**permanently closed as of December 2022**
4521 Burlington Mills Rd, Wake Forest, NC
Do you know the difference between alpacas and llamas? I’m ashamed to admit that I regularly get them mixed up, so I scheduled a trip to Wisolina farms to learn all about these South American mammals!
About the Farm
Wisolina Farm got it’s name by combining the two owner’s birth states – Wisconsin and North Carolina. Diane and Ronnie Ansley were great hosts on the farm and were so patient with my kids. They both come from agricultural backgrounds and were raised on farms their whole lives. They were very knowledgeable and made our visit extremely educational for both the kids and myself!
Learning about Alpacas
Ronnie started our visit with lots of fun facts about alpacas. Did you know that they are similar to cows in that they have 3 stomachs and regurgitate their food just to chew and eat it again? Because of this, the alpacas are only fed their extra mineral supplements once a day or they will get sick. They spend the rest of the day grazing on grass around the farm.
Just to show you how much educational content we covered, Ronnie even brought out a bag of alpaca poop, which is small, odorless pebbles that can be used to fertilize your plants!
Feeding and Petting the Alpacas
After learning everything we could about alpacas, it was time to get hands on! We were able to hand feed the animals and pet them on their neck. Alpacas only have bottom teeth, so luckily we didn’t have to worry about any accidental biting, like we experienced at Aloha Safari Zoo. Your skin could possibly be pinched between the animal’s gums and teeth, but it wouldn’t be as bad as being fully bit. Luckily the animals were very gentle and we didn’t have any accidents, although my younger two were too scared to actually feed them from their hands. There were buckets along the fence and they enjoyed dumping the food in there and watching the animals chow down.
The male and female alpacas must be kept separate because they are induced ovulators and will mate continuously. I could make a lot of jokes about that, but I’ll just let you think of with your own. 😂 The females were much more friendly than the males, and came right out to greet us at the barn. One male does not like kids, so we just stayed away from him. The baby alpaca was a little skittish at first, but allowed us to walk him on a leash and pet him. Alpacas really are sweet animals and always look like they are smiling at you!
Feeding the Chickens
In addition to alpacas, Wisolina Farms also raises chickens. We were able to feed the chickens and learn about their eggs. Did you know you can tell what color egg a chicken will lay based on the little pad located where their ear would be?! I had no idea eggs came in so many colors!
Alpaca Store
Alpacas are closely related to camels, but just like sheep you can harvest their soft wool for clothing. I had no idea that alpaca fur can be turned into everything from yarn to a sweater! Wisolina Farms has an entire store of alpaca items that you can browse through and purchase after your visit. We also got a demonstration on how the raw fur is spun into yarn. Diana said she initially thought she would hand-spin the yarn herself, but quickly realized that a machine is the best way to do that!
As a parting gift we were given a Wisolina Farms cup and the kids got a little alpaca finger puppet! It was such a nice touch to end our tour, and the kids enjoyed taking home their own little alpaca to play with!
Tour Pricing
Typically Wisolina Farms hosts large groups and field trips throughout the year. During the pandemic they are opening the farm to one family or pod at a time. You can book your alpaca experience by emailing wisolinafarm@gmail.com to confirm your date and time. Once a date has been set, you will pay your tour fee on their website. Tours are $15 per person on Mondays through Thursdays, while weekend rates are $20 per person. Your tour will take about an hour. Unfortunately due to the alpacas feeding schedule all tours must occur in the afternoon. We were able to schedule our visit at 3:30pm, but usually feedings start around 4pm or 5pm. If there is a storm or you have an unexpected schedule change, they will reschedule to another available date.
While Wisolina Farms is obviously a small, home-grown farm, it is the most professional and educational home-based farm we have visited. Ronnie and Diane have obviously been doing tours for years and know what they are doing. The farm store at the end of our tour was a nice touch I wasn’t expecting. I highly recommend bringing your kids here for a field trip or play group, or just a new educational experience to get out of the house!