Capaldi Ranch’s story begins over 30 years ago when owner Ray Capaldi fell in love with a quaint little ranch located in North Paso Robles. He knew this was the place for him as it reminded him of Italy’s farmland. Today, Ray and his wife are in charge of the farm, complete with alpacas, almond trees, chickens, and 2 airbnb facilities.
Did you know Alpacas are native to South America? They tend to live between 18 and 28 years. Alpacas are herd animals and they are about half the size of a llama. One common misconception is that alpacas actually rarely spit at people; however, they like to spit at each other over food. In fact, alpacas are actually easy to maintain and often quite friendly, so the owner invites you to come meet and feed the alpacas too.
Since the ranch is home to eight alpacas, the owners sell various items made of alpaca fiber, including yarn. The fiber comes in 22 natural colors and is sheared from the alpaca once a year. Alpacas can produce between 3 and 7 pounds of fiber each year! One special characteristic of alpaca fiber is they are cool in the summer but warm in the winter.
In addition to alpaca fiber, Capaldi Ranch also sells eggs and almonds. The owner tells me they have 600 almond trees. Almonds are sold both shelled and unshelled. The unshelled type are soft shell almonds, meaning no nut cracker is needed. The shelled almonds are shelled by a local ranch which has an antique sheller. Shelled almonds can last for years in their natural state. These almonds are certainly a rare find as they are unpasteurized, meaning the important enzymes that are lost during pasteurization can still be found in these almonds.
For more information about their history and the items they sell, simply head over to their website capaldiranch.com. They currently do not have an online store, so please email Capaldi Ranch at daphne@capaldiranch.com or call (818) 515-2216 to make a purchase. You may visit their ranch to meet the alpacas and/or pick up your goods at 872 Exline Rd. in Paso Robles. Or, they are happy to ship your items to your home.
On top of all these unique services, they also have two airbnb residences. The owner tells me their main source of income came from airbnb traffic, as clients used to see and buy products while at the ranch. But due to the coronavirus, traffic is down as many international and out of state residents would stay at her airbnb lodges. Nevertheless, she reassures the public that her airbnb is still operating. She says she has had residents from Bakersfield stay for a week during the shelter in place order just for a short getaway.
You can also follow Capaldi Ranch on facebook at @CapaldiRanch. They have also received national recognition numerous times including being featured in Country Living, People, Oprah and National Apaca magazines. Capaldi Ranch offers many one of a kind services including having 2 airbnbs right on the ranch, selling yarn made of alpaca fiber, as well as unpasteurized almonds. While social distancing, come check out their alpacas, delicious almonds, or buy some alpaca fiber. You never know when the alpaca fiber might come in handy! And of course, if you’re tired of sheltering at home, why not spend a few nights in a home away from home, taking in the beautiful views, fresh air and tranquil setting? Head over to their website calpaldiranch.com to make your reservation today! This is certainly a stressful time, so relax, unwind, and rewind at Capaldi Ranch.
Best wishes,
Emily & Talia