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2009 Alpacas In The News

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

December 2009

Kan., Mo. Farms Raise 'Cute,' Lucrative Alpacas
ABC News
The Associated Press
December 17, 2009

When Pat Mujica first saw alpacas at a Missouri auction he thought they were simply cuddly and adorable. Then he heard how much they were selling for and realized the llama-like animals presented his family with a great investment opportunity.

Mujica and his parents, Patricio and Veronica, bought a pair of pregnant females in 2002 and since then their farm, near Agency in northwest Missouri — a region more accustomed to cattle And the Mujicas are not alone.

According to the Midwest Alpaca Owner and Breeder's Association, the Mujica's farm is just one of 81 properties raising alpacas in Missouri and Kansas.

SockBrigade aids troops
Foothill woman's alpacas help keep G.I. feet warm in Iraq, Afghanistan
Appeal-Democrat - Marysville, CA
By Ben van der Meer
December14 , 2009

This a warm and fuzzy story. Literally.

For a Browns Valley woman with her own alpaca farm, it's about putting money where her mouth is in supporting soldiers. And for U.S. soldiers serving far from home, it's about keeping their tootsies toasty during long winters in Kabul or Baghdad.

"I don't want warm feet to be a luxury," explained Jennifer Powers as she fed a pack of hungry alpacas Monday afternoon. "If I wasn't confident about making my goals, I wouldn't make them to begin with."

Powers, 42, is president of the BentStar Project, a small nonprofit group that works on military-related causes. Lately, the focus has been feet.

Specifically, Powers is trying to raise $10,000 by Christmas — she's about $4,000 short now — to send three pairs of alpaca socks each, at $30 per person, to deployed soldiers. She calls the effort The SockBrigade.

An Alpaca Adventure
KOMU-TV8, NBC - Mid Missouri
December 9, 2009

CALLAWAY COUNTY - Retirement is the time in life reserved for relaxation and travel, but one couple has thrown Alpacas into the mix as well.

Saabreena, Daisy, Salina, Perky and Buffy are the girls of Kingdom Alpaca Farm. They are also what retirement looks like for farm owners Phil and Sylvia Glenn.

"When the little ones are born, they are really cute. You get really attached to them," Sylvia said.

The soundtrack to Phil's post-military life is the soothing hums of his fibered friends.

"An elderly couple was going out of business so we bought them in a dispersal sale. So here we are," he said.

Glenns lease out most of their acreage to a producer, so their focus is on their alpacas.

November 2009

All about Alpacas: Fleecy animals get their day at Royal Alpaca Challenge
Rockdale Citizen – Conyers, Georgia
By Karen J. Rohr
November 14, 2009

Georgia Alpaca Association volunteer Sherry Ammen said that when she tells people that she breeds alpacas they generally respond with confusion.

“I have more people turn around and say, ‘Oh, I’ve heard of that kind of dog before,’” Ammen said. “Alpacas are new enough in the United States that people aren’t familiar with them and what a fine fiber animal they are.”

The alpaca is most closely related to the camel or llama and is indigenous to Peru, Chile and Bolivia. The first imports of alpacas arrived in the U.S. in 1984…

The alpaca’s profitability is in its coat — a fine, soft fleece that can be milled into fiber to create everything from purses to rugs to clothing. Ammen said that alpaca is sought after by the fashion industry, and its thermal and texture properties outdo wool and synthetic.

An alpaca has no lanolin, which causes wool to be itchy, and is soft, lightweight, warm and hypoallergenic, Ammen said. The fiber is also more breathable than synthetic and keeps moisture away from the body. Even compared to cashmere, Ammen said, it is more wrinkle resistant and keeps its luster.

Two of a kind
Edmonton Journal – Edmonton, Alberta
By Richard Warnica
November 8, 2009

Six months ago, Greg Studzinski sprinted into the house, snatched two towels and bolted back outside.

As he ran toward the paddock, his wife, Michelle Rympel, looked on incredulously. Was he drunk? she asked. Was he seeing things?

He was not.

In the paddock were two tiny crias, twin baby alpacas with matching furry black fleece.

That there were two of them was a surprise; that they both lived was a shock.

Alpaca twins are exceedingly rare. Only one in 10,000 pregnancies will produce a set, Studzinski said. And in 90 per cent of those, at least one will die before or at birth.

But while Rympel's twins were both born underweight, in the six months since they've survived and thrived. So much so that on Saturday, they were on display at the Northlands Expo centre, the star attractions in the alpaca paddock at Farmfair International.

GreenSpace -- Alpacas produce hypo-allergenic fur fashion
Post-Bulletin – Rochester, MN
By Dawn Schuett
November 3, 2009

CANNON FALLS -- Few farmers would consider the steep and rocky landscape of Bluff Breeze Farm in Goodhue County as an ideal environment for livestock.

But the farm in the picturesque Cannon River Valley is well suited to the suri alpacas raised as breeding stock by Rick and Connie Bodeker who have been successful in the emerging industry in the United States.

The soft-padded feet of the earth-friendly animals are gentle on the terrain, Connie Bodeker said. They graze on grass without pulling up the roots and require small amounts of water.

"This is a livestock that can be raised on our hillsides without damaging the hill," Bodeker said. Along with those traits, the luxurious fiber from alpacas is an eco-conscious alternative to fur in the fashion industry."

October 2009

Find warm, fuzzy feeling at farm
Geneva couple raises alpacas for prized wool Democrat and Chronicle – Rochester, NY
By Sean Dobbin
Oct 25, 2009

Every day at about noon, Barbados follows his mother, Bonaire, and the rest of the herd into the shade, lies down on the grass, and goes to sleep. It's nap time at Caribbean Alpacas and Castle Heights Alpacas, and the animals will rest for the next few hours.

The afternoon siesta is one of the few things on the schedule for the alpacas today. For dinner, the animals, which resemble small llamas in appearance, eat just a small amount of hay and grain, and they'll spend the rest of the day grazing on grass and playing in the fields.

