There’s something about fall that calls for a good road trip—pumpkin patches, wineries, winding backroads, and wide-open fields that make you wonder what life might be like on a farm. So when I was invited to visit Black Barn Alpacas, Maryland’s largest alpaca farm, I grabbed my daughter, hit the road from Alexandria, and arrived to rolling hills, crisp air, and a few curious alpacas watching from the fence line.
Once we’d conquered the farm games—lassoing, rubber darts, and a competitive match of pumpkin checkers (my daughter claimed victory, of course)—and braved the hillside slide, it was time to meet the real stars of the day: the alpacas.
We met Yussy El-Hibri, the farm’s co-founder, who, along with her husband Travis, has built an agri-tourism experience rooted in sustainability, heart, and family. What began as a pandemic pivot has grown into a 50-acre working farm home to more than 150 alpacas and endless inspiration. I had so many questions.
Q: What inspired you to start an alpaca farm, and how did your journey as a founder begin?…