Located just east of historic Homosassa Springs, in Homosassa, Florida, Alpaca Magic USA is home to about 50 Suri alpacas. It’s a family-owned business run by Jean Riley and her son, Kent Mylin and his wife, Doreen, and has become one of Florida’s largest alpaca farms.
See the alpacas up close and personal and learn more about them. There are two breeds of alpaca; the Suri alpaca and the Huacaya alpaca and resembles a small llama in appearance. Both breeds are renowned for their high quality fiber which distinguishes them from other members of the camelid family.
Alpaca is the ultimate fleece…it compares with cashmere and has a cool slick hand; it’s soft as cashmere too, warmer than wool, and with the luster of silk. It’s used for making knitted and woven items, just like wool. It’s ideal for blankets, sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, a wide variety of textiles. The alpacas are not just sheared for their fiber. It’s for their well being as they could not otherwise tolerate the summer heat in Florida.
After meeting the alpacas, browse through Alpaca Magic’s store displaying items made from alpaca fleece: hats, gloves, scarves, dryer balls, socks, yarn and much more. Jean Riley also gives demonstrations on how to weave alpaca fiber into skeins. She also gives demonstrations on how to needle-felt using alpaca fiber.
Visitors can also wander through Alpaca Magic USA’s gardens where you can find unusual perennials, butterfly nectar plants and butterfly host plants like Milk Weed for the Monarchs.
For more information, call 352-628-0156 or visit surialpaca@yahoo.com
IF YOU GO
Alpaca Magic USA is located at 4920 Grover Cleveland, Homosassa, FL 34446
Open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Phone:
352-628-0156