"They're easy keepers," says Clifford Smith, owner of Castle Heights Alpacas. "Their maintenance is minimal, especially if you have a decent pasture."

Barbados, small, white, and still not completely sure of his footing, is just 3 months old. But he's not the youngest of the 23 alpacas on the farm; that distinction goes to little St. Lucia, who was born five weeks ago.

St. Lucia is still small enough to pick up and hold. Do so and her mother, Tortola, will approach, but despite the concern for her newborn, she won't do much more than pace around nervously and whine a little bit.

"They're all different. Some are very friendly and some are more standoffish," says Smith, 75. "But they don't kick and they don't bite. They don't even have any upper teeth." Smith, along with his wife, Mickie, and daughter Donna, who owns Caribbean Alpacas, has been raising the animals at the family's farm in Geneva for the past five years.

Local alpaca farmer is a breed apart
The Acorn – Southern CA
By Sylvie Belmond
Oct 15, 2009

Like most alpaca ranchers in the U.S., Cindy Harris knew little about the exotic pack animal. But lack of experience didn’t stop her from turning her passion for alpacas into a full-time occupation.

Harris was introduced to alpacas about 10 years ago. The 57year-old elementary school teacher now owns and operates the largest alpaca farm in California.

“Somewhere in all of us, there’s an inner rancher. There’s a whole group of people who are fed up with the rat race and city living so they’re buying land to grow food or raise livestock,” she said.

Harris, who raised four children before becoming a fourth grade teacher in the Las Virgenes Unified School District, didn’t know anything about alpacas until she bought a 14-acre ranch on Waters Road north of Moorpark and began learning about the animals. She had come from Agoura Hills.

“I loved teaching, but during my last year, I decided that it really would be fun to live some place where I could have my horse at home,” Harris said.

While agriculture didn’t appeal to Harris, she learned from a friend that she could still earn property tax credits by investing in a pair of alpacas.

“It was love at first sight. After some careful planning, I decided to take a big chance, take a leave of absence from teaching and throw all my energy into raising alpacas,” she said.

Harris established Windy Hill Farm in 2000 to board animals for other people and to expand her own herd. In 2004 she relocated to a larger property on Bradley Road in Somis to accommodate her growing operation, which now includes more than 400 alpacas, several herding dogs and two llamas.

It's all about the alpacas
Daily Messenger - Canandaigua, NY
By Kathryn Rybczak
Oct 13, 2009

A local farmer says he appreciates the aesthetic beauty of owning an alpaca farm — and the fact that raising the gentle animals is a non-violent endeavor is also important to him.

“We just shear their hair and it doesn’t hurt them,” said Mark Gilbride, owner of Lazy Acre Alpaca Farm, which held its ninth-annual open house this past weekend.

Gilbride said the cool, breezy fall Saturday added to the ambiance for the event, at which folks were given guided tours of the 200-acre farm.

“It’s just wonderful to see all these families come out,” said Gilbride, who has owned the farm with his wife, Sharon, since 2000.

Teresa Chavez, who has worked at the alpaca farm for five years, said alpacas are intriguing animals to learn about.

“They are very efficient animals,” said Chavez, who lives East Bloomfield. “They closely watch how much they eat and only drink a gallon of water a day.” Alpacas are originally from the Andes mountains and with the cold temperatures at night, alpacas try to give birth during the daytime, when it’s warmer.

Raising alpacas — An agricultural adventure
The Fence Post – Grand Junction, Colo.
By Margaret Melloy Guziak
Oct 8, 2009

Pretty, second-grade school teacher, Leah Reynolds, welcomed us to her 6-1/2-acre Loma ranch, where she and husband, Dan, raise a herd of alpacas, in addition to their younger son, who is a junior at Fruita Monument High School. A freshman son at Mesa State and two older stepsons, who live in the Grand Junction area, complete the Reynolds expanded farm family. They call their company Horse Mountain Alpacas.

After a brief conversation, we realized that this busy, intelligent, young woman doesn't meet the silly “dumb blonde stereotype,” when she expertly explained her alpaca farming operation to us.

“We researched raising alpacas on the Internet for about four months before making the final decision to invest in them five years ago. We began our herd in December 2004 with three young huacaya females. I've always been around animals and we wanted to raise some animals on our small 6-1/2 acres that would be relatively easy and fun to do, while we kept our other jobs. And alpacas were the answer for us,” Leah enthused, leading us outside to the animal area.

She continued to share her knowledge of the alpacas. “Cold weather doesn't bother them. An alpaca at birth is called a ‘cria.' At full weight, alpacas will reach 150 to 200 pounds. They are very gentle animals and quick learners. It only takes two or three times to teach them how to be led around with a halter.”

September 2009

Alpaca Farm Days held Sept. 26-27
Dothan Eagle – Dothan, Alabama
Sep 13, 2009

Several local alpaca farms will participate in this year’s Alpaca Farm Days, a national program designed to raise awareness about alpacas and uses for their fleece.

The public is invited Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, to visit the farms to learn more about the animals. Alpacas, cousins to the llama, are native to the Andean Mountain range of South America, particularly Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The United States first commercially imported alpacas in 1984. There are now over 150,000 alpacas in North America registered with the Alpaca Registry Inc.

Alpaca farms welcome visitors for National Alpaca Farm Days 2009
Orlando Sentinel - Fla
By Daphne Sashin
Sep 16, 2009

Considering starting your own business?

Alpaca breeders say theirs is the ultimate "green" industry. When eating, alpacas cut the grass with their bottom teeth instead of pulling it up by the roots, thus encouraging the plant's growth. They also don't mind eating brush, fallen leaves and other vegetation. No chemicals are used during feeding or production of alpaca fleece into fiber (which is biodegradable). The animals are shorn without harm every twelve to eighteen months.

Local alpaca farms invite families to learn more about their animals next weekend for National Alpaca Farm Days (Sept. 26-27). Pet, feed and take pictures with the animals, purchase alpaca items and learn about breeding them.

