About Us


Farm in summer.

What is The Artsy Farmer?

The Artsy Farmer is a place where nature, creativity, and community come together. Nestled in the rolling hills of the Agricultural Reserve, our family-owned, multigenerational working farm invites visitors to find inspiration and feel at home in the natural world. Home to over 100 alpacas, a thoughtfully curated boutique, and the studio of artist Bari Rhys, The Artsy Farmer offers a place to create, gather, and share in the experience of the farm.

After more than a decade closed to the public, we are opening our gates once again—welcoming visitors to explore the farm, meet the alpacas, and learn about daily farm life, animal care, and sustainable agricultural practices. Along the way, guests can browse artisan goods and original artwork, experiencing how the rhythms of farm life and the surrounding landscape inform creative practice and thoughtful design. Whether you come to create, gather, learn, or simply pause, The Artsy Farmer offers a place to reconnect with the land, with creativity, and with one another.

Guests are welcome to browse the boutique during open hours. Farm tours and alpaca visits are available by reservation.

 

History

 

It all started in 1998 when Neil and Jo Padgett, along with their 10-year-old daughter Bari, decided they were ready to take on a new adventure. For former city dwellers, jumping into farm life was a big change but, as it turned out, a rewarding one.

Starting on a small farm in Mt. Airy, MD, they began their learning curve by retrofitting the existing horse barn, putting up fences, and experiencing firsthand that there is no such thing as a “one-man auger”! By the summer of 1999 the first five alpacas arrived, and A Paca Fun Farm had begun. 

 

Talia and Titanium at the new farm.

Shortly after, Bari also started her own breeding program, Paragon Alpacas, and over the next decade both herds continued to grow and gain national recognition. When the joint herd size reached around 80, it was time for more space, and they moved to the farm’s current Montgomery County location in 2007. 

 Taking all the experience gained from the first farm by trial and error, they put their knowledge to good use to design and build a custom barn and layout. Housing everything under one roof, the new facilities provide comfort and protection to the alpacas and ease for the humans taking care of (or visiting) them regardless of the weather.

 


Both Paragon Alpacas and A Paca Fun Farm are now household names within the alpaca industry, consistently taking top awards at shows and selling their stock to high-end breeding programs worldwide. 

 In addition to the rewarding experience of building an internationally-recognized breeding program, farm life provided an inspiring environment for Bari to nurture her artist side. Whether hand-spinning, felting, or knitting and crocheting, fiber arts were a natural way to combine the natural product produced by the animals with artistic design. 


 

Artist Bari Rhys putting the final touches on a large commission.

But over the years Bari has also branched out beyond fiber arts to produce visual art in acrylic, pen & ink, and mixed media, as well as work as a photographer and logo/ad designer. She is now a recognized artist with originals and prints brightening homes and offices across the country and abroad. (You can learn more about her artwork on her website www.barirhys.com)

 With Jo and Neil easing into retirement, Bari has moved back from the west coast to become a full-time second-generation farmer and artist. Blending her passion for the alpacas and art into one location, The Artsy Farmer provides a place for visitors to gather together and experience the beauty of both nature and artistic design.Â