The “Why” of Round Hill Alpacas
With some land to work with and a desire to find a meaningful activity for our son, Curtis — an artist with autism — our search began for the right kind of animal. We looked at goats and sheep, but then we met alpacas! We instantly fell in love with them — and so did Curtis.
In 2007, we founded Round Hill Alpacas with two bred females. Since then, we’ve bred, bought, and sold dozens of alpacas, and it’s always a joy to welcome a new cria to the farm. Over the years, Randy has become an expert on all things alpaca and has helped mentor many new farm owners entering the alpaca industry.
For years, we’ve shared our love of alpacas with anyone who will listen — and over time, we’ve realized there are three wonderful themes that keep us inspired:
1. Joy and Connection
Whenever we bring our alpacas to an event or farmers market, people light up. The smiles, laughter, and sense of calm that these gentle animals bring is truly heartwarming. Visitors love feeding them treats, asking questions, and learning from Randy — and often, a 4-H member is there helping and learning by doing.
2. Youth and Education
Shortly after we started the farm, friends in the Tolland County 4-H program asked if their youth could “show” an alpaca at the fair. That’s how the Paca Pals 4-H Club was born in 2010 and became an official club on October 31, 2012. Since then, dozens of young people have had the chance to learn responsibility, teamwork, and the joy of working with animals.
3. Purpose and Vision
The question we’re asked most often is, “Why did you start this farm?” — and we love answering it.
At the same time we began Round Hill Alpacas, we were helping to organize the Creative Living Community of Connecticut (CLCC), a nonprofit with a vision to create an inclusive agricultural community for adults with and without developmental disabilities — a place offering housing, vocational training, and recreational opportunities. Every model of this kind of community that we visited early on included livestock. Our ultimate goal has always been to one day have our alpacas living on the CLCC property.
Having alpacas at CLCC will not only offer therapeutic benefits to residents but will also provide opportunities for agricultural education and agritourism — inviting the public to learn about these amazing animals.
CLCC owns property in Coventry, Connecticut, where this vision is steadily becoming reality. The property currently features a Farmstand that employs neurodiverse adults, providing meaningful work experiences and skill-building opportunities — a true step toward the inclusive agricultural community we’ve always imagined.
Check out our beautiful alpaca products under the Store tab!
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