ROARING ACRES ALPACAS

Alpacas Roaring Acres

At Roaring Acres Alpacas, the public can get an up close look at the more than 130 alpacas at the Suffield farm.

Home to huacaya and suri alpacas, the Mnich family farm also has painted desert sheep, mini horses, goats, mini donkeys, pigs, and a variety of ducks, chickens, and geese, including rare and heritage breeds. The farm is also home to Jake’s Bees, an onsite apiary that offers honey for sale in the farm boutique.

Owner Alison Mnich grew up in Connecticut and always loved animals, but wasn’t much of a farmer until she couldn’t resist the alpacas.

“My daughter went to Peru and came back and told me all about alpacas,” Mnich recalled. “She said I would love them, and I did.”

That was 2013 and Mnich started with just

three alpacas as farm pets. “They’re so cute!” she said, “I couldn’t resist.”

“I did research and learned you should have a few so we got three,” Mnich said. “But we kept adding and the farm kept growing.” Today, there are more than 130 alpacas at Roaring Acres. Some are short-term visitors, but most belong to Mnich.

Before the alpacas arrived, Mnich and her husband John were very part-time farmers. “We had gardens and a few chickens,” she said. Now, orchards and other farm animals, as well as their son Jake’s beehives, helped turn the farm into a career.

“My husband takes care of the orchards and I take care of the animals and our children help,” said Mnich.

Their three adult children all specialize in certain aspects of the farm. Jake is the bee expert while Alanna handles planning and their youngest daughter, Lexi, who is graduating from college this year, helps with events and marketing.

“Jake and I started the bees as something we could do together and it was me helping him, but now it’s him helping me,” Mnich said.

The alpaca wool is sold and some returns to the farm shop in the form of hats and other items created locally. Mnich said she also sells items imported from Peru.

The farm really took off once COVID hit and people were searching for a way to get outside but stay socially distanced.

“We have college and high school students who work here and I asked what they thought about opening up to the public,” Mnich said. “We had welcomed visitors to the farm before, but with COVID, people were really looking for something to do so we opened the farm to people to come visit within their COVID bubbles,” she added. “Then when Halloween was cancelled, we had people come and trick or treat and we did the same with Santa at Christmas.”

This past Easter they hosted an egg hunt on the farm. Mnich said their events are free, but they do request donations to help keep the farm running.

When the world began opening up a bit more and restrictions loosened, Roaring Acres Alpacas remained a hot spot for families and remains open to the public today, but on a more limited basis because of staffing.

“Not everyone wants to work on a farm and we need 4-5 staff every time we open,” Mnich said. “To operate safely, we need one person in our shop, one checking people in, one gatekeeper and at least one with each group of guests to make sure both the guests and animals are safe.”

Roaring ACRES Alpacas Farm 685 Hale St., Suffield, Conn., is open Sat. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. currently and will increase its hours over the summer. For more information, call 860-578-5150 or visit roaringacresalpacas.com.

VISIT OUR BOUTIQUE!

We carry a variety of warm, soft and beautiful Alpaca products such as Hats, Gloves, Blankets,

Nesting Balls, Sportman Socks and

NEW THIS YEAR: Soaps and Dryer Balls made right here at the farm!

Bring your family and hand-feed the Alpacas! Admission is FREE!

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