Mar 16, 2008

Pampering and alpacas amid historyBy Kathy WittNews.Enquirer.com

The stately historic home with welcoming porch and shaded courtyard at the top of the gently inclining drive is completely expected; the alpacas, however, are a surprise – and something of a novelty in these parts.

Here in Springfield, Ky., home of the Maple Hill Manor, an 1851 Greek Revival Plantation home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 30 Suri alpacas roam the nearly 15 softly rolling acres, protected by six formidable llamas, their jaws made for crushing foolhardy coyotes.

“We were looking for a small farm to raise alpacas after seeing them at a state fair and doing some research,” explains Todd Allen, who co-owns this relax-in-style bed and breakfast with Tyler Horton. “Alpacas are ideally suited to a small farm.”

The exotic animals – rare outside of their native South America – give Maple Hill Manor a notable niche on the lodging landscape and present something of a motif in the guestrooms and gift shop. The innkeepers import products made from alpaca fleece.

The fleece products include teddy bears, throws, sweaters, capes, mittens, scarves and more, and several of them cozy up the rooms.

“This is a super silky, lustrous fiber,” says Allen. “People compare it to cashmere, but I think it’s actually softer than cashmere.”

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