The LLama farm we visited ...
... last Saturday was a huge amount of fun. Here is the web page for the place. They bill themselves as an Alpaca Farm, or Alpacos, as Máeráed called them. We were going to take Máeráed and Mr Miggs but by the time we had lunch with her family little Mr Miggs was clearly in need of a nap. So we left him.

But Mulan wanted to come along so we picked her up and headed off for the farm, way up on the ridge overlooking Valle Crucis past a little community called Matney. Here is a blurb from the farm's web page:

Apple Hill Farm started in 2002 with 2 pregnant female alpacas and one young female alpaca. In 2008, we are now home to 22 alpacas. In addition to alpacas, we have added horses (some of ours, and some who board), llamas, goats, donkeys, chickens, dogs and cats. We strongly believe that animals need a purpose, so every animal on the farm has a stated job or position. Our animals are treated with great care, respect and love.

Carmen and I, plus Máeráed and her virtual cousin Mulan arrived to meet - a whole bunch of dogs. One was a little runty Jack Russel (we think the little lummox may be part Jack Russel) and a pitt bull called Gunnar who had the most beautiful steel grey coat I have ever seen. There were a few more but I don't remember them.

With all the exotic alpacas and llamas around Máeráed immediately zoned in on her favorites: the new born kittens kept in one of the unused horse stalls! She kept looking at them and telling us all how much she would like to keep them. And I think she really meant 'them,' as in 'all of them.'

We spent over an hour there, hiking around the farm with Ann Marie our guide. Mulan had a good time and liked the animals. It was only later that we realized that Lee, the owner of the farm, is a good friend of her mothers (everybody in two counties is a good friend of Mulan's mother, and for good reason).

We barely managed to get out of the little store without buying something, but we had had a great time. I hope we go back soon. Maybe next time Mr Miggs can go along too.

Although we saw no ninja goats.