When Gary Grosh retired from teaching in 2005, he looked into raising some small farm animals, such as goats or sheep. Then the former Penn Manor physical education teacher and his wife, Ann, were introduced to alpacas at a farm show.

"Well, we loved them!" said Gary, who proceeded to purchase three geldings, or fixed males.

Since then, their Pequea Township farm, which they share with their youngest daughter, Katie, has become something of a landmark. Penn Croft Alpacas, or "the alpaca farm" as it's known to the locals, sits right along Long Lane, where passersby almost always can find the woolly creatures grazing.

The Groshes have amassed 21 alpacas, and they can name every one of them: Frosty, Jack, Indie, Dugan, Isabella, Jake, Aurora, Rory, Finny, Milagra, Millie, Soñador, Cinnamon, Areva, Annabel, Sophia, Freckles, Paco, Alice, Maui Lua, and Lilia.

Each name also has a story. For example, Areva was named after the French company that meticulously routed the Exelon nuclear steam generator past the farm in September of 2009, on the day she was born.

And then there is Milagra (Miracle), who was so named because Gary still can't explain how she was born on the opposite side of the fence as her mother.

Ann, an English teacher at Marticville Middle School and self-professed animal lover, discussed the docile nature of alpacas as she walked through the field feeding each one a midmorning snack of carrots.

"Other breeders," she said, "are the friendliest people."

Currently, there are four "crias," or baby alpacas, on the farm.

"I love holding them," exclaimed Katie, an eighth-grader at Marticville Middle School who makes herself quite useful on the farm, despite a busy schedule that includes basketball, orchestra and the school newspaper.

In fact, the Groshes handle almost all aspects of alpaca farming — cleaning, feeding, breeding, and birthing — with special help from an older son, Forrest, at shows and during herd health chores.

One aspect of alpacas they do not do is shearing. For that, they work with Jamie Jones, a shearer from the Midwest, to sheer the animals at their farm and at Stehman Run Alpacas. It is an exhausting day, but with the help of friends and students from the ag department at Penn Manor High School, all of the animals from both farms are sheared in a few hours.

"It's a pretty unique procedure," Gary said of the shearing process. While a sheep may be held upright, an alpaca is bound by its legs, laid flat and pulled tight — which the Groshes explain is both humane and painless. The alpaca is then sheared in a matter of about 10 minutes.

The female alpaca tends to be rather forthright when it comes to mating, Gary explained. If she is not "open" to the advances of a male suitor, she will simply spit in his face.

The Groshes have a close relationship with other local alpaca farms, such as Flying Pony Alpacas and Eastland Alpacas. The Groshes also show their alpacas at the Mid-Atlantic show (MAPACA) in April and the Pennsylvania show (PAOBA) in May. Their alpacas have received ribbons and Katie has received ribbons for showmanship.

A breeding female alpaca can cost several thousand dollars or more, and a male possessing the rare qualities of a herdsire is even more valuable. But for the right loving home, prospective buyers can purchase male geldings for a song, Gary said, adding that ownership does not require much land.

One catch: because of their communal nature, alpacas are sold in a pair, at a minimum.

Alpaca enthusiasts who are looking for less of a commitment can also purchase unique last-minute holiday gifts at Penn Croft, including yarn in natural colors and runners woven from the wool of their own herd.

They also sell fair trade wares of the finest Peruvian craftsmanship, including reversible gloves, fingerless gloves, hats, ski socks, shawls, blankets, and teddy bears. Penn Croft is not a traditional storefront, but is almost always accessible in the evenings or on the weekends.

Impromptu visits by fascinated onlookers are nothing new to the Groshes. Many visitors have told Gary that seeing the alpacas day-to-day brings them so much joy.

"That brings joy to us," Gary said.

Penn Croft Alpacas is at 477 Long Lane. For more information, visit www.penncroftalpacas.com.