The Greener Side of the Alpaca Business
Noozhawk – Santa Barbara, CA
By Hayley Firestone Jessup
Sep 22, 2009

The alpaca community in Santa Barbara County is growing and flourishing. Drop in Saturday and Sunday as ranches and farms throughout the county open their doors to visitors for National Alpaca Farm Days.

In 1984, the first alpacas were imported from South America for private ownership, not zoo settings. One of the first alpaca ranches in the United States was in Santa Ynez. Since those first eight alpacas, the county population has grown to more than 400, and the population continues to expand.

The attraction of the animals comes in many forms. The splendor of the animals in the pasture, and the lovely colors, graceful movements and calm demeanor make them an ideal pet for both rookie ranchers and experienced animal managers. Their soft, durable fiber is an attractive medium for knitters, crocheters, felters and spinners.

The most environmentally correct farm animal around? The alpaca Green Right Now
By Melissa Segrest
Sep 23, 2009

They’re soft and cute with big round eyes, lamb-like faces, long necks and semi-fixed smiles. Bigger than a dog, smaller than a horse, an alpaca has all that, plus it may be the most environmentally correct animal on the planet.

How so?

They have padded feet, not hooves. That means they don’t damage a delicate landscape. (Lots of heavy hooves clomping around can lead to soil erosion and weeds.)

They don’t have upper teeth. Thus, they gently trim tender grass with their bottom teeth and upper palate, rather than pulling it up by its roots. (Can you say cow?) Their gentle nibbling keeps grass growing. But they’re not too picky: alpacas don’t mind eating some leaves and brush.

A group of alpacas prefer to leave their droppings in a single communal area. And if that’s not handy enough, their pellet-sized droppings make a great natural, slow-release fertilizer, according to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.

They don’t need chemicals or insecticides or herbicides or fertilizer: Alpacas are all natural.

They don’t eat a lot and they like hanging out with each other, so you can fit 5 to 10 of them on an acre (a nice acre, mind you).

The best part: Shorn about once a year, usually in the spring, an alpaca will provide 5 to 10 pounds of some of the finest fiber in the world (in 22 natural colors).

Itching to see one? Check out the National Alpaca Farm Days website. This weekend (Sept. 26 and 27), alpaca farmers nationwide will open their gates for you to visit their flocks and perhaps show you the luxe end-product: alpaca wool, in the raw or woven.

August 2009

They found a future in fleece
King George County couple raise alpacas
The Free Lance-Star - Fredericksburg, Virginia
By Cathy Jett
Aug 20, 2009

While most people wonder where their savings went in the recession, Sharon and Dan Roberts just have to look out their window.

There, grazing contentedly on their 131/2-acre Camillo Valley Alpaca Farm near Dahlgren, is the herd of 34 alpacas they're raising for their fine, silky fleece and as breeding stock.

"There's nothing better than sitting on the front porch and watching the animals pronking across the field," said Sharon Roberts, explaining that alpacas pronk, or hop up and down on all four legs, when they're happy. "There's nothing better than watching that joy and knowing you've provided an environment that made that possible."

Roberts' mother and three sons, she'll tell you, swear that she got into alpaca farming because she'd hit menopause. But she says she was mesmerized by the animals after staring into the large, curious brown eyes of a mother alpaca at a fall bazaar in Maryland six years ago.

"She seemed to be staring into my soul, and I got the distinct impression I passed whatever test she was silently administering," Roberts wrote in an essay on the farm's Web site, camillo valley.com. "I was falling quickly! I came out of my trance to realize my husband was now standing by my side and asking, 'What's that?'"

Dan Roberts, then a field technician for United Rentals, pulled her away but agreed to look up alpacas on the Internet when they got home. A few days later, he'd downloaded so much information about the investment potential and tax advantages that it took her several nights to read it all.

"That began a ritual. Each night found us in front of the computer 'oohing' and 'ahhing' over the animals and eagerly reading stories of how busy professionals, grandmothers, truck drivers, newlyweds and millionaires had found these animals and started their own alpaca adventures," wrote Roberts, a resource teacher at Maurice J. McDonough High School in Charles County, Md.

"The next logical step," she added, "was to go visiting."

Alpaca business continues to grow in Herbert
The Southwest Booster – Saskatchewan, Canada
By George Bowditch
Aug 14, 2009

Swiss Line Alpacas continue to grow and expand and owners Max and Hedi Gossweiler couldn't be happier about their Herbert-based business.

"We bought the first ones (alpacas) in 1997. On the fibre side it has just ballooned from one sweater that I sold to an American hunter."

"We now have a whole store of stuff. We just add more and more things all the time."

"There are so many opportunities and you can use it (Alpaca hair) in so many ways. I listen to the customers. If they have request, I try it out and if it works, I keep on doing it."

Hedi is a designer and she designs everything that is made. She gets some high end quality items from Peru, like coats and things like that that you can't get in Canada.

The business has grown from a modest start over a decade ago.

"We bought the first two moms and the first two babies in 1997 and it just mushroomed from there to the herd size of 82 today."

Max and Hedi have a website that goes into a lot of detail on the alpacas that they are selling. It takes a lot of time, but as she describes, it is important to be thorough.

"We want to get the right picture. You try to show them from the best side."

"We also do hair samples. We measure the micron. The finer the microns (hair) the better they are. If they are thin you get a lot of poundage on them. That is the grading program for the alpaca hair"

Just like the soft skin of a baby, the hair on a baby alpaca is the finest, as Hedi explained.

Granby farmer turns alpaca hobby into business
The Republican – Western Massachusetts
By Sandra E. Constantine
Aug 12, 2009

GRANBY - What started as a hobby with three alpacas three years ago at Owl Acres has developed into a sort of business with 30 of the animals and a small store.

Pamela M. Desjardins, who grew up in Granby and works out of her home there as a financial planner, starts tending to the animals about 7 a.m.

"I love it," Desjardins said during a recent interview at her Burnett Street farm. "I have always been kind of a workaholic. As silly as it sounds I like to scoop poop."

