May 2008
May 25, 2008
The Salt Lake Tribune
UT
Gentle Alpacas that kiss kids a sight to see in Sandy
Show continues Sunday
By Jennifer W. Sanchez
SANDY - Colleen Dimmitt and her two grandchildren had never seen an alpaca, so they decided to stop by the National Alpaca Show on Saturday.
As they walked around the South Towne Exposition Center, they watched hundreds of alpacas relaxing in pens lined with hay. Dimmitt's grandson, 5-year-old Kai, liked the alpacas' long necks but wasn't impressed with their strong barnlike smell.
Still, he, along with other kids and adults, stood outside of the pens with their hands behind their backs and faces inside the fences waiting for a kiss from the shy, friendly animals. Kai eventually received an infamous alpaca smacker. "It feels like their nose is furry," Kai giggled.
The Dimmitts were some of the hundreds of visitors who attended the 17th annual event sponsored by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.
Dimmitt, a Sandy resident, was glad she stopped by to learn more about alpacas.
...
In Utah, the number of alpacas has almost tripled since 2002. Today, there are an estimated 1,000 alpacas on about 31 alpaca farms statewide, said Dan Merrill, president of the Intermountain West Alpaca Association.
Merrill, who used to raise horses, bought his first alpaca in 1999 when he moved to Utah from California. Now retired, the Bluffdale resident plans to stay in the growing alpaca-breeding business. He said alpacas are his stress reliever.
"These are animals that make you feel good," he said.
Tonya Otterness has been showing alpacas since she bought her first one in 2000. She said the extra income she earns from raising alpacas on her 66-acre ranch outside of Park City allows her to stay home to raise her two young kids. Plus, she said, the animals are easy to handle and train. "They're affectionate," she said.
For some visitors, the free event was also a great time to learn more about the products made from alpaca fiber.
Kim Devos runs an online store, Inca Fashions, based in California. She designs and sells alpaca-fiber scarves, vests, jackets, bathrobes and teddy bears. She said alpaca clothing is more expensive than wool but cheaper than cashmere. For example, a woman's polo-shirt cost about $100.
Lisa Williamson was trying on several sweaters from Inca Fashions' sale rack. she first heard about alpaca products about five years ago and bought a pair of socks last year.
"They're so soft, durable . . .and very warm," she said. Still, she couldn't decide on the green or striped brown sweater.
May 22, 2008
KTVX ABC 4, Salt Lake City, UT
Alpacas Invade Utah
It looks like a cross between a sheep and a camel, and this weekend, Sandy will be overrun with alpacas.
The National Alpaca show began Thursday at the South Towne Expo center. It's the largest gathering for alpaca lovers in north america.
They also have competitions that are split up over color, age and gender.
Organizers say alpacas are great pets because they're profitable and don't require a lot of effort and resources.
The alpacas will be at South Towne through Sunday.
To find out more log on to www.alpacainfo.com.
May 22, 2008
KUTV CBS 2/ WLTX.com
Salt Lake City, UT
Alpaca Shows Light Up Utah
Watch out Westminster Dog Show - there's sure to be a little competition from the newest animal judging event held in Sandy, Utah this weekend.
The animals in the judging arena were alpacas - the judging was part of the largest Alpaca show in North America.
Organizers say alpaca owners and breeders from all over the US came to showcase their animals.
Alpacas are similar to Llamas - they came to the US from South America in 1983.
Owners say the animals are low impact, low maintenance and are very valuable for their fiber, which make high end garments.
May 22, 2008
KSL NBC Ch 5
Salt Lake City, Utah
Alpacas on display at South Towne Expo Center
The alpacas have arrived!
Alpacas and the people who love them have gathered for the largest alpaca event held in North America.
The National Alpaca Show kicked off today at the South Towne Exposition Center.
Local breeders and breeders from around the country are showcasing over a thousand of these furry and intelligent animals.
There are currently over 30 alpaca farms in Utah.
May 19, 2005
Deseret News
Salt Lake City, UT
Alpacas weave their way into couple's lives
By Carma Wadley
BLUFFDALE — Love at first sight? Absolutely! Dark eyes, curly locks, whimsical expression. What's not to love?
For Dan and Rebecca Merrill, all it took was one TV commercial.
