Daniel's new BFF. The Spring Expo alpaca (12 photos)

Six-year-old Daniel Foltz, a Grade 1 Holy Family student, was pretty thrilled to have this adorable alpaca eating out of his hand today during the annual Spring Expo at the John Rhodes Community Centre.

"He's been to a few zoos and has a younger sister, so he's used to animals," his father laughed.

Presented by the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, more than 80 exhibitors were on hand to offer the latest in home, renovation, recreation, leisure and lifestyle.

From fly fishing, camping, and ATVing, to arts, eats, and skin care products, to renewable energy solutions, bathroom fixtures, and kitchen appliances, there is a bit of something for everyone.

We stopped to chat with Andrew Wingrove, founder of Bee By The Sea, a unique line of natural skin care products produced using the goodness of the sea buckthorn plant.

Based in Barrie, Ontario, Bee By The Sea products are sold locally at Benjamin Moore Paints on Trunk Road and Sheila's Health Spa on Albert Street.

"Our products are different because we actually grow and use sea buckthorn berries, a little citrus plant that was originally brought here about 12 years ago from Latvia by the Ministry of Agriculture," Wingrove told SooToday.com.

The tiny, bitter berries and plant oils are rich in beta carotene, amino acids, omega 3-6-9 and 7, and contain 50 times the vitamin C of oranges per volume.

They're also the second-highest source of vitamin E in the plant world.

Bee By The Sea offers a variety of products made with this super plant, including body and face creams, body wash, lip balm, and soap.

"Sea buckthorn is great for healing the skin," Wingrove told us. "Our most popular product is the body cream. It's really great for eczema, rosacea, psoriasis and burns."

According to the company's website, many of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster victims were treated using sea buckthorn oil, and Russian Cosmonauts regularly use it to protect their skin from radiation when traveling into space.

To learn more about Bee By The Sea, please click here

The 2012 Spring Expo continues today until 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Admission to the Expo is $7 per person.

Children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

For further event details, please click here