Her farming day is rounded out by feeding grain at night to the animals. Alpacas, which originated in the Andes, are similar to llamas, but are smaller and are not pack animals. They are bred instead for their fibers.

Alpaca fibers are warm and unlike wool they do not cause itchiness. They are used to produce cloth used in high-end suits as well as in hats, gloves, scarves and blankets; and can be spun into yarn.

Although Desjardins hails from Granby, she does not have a farming background.

"Every now and then my dad would help us start a garden. We had at least three gardens that I can remember," she said.

About five years ago when her partner, Sophie B. Majchrzak, retired from her job with the federal Labor Department, the couple pulled up stakes from Perth Amboy, N.J., to move to Granby. Desjardins said they decided it was time to leave urban life behind and experience the country. The move also put them closer to Desjardins's mother, Rita A. Desjardins.

After a couple of years on the seven-acre farm, they decided they should find a use for its spacious barn before it became a haven for wild animals. Having alpacas also helps maintain the pasture around the barn.

Alpaca farmers raising hum-dinger of a crop
Kingston This Week – Ontario, Canada
By Meghan Balogh
Aug 6, 2009

If you are driving along Cole Hill Road near Elginburg, and you happen to see a herd of rather comically long-necked, doe-eyed, furry creatures, don’t be alarmed. You have simply spotted Evergreen Farm’s alpacas.

Richard and Karen Cullum have been raising alpacas for 12 years. Their herd has grown from the six animals they started with in 1997, to the 45 breeding females they keep on their 55-acre farm today.

“They are just such gentle animals,” says Karen. The Cullums kept sheep at one time, but found sheep to be high maintenance and aloof. “The alpacas are so easy to work with. Some of them are even halter broken, and you can lead them around like a dog.”

Alpacas are closely related to camels and even more closely to llamas, and are native to South America. They come in 22 different colours, and produce some of the strongest fleece fibre in the world, second only to mohair. Their fleece is said to be warmer than wool.

Evergreen Farm is not only home to the nearly 50 alpacas, but also 23 horses, most of them boarders. Karen is a riding instructor, teaching dressage lessons. She says the alpacas are much less work than their larger distant cousins.

Willington Man On Cutting Edge Of Renewable Energy
Hartford Courant - Hartford, CT
Aug 3, 2009

By day, Norman Nadeau is a financial adviser.

By night, he is a renewable energy revolutionary.

For years, the 43-year-old Willington resident spent his free time designing and building the solar photovoltaic system now standing in his front yard, almost fully powering his ranch house. He tells time with a solar-powered watch. When he's not doling out financial advice, he's installing fuel cells in his family's cars.

And if approved for a federal grant, he hopes to start turning the feces of his pet alpacas into fuel for a homemade power generator.

"This is my brainchild," Nadeau said, waving a hand toward his alpaca farm, his converted cars and the solar panels towering over him. "This is my model, a model for everyone to see what renewable energy really means."

To some, Nadeau's pet projects might seem unusual, a long way from the massive power plants and petroleum that most of us still draw our energy from. But with the nation's environmental policies moving rapidly toward stricter pollution controls and "greener" power, offbeat grass-roots activists like Nadeau who once led the development of renewable energy sources in relative obscurity are now at the vanguard of attracting attention to it.

July 2009

Special Guests
Sturgis Journal -Sturgis, MI
By Terry Katz
July 28, 2009

Alechia Evans has spent many years caring about people. She is an oncology nurse at Elkhart General Hospital.

Now this mother of four and grandmother of four has something new to nurture at home.

She and her husband, Kim Evans, raise alpacas.

They have 10 alpacas living at their 10-acre Silverod Ranch in Vandalia and they hope to add more.

Alechia said she enjoys spending time with alpacas.

Unlike horses, they are small and gentle enough for her to lead with confidence.

They are curious about people and their surroundings. People who have never seen one before are amazed by their soft fleece.

Alechia said alpacas have their own personalities. Some can be standoffish while others are friendlier, depending on how close the element of human contact was at birth.

Hayward couple finds joy raising alpacas
FOX 21 Online – Wisconsin
By Melissa Ganje & Carrie Kohlmeier
July 20, 2009

HAYWARD - They are South American creatures said to be as soft as cashmere. In Hayward, one couple has made a successful business out of raising these friendly critters at Joyful Journey Alpacas.

At an alpaca farm in Hayward, everyday is sheer enjoyment for owners Jeff and Sue Groeschl. "It's the best, it's the best, and I wouldn't trade it," said Sue Groeschl. But before they started Joyful Journey Alpacas, the Groeschl's spent 2 years researching alpacas and made several farm visits to just experience the animals. "It took 18 years to figure out what to do with the back acreage that we both agreed on and this fit perfectly," said Sue Groeschl. Now they've been happily raising these adorable critters for the past 5 years. "For the sheer enjoyment of it, a love of the animal and the financial diversity it provided us," said Jeff Groeschl. The Groeschl's sell their quality alpacas for breed stock to other farms that are just getting started. They also send the raw fleece to a mill in Kansas where it's made into yarn and weaved into scarves and wraps. Sue Groeschl says, "And that pretty much takes care of the cost of their upkeep." A job they take on together. "For sue and I, this was such a common bond, something for us to work on together that we both really enjoyed." The Groeschl's spend their days taking care of their herd of 30 alpacas; they say it's a privilege and a joy in their lives. "You don't have to be out here a huge amount of time to take care of these animals but we choose to," said Sue Groeschl. "The greatest enjoyment I get is caring for them and just being around them," said Jeff Groeschl.

Children get chance to meet alpacas
The Coloradoan - Fort Collins, CO
By Denise Haines
July 16, 2009

Children and camp counselors from Lee Martinez Farm visited Daybreak Criations Alpacas in Bellvue on June 30.

This has become an annual summer camp field trip. The children were able to feed the alpacas and see a one hour old cria (baby alpaca) that was born just before they arrived. The children learned that alpacas can live into their 20s, are part of the camel family, are shorn once a year and carry their babies for almost a year.