At the time, the Merrills were living in California. In the past, they'd had horses, but they were at a time in their lives when they were going to make some changes. "We were going to leave California. We'd been around animals all our lives, but we didn't want to stay with horses," says Dan.
That's when they saw an ad on TV for alpacas. The more they looked into raising the animals, the more it appealed to them. And so, in 1999, they moved to Bluffdale and bought their first alpacas. It's been nothing but love ever since.
"We love the lifestyle they offer. We love them," says Rebecca.
The Merrills raise suri alpacas, one of two kinds that are popular in the United States. The huacaya are more plentiful, explains Rebecca, "but we were attracted to the suri. We like the luster of their fleece. It glistens and shines, and it's twisted into locks that hang down. They are aristocratic in carriage; they're very elegant looking."
The Merrills raise breeding stock, shear and market the fleece and show their animals around the country.
Alpacas have become increasingly popular in this country, they say. There are approximately 120,000 registered animals, of which only 20,000 or so are suri, says Rebecca. Alpaca shows are held from coast to coast.
This weekend, the National Alpaca Show will take place at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy. Sponsored by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, the four-day show will feature class competitions as well as demonstrations and exhibits of how the fiber is used, and vendors offering handcrafted alpaca items. The show is free and open to the general public.
The Merrills will be showing five alpacas at the national meet. Animals are judged by class according to color, age, type, gender. "They are judged 50 percent on confirmation and 50 percent on fiber quality," says Rebecca.
May 2, 2008
Belleville News-Democrat
IL
Experienced shearers only: Llamas, alpacas line up for summer cuts
By Laura Girresch
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS --
Dozens of llamas and alpacas waited turns for a summer haircut Wednesday at a llama and alpaca farm off Bunkum Road.
The mission: shear, vaccinate and trim the nails of about 175 alpacas and llamas -- one by one -- by Sunday. The weight of their thick winter coats is too dangerous in the summer.
"It's as if you were to wear all your winter clothes all summer long," the farm's owner, Julie Wier, told a child spectator at the shearing.
Deb and Les Wellinghoff of Columbia watched the shearing Wednesday to learn about alpacas. The retired couple soon will move to North Dakota, where they'd like to raise animals. Deb Wellinghoff likes alpacas because they're "peaceful," she said. In addition, their padded feet don't tear up pastures, they are low-maintenance eaters, and their fibers can be used to make nice things.
Interest in alpacas, which are bred for their fibers, is growing, Wier said, thanks to retiring baby boomers who often purchase land and want to raise manageable, peaceful animals that serve as investments.
April 2008
April 22, 2008
The Free Lance-Star
Fredericksburg, VA
Springtime brings a harvest of hair
By Karen Bolipata
In 2004, Debbie Woodcock was looking for something to do at her 20-acre family-run farm in Spotsylvania County.
She was visiting another farm with a friend when she came across alpacas. The application Web developer in Richmond liked the animals' gentle and curious disposition. And they were smaller than cows and horses.
"I just kind of fell in love sort of with their cuteness right off the bat and the fuzzy teddy-bear look," she said.
But alpacas, a cousin to camels and llamas, aren't just cute. Their fiber is warmer than wool and can be sold to make socks, blankets and sweaters.
Predominantly located in the animal's native South America, the alpaca fiber industry is trickling into other parts of the world.
The Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association has more than 4,000 members in North America. One is Woodcock, whose farm is now known as Pigeon Creek Alpacas.
April 14, 2008
CKX - TV
Brandon, MB, Canada
Alpacas Hold Strong in Canada
The unique and gentle creature called an alpaca is raised in the South American mountains, and it’s gradually calling canada home.
“They’re beautiful, calm animals, beautiful fibre, and the showing is fun. You get to meet lots of other breeders and see their animals,” says Richard Bonser, one of the winners in this year’s show.
This is Brandon’s 8th annual alpaca show. It used to be a part of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair but with 240 animals this year it had to break off from the fair 3 years ago because it was getting so large.
“We’re seeing a lot more people starting to get into the industry,” says show chair Todd Burton. “People still consider them an exotic animal, although I really don’t, but what we’re starting to find is that it’s one of the animals that people are maintaining in value.”
“It’s one of the few animals where their value is alive,” says George Bayes. “You don’t eat them or have to destroy them to see the end result of them. We want them alive.”
