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GREENE - Nick Res didn't hesitate to approach the fenced male alpaca, raise his tiny hand full of feed pellets and watch amazingly as the white, fuzzy animal nibbled at his palm.

''That one's a piggy,'' the 3-year-old said after the alpaca scarfed down a couple handfuls of feed.

''He ate a lot, huh?'' said young Nick's mother Marla, originally from Lordstown and living now in Lyndhurst, but back for the day to visit family.

The 35 or so alpacas at Sunburst Alpacas in Greene got a lot of attention Saturday from folks like the Res family and others who took advantage of beautiful early weekend weather and the graciousness of Susanne Thatcher and Sherri T. Harshman, the mother and daughter co-owners who opened the farm for visitors.

It's something they do twice a year. It will continue today from noon to 5 p.m. at 7600 state Route 46 in Greene, about 2 miles north of Mecca Circle.

Karen Matthews of Howland had a camera strapped around her neck and son, Andrew, 12, at her side. Matthews said she's seen animals like this at the zoo, but Saturday was her first instance of being up close.

''I like alpacas,'' she said. ''I've always been interested in them.''

Alpacas, members of the camel family, are domesticated animals from South American bred for their fur, which can be used to weave anything from sweaters to mittens. At Sunburst, the group that includes just 13 males, is primarily Peruvian, but some are from Chile and some are blends, said Harshman.

Holly Mang of Howland was there with her sister's family and mother. At one point, Thatcher took in her arms ''Moonshadow,'' a cria, or baby alpaca and walked down a line of Mang's family, allowing each the chance to touch the baby's soft fur.

''I think they are really nice,'' Mang said. ''They're beautiful animals.''

Thatcher got into the alpaca business about 12 years ago when her husband, after reading about alpacas in a magazine, suggested the couple go to an alpaca show, Harshman said.

They fell in love.

''They were enthused,'' Harshman said. ''They were going to buy a condo in Florida, but they got five alpacas instead and with the same money.''

About four years ago, Harshman quit her job a in cabinetry design and sales for residential house, and joined her mother, who had been doing it alone since her husband, John, died in 2003.

''You hear about life in the slow lane, this is it,'' Harshman said.

rselak@tribtoday.com