Alpacas abound at Patrick’s Pastures
Patrick’s Pastures owner Jim Patrick’s poses with his prize-winning alpacas whom collectively have won over 150 awards and ribbons. Ranjani Groth | Staff Photographer
Victoria Monteros | Staff Writer
When Patrick’s Pastures owner Jim Patrick moved to Denton in 2004 with his family, he immediately set out to buy goats and sheep for his ranch. But his plan swiftly changed when his son suggested alpacas instead.
QTip, the most famous alpaca at Patrick’s Pastures, appeared on Fox’s Prison Break in 2007. Ranjani Groth | Staff Photographer
“What’s an alpaca?” Patrick remembered asking his son.
Then he visited an alpaca ranch.
“The first [alpaca] I saw was a 12-month old girl named Lonestar Trinity,” Patrick said. “Now, mind you, we back up to the Trinity River, and we live on Trinity Road. The shamrock, in the world of Irish, is symbolic of the trinity. And I’m looking at Lonestar Trinity, and she’s got these big eyes looking back at me.”
Patrick said he was ready to purchase the alpaca. His mother, who was with him at the time, was stunned at the $18,500 price.
“’It’s got four legs, and it poops, and you’re going to pay the same price as your house?’” Patrick recalled her saying.
But he bought the animal, in addition to a llama and a Pyrenees dog.
Patrick’s Pastures has since blossomed into a full-blown alpaca ranch, home to a number of alpacas, a few llamas and a handful of Pyrenees dogs, whose job is to protect the long-necked animals. A pond of catfish also inhabits the grounds.
“The first time I had seen [an alpaca] was when they bought them,” Patrick’s daughter and PR specialist Stephanie Patrick said. “And it’s like, ‘Oh they look cute! But what do you do with them?’”
Closely related to llamas, alpacas have been described as sweet, tame, and easy to manage. They are also sustainable, as they are vegetarians and their highly nitric defecation is used for fertilizer on the ranch. Their fleece, similar to cashmere, is used for things like sweaters and rugs. Patrick’s Pastures sells various alpaca fleece products in its gift shop.
Patrick’s Pastures has owned and bred alpacas for almost 10 years. Ranjani Groth | Staff Photographer
The ranch also added a bed and breakfast in 2012, which contains five units and an Irish-Pub styled bar. It is currently the highest-rated in North Texas, with over 300 five-star reviews. A silver-green property on Trip Advisor, everything in the establishment is recycled—except for the mattresses and linens. It caters to all types of clientele, from traveling businessmen to college kids, people local to D-FW searching for a short get-away, and even international visitors.
In addition to offering hospitality, Patrick said all of the alpacas at Patrick’s Pastures are for sale, and they offer alpaca training classes as well.
“We can send you one for Christmas,” Stephanie joked.
Some of the alpacas have even moved on to stardom. About seven years ago, three of the farm’s alpacas had a cameo in the FOX show “Prison Break.” A few have also starred in various live shows and television interviews in the area.
“[Patrick’s Pastures offers] enchantment, tranquil, the ability to get back to nature without having to drive four hours,” Patrick said. “But it’s also special. It has Irish charm and Texas hospitality.”
Featured Image: Patrick’s Pastures owner Jim Patrick’s poses with his prize-winning alpacas whom collectively have won over 150 awards and ribbons. Ranjani Groth | Staff Photographer
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