April 2, 2008
Morgan County Citizen
Madison,GA,
Alpacin' Local residents care about camelids
by Kathryn Purcell
It's a common question, one asked by more and more people each year: What to do after retirement? Some people travel; some volunteer; some even take part-time jobs.
Morgan County resident Judy O'Rourke, however, chose to pursue a slightly different answer to that question.
The idea to start Tuckaway Farm Alpacas began with simple curiosity. O'Rourke and her husband, Jim, took a trip to a north Georgia alpaca farm, just to see the animals. It was there that her interest was peaked, and her passion for the animals ignited.
After the visit, O'Rourke started consuming every book, magazine and Web site on the subject she could find. Then, she came up with a business plan. At the same time, the couple elected to put their house, located next to Morgan County Primary School, on the market and move somewhere a little smaller. They didn't need the space anymore, O'Rourke said, now that their children were grown and moved out from under their roof. "Halfway down the driveway, I fell in love," O'Rourke said, of the couple's current Buckhead Road home. "I said 'I hope there's a house down there.'"
The previous owners had horses, which meant plenty of land for a potential alpaca farm. The former horse barn was re-worked, fences erected and the farm laid out. All that was left, then, was to find the beginnings of their herd.
The answer to that question came to the O'Rourkes during a trip to another north Georgia alpaca farm. At one point during the visit, O'Rourke was standing at a fence, leaning down to see a newborn alpaca. As she came back up, she found herself on the receiving end of a big, wet kiss.
"When I saw her, I knew I had to have her," O'Rourke said. "They said she wasn't for sale, but I got her."
The O'Rourke's ended up leaving that farm with "Kiss" (who O'Rourke lovingly calls a "floozy" given the fact that she bred before she was supposed to), their first alpaca and the dominant female of their current herd.
The herd continues to grow and grow, and the O'Rourkes now have 17 alpacas.
"We thought about horses, cows, goats, sheep," O'Rourke said. "Then, I saw an alpaca. Once you see one, you want one. And once you get one, you want more."
March 2008
March 12, 2008
Florida Times-Union
Jacksonville, FL
Just seeing an alpaca is enough to get them to start a farm
By Patti Levine-Brown
On a lazy Saturday afternoon, Mandarin residents John and Pat Moneyhan decided to take a drive around the Westside. The couple ended up off Normandy Boulevard near Cecil Field, where John Moneyhan previously had worked as the fire chief of the now-closed Naval Air Station.
Moneyhan, who retired in 1999, said he just wanted to see what was happening around his old stomping grounds when he noticed a sign in front of the Equestrian Center about alpacas.
It was advertising the Florida Alpaca Breeders Association, an organization that sponsors shows around the state to educate new breeders and alpaca enthusiasts about the alpaca industry in Florida. Neither Moneyhan nor his wife had ever seen an alpaca up close so they decided to take a look.
That look changed their lives.
"We both fell in love with these gentle animals," said Pat Moneyhan. "Almost immediately we began doing research and investigating what it would take to start an alpaca farm."
This year when the Breeders Association returned to the Equestrian Center, the couple also returned and purchased their first two alpacas, Danae and Vicuna Image.
March 10, 2008
Investment News
New York, NY
An alternative fleece
By Andrew Coen
If hedge funds are becoming too commonplace, Michael Goldston offers jaded high-net-worth investors an alternative investment whose distinctiveness will knock their socks off and keep their feet toasty at the same time.
Through his seven-year-old High Meadows Alpacas LLC in Franklin, Tenn., Mr. Goldston buys, sells and raises alpacas, the llamalike animals that are native to the Andes and whose fleece is prized for its warmth and light weight.
"Alpacas are a bit out of the mainstream, but investors are looking for opportunities to get back to the land, and the industry is thriving with upscale investors entering it," he said, adding that the value of alpacas tends to increase when stocks go down.
Mr. Goldston, whose other business, Brentwood, Tenn.-based Cambridge Equity Advisors Inc., manages $225 million in assets, bought 15 alpacas in 2001 and now owns more than 300. In addition to operating a 150-acre Tennessee alpaca ranch, he has helped investors establish 20 farms and serves on the boards of several national organizations.
March 10, 2008
Bend Bulletin
Bend,OR
The fine fiber of the alpaca
Sisters couple has one of only a handful of alpaca shops in U.S.
