Fleece Babies in Newcastle

Magnolia Blossom Alpaca Ranch invites visitors to their friendly farm

Story By Doug Hill; Photos by Cody Giles

Everyone needs a little alpaca in their life. That’s the premise and business model behind Magnolia Blossom Ranch. Terri Bates wears several hats at the operation including that of public relations manager. Her spouse Kerry Bates is managing partner. The couple have a business collaboration called Magnolias and Prayers: Everything Alpaca with nearby Answered Prayers Alpaca Ranch run by Gail Stymerski and Al Boyce. Magnolia Blossom Ranch is headquartered at 2901 NW 16th Street in Newcastle, a half mile east of Highway 76. Bates knows why visitors to the ranch enjoy interacting with the South American camelid mammals often confused with llamas.

"Alpacas are very sweet, docile and have big round eyes,” Bates said.

People just fall in love with them. They give you a soothing comfort just being around them. When people come out for farm tours we educate them. They get the cuteness and softness factors and also learn about alpacas.

Alpacas are not native to Oklahoma. They were domesticated in the South American Andes Mountains thousands of years ago by the Moche people in what’s now Northern Peru. Bates and her partners shear the beasts for their valuable fleece just like the Andean natives did and still do. [7602100115]

The ranch hosts a variety of ticketed interactive events. Some are paired with wine tastings, amateur “palette” sessions and even yoga. They also host parties, weddings and receptions. Details are available at magnoliablossomranch.com.

“The farm tours are popular,” Bates said. “People often come in private groups. Our big event is Alpaca Farm Day that we do twice a year with the next one Sept. 25. We host that at The Barn at Country Club in Newcastle because we outgrew it here at the ranch.”

There are food trucks, kids’ activities, alpaca petting tents, an obstacle course you can lead the gentle animals through and unlimited fun. Alpacas are social herd animals known for being mild tempered and generally wellbehaved around humans.

“Alpacas each have their own personalities,” Bates said. “Our best trained alpaca is named Cocoa Chanel. She’s a little prima donna. Everybody likes her and she knows it. We rent her out for weddings and she even walks down the aisle with the brides. Cocoa is also very good with special needs people.”

Unsurprisingly an alpaca named for a French fashion designer actually poses for photographers.

“She will also lay down in a bunch of kids and let them love all over her,” Bates said. “Some alpacas shy away from human touch but not her. We have so many people come to visit that they are very desensitized. Cocoa especially is really good.”

Alpacas don’t have hooves. They have paws like a dog with pads and toenails. Kicking is generally just against aggressive predators.

“They have no upper teeth, only bottom teeth,” Bates said. “You’d have to have your hand pretty deep in their mouth to get an actual bite.”

Alpacas usually just spit at each other, but not at humans unless seriously aggravated.

“We have one boy alpaca named Michelangelo who occasionally gets a little teenage attitude and will spit at you,” Bates said. “Typically it’s just when they’re fighting with each other over their favorite food which is carrots. They’ll start spitting at each other when you’re feeding them and their aim is horrible.”

Rare recipients of flying alpaca saliva get a prize from the ranch gift store. That may be a handcrafted article made of alpaca fleece yarn by fiber artist and ranch partner Gail Stymerski.

We have a lot of handmade items in our store,” Bates said. “She also teaches crafting workshops.

Each of the partners have their special contributions to the operations with a division of labor among them.

“My husband Kerry loves doing the educational part of the farm tours,” Bates said.

If there can be goat yoga by golly there can be alpaca yoga.

“The whole idea is just to create another experience,” Bates said.

“Our yoga instructor had come to one of our wine tasting events and asked if we’d ever done alpaca yoga. The alpacas don’t walk on you because they average 130 pounds but they are wandering around during the yoga session. You want that docile and serene feeling during yoga. You can see the alpacas while doing your poses. Hide your carrots under your mat so they don’t try to gorge while you’re doing it. We usually offer refreshments like lavender lemonade and watermelon during the session. If it’s too hot we can do it inside our climate controlled event room.”

Rates for parties, receptions and weddings are reasonable. The ranch also provides much of the equipment necessary to host such occasions.

“Booked time here includes full interaction with the alpacas,” Bates said. “We have an activity area near our gift shop with 30 cable spool tables set up with chairs. We have folding tables, table cloths and canopies they can use. Many come in and decorate an hour early, bring in their own caterers or their own food and drink. It’s a relaxing atmosphere to have a good time in.”

When the alpacas see strangers arriving at the gate they know it’s time to party down.

“Oh boy, we’re going to get fed is what they’re thinking,” Bates said with a chuckle.