Our de facto Farm Ambassador, Vanni, graciously accepted all the love and hugs he could get through the fence. I'd let him out, but I'm not sure he knows how big he is, and he might just knock down a few kids (and moms) in his exuberance. He doesn't jump, but his tail has a whappy-waggly mind of its own.
Ruthie is much more dignified in the way she accepts the offerings of love and doggy admiration from her fans. She's a high-powered kid magnet.
But these kids came with a special magnetism all their own. The alpacas, who are usually good with being ogled through the fence, actually allowed themselves to be stroked by sweet little hands. This is a first. Levi and Boaz are the most tolerant, but even they usually stay just out of reach when a big group of people comes to call.
It's wonderful, because Levi is about the softest alpaca in the herd. He has the gentlest personality of all the alpacas. I was glad that the kids got to feel alpaca fiber on the hoof like that.
We learned about wool - the shearing, skirting, washing, carding and spinning. The kids asked amazingly astute questions, just as I expect of kids who get a lot of practice with self-directed learning and inquiry.
Tomorrow we'll host our third group of home schoolers, and I'm looking forward to another day of questions that keep me on my toes. I'm really grateful for the farm to be a part of these kids' growing up and growing wise.
