To Future Llama Owners,

I will always be grateful to Mary Ann Hoffay for her help and support regarding my purchase of Cali’s Miracle in 2004. While I have owned rabbits and several dogs, one of my biggest dreams has been to own a llama. I am absolutely hypnotized by their beauty and charmed by their personalities. I also spin and knit and llamas are certainly useful for that.

I have visited several llama fairs and festivals over the past few years. I talked to Mary Ann at most of these events and she always impressed me as being knowledgeable, patient, kind, and caring in the llama department. She answered my MANY questions every year and I'm SURE I asked several of the same ones over and over.

In October of 2003 there was a Rensselaer County Fiber Tour and several farms displayed their animals and invited people to visit. It was pouring rain and both of my sons had events going on that day. We squeezed in a visit to Honey Creek Farm and there was the sweetest, (wettest), very talkative, beautiful honey colored baby llama that ever existed. I couldn't think of anything else after we got home. My husband wasn't as crazy over llamas as I was but even he recognized how special Cali M. (as she came to be called) was. He said why don't you see how much she costs and see if Mary Ann would board her until we get the barn built.

I didn't hesitate and the rest is history. It took us forever to get our barn built mostly due to a very wet spring and summer of 2004. Mary Ann kindly continued to board Cali M. much longer than I ever intended. She taught me so much while Cali M. boarded with her and she welcomed me to visit her any time I wanted to. I observed that Mary Ann is a very attentive and caring llama owner and her llamas LOVE her.

Cali M. and her barn mate Sergeant Pepper (a beautiful grey alpaca from Quarry Ridge Alpacas) finally came to live with us on August 29, 2004. It was a very emotional day. I still get a thrill when I see them in my own yard. Mary Ann has continued to help me with my thousands of questions and I know she will continue to be a resource for me. She taught me how to handle Cali M. and made sure I could give her shots and touch her feet. She taught me how to put on her halter, how to lead her around things that were scary to her and how to get her to go where I wanted her to go, how to brush her, and we even sheared her together.

I don't believe there could be a more knowledgeable, responsible and caring llama farmer. Please contact me at 518/279-9001 or [email protected] if you would like to ask me any questions.

Sincerely,

Andie Lawrence
Cropseyville, NY