by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION (ZION LINE) — Lucky Ace. Gun Metal Ignition. Metal Fusion. Morning Dove. Viking. Spirit Warrior. And oh so many more names that Karen Caldwell must remember as she walks about her Zion Line farm.
She and husband Vic Barylak retired to the farm about 10 years ago. Her parents are from the Ottawa Valley and they decided to purchase it as a recreational property.
“It’s 200 acres,” she said. “We would get out on our ATVs and ride the trails.
“And then my husband bought the first llama, and you can’t have just one. And now look … this is totally his fault,” Ms. Caldwell said with a laugh.
While she’s not exactly sure how old the farm is, she knows some of the buildings have to be at least 100 years or more.
“Judging by the kitchen, it’s got to be over 100 years old,” she said, adding, “Certainly the major barn is at least 80 or 90 years old.
“We’re working hard to restore it and make sure it stays. They’re not building barns like this anymore, with the timbers.”
Ms. Caldwell noted with the purchase of llamas, the barns were first to be restored, because they needed a place to stay.
Following the first purchase, the couple decided purchasing llamas was a way of preserving the bloodlines. The foundation herd has been selected from lineages in the past and present that command the most desirable llama traits in body and spirit, she said.
Many of their llamas were bought as supreme champions and have their ribbons in cases. The ribbons were won at various shows in the United States or Alberta. However, she added, there are no longer any shows held in Canada.
“In the States they are llama maniacs, they love their llamas and they’re just thriving,” she said. “One male recently sold for $18,300.”
However, Canada is a different story, where llamas aren’t as popular an animal as they once were. They are mostly used as guard animals.
The goal of Misty Morn Llamas is to produce beautiful Suri, Silky and Argentine llamas with gentle, calm spirits and strong conformation, she said. There are various ways to tell the difference in the llamas, such as neck to body ratio; the type of fibre (hair) they have; body type and the way they carry themselves, she explained.
“We believe temperament is the essential ingredient that will prompt admirers not just to appreciate from afar but decide to be part of the experience,” she wrote on the Misty Morn Llamas website.
Misty Morn Llamas currently have nine young males who are ready to breed, Ms. Caldwell said. However, she doesn’t just breed because they’re ready – she breeds when it’s the right time. She doesn’t want to overbreed and she doesn’t inbreed.
The males are always separated from the females to ensure the breeding occurs when she feels it’s the right time, she said. The llamas are actually split into various groups … senior males, young males, females, yearlings and those ready to give birth/have given birth.
It’s important the mother and cria, or the baby llama, be separated from the herd because it could accidentally be injured, Ms. Caldwell said. Llamas are inquisitive and when a new one is introduced to the herd, they want to get near and sniff it and check it out.
There are currently three new cria at Misty Morn Llamas.
The llamas at this farm are all halter-trained and once it’s put on they will walk beside you, Ms. Caldwell said. While it’s important they understand she and Mr. Barylak are the alphas, the males are not molly-coddled too much, but must give the couple the respect they deserve.
She will begin training the yearlings soon. They are halter-trained so they can be taken for walks and it’s easier for health management, she said.
“They’re just like little doggies,” Ms. Caldwell said. “Most all of my girls will walk for you once the halter is on them. All of them all halter trained.”
There is a long stage of training, she said. First, she gets them used to her walking up and petting them, then giving them hugs and touching their faces, because that’s where the halter goes.
“It’s all done absolutely slow, I spend hours doing it right,” she said.
The idea of llamas spitting at people, while not quite a myth, doesn’t happen as much as people think. In 10 years, Ms. Caldwell has been spit at once and Mr. Barylak twice. She said llamas spit when they are cornered or scared, as it’s they’re only way of protecting themselves. She believes llamas in zoos have learned that people can be cruel because they have been taunted, so they spit as a way of retaliation.
“They’re just very calm, extremely gentle animals,” she said.
“They are territorial and will protect their territory and young animals, it’s just part of their instinct,” she said. “They do not like coyotes, dogs, unless it’s the family dog and they get used to them.
“They know when something isn’t right. If they see something they don’t like, they’ll do an alarm call. It’s very distinctive. It’s warning the farmer and other llamas that something shouldn’t be there.”
As for her farm, Ms. Caldwell said, “We have so many llamas, what bear or coyote would come in here.”
Llamas can be used to guard, pack, trek or pull a cart, she said. They’re really not for riding as they only weight up to 450 pounds.
“They don’t have the structure to carry people,” she said.
“They are fabulous to trek with. Some people have them pull golf carts.”
Ms. Caldwell said many hobby farmers usually get a couple of llamas.
