Retiredice Alpacas -

Inside the barn, hidden in the shade, four or five female alpacas were acting like hungry women at an all-you-can-eat buffet. “They’re not supposed to be in here,” Paige Romine said, walking rapidly toward the hay pile. The babies, born last fall look up at her with marble-like black eyes, fearlessly standing their ground. The older ones flinch as Paige scolds them, but continue eating knowing that the worst that could happen would be their owner herding them out of the barn. Staying mad at a critter that’s so darned cute is tough. Paige hugs one around the neck. “As you can see, they make great pets. They’re especially good with kids and the elderly,” Paige said.

Eight years ago, Dennis and Paige Romine left their home in Sacramento and began to build a life in Fair Play. Paige continued to commute to Sacramento to operate a housekeeping business that she owned, but two years ago her commute became a lot shorter. Now she walks out her front door and down to the barn. Dennis, a carpet layer, was forced to retire early due to an injury. “Each time we went to Tahoe we’d see those alpaca rugs hanging in front of a store,” Paige said, remembering how her interest in alpacas came to be. While she appreciated the beauty of the rugs, it was the animals that intrigued her more. She began to research alpacas and soon she was the owner of two males. "A lot of people raise alpacas for breeding, genetics and show,” Paige said, stroking the head of one of her herd. “I don’t show them. Sometimes I take them to places like the fair or to teach at the schools.”

“They are the most earth friendly animals,” she saids. Their hooves are soft so little damage is done to a pasture. When they graze, they eat only the short grasses, leaving the roots intact. Alpacas are members of the camelid (or camel) family. There are two types: the Huacaya and the Suri. The Huacaya has a fluffy “teddy bear” look and the Suri has the long “pencil locks” that hang down from the body. The male alpacas sell for about $1,000 and up, depending on the quality of their fleece. The females, on the other hand, start at about $10,000.

On one side of the ranch, sits a small store. “It’s illegal to kill alpacas for pelts in the United States,” Paige said. “But in other countries they are often used for their pelts.” Inside the shop are gifts created from alpaca fiber. “The blankets are extra warm,” she said, explaining that each alpaca fiber is hollow, which holds in the heat. Items like hats, socks, carves and sweaters fill the shop. Alpacas come in 22 natural colors so the variety of yarns that are available at Retiredice Alpacas is varied. You can purchase raw fiber by the ounce too.

Each May the Romines have their herd sheared. “People are welcome to stop by and watch,” Paige said. You’ll see Paige and members of the Hangtown Fiber Guild at Christmas in Coloma at the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park in Coloma.

To find out more about Retiredice Alpacas, call (530) 620-1415 or visit them at 6899 Mount Aukum Road in Fair Play.