus instead on the fiber quality animals.
“After I started going to shows, I realized that breeding is not for me,” she said.
“Although I respect it, it’s not fitting with my lifestyle. But there was a need for
breeders to have someone take care of the geldings. It just seemed to fit.
Specializing in just selling the geldings works for me. It’s not a huge money
maker, but I’m not doing it for the money.”
Durst believes “the more the better” and uses the philosophy in her business. She
will not sell less than four animals to any buyer. Buyers also must prove they are
going to be “good parents.” She interviews each potential owner and views
outlines of their property, where the animals will be housed and what type of
fencing system they have in place.
“You really get emotionally attached to them,” she said. “How can you not? So,
for me, it’s really important that they go to a good home.”
In the inner part of her barn, Durst points out various hues of yarn, noting which
animal the fabric stems from. She said alpaca yarn is often compared to
cashmere due to its texture and softness, she said. It’s also hypoallergenic, and
many people who are allergic to wool may not have the same reaction to alpaca
fiber.
Durst said the alpacas are sheared once a year in May. Although she said she is
still learning about the process of working with the alpaca fiber, she said she
thoroughly enjoys finding out what thicknesses of yarn work for various creations,
such as hats, mittens and sweaters.
“For me, it’s all a learning process,” she said. “I’ve been learning about the whole
process, as well as about the fiber and the blends.”
Durst’s passion also has crossed paths with her profession. She recently served
as a presenter at a local alpaca conference, and hopes in the future to expand
that and work on a national level.
“That’s my big plan is to have more education around the U.S. and how beneficial
it is to buy geldings,” she said. “I believe in it and I just want to spread the
word.”
Durst said she hopes people will turn out to the Open Farm Days as it is a great
chance for Durst to do what she loves to do – talk about her extended family and educate the public about alpacas.
“It’s great to see the kids faces when they feed them,” she said. “It’s just
priceless.”
White Barn Meadows is located at 458 River Road in Buxton. For more
information, call 727-5914.
|
Top of page