Alpaca & Llama Shepherdess
A homecoming
The move to camelid shepherdessing was both a surprise and a homecoming.
You know when you look back over your life and a seemingly out of place passion suddenly makes glaring sense?
This is how I felt as I found my way to herding alpacas and llamas.
I have always felt a deep affinity with animals and completely at ease in their presence but more than that, I had quite a specific obsession with animal behaviour and herding.
To the amusement and bemusement of my husband I was completely obsessed with watching sheepdog trials as a kid and living in a caravan on a sheep farm with the field directly outside of our living room and bedroom windows for nine years, I got to watch herding 'live' often.
I often felt as though I were a shepherd(ess) without a flock, a herdswoman without a herd.
And then... I, quite unexpectedly, found my flock, happened upon my herd and an unexpressed part of myself found an outlet.
I found home, healing and meaning amongst the llamas and alpacas.
(Scroll down to read more about my story and how I came to have my very own fibre herd)
Meet the herd
Our fibre herd
My little fibre herd are made up of ccara llamas, Miguel, Jiminey and Luca and Price and Elvis the huacaya alpacas.
Born at Catanger, the llama boys spent nearly a decade accompanying people during their afternoon tea at The Llama Experience, Elvis and Prince were born there.
They were looking for a place to retire and I heartily accepted that role. They live a lovely life hanging out in the paddocks with the other llamas there as my very own pasture companions providing us with beautiful fleeces to work with.
How it all began
In the summer of 2024, when my daughter was just two, I began taking care of a herd of thirty six alpacas.
I was fresh out of a mental health crisis after a year of little to no sleep and a whole heap of stress with a newborn. I was shaken but inspired and keen to build a life where both of us could thrive. At first I continued doing what I'd done for years. Running retreats and gatherings for women. I ran a retreat for families at an alpaca farm and the rest is history.
I ran a few women's retreats there and along the way I was offered an 'alpaca apprenticeship' and I jumped at the chance. I spent time under mentorship learning how to take care of the beautiful animals and then found myself as the Herd Manager.
The work with my daughter on my back opened up a connection with these magical animals beyond just their daily care.
I became aware of the similarities between these timid, curious and intuitive prey creatures and humans who had experienced challenges.
I trained in CameliDynamics and saw how treating these creatures with the respect they deserve opens something in the human heart.
How offering animals choice and allowing them to consent allowed me to understand my own need for these things more deeply.
How profound it feels to gain the trust of a nervous animal.
How liberating it is to let them be who they are without wanting them to be anything else.
How completely right it feels to handle them in a gentle, respectful and consent based way.
Spending time with the alpacas offered a gentle healing which I didn't go looking for.
And in advocating for their needs, I began understanding how to advocate for my own.
I spent two years offering experiences with the alpacas for enjoyment (because they are such funny little lovely things) and wellbeing (because they offer such gentle healing) at Hideaway Wood Farm before my life turned upside down and I found myself without animals again.
I knew I wanted to get back to the land but it seemed impossible. I dreamed of my own little fibre herd but I couldn't see how I could make it happen.
And then a phone call. Some llamas and alpacas to call my own and some land for them too. A dream come true.
Falling in love with llamas
I met my first llama, Quinn, in January 2025 after talking about little else for about three months.
My husband bought me a llama trek voucher as a Christmas present and I emailed to book it in on Christmas morning at 8am.
The build up to meeting my first llama was intense.
I saw a photo in a book about camelid handling that I was reading and thought of little else from then on. And it didn't disappoint.
It was love at first sight.
I shed tears as he walked out. Actual tears.
And I just felt so safe with him. He was so tall and imposing and calm and steady. Walking beside him I felt so at peace.
And I craved that feeling when we were apart. I knew that one day llamas would be a part of my life, somehow!
I realised that when I'm with alpacas I feel as though I'm taking care of them but when I'm with llamas I feel as though they're taking care of me.
I started trying for our next baby and in protection said to myself if I can't have a baby, I'm getting a llama.
And so after three pregnancy losses in a year, my llamas (and alpacas!) found me.
Miguel, Jiminey and Luca. Together with their alpaca friends Prince and Elvis.
Courtesy of the power house that is Mary Pryse & the wonder that is Sarah at Catanger Llamas.
These beautiful boys now form my very own fibre herd. A thing of dreams. Forever grateful x
