What’s in a name?

When we first began to think seriously about buying alpacas the most frequently asked question of those in the industry to us was, “Well, what will your farm name be?” That was a tough one that caused me several sleepless nights. I remember sitting at a number of various AOBA and farm lectures on marketing alpacas where all sorts of naming strategies were recommended and discussed. I liked the idea of making the name personal, but I also wanted something with a bit of symbolism.

Since I am an avid fan of medieval history, I decided I wanted a name that reflected my new found passion for alpacas combined with one that represented, at least to a certain degree, a personal interest or philosophy. It was then that I remembered a famous medieval painting by Nicolas Poussin, “Et in Arcadia Ego,” that evokes the general feeling of a simple uncomplicated life free from the everyday worries of our modern society. The term “Arcadia” refers to a region in ancient Greece whose inhabitants were somewhat isolated from the rest of the world which made life simple — one that was unfettered by politics and wars, which was a land considered “paradise” by some. Over the years, the term has become more loosely associated with any region offering rural simplicity. “Arcadia” seemed to evoke the right mix of capturing the essence of the alpaca lifestyle with a bit of history and mystery mixed in for good measure.

Our Arcadia

Arcadia Hollow is a 9-acre farm in Manchester, Maryland, 35 miles north of Baltimore that specializes in Suri alpacas. We have built our herd slowly but surely over the past 3 years, now having a total of 8 alpacas. We began our journey with only 2 alpacas: one pregnant female and one gelding, to keep her company. Thus far we have had three crias (babies) born on our farm, and we have two more on the way! As we are only part-time breeders and work full-time in busy occupations, we felt it was best for us to wade into the alpaca world slowly to both acclimate ourselves and confirm that this was indeed something that we wanted to invest our hearts, time and money in. Visiting large farms can be a bit daunting, and you may find yourself thinking, “What in the world am I doing?” And, rest assured, if you aren’t asking yourself that question, your family, neighbors and friends will.

Fortunately, we have had great fortune to work with more experienced breeders (Ameripaca, Alpacaria) who have been exceedingly generous of their time and expertise. While the learning curve seemed very steep at the outset, in retrospect we feel that this has been a very manageable and enjoyable process. We are more than willing to share our time and knowledge with all who may be “just thinking” about alpacas. Please feel free to contact us via phone, e-mail, or schedule a visit to stop by the farm to see what we and these great creatures are all about.