“They’re easy keepers,” she said. “They don’t cost a lot to feed, they’re hardy and rarely need a vet. Some of these llamas have never been treated by a vet.”
She also noted that since they have padded feet, they leave no foot print.
And, “their poop is the best fertilizer of any animal as it has no acid,” Ms. Caldwell said, adding, “It’s phenomenal stuff.”
Looking back at the history of llamas, the Misty Morn Llamas webite notes ““Llama enthusiasts and experts knew quality and bestowed winning honours on the best in the show ring and historically paid thousands to have those same qualities immersed into their breeding programmes. One of the most lucrative llama sales on record occurred in August of 2003, only 13 years ago. The Final Fiesta Sale in Colorado. Chileano Cuello Largo sold at $110,000.00, Chileno Sirichachi at $100,000.00, the highest selling male, Newevo at $220,000.00. Others, Chepa $110,000.00, Senorita Christina $89,000.00, MGF Spellbound $78,000.00 and Carra $63,000.00. Certainly an interesting piece of llama history.”
However, Ms. Caldwell said, they will never be sold for those amounts again.
“Today, everyone can afford a llama, but make sure it’s a well-bred llama,” she stressed. “There’s no point in putting somebody on the ground that’s inbred, because that’s where you will get temperament problems, conformation problems, etc.”
Llamas just out for a daily stroll that are well conformed demonstrate liquid movement that is simply elegant and beautiful, the website states.
That liquidity is what we are striving for at Misty Morn Llamas in our breeding programme. Strong conformation is our companion breeding goal to temperament.
Ms. Caldwell said most of the llamas aren’t treated as animals.
“They’re my barn yard buddies,” she said with a laugh.
Ms. Caldwell does know how tough farming is now that she’s had a taste of it for 10 years.
“Farming is tough,” she said. “I respect farmers.”
She said bureaucracy is hindering the farmer, not helping. She said if a farmer wants to do this, he, or she, is told no, do this instead…or do that.
“I’m getting a real dose of it,” she said.
Ms. Caldwell is also a believer in euthanizing the llamas instead of waiting until they are in pain.
“We know the signs, when it’s old age,” she said. “We always euthanize. We just don’t feel it’s right to make them suffer in pain before dying.”
As for the veterinarian taking care of the llamas, Ms. Caldwell does have one she calls on, however, it’s not often. She believes many don’t get more than “20 minutes at vet school” on caring for llamas.
All of the llamas are micro-chipped, registered and come with papers and are professionally groomed, she said.
Believing in the importance of llamas, Ms. Caldwell even developed a 4-H program for the local association and a club was formed last year. The program included brochures and booklets with “loads of information.” She has not heard back yet if there will be a club this year.
Ms. Caldwell said some people confuse llamas with alpacas, since they do come from the same family.
“If you see them together, you see the difference,” she said. “Llamas have curvature in the ears, and a different face. Alpacas have a squatty face and they’re like big fluffballs.
If an alpaca sees a predator, it might lie down and say eat me; llamas would never lie down and say eat me, Ms. Caldwell noted.
“They have a totally different psyche,” she said. “Llamas have different movement and intelligence.
“Llamas can be your buddy-bud.”
She noted alpacas and llamas are in the same family as the camel, vicugna and guanaco.
Stores and Playhouse
When she’s not tending to her llamas, Ms. Caldwell has been busy fixing up the various buildings on the farm to be used in different ways. She has a fibre shop, Llama Glama Country Shoppe, where she sells llama fibre, toques and therapeutic socks and is an educational area; a shop where there are many gift ideas, including llama things; and a playhouse for children. She noted the fibre shop is set up so if people want to come in and knit or weave llama fibre, they’re able to do so. If interested, contact Ms. Caldwell through the farm’s website.
The playhouse is based on the book llama llama red pajama by Anna Dewdney. The tables and chairs are red, the couch is red, the popcorn maker is red. It’s a place where children can do crafts and watch a puppet show, which is also llama llama red pajama. They can also watch the video of the book on a television while the puppet show is going on, Ms. Caldwell said.
She’s hopeful a young person may want to entertain children with the puppet show.
“For the right kid, they would love to do this show,” she said.
If there are any teenagers interested in performing the puppet show and doing crafts, contact Ms. Caldwell through Misty Morn Llamas website.
Ms. Caldwell was a consultant in employee benefits for 40 years.
“I was one of the first women to do a lot of first things in that line of work,” she said. “I was a hard worker, I worked myself crazy.”
Although she and Mr. Barylak knew each other in high school, it wasn’t until they were in their early 40s that they met each other again at a school reunion. They began seeing each other, and have been together for more than 30 years.
For more information, please check out the website, mistymornllamas.ca
