Having 30 first graders, teachers and parents at the ranch has become a tradition that we look forward to. This is the third year we've welcomed our local elementary children to visit and explore the wonderful life we have at Circle Cliff Ranch Alpacas. When they leave us, we hope that they will carry with them a fondness for alpacas, for the love for nature and the experiences they felt while here. "Farmer Mike" and I welcome groups like these first graders. Before becoming an alpaca rancher I was a teacher and school principal. You know the saying, "Once a teacher ..." Yes, it's true. I actually do lesson plans before visits. I redo my lesson plans before each group because each group that comes is a different group. Right? This group of children was no exception. What a wonderful group of bright and beautiful children they were. After teaching the children about safety, alpacas, introducing vocabulary such as hierarchy, herds, huacaya, crias and more, we divided the children into five different groups. The children participated in helping us do our morning "blessings." Why call them CHORES when we're blessed enough to be able to do them every day? *Feeding, watering chickens and gathering eggs. Children gathered six eggs in four different colors! *Shoveling alpaca poo (black gold) into a yellow wheelbarrow and relocating it into the "poo" pile. It's so fun for kids to be able to say POO and not get in trouble. *Loading the hay cart/wagon with pitch forks and taking them into the "BIG ALPACA BOY" area. *Sweeping hay and debris from the barn. Even after it was pristine, kids went back on their own and swept it again for fun! *Giving fresh water for the alpacas. How much fun life is when you can use a water spicket to fill up big, red buckets for animals and not get in trouble for getting as wet as you want? NEXT.... Enter the alpacas. Your reward for all of your hard work (fun). Hand feeding these beautiful, gentle alpacas until the alpacas had "enough" of the chatter and energy of these darling seven and eight-year-olds. Petting Odin and feeding him grain and rubbing his belly and enjoying his 140 pounds of love As the children lined up to go, they and their leaders thanked us. We offered hand-sanitizer to those that wanted it before they boarded their bus on their way to Capitol Reef National Park. No doubt they were looking forward to their yummy lunches and more running and fun. And for us? A little quiet time with the alpacas and dogs.