Published: October 27, 2009 07:47 pm         

Middle school students receive surprise on field trip

TERRE HAUTE — Sally Sudbrink’s students from Honey Creek Middle School had a surprise on a recent field trip to Don and Jane Conner’s Lookout Farm Alpacas.

Alpaca Madeleine gave birth to a 13 pound cria at 9:43 a.m., just minutes before students arrived. The students got to see the baby be dried and weighed and also watched him learn to walk and stand. They were amazed that he was able to discover how and where to nurse. They also enjoyed watching the rest of the herd gather around to welcome the new little one.

The new cria is the fifth to be born at the farm this year. The Conners have been breeding alpacas for five years and now have a herd of 21.

The students and their chaperones enjoyed the opportunity to see alpacas up close and to feed them hay. Twelve-year-old Cain was pleased with how well Darius, an 18-month-old, brown yearling, responded to him as he led him around the barn.

The students also learned about chickens as they observed the Conner’s flock of chickens and gathered eggs. After a picnic lunch, the school bus took the class a short distance to the Jerry Mansfield farm where they rode horses as part of the Bright Hope Riders program. Even children in wheelchairs are able to participate in the program.

Indiana has more than 100 alpaca farms. The animals are raised for their fiber and for breeding. Alpacas are sheared annually and their fleece is spun into yarn. A local fiber artist, John Salamone, weaves the yarn into one-of-a-kind scarves and shawls. These products are sold at the farm and at www.lookoutfarmalpacas.com.

For more information about alpacas and their products, call the Conners at (812) 466-0002 or visit the Web site. To learn more about Bright Hope Riders, contact Jerry or Diane Mansfield at (812) 466-2334.