The children also realized if they sat on the ground and were smaller than the alpacas, the alpacas were more apt to come and eat from their hands.

June 2009

A new fleece on life
Old cotton mill gets a second chance thanks to alpaca fibers
Fall River Herald News - MA, USA
By Marc Munroe Dion
June 15, 2009

Fall River — The workers who once toiled in the old cotton mill on Jefferson Street most likely never saw an alpaca and may not even have heard of such a beast.

But now, on the second floor at 994 Jefferson St., boxes of soft alpaca fiber line the walls of a room where cotton was once spun into thread and cloth.

The mill is the home of the 12 year-old New England Alpaca Fiber Pool, where farmers in 30 states send the fiber shorn from their alpacas to be sorted by color and grade and then shipped out to manufacturers all over the country and returned as hats, gloves, socks, blankets, tote bags and other woven items.

“We deal with about 15 manufacturers all in the Unites States,” said Shelley Riley, herself a Westport Alpaca farmer and, with husband Chris, owner of this business.

“We process about 40,000 pounds a year,” Riley said.

Riley said this is the slack time of year in her business, but it’s spring and alpacas are being shorn all over the country. In two weeks, the fiber will be rolling in and Riley’s five employees will be working hard.

“Right through March,” Riley said. “I tell my employees to take their time off now and do their Christmas shopping.”

Native to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, the alpaca is a relative of the camel and cousin to the larger llama. The fiber comes in more than 52 natural colors as classified in Peru, 12 as classified in Australia and 16 as classified in the United States. Colors range from white through fawn to a dark brown.

“We work for the farmers,” Riley said. “It gives them an opportunity to get their fiber processed.”

Couple leaves D.C. suburbs for alpaca farming
Annapolis Capital - Annapolis, MD, USA
June 9, 2009

WESTMINSTER (AP) - Mary Clark and her husband, Barry, have both lived the city life and now call a farm near Westminster home, which they share with 19 alpacas, three llamas, four barn cats, three house cats and two dogs.

The Clarks said goodbye to their hectic urban life 18 months ago when Mary quit being a counselor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the family left a Kensington-area home to breed and raise alpacas in rural Carroll County.

Barry still works four days a week at the Department of Energy in Germantown but the rest of the week includes cleaning the barn, feeding and talking to the animals.

"I fell in love with Barry first (and he with her, he adds), then we fell in love with the farm, then Barry fell in love with alpacas," Mary Clark said.

Mary, a single mom who adopted two teen Peruvian girls as infants, married Barry, who also had two children, six years ago before the new couple settled into a stressful "typical two-job corporate family," she said.

"We literally had to make an appointment on the calendar to have a game night with the two kids at home," Barry Clark said. "It was pretty hectic."

"We started looking for property in the country to retire to and to visit on weekends and vacation. Then we saw this place and fell in love with it," he said.

That was five years ago.

"The farm was the stimulus to start thinking about what we wanted," Mary said. "We wanted to keep our income up and the stress level down. We wanted more enjoyment in our life, more family time. We wanted to relax and have fun and do something that would be a stable investment."

After considering traditional livestock, miniature horses and greyhound rescue, Mary suggested alpacas, which she grew familiar with during visits to Peru.

But Barry was more skeptical until he found a number of breeders through the Maryland Alpaca Breeders Association and learned more.

"It's not like a dairy farm, where you work from sunup to sundown. Basically it's a couple of hours a day, in the morning and in the evening," Barry Clark said. "And hanging around them just makes you feel good. They have a gentle nature. They are curious like cats.

"It's relatively easy to have a sustainable income" from breeding and selling the animals, their fleece and yarn, he said.

Local couple gets a start on plan to raise alpacas
News Sentinel - Fort Wayne, IN, USA
By Kevin Leininger
June 4, 2009

From a distance and through the trees, the columned white mansion looks almost like a prop from “Gone With the Wind.” Only up close do you notice how 156 years have rendered the house not quite grand.

But by then you've probably noticed the alpacas - animals once as out of place in the United States as Erica Frey's historic home is in southeast Fort Wayne. Both may prosper from the seemingly strange relationship.

When Frey and husband Joe bought the farm on Hessen Cassel Road in 2006, part of the decision was strictly practical: Her parents were in a nursing home, and the 4,700-square-foot house had plenty of room for everybody, allowing Frey to sell her parents' home as well as her own. But the 20 acres provided plenty of room for the llama-like animals first brought to the U.S. from South America in the early 1980s.

National Alpaca Show at IX Center
WKYC-TV - Cleveland, OH, USA
June 4, 2009

CLEVELAND -- This weekend the premier Alpaca show is here in Cleveland.

Over a thousand alpacas from around the world are here for the AOBA National Alpaca Conference at the IX Center.

Despite the recession, the alpaca industry continues to grow. During this conference, an International Fleece Competition will take place featuring alpaca fiber from throughout the world, judged by international judges.

May 2009

Alpacas fulfill wish for Varney Crossing resident
Foster's Daily Democrat - Dover, NH, USA
By Aaron Sanborn
May 18, 2009

NORTH BERWICK, Maine — While vacationing in Peru in 1956, Doris Ostermann fell in love with some gentle alpacas she encountered and since then has always wanted another chance to be near one.

On Saturday, the 85-year-old got her second chance when a pair of alpacas named Cappuccino Ice and Sonny paid her a visit at the Varney Crossing Nursing Care Center.

"I want this one to crawl into bed with me," she said to Sonny as he ate some from a bowl that was on her lap.

Ostermann's wish to be near an alpaca again was granted by the Maine Health Care Association's Live Your Dreams Program, a program that grants wishes for assisted living facility residents who are limited by age and illness.

Alpaca breeders love their woolly pals
Times and Transcript
May 15, 2009

CRAPAUD, P.E.I. - Heather Jones loves alpacas. Almost a decade ago, after retiring from teaching, the Prince Edward Island woman was looking for something to fill her time, and she had land to boot.