By Penny E. Nakamura
When Steve Segal and his wife, Annie, set up shop in downtown Sisters in early November, they had no idea what to expect from their retail store, Alpaca by Design, which sells products made from alpaca fiber.
The store’s strong showing on “Black Friday,” the big shopping day following Thanksgiving, stunned the Segals.
“We sold out on so much product, I was almost down to the bare walls and studs,” said Steve Segal, who operated an alpaca farm in Colorado with Annie before moving to Central Oregon.
After rush orders to replenish his supply of alpaca clothing, hats, scarves and rugs, Segal figured he had plenty to last through the holiday season, but he said he practically sold out again.
“It was our first season, so I didn’t know how much would sell,” Segal said. “I had to tell customers I didn’t have any more. I won’t let that happen again.”
February 2008
February 24
Longmont Times-Call
Colorado
Alpaca breeders put on show at county fairgrounds
By Scott Rochat
LONGMONT — The soft, high-pitched sound rose again at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. The alpacas were humming. “They’ll do it when they’re nervous, or curious, or just being friendly,” one woman explained as she listened to it, a sound almost like a softer version of a baby’s cry. “There’s a lot of reasons.”
On Saturday, there was no better place to hear the hums. The annual Alpaca Extravaganza was in full swing at the fairgrounds, with vendors and breeders from Longmont to Albuquerque eager to promote the woolly animals.
“They’re gentle animals,” said Rod Brunson of Longmont, who started Green Acres Alpacas with his wife Dorothy as an investment for retirement. “They’re easy to handle. They’re easy to raise. They’re pretty low-maintenance. It’s a good industry.
February 21
Business Gazette
MD
Alpaca farmers carving a niche in rural Prince George’s
by Andy Zieminski
Ben Rosche lay on his stomach in the pasture of his family’s farm Friday afternoon. Nine alpacas stood together a few yards away, eyeing him cautiously.
After a moment, a white-fleeced alpaca left the group and stepped close to the motionless 9-year-old. It lowered its long neck and sniffed at him.
Then four more of the animals slowly gathered around Ben and did the same. ‘‘They’re really gentle,” Ben said after he had finished playing with some of his family’s 28 alpacas.
The Rosches, who live in Upper Marlboro, are among a handful of families in Prince George’s County who have taken to raising the South American animals, which are related to llamas.
They bought their first alpacas in 2001, said Sue Rosche, Ben’s mother. ‘‘Our children were much younger at the time, and we wanted a farm animal for them that was not only fun and gentle, but profitable also,” Rosche said.
February 18
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Alpacas right at home here
By Denise Hollinshed
SPANISH LAKE — The home of Michelle Zumwalt and Bill Silkwood, seen from the front, appears normally suburban.
At the rear, though, the property is an animal kingdom, where Zumwalt and Silkwood have a small herd of alpacas, a few miniature horses and, as a protector against other wild animals, a llama.
When Zumwalt, 45, and Silkwood, 70, bought the two-acre spread in the 11000 block of Poggemoeller Road two years ago, their vision was small. "We wanted just a little patch of land and just one or two animals," Zumwalt said.
After getting an alpaca, they learned they were herd animals, and "do better the more there are," Zumwalt said.
Now the couple have up to a dozen alpacas, two miniature horses and the llama.
February 5
Havelock News
NC
A home where alpacas roam
By Ken Buday
Traveling through eastern Craven County, you’ll run across farms where corn is grown, fields where cows graze and one particular home where the alpacas roam.
Yep, alpacas.
Ken Bradley has seven next to his home on Becton Road, and he’s looking to build a herd of 12 to 15 of the animals rarely seen in eastern North Carolina.
“It will do a little to supplement my retirement,” said Bradley, who along with his wife, Bunnie, operates Little Creek Alpacas.
January 2008
Tahlequah Daily Press
OK
January 15, 2008 03:45 pm
Spinning tales of love
By BETTY SMITH
Margie Ray twists the light-colored alpaca fiber before her small spinning wheel takes it up and forms it into yarn.
“I’m spinning from Annie’s wool,” she said. “I don’t have Annie any more, but I bought her when she was four or five days old, up around Kansas City.”
