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 By K. Reka Badger
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| Smaller than a pony, fluffier than a cloud and gentle as a lamb, the exotic alpaca has found a home in Los Olivos. Just six blocks from the flagpole, a herd of these doe-eyed creatures grazes happily, waiting for visitors to come and experience the world’s softest hug. Alpacas de Los Olivos, a breeding facility that boasts champion bloodlines and multiple medal winners, is not only a hands-on ranch, but also part petting zoo, part botanic garden. Paths meander past leafy beds and pastoral views, while a cozy log cabin doubles as a classroom and boutique. Founded in 2003, Alpacas de Los Olivos came into being when owners Elizabeth and Ed Warynick decided their aging horse needed a companion. They considered adding a goat or yet another rescue dog to the family, but knew they’d struck emotional gold when they discovered the mysterious, peaceable alpaca. In a bid to introduce the world to the wonders of alpacas as pets and help owners develop the gentle touch these animals require, the Warynicks fenced pastures and set up shop on five lovely acres at the end of Corral de Quati. Here 25 alpacas, as well as assorted sheep, dogs and llamas, greet visitors every Saturday. It’s a little piece of paradise,” Elizabeth declares, “a hidden treasure in the Valley. It’s like an estate, with gardens and winding paths, a two-story Tudor house, lawn and log cabin.” The Warynicks invite visitors to pet, feed and frolic with their downy-coated alpacas, camelids that count llamas, camels and vicunas as close relatives. Once guests have toured the pastures, they can wander through the garden or browse shelves filled with high quality dresses, sweaters, scarves, hats and children’s clothing crafted from alpaca fleece. “You’ve got a whole city culture where kids don’t know where a carrot comes from,” Elizabeth laments. “I wish people would do more of this, share the farm culture.” To let the public in on the fascinating process of turning fleece into wearable art, Alpacas de Los Olivos stages an annual spring event called Share the Shearing. “It’s a nice, fun, family day,” Elizabeth smiles. “We have spinners, knitters and weavers working on the lawn and I have bags of fleece right after it comes off the animal, so kids can feel what it’s like.” Every year, each of the Warynick’s alpacas produces three to ten pounds of fleece, a light, hypoallergenic fiber that’s five times warmer than wool. The fleece comes in 22 color variations – from white and brown to reddish and jet black – and readily accepts both natural and synthetic dyes. “We’ve learned to skirt and clean the fleece,” Elizabeth says, “to get it ready for the processor. We send it to a mill in Oregon that keeps the yarn from each animal separate, so if I tell them I want Benjamin’s fleece as 2-ply, 3-ply or 4-ply yarn, they send it back packaged with our logo on it, because people want to knit the animal they met. “I’ve knitted since I was young,” she adds, “and I really love the fiber end of it.”  The Warynicks also host weaving and knitting groups, field days where artists can set up their easels on the property, Gentle Spirit Training sessions (led by camelid guru Cathy Spalding) and an outdoor fashion show featuring all things alpaca. “One of our goals is to be an asset to the community,” Elizabeth says. “We want to have events and fundraisers on the ranch to help other organizations. We had the Braille Institute kids visit and it was just magical.” Citing the spiritual boost she gets while working with her alpacas, Elizabeth laughingly relates Ed’s notion that perhaps “they were a gift from the aliens who landed in the plains of Peru.” She finds that by taking time and using a sensitive approach, she and her husband can reach a profound level of communication with these unusual animals. A travel agent for 20 years, Elizabeth brings a love of people and animals to her enterprise, while husband Ed, a retired test pilot, taps his business acumen and sense of adventure to keep things running smoothly. Together, they have created a thriving ranch and welcoming oasis for friends, neighbors and curious out-of-towners. “We just want to be good neighbors,” Elizabeth admits, “and have people come out and relax, get to know the alpacas. Our property is a place of peace and healing where people can commune with nature and animals.” Elizabeth Warynick thinks a clue to her destiny as an alpaca whisperer may lie in her maiden name, Shepherd. “When we first had alpacas on the property,” she remembers, “I told my friends I had to secure them for the night. So I went out and said ‘come on, girls, let’s go,’ and they all kind of followed me. I guess I wasn’t named Shepherd for nothing!”
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| Visitors are invited to pet, feed and frolic with downy-coated alpacas. Elizabeth Warynick is a hands-on farmer and cares for her herd like part of her family. Alpacas de Los Olivos alpacas boast champion bloodlines and multiple medal winners. | |||
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Copyright 2006, Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, All Rights Reserved |
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