She recalled seeing the animals years earlier on television, began to research them online and decided to give alpaca breeding a try.

Now, she has 74 of the woolly creatures.

"They're just so cute and so gentle," said the owner of Alpaca Bay Farm on the southeastern coast of Prince Edward Island between Pownall and Alexandra Bay. "They're just so sweet."

A simpler life
Family trades urban pace for the alpaca lifestyle
Frederick News Post - Frederick, MD, USA
By Susan Guynn
May 10, 2009

Mary Clark is a native Washingtonian. Her husband, Barry, grew up near Syracuse, N.Y. Both have lived the city life.

So what are they doing on a farm near Westminster with 19 alpacas, three llamas, four barn cats, three house cats and two dogs?

Living the country life.

Eighteen months ago, the Clarks said adios to their hectic urban life. Mary quit her job as a counselor at NIST and the family packed up their belongings in their home north of Kensington and headed to rural Carroll County to raise and breed alpacas.

Barry still commutes four days a week to his job at the Department of Energy in Germantown. The other three days, he's Barry Clark, alpaca farmer -- cleaning the barn, feeding and, yes, talking to the animals.

The Clarks did not have a "Green Acres" moment, like the TV characters Oliver and Lisa (Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor) who moved to a ramshackle farm on a whim. Theirs was a thought-out plan that evolved over time -- one that began when Mary met Barry.

"I fell in love with Barry first (and he with her, he adds), then we fell in love with the farm, then Barry fell in love with alpacas," Mary said.

Finding Peaceful Hollow

Mary was a single mom with two teen girls, both adopted from Peru when they were infants. Barry also had two children. When they married six years ago, life was fast-paced with work, kids, caring for Mary's ailing mother who lived with them and visits to Syracuse to visit Barry's parents.

"There was a lot of stress. We were like the typical two-job corporate family," Mary said.

"We literally had to make an appointment on the calendar to have a game night with the two kids at home," Barry said. "It was pretty hectic."

Living in a house with a "postage stamp" size lot, Barry wanted to realize a dream of owning land. "We started looking for property in the country to retire to and to visit on weekends and vacation. Then we saw this place and fell in love with it," he said. The farm has an 1820s brick house, a bank barn and 16 rolling, peaceful acres down a gravel road.

That was five years ago.

"The farm was the stimulus to start thinking about what we wanted," Mary said. "We wanted to keep our income up and the stress level down. We wanted more enjoyment in our life, more family time. We wanted to relax and have fun and do something that would be a stable investment." They considered traditional livestock, miniature horses or a greyhound rescue.

Mary suggested alpacas. She became familiar with them through her visits to Peru.

Barry wasn't convinced. So he did some online research and found there were several farms in the state including one near their farm, which they visited. The Maryland Alpaca Breeders Association lists nine member farms in Carroll County, 18 in Frederick County and seven in Washington County.

"It's not like a dairy farm, where you work from sunup to sundown. Basically it's a couple of hours a day, in the morning and in the evening," Barry said. "And hanging around them just makes you feel good. They have a gentle nature. They are curious like cats.

April 2009

Retired vet devotes himself to alpacas
Chicago Tribune
By Brandy Welvaert
April 29, 2009

ALPHA, Ill. - Randall Larson presses his hands against Maggie the alpaca's impossibly soft side, then pulls his hands apart to reveal just how dense and fluffy her fleece really is.

This is the alpaca's so-called blanket, "where the prime fiber comes from," Larson says. The fleece on the animal's sides, down to her tummy, is softest, easiest to work with and most costly.

Larson leads Maggie gently, and she follows. Yet she feels a bit nervous because he has separated her for the moment from the other Huacaya alpacas inside the fence. That explains why she is humming in a low, soothing tone. The other alpacas hear her and respond, humming along and following her movements with dark, sparkling eyes.

"They hum when they're nervous -- or when they see a coyote," says Mr. Larson, a retired veterinarian turned alpaca farmer.

Larson and his wife, Janet, raise about 40 of the animals at Kalmar Kolors Alpacas in Alpha. Some of the animals belong to them, and others are boarders. Because of his veterinary background, Mr. Larson also provides services for alpacas with fertility problems.

Unlike sheep, which have been raised for fiber in the United States since the 17th century, alpacas are comparatively new in this country. Importers first brought the animals from Peru in 1985. Likely the descendants of vicuna, a member of the Camelid family, alpacas evolved in the Alta Plana in the South American countries now known as Bolivia, Chile and Peru, where they were used for fiber and for food, Larson says.

Today, people raise alpacas primarily for the fiber of their coats. It insulates like wool, yet is lighter in weight because each shaft has many tiny air pockets. For those with wool allergies, alpaca provides a less "itchy" alternative: While wool fibers appear scaly under a microscope, alpaca fiber looks much more smooth, accounting for its cashmere-like feel against the skin.

TRAC packed with alpacas for showcase
The News Tribune - Tacoma, WA
By Sara Schilling
April 27

Nikki Griffith first heard about alpacas at a craft show about six years ago.

She came home and did research with her husband, Collins, on the llama-like animal popular for its luxurious fleece.
"It's been history ever since," Collins said.

The Kennewick couple now raise alpacas. They showed some of them over the weekend at the 2009 Northwest Alpaca Showcase at TRAC in Pasco.

Hundreds of the animals being raised on farms from Washington to Colorado were shown at the event, which was put on by the Pacific Northwest Alpaca Association. This was the second year it was held in the Tri-Cities.
Alpacas were everywhere you looked Sunday. There were big ones and small ones, with fleece that ranged from white to as dark as coal.

There were Huacaya alpacas, with shorter fleece that looked almost like cotton candy, and Suri alpacas, with fleece that resembled neat dreadlocks.

Judging was going on all day, with owners leading their animals around a ring that was surrounded by a white fence. Ribbons were awarded to the winners.

There also were vendors set up, selling everything from alpaca-themed paintings to scarves, sweaters and hats made from the fleece. People were using looms to weave creations on the spot, and there were seminars and demonstrations.
There also was no shortage of people eager to talk about the virtues of alpacas. They're spunky animals with distinctive personalities, Collins Griffith said.

