Building an audience takes time. At S.A.M.Y.’s, we have spent years sharing our alpacas, farm life, new babies, visitors and experiences on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. We have built an established social media presence over the years, with more than 7,000 followers on Facebook and over 4,300 on Instagram, along with an active presence on TikTok and YouTube. One of our most popular routines is live feeding every morning. I regularly go live on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube so...

Middlesex County and Southwestern Ontario are actively promoting rural and farm-based tourism. The local tourism organizations feature alpaca walks, farm stays, animal encounters, flower farms, pick-your-own experiences and other rural activities as reasons for people to visit the area. There is also evidence that this is more than just a passing trend. Ontario's government describes agritourism as a growing opportunity for farms to diversify income, and Ontario passed the Growing Agritourism...

One important thing to understand about alpacas is that they are not pets. No matter how much time you spend with them or how many treats you bring, they generally don’t bond with humans the way a horse or dog might. Alpacas are curious and quirky. They want to know what’s going on and will often follow along to see what you’re doing—but usually from a safe arm’s-length distance! Don’t be frustrated or disappointed if they don’t give back the same affection you feel for them. Alpacas are...