Whether the fiber comes from a beloved animal, such as Ray’s, or was purchased, members of the Illinois River Fiber Arts Guild put hours of love and creativity into their craft. Guild members have varied interests and many practice a variety of skills, from weaving pieces of fabric to knitting or crocheting.
Some creations achieve the status of art, while others are has homey and practical as a cap or dishtowel.
While working, they share stories.
Ray, who has 150 alpacas and keeps 15 “retired” llamas on her farm between Gore and Braggs, at the old Sourjohn School, told of her adventures with Annie.
She purchased Annie as a youngster, and went to pick her up when she was weaned. Annie had lived in a large pasture until then, with little human contact. So her first experience with people involved having burrs pulled from her lush coat. Needless to say, Annie wasn’t overjoyed to see Ray and her husband, although their intentions were good.
They placed Annie, then the size of a large dog, into the back of a station wagon for the trip back to Oklahoma. Along the way, they had a flat tire. They spotted a small park, and decided Ray would rest there with Annie while her husband got the flat fixed.
But Annie didn’t want to cooperate. She planted her small hooves on the pavement, only finally being cajoled as far as a picnic bench, where she was tied until repairs were made.
Back in Oklahoma, Annie eventually became a friendly part of the family, producing her share of fiber.
In early April, a professional shearer will come to Ray’s place and perform his services. He can shear about 100 alpacas a day. Each provides about 5 pounds of fiber. Ten pounds is exceptional; Ray’s never had an alpaca produce that much.
The Janesville Gazette
WI
Jan. 9, 2008
Alpacas offer both income, pleasure
By CARLA MCCANN
ELKHORN — When Frank Raidl told his golfing buddies that he planned to raise alpacas after retiring, they laughed.
The former Chicago businessman and his wife, Jean, already owned a farm north of the city of Elkhorn and planned on retiring there.
"I had the barns, fields and fences," Raidl said.
And he was looking for an investment opportunity.
Today, Raidl is the one smiling.
The alpacas living on his 40-acre farm nestled along the southern edge of the Kettle Moraine region have brought him joy and a promise of becoming a profitable venture.
By next year, the Sugar Creek Alpacas herd will be established and large enough to become a presence in auction arenas, he said.
Most alpaca breeders are in the business for the long haul. It takes time to build an award-winning herd and earn respect within the industry, Raidl said.
Alpacas also reproduce slowly, with a pregnancy lasting from 11 months to 12 months.
Raidl and partner Earl Paddock started the County H operation in 2004 with four alpacas, three of which were pregnant. The herd since has increased to 15, and seven of the nine females are pregnant.
The partners are confident the alpaca industry will continue to grow and prosper well into the future, Raidl said.
Alpaca hair is as soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool. Once reserved for Incan royalty, the fleece is coveted by spinners and weavers universally, according to information on the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association Web site. The fleece comes in about 22 basic colors with many variations and blends.
Raidl's herd is guarded and patrolled at all times by two great Pyrenees. The dogs take their job seriously. When the herd made a recent group appearance in the barn, they were accompanied by their guardians.
Among the alpaca herd is gentle Princess Leia and charismatic Luke Skywalker.
Those two are among several named after "Star Wars" characters by Raidl's grandchildren, he said.
On this farm, the alpacas are enjoyed by three generations, which includes five children and seven grandchildren.
"We stepped away from the fast-paced corporate way of life and found alpacas were a great addition to our established rural farm setting," Raidl said.
One of the benefits of raising alpacas is that they require a relatively small amount of acreage and little care, he said.
Provincetown Banner
MA
January 3, 2008
Alpaca farmer tends her flock of fine woolly friends
By Melora B. North
“Home spun” is an expression you often hear in reference to something home-made. In this day and age, it isn’t often that one can say in all honesty that they have made something start-to-finish from scratch, but in the case of Kathy Mealey of Brewster, it is an absolute truth. Not only does she spin wool to knit hats and sweaters, she raises and breeds the stock from which the wool comes.
“It’s more exciting when you know who you are knitting or wearing,” she says with a laugh. And she’s serious. With a herd of approximately 35 different animals, she has names for all the stock except three Cormo sheep which she simply refers to as the three blind mice and describes them, laughing, as “the dumbest sheep ever.” Which may be so, but they serve a purpose as well — they love to eat grass.
