Alpaca farming is much different than farming any other animal. “They can be a difficult animal to deal with,” says Sarah. “It’s kind of nice having animals that can go off and do their own thing.” Alpacas are curious, funny looking, and provide fiber to weave clothes and fabric with.
Sarah and Laina Peck-Bostwick met in California, but didn’t get married until Sarah (left) moved to North Carolina to attend North Carolina State University. Now married, they run M&M Alpaca Farm in Pittsboro, NC. Laina (right) is the COO of the farm and takes care of the administrative side of things while Sarah is in control of the day to day farm operations. This family farm has a dynamic unlike any other family farm in the area. Laina was the nanny for the farm’s owner’s kids, and the family sees her and Sarah as members of the family too. 9 years ago, when the family’s children grew up and got too old for a nanny, Mary and Marty offered the farm to Laina. They had wanted to farm alpacas for a few years, and it seemed like the perfect way to keep both Laina and Sarah around. So, while Mary and Marty technically own the farm, they leave the operations to Sarah and Laina. “When you go to other farms, you see a husband and wife team. We have a wife-wife team, as well as Mary and Marty, their kids…we’re both a big family and a small family.” Sarah said. “We’re the token gay couple in the alpaca industry.” In this picture, Laina and Sarah are giving a tour to a group of senior citizens.
During the year, M&M farm gives tours to a myriad of different people. Here, a group of homeschooled students pets the farm’s Great Pyrenese dogs. One way the farm earns money is through giving these tours.
Some larger farms have thousands and thousands of alpacas, but M&M farms has around 70 to 80. Nonetheless, they continue to win competition after competition.
Baby Marvel is three months old and has a cloudy eye. So, Sarah and a vet have to go into Marvel’s pen and constantly make sure the eye is healing the way its supposed to. Alpacas are smart creatures, and Marvel’s mother knows that Sarah isn’t going to hurt the baby, but still keeps a watchful eye on the situation.
Laina, the COO of the farm and the one who handles the administrative side of things, fills her office with alpaca-related gear. The colorful room filled with different figurines, pictures, and other alpaca gear emphasize just how much of her life has been dedicated to this family.
In this picture, Mary and Marty–the two owners of the farm–pose with two of their alpacas that they took to an alpaca show.
Laina educates a group of homeschoolers on alpacas before showing them around the farm.
Although this farm has only existed for 9 years, it is already one of the best farms in the nation for show alpacas. Sarah and Laina travel to competitions throughout the nation, winning ribbons and trophies for their alpacas. Sarah says that she has special connections with many of the alpacas, including JJ, the alpaca pictured here.