But they're also so gentle that children are safe around them and often easily handle them in the ring.

Preeces' fleeces
Taylor Daily Press - Taylor, TX
By Jason Schaefer
April 22

This is Texas — it’s hot in the summer. And with the heat comes the need to hydrate, whether you’re human or an alpaca.
James and Kathie Preece, the owners of Wildflower Alpacas, a farm northeast of Taylor, mix Gatorade into their alpacas’ water supply to keep up their electrolytes, and spray the animals’ bellies with water occasionally during the summer to cool them down, since they do not sweat or pant.

When you first look at one of these strange exotic animals from Peru, you don’t really know what to think. They look like a humpless camel and they preserve water well, but they’re as small as a pony. You think their thick fleece might be wiry like a sheep’s, but it’s as soft and as supple as pillow stuffing.

Often, it’s these more fascinating aspects of alpacas that draw new farmers like the Preeces to the breed of livestock — that and their ease of maintenance. The couple bought their first alpaca in April 2005 as a joke.

They had lived in cities most of their lives and when they moved from Austin to the country north of Thrall, they were curious as to what they would do after they retired. In a hotel room one night, Kathie Preece turned to her husband and said “we should start an alpaca farm!”

The rest is history. The Preeces now have a well-established, small herd of about 15 animals, and they plan to share their story and their alpacas with the general public this weekend.

Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman Buy Alpacas
Country News from 97.1 HANK-FM - Indianapolis IN
April 21

Last year, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman bought the Bunya Hills mansion in Sutton Forrest, Australia, which was built in the 1870s. Last week, the couple stayed at their farm home for the first time since buying it and added a few more members to their home -- four alpacas.

During the week, they did not venture away from their home very often, but when they did they were spotted going to an alpaca farm, reported Australia's News.com. Later that day, four alpacas arrived at their farm and are living there now.

From South America to the Appalachians
Waynesville Smoky Mountain News - Waynesville, NC
April 8

Alpacas herald from South America, but are increasingly being found on farms in the Southern Appalachians.

Alpacas are in the same family as llamas and camels, hence the resemblance. They’re the oldest domesticated animal on the planet. The first alpacas came to the United States in 1984, when a group of North American investors traveled to South America to scout out the best of the breed. Since alpacas don’t taste very good and can’t carry much weight, their value lies in their incredibly soft, luxurious coats used to make fiber.

March 2009

Finding Minnesota: Farm Full Of Cute Alpacas
WCCO- CBS - Minneapolis, MN
March 30

By now, we're all familiar with dog shows, like Westminster. But on April 4 and 5 in Owatonna, blue ribbons will go out at a different type of animal show.

It's an alpaca expo, featuring animals that are known for their soft, warm fleece. They were rarely seen in the U.S. before the mid-1980s. But now, they're turning up in increasing numbers on farms across Minnesota.

Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of South America, a smaller relative of the llama. Their fleece is used by top designers like Versace and Armani and rookie designers like Ruth Kinkade. She formed her own alpaca farm outside of Hutchinson, in McLeod County.

"We have sweaters, we have wonderful, wonderful scarves," she says, showing visitors her collection of alpaca garments. "We've knit these. These are all hand-knit. We've gotten neighbors together and we've started a knitting club. None of us knit before this."

Ten years ago, there were little more than 500 alpacas registered in Minnesota. Now there are five times as many.

Farmers Say Alpacas Provide Solid Investment
Ozarks First - Springfield, MO
March 21

There was lots of commotion at a local farm Saturday as crowds turn out to learn about alpacas. Staff at White River Alpacas in Marshfield say in this economy, this animal is a good investment. The fiber from the alpaca's coat is hypoallergenic, so it's a big seller for people allergic to wool.

That's not the only group attracted to the farm, soon there will be a lot more children on site, thanks for a new push by a national association.

Stacy Heydt of White River Alpacas says, "we have become a host farm for kids that want to come out and get involved in how to train and judge alpacas. There's competitions run by students. It's similar to FFA competitions and programs they do."

Alpaca farming is a way of life for some in Boone County
Columbia Missourian - Columbia, MO
By Zachary Siebert
March 17

If you happen to be heading north on Old 63 between Prathersville and Hinton, make sure to not miss the huge pack of alpacas roaming around a 20-acre patch of Boone County earth as if it were an Andean mountain valley.

Not long ago in 2005, Rob Long went all in with the foreign but ever more popular animals, which have long been domesticated in South America for their especially high quality coat or “fiber,” as it is properly called. Having heard the peculiar looking camelids made for good ranching and an even better sweater, he got started with a few on a larger ranch he had along the Osage river down in Ozark country, and it wasn’t long until he moved the always increasing herd to Boone County to be closer to his home and concentrate on alpaca breeding full time.

“They look like somebody bred a colorful sheep with a giraffe,” Long said. “Their behavior is a third cat, a third dog and a third horse. So, they’re really the perfect animal to raise, if you know what I mean.”

Alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years in places like Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile. In fact, Long read that they are one of the three originally domesticated animals in the world, which may explain their gentle, curious and intelligent demeanor.

HOME-SCHOOLING: Alpacas provide wool, life lessons
Washington Times - Washington, DC,USA
By Kate Tsubata
March 8

Sue and Don Rosche have been home-schooling their two children, Katy, 12, and Ben, 10, since kindergarten, while running a thriving alpaca farm minutes from the nation's capital city.

Pax River Alpacas, home to 32 alpacas, takes its name from the historic Patuxent River that abuts the 5-acre farm in Upper Marlboro.

"Alpacas come from the Andes Mountain areas of South America, so they love the cold," explained Sue in a recent interview. "They eat grass and grain, and produce the softest and warmest wool — too warm, in fact, if you knit something bulky from it."
The family chose alpacas because they are so pretty, soft and gentle. Their children were toddlers at the time, "so these were the ideal animal," Sue said. Being raised side by side with the alpacas, Katy and Ben have learned animal husbandry, marketing, business skills and textile arts in addition to the academic subjects typical for their age group.

