Barnstormers Tour

We had an exciting weekend - Sugarloaf Alpaca Co was one of the featured barns in the Barnstormers Tour 2012.  Organized and sponsored by Frederick County Landmarks Foundation, the tour featured 10 barns in the Buckeystown area and ranged from our modern pole barn to another featuring one of the last remaining wooden silos still standing.  History was seen by modern visitors who took time to admire the hardware - long left behind - and the faded markings found within these impressive structures.

Trained Docents were available at each property to give visitors information about what they were seeing and experiencing.  Without them, guests wouldn't know that the pleasant breeze blowing through one of the barns was an intentional design of the original builder.  Comfort was not the reason for the breeze - although it was certainly appreciated by visitors on this warm summer day - it was to help separate the chaff from the grain during threshing, before more modern machinery did it for us. 

Of course, our alpacas were very excited to see so many visitors stop by.  We didn't tell them our guests had come to view the barn (not them), so they stayed happy all day!  Naturally, few could resist their big brown eyes and shaggy overcoats, so our four legged friends were fed many bags of treats throughout the event. 

Alpacas are such social animals.  They love to see visitors and are very nosey, jostling each other for a good view, if anything is happening inside or around the barn.  Maggie and Ottis, our Guardian Dogs, managed to keep most of their opinions to themselves and only expressed their displeasure when other canine visitors approached the barn.  Luckily, all species were well behaved so a pleasant experience was had by all.

It was an honor to be included in such a well run and enjoyable event.  We would like to extend many thanks to Frederick County Landmarks Foundations for an extremely interesting and fun filled day.