he “Alpacalipse”: How a small business has cultivated a community

HENRIETTA, N.Y. – Lazy Acre Alpacas is a family-owned farm in Bloomfield, New York, and has become a hub for community activity. With the incoming total solar eclipse arriving on Apr 8, people are flocking to the open fields to see it.

The day of Apr. 8 is a cloudy day for the anticipated eclipse viewing, but that does nothing to dampen the excitement in the air. Visitors eagerly move around the property of Lazy Acre Alpacas, looking for attention from various alpacas in the fields surrounding them. From a yoga class, to numerous food vendors to the handmade merchandise in the gift shop, the solar eclipse isn’t the only thing that makes this event memorable.

“It’s beautiful here,” comments first time visitor Jennifer, who traveled to the farm from Bridgewater, New Jersey, with her friend. The two participated in the yoga class that was held at the beginning of the event, and remarked about how wonderful it is to have the class outside.

Lazy Acre Alpacas sits on a vast spread of 95 acres of land, where over a dozen pastures are available for the alpacas to feed and roam. The property was once a dairy farm, and the buildings are all original from when it was first built almost 100 years ago. The current owners have worked hard to maintain the original cozy aesthetic of the farm, and to maintain the history that sits in the walls of the barns.

Originating from Peru, alpacas are used to the cold winters of upstate New York, as the area’s weather patterns are similar to those common to the Andes Mountains habitats that they’re used to. Needless to say, the conditions of Lazy Acre are nothing short of ideal for the 78 alpacas on the property – and two goats.

The animals are split up according to gender and age; the older males are kept in one area, and nearby are the younger males who are still adjusting to being away from their mothers. The female alpacas are kept together with their babies in another part of the pasture. All of the animals have access to small stable structures, where they can seek shelter in bad weather, as well as get water and shade in the summertime.

Mark Gilbride purchased the farm almost 20 years ago, looking to expand the land his animals lived on. He co-owns the business with his wife, Sharon Gulbride, and they keep a relatively small amount of part-time staff as well– among them is Sharon’s cousin Nancy. The Gilbrides live on the property, where they have raised their five children and grown the business.

“Mark is always coming up with something,” Jude Rhodes, cousin of Mark, jokes. She came from St. George, Utah, to see the eclipse, and spoke about Mark’s past business endeavors. Before starting in the alpaca business, Mark was in the paintball industry, co-owning his own business. Before that, he was in carpet laying, a practice done by his father.

Mark Gilbride assists in an alpaca yoga event as part of Lazy Acre Alpacas “Alpacalipse” event on April 8, 2024. These yoga sessions have become a prominent part of the farm’s business and foster a sense of community there. (Photo by Liam Conroe)

Along with selling alpacas to various buyers, the Gilbrides make a profit through open house events and tours of the property. Visitors get to hear the full history of the farm and about the inner-workings of caring for the alpacas, as well as a walk around the property where they can even get to feed the friendly animals. Mark and his staff alternate responsibilities for the tours, along with showing informational videos about shearing. The shearing occurs once a year in May, and shows off the infirmary for the animals.

Though the Gilbrides pursue an emphasis on maintaining the history and traditions of the farm, they’ve also opened their arms to more modern methods of growing the business, such as operating an Airbnb near the property. For the days when the tours can’t be as personable, they’ve set up stations with QR codes, that when scanned, will play an audio clip of Mark explaining the processes within the building associated with it.

“As you can tell, I'm pretty passionate about it,” Mark states, chuckling a little.  “It's easy to be passionate about something that you like. That's for sure.”

Perhaps their most significant source of revenue — besides the alpacas themselves, of course— is the gift shop, located in the center of the property within what used to be a hay barn. Items sold inside are almost exclusively made from the shearings of alpacas at the farm; merchandise like socks are always a best seller, along with hats, clothing and smaller items such as the needlepoint creatures made by Sharon herself. “It’s a fun job,” said artist Alex with a smile, “I like interacting with people.” Alex has worked with Sharon at a local hospital, and they’ve known each other for almost 20 years. In August of the past year, Sharon discovered that Alex hand makes little alpacas out of fabric, and asked her to make them out of alpaca fur to be sold in the gift shop. These “alpaca buddies” can be found in the store for sale.

“Alpaca buddies” and other popular hand-made items are displayed in Lazy Acre Alpacas gift shop on Mar. 4, 2024. Through a mix of Alex and other crafters' creations, as well as imported items, the gift shop has also flourished as part of the farm’s business. (Photo by Liam Conroe)

Most of the items in the shop are shipped in from families in Peru, who the Gilbrides have maintained relationships with through the years.

“I went to Peru in 2003, met a few people in Lima,” Mark explains. “And then in the States, there’s a few… I guess you can call them resellers. They have their connections in Peru, bring it here, and we buy it from them.”

The artisans in Peru are comprised of entire families who have perfected their craft, and they use the fur from the alpacas in Lazy Acres. This exchange serves to cultivate the small business, community feel of the farm, and makes the experience of visiting all the more special.

Some of the farm’s most exciting events encompass a series of yoga classes hosted by the Gilbrides, where participants can sign up online and enjoy a calm yoga session hosted by a trained instructor that is brought on from Victor Yoga Studio. The best part: each attendee is given a cup of food upon arrival, and they can feed the alpacas, who are allowed to roam within the pasture where the classes are held. Guests are delighted by this unique time to relax and be greeted by fluffy animals, which often lead to them returning time and time again.

“I’ve seen kids grow from here to here,” Mark remarked with a laugh, gesturing from his hip to the level of his eyes. Families will often plan multiple trips to the pastures time and time again, and will seek the Gilbrides out at alternate events, such as the Purple Painted Lady Festival that happens in the fall.

“We really enjoy the environment,” says Mary Ann Buckley, a recurring visitor who has been to the farm a handful of times with her husband, Dennis. The couple have returned once again to the property for the “Alpacalipse” solar eclipse viewing event.

The clock is ticking closer and closer to the moment of totality at the eclipse event. As it slowly becomes darker, viewers exchange jokes about whether they even need the provided eclipse glasses, thanks to the thick cloud cover. People laugh as eclipse-themed music, songs like Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Taylor, begins to play. Raindrops start to patter against the ground, but no one moves, too busy enjoying the atmosphere to care about the rain.

People gather by the fences to watch the alpacas, who have seemed to become frozen. The music fades, and people start speaking in whispers as the darkness has peaked, enveloping the area in an eerie blanket. The clouds have the faintest tint of warm color way out in the distance, and the distant glow of the porch lights on the barns is the only real source of light.

Almost as quickly as it began, it was over. Light begins to come back rapidly, and visitors cheer and clap. Despite not being able to see the sun, they remark about the uniqueness of the eclipse, and most mention how the alpacas have made the viewing experience that much better.

The farm’s alpacas stroll around their pasture during a tour on March 18, 2024. These tours, along with open houses and other such events, form the foundation of business for Lazy Acre Alpacas.