Shear curiosity at Good Karma Alpaca Farm

Here's what I knew about alpacas a week ago: They look like small camels, only fluffier.

That's it.

But there's nothing like shearing day at an alpaca farm to cure your animal naivety. And thanks to Jim and Amy Grant, the generous owners of Good Karma Alpaca Farm in Belfast, I was able to satiate my alpaca curiosity last weekend.

The work had already begun when I arrived at the farm with my friend Kate (who also happens to be Jim's sister, and the bridge to my lucky invitation).

A male was stretched out on his side as Jim bent over him with the shears, making sweeps across his side and neck and back. A few others were on hand to keep the alpaca calm and still and to clean and clip his nails.

The fiber fell away in rumpled waves, revealing the animal's rising and falling belly, and someone was there to scoop up the fluffy mounds and press them into a nearby bag.

Some visitors to farm worry that that the process hurts the animals, Amy said. But using the ropes and stretching the animals legs out actually helps prevent injury - imagine trying to shave your neck or armpit without lifting your chin or arm. Those skin folds are easily nicked.

After 15 minutes or so, the ropes were loosened and removed and the alpaca stood up from the barber's floor looking immensely sleeker.

And back out into the field he sauntered, his alpaca brethren needing a minute to recognize him post-shave.

[Brown alpaca: "Hey, girl, you're lookin' fiiiine. Why don't you and I -- FRANK?!? That you?]

Pickers outside went through the fiber, pulling out burrs and tossing the second cuts or "hairy" sections. For my part, I wanted to help, but other than knowing a burr when I saw one, I had trouble distinguishing the "keep" from the "toss."

Jim also gave me a tour of the mill, where machinery has replaced the old-school spinning wheel - except, ironically, some of the machinery is itself nearing 60 years old. They spin fiber from their own farm, of course, but also had labeled bags of wool from other parties.

By the weekend's end, I'd picked up a few more Alpaca facts. Like how they make noises like hard-of-hearing older women - "Hmmmm?" - gently asking you to repeat yourself even when you've just said nothing.

Or how there's a distinct difference between an "air spit" and a real spit - a green, tangible difference that Kate felt first hand, seeing as she happened to be holding the halter when pregnant Lucy decided to give everyone a piece of her mind.

Or how Alpacas look comfy enough to hug - the kind of fur you want to shove your face in and make baby talk. But then - they aren't those kind of animals.

But while the weekend was free of alpaca cuddling, I left with a renewed appreciation for the alpaca farm and Maine entrepreneurship in general.

For more on the farm, check out www.goodkarmafarm.com. For more on the mill, check out Good Karma Spinning Company