When we think of investing in cozy, natural fiber pieces for the cooler months of the year, most people lean toward merino or other sheep’s wool. But what if we told you there was an incredible fleece known for its softness, heat retention, and very apparent lack of itch? Enter the alpaca, an adorable relative of the llama hailing from the mountains of Peru. These fluffy creatures only made their way to the United States in 1983, but humans have used their beautiful wool to create gorgeous garments for hundreds of years.
Over at Lazy Acre Alpacas in Bloomfield, visitors can not only meet these creatures but also learn about the process of taking the wool and turning it into something wearable. When Mark and Sharon Gilbride decided to sell Mark’s paintball business, they turned to alpaca farming. Even though Mark had never worked with livestock before, he fell in love with these hearty creatures. After a few years growing the heard, the opportunity to purchase the 180-year-old farm on Baker Road arose, and they decided this would be a perfect home. With gorgeous hilly pastures and plenty of space, Mark loves how the landscape emulates that of the mountainous ranges these creatures are accustomed to.
As we follow our model, Jill, out into the pasture, where the female alpacas are happily grazing and basking in the morning sunshine, she is ready for the terrain ahead dressed smartly in comfortable blue jeans and well-loved Hunter boots. On top we have armed her for the cool breeze with an oversized alpaca fleece sweater and one truly incredible hat. Made of 100 percent baby alpaca fleece, this hat is the softest piece you can find in the shop and makes the perfect complement to Jill’s incredibly lush curls. A perfect collection of neutral shades comes together to create a tranquil wave pattern on her sweater, evoking a sense of peace and calm.
During the early stages of owning the farm on Baker Road, Mark and Sharon began to notice that the farm attracted several surprise visitors. The callers wanted to see the herd up close and asked endless questions about owning alpacas. After that, the couple decided to officially open their farm to the public and offer tours. While the tour focuses on all things alpaca, one of the most interesting parts is their presentation on the shearing process. Due to the thickness of their wool, alpacas must be sheared once a year in the spring to ensure their health. This process is quick and painless and provides the farm with hundreds of pounds of beautiful wool. Alpaca wool is often compared to cashmere because of its extremely soft texture. It is also warmer than sheep’s wool due to hollow core fibers that trap heat and enable the wool to wick moisture naturally. Once the wool is organized by color and packaged, it is ready to move along to the production stage, where it is turned into yarn.
This is typically where the Lazy Acres part of the process ends, but this doesn’t stop them from explaining and showing examples of combing the wool and spinning it into yarn. What started as example pairs of socks and gloves to demonstrate to tour groups how the wool is used quickly grew into what is now a two-story gift shop in one of the original historic barns on the property. Customers can buy raw wool to create their own yarn, skeins premade by a local company, adorable felted creatures made by Sharon, the warmest socks that will ever hug your feet, and an array of stunning pieces of clothing.
In a barn right next to the store, we find Jill spending time with some of “the boys” in their open-air sleeping and feeding stalls. Along with another fabulous hat, Jill is wearing this year’s best-selling item from the shop: the Artesania Sweater Dress. This charcoal alpaca-and-acrylic-blend dress features long sleeves and a wide hood. Crafted with the utmost care and attention to detail, these pieces are great not only for keeping warm but also for supporting a production system focused on working with the environment and not against it. Pieces are handmade anywhere from here in the U.S. to all the way to Peru, and Mark is on familiar terms with all his production sources to ensure that the pieces in his shop come from suppliers who participate in fair trade.
As we wrap up our tour of Lazy Acres, we find Jill standing at the edge of a copse of century-old pines. She shines in her bright red ensemble—fingerless gloves, a cozy shawl, and, of course, a fluffy hat—bold against the brown-and-green backdrop. By ending with this monochromatic look, we can see that alpaca wear allows for a diverse array of styles. From cozy and functional to ornate and expressive, Lazy Acre Alpacas has stunning pieces to keep every person warm this winter season. To learn more about Lazy Acre, shop the entire collection, or schedule a tour, visit lazyacrealpacas.com.
Photographer: Tomas Flint
Model: Jill Rittinger
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2026 issue of (585).
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