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Patch Passport: Venture Out to SafeHouse Alpaca Farm

SafeHouse Farm in Barrington is home to several dozen alpacas.

 
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'A Huggable Investment'
As Jim Tomaszek walks from his barn to the fields in the farm behind his Barrington home, several dozen alpacas start trotting toward him. "They think I'm the pizza guy," he said with a smile. One of the braver baby alpacas, Jacob, ventured out of the herd and leaned his neck forward to nuzzle Tomaszek's face for a kiss. Tomaszek scooped Jacob into his arms and pets his soft, white fur. "They're a huggable investment," Tomaszek said. "There's just something so special about them. I don't know what it is—I don't want to know. It's a mystery. You fall in love with them. "They're just so incredibly elegant." Tomaszek and his wife run Safehouse Farms on Cuba Road in Barrington. The couple each work day jobs and run the farm on the side. They've farmed for more than a decade, he said, and started farming alpacas about five years ago as they started getting older and wanted an alternative to horses. Tabitha Lyon
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As Jim Tomaszek walks from his barn to the fields in the farm behind his Barrington home, several dozen alpacas start trotting toward him. "They think I'm the pizza guy," he said with a smile. One of the braver baby alpacas, Jacob, ventured out of the herd and leaned his neck forward to nuzzle Tomaszek's face for a kiss. Tomaszek scooped Jacob into his arms and pets his soft, white fur. "They're a huggable investment," Tomaszek said. "There's just something so special about them. I don't know what it is—I don't want to know. It's a mystery. You fall in love with them. "They're just so incredibly elegant." Tomaszek and his wife run Safehouse Farms on Cuba Road in Barrington. The couple each work day jobs and run the farm on the side. They've farmed for more than a decade, he said, and started farming alpacas about five years ago as they started getting older and wanted an alternative to horses. Credit Tabitha Lyon
Alpacas are herd animals, so they are almost always in groups. The mothers are also very close to their babies. Safehouse Farms often has adopted babies return to the farm and even two years later, the mother will remember her baby and lay down with him or her. “They remember family,” Tomaszek said. Safehouse's goal is to improve the alpacas with each generation. An alpaca gestates for 11.5 months. "We want the healthiest, most robust alpacas out there," he said. Credit Tabitha Lyon
The farm has a slogan at its entryway that reads "Going Natural, Going Elegant, Going Green." Tomaszek said he and his wife live by those principles. SafeHouse Farm does not use chemicals. "We're going green with these animals," he said. "We're making a difference one alpaca at a time." Safehouse is a no-kill alpaca farm with about 35 alpacas, sometimes more, sometimes less. The alpacas are sheared once per year but are not eaten. "Their fleece is incredibly fine," he said. "And it's one of the strongest fibers. Think top-of-the-line cashmere." The alpacas can survive on grass and hay, he said, but the feed is like their vitamins and minerals. It helps keep them even healthier. Safehouse is part of a co-op of alpaca farm owners who own a mill to turn the alpaca fiber into products, such as socks, jackets, hats, sweaters and other apparel. "They're just elegant products," he said. “And they’re all natural.” Credit Tabitha Lyon
Safehouse acts as a teaching farm for people who are considering raising alpacas as well as for veterinarians. Very few vets know specialized care for alpacas, he said. The farm also opens itself up to the community for tours. It isn't open to the public all the time, but it gives tours by appointment. Tomaszek said he brings through Boy Scout troops, church groups and other organizations for tours as well. Safehouse also hosts a farm day in September where lots of visitors can stop by. Credit Tabitha Lyon
The alpacas do not bite or fight and are mostly defenseless creatures, Tomaszek said. The farmers own dogs to protect the alpacas from coyotes, who could dig under the farm's fences and kill the alpacas. "All the alpacas can do is run," Tomaszek said. "But the moms will stand and protect their babies. They're a very noble creature." A wooden swing sets amidst the alpacas roaming area, and Tomaszek said he and his wife will sit near them in the evenings. "We'll have a glass of wine, and they will come lay by us," he said. "It's magical." Credit Tabitha Lyon
Alpaca fiber can be made into socks, hats, sweaters, jackets. Tomaszek said he's even seen alpaca fiber wedding dresses in Milan. "Their fleece is incredibly fine," he said. "And it's one of the strongest fibers. Think top-of-the-line cashmere." Credit Tabitha Lyon
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In the Venture Out portion of the Patch Passport series, we take you to SafeHouse Farm in Barrington, where Jim Tomaszek and his wife take care of several dozen national-championship quality alpacas.

WATCH THE VIDEO: SafeHouse Alpaca Farm

Discover other places within driving distance of home:

            WATCH THE VIDEO: Woodstock Square

           WATCH THE VIDEO: Genessee Theatre

Related Topics: Patch Passport
Tell us your favorite places to road trip in the comments and share with your friends on Facebook by clicking recommend at the top of the page! Tell us in the comments.

Jim Tomaszek

1:20 pm on Monday, July 4, 2011

Visit Donna and Rhonda Ewing at HARPS horse rescue in Barrington Hills - http://www.harpsonline.org/ They do great work and always need volunteers and funding for animal rescue

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Morgan Delack

6:41 pm on Monday, July 4, 2011

Jim, HARPS is a great organization and we plan to profile them soon!

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Diana Maduzia

1:56 pm on Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Yes, HARPS is a magical place! I love helping out there with the myriad of animals! I always leave there with a smile, but wishing I could do more. We have wonderful volunteers there, Ive made great new friends!! Donna and Rhonda are such caring and compassionate individuals..I love them! I will have to go visit the SafeHouse Alpaca farm as well very soon-those animals are angels :)

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