ODESSA, Fla (WFLA)- Founded in 2006, Golden Spirit Alpaca Ranch has become the home for almost 200 alpaca in the Keystone community.
“The Keystone community is a pretty rural area as you probably notice as you’re driving through,” Golden Spirit Alpaca Ranch Owner Brenda Crum said.
Crum was born and raised in Iowa. Her father’s work in agriculture and livestock taught her about life on a farm.
Years later, Crum moved to Florida and bought several acres of land in Odessa.
“We decided that we would look into animals as a business, found our about alpaca. They have a sustainable product and we enjoyed the fact that we could get into that,” she said.
Golden Spirit Alpaca Ranch currently sells fiber, breeds, sells and boards alpacas as part of this relatively new industry.
“Shearing is the reason that we have the animals so that we can get the fibers off of them,” Crum said. “We pick this time of year to shear because of the heat. If the fiber gets really long, it can be useless because it can get matted.”
The ranch also aims to teach the community all about the fluffy animals, offering tours to small groups. Visitors learn about alpaca fleece, their behavior, how they are cared for, fed and bred.
Registration is required if you would like to visit Golden Spirit Alpaca Ranch. You can also “adopt” an alpaca, which is a donation that helps pay for the care of the animals. Additional information can be found on the ranch’s website.