"Katy wants to be a vet," Sue explained. "She'll spend the day with one Gaithersburg vet who lets her watch surgeries and takes her on rounds. Our own vet explains every procedure to her, and lets her use the instruments and examine the animal. A veterinary technician who conducts the ultrasound procedures on the pregnant females shows her how to perform the procedures, too.

February 2009

With every fiber of their beings, N. Texas ranchers love alpacas
Dallas Morning News - Dallas, TX
By Mariana Greene
February 15, 2009

The ancient Incas considered them a gift from the gods. Their exquisite fleece was reserved for the clothing of royalty, but their meat sustained the peasants. Alpacas have lived five millennia as a prized commodity, but only in this century have Texans discovered the animals' value.

Alpaca ranchers in North Texas, which number about a dozen, speak of the woolly creatures' significant tax advantages and the high prices a thoroughbred can bring at auction, to be sure. But it is the unworldly emotional connection between the intelligent, inquisitive animals and their humans that draws neophytes to them.

"It's hard not to fall in love with them," says Denise Reiling of Burleson, an alpaca rancher since 2002. In the barn with half a dozen mothers and nursing babies last week, she scoops up a 3-month-old with thick, coal-black fleece. A wisp of a woman with big blue eyes and long dark hair, she hoists the animal by wrapping her arms around its chest and haunches. It doesn't struggle and allows visitors to stroke its thick, soft coat while its mother, also black, stands nearby humming, a vocalization of soft, single notes by which alpacas communicate.

The fiber of their being
Statesman Journal - Salem, OR
By Denise Ruttan
February 11, 2009

A Stayton couple's commitment to American-produced pure alpaca fiber products is translating into a thriving endeavor with a nationwide network of contributors.

The Alpaca Blanket Project, the brainchild of Peter and Carol Lundberg of Elderberry Creek Alpacas in Stayton, will produce hundreds of alpaca blankets through the Pendleton Woolen Mills this year. The first run of 370 blankets is expected March 13.

Alpacas, cousins of llamas but smaller in size, produce a fine fiber, similar to cashmere, that was so prized by the Incas that only royalty could have it. The fiber is warm, strong, dry and hypoallergenic, without the lanolin, or oil, of sheep's wool.

The Lundbergs think this batch of blankets will be the country's first woven, all-natural, 100 percent alpaca-fiber blankets produced and processed entirely in the U.S.

Because of the consistency of alpaca fiber, many alpaca products, especially blankets, are at most 70 percent alpaca, Peter Lundberg said.

"This is the cutting edge of the fiber industry," Carol Lundberg said.

Alpacas provide slower pace
Neosho Daily News - Neosho, MO
By Wes Franklin
February 8, 2009

Five years ago, Rusty Deman was living the good life in Las Vegas.

He earned a sizable income as partner in a construction firm. He lived in a nice home, drove a new truck and didn’t have to worry about bills.

But one particular day — at his own birthday party in fact — Rusty realized the 70-hour work weeks that paid for all these nice things were actually costing his family much, much more.

Then he saw a television commercial for Alpacas. It was the arc that changed his world. And he eventually quit his job.

Today, Rusty and Kelly Deman are making a new life for themselves, raising Alpacas on their Rock’N D Ranch just north of Ritchey. Their kids, Zach, 12, and Brook, 6, can barely remember any other environment. And the parents don’t want to.

“I’ve totally changed my lifestyle – I’m not nearly as stressed as I used to be,” Rusty said. “I can’t even remember a date or time anymore to save my life. Because here, time is relative to the experience that you’ve had. And I love it for that. It’s changed our lives. This is what we do, this is who we are.”

Alpacas Invade First Coast
First Coast News - Jacksonville, FL
By: Marcus Smith
February 7, 2009

JACKSONVILLE, Fl- The alpaca is a soft and gentle animal, kind of like a long-necked lamb. The animal is native to the South American Andes Mountains. Their fleece was cherished by members of the Incan civilization.

Now, alpacas have found homes in the United States, including one with alpaca breeder, Bob Proctor.

Proctor saw advertisements for alpaca breeding, and his interest was piqued, he said. He and his wife currently have 25 alpacas.

There are only about 120,000 alpacas in the country.

Alpaca fibers are very valuable, according to Proctor.

They are sheered once a year to be used in some of the most luxurious garments in the world, Proctor said. The fleece is similar to cashmere, but much warmer.

Proctor brought Frankie to the First Coast News studio for a visit. Frankie's mother died after giving birth to him, so Frankie was bottle-fed as a baby.
Not all alpacas are as docile as Frankie though, Proctor added. They are herd animals, and tend to get nervous when alone. "He's shaking in his boots," Proctor said.

January 2009

Our Valley: Alpacas thrive in Agua Dulce
Fleecy friends flourish on family farm
Signal - Santa Clarita, CA
By Melissa Gasca
January 30, 2009

They're quietly intriguing creatures.

They slowly roam about with their long padded necks, pointy ears, tufts of forehead fleece to shade their eyes and curved lips that make one wonder if they're up to no good or just constantly smiling.

Multiple farms of these animals, known as alpacas, which are related to llamas, thrive east of Valencia on Sierra Highway in Agua Dulce.

Sonia Marygold and her family own the Tanglewood Alpaca Farm off Johnson Road. As an animal lover who grew up in East Los Angeles and always desired to have a ranch, Marygold's lifestyle changed when she saw a magazine ad for alpacas many years ago.

"I always wanted to do this, since I was 14 and went to a farm in San Francisco," Marygold said. "I used to want to breed dogs, but they can be so needy. Alpacas like to be around you, they're curio ... but not needy."

Six months after she saw the ad, Marygold had two alpacas. Ten years later, after moving to Santa Clarita Valley in 1999, she tends about 30 alpacas. Half of them belong to her and the other half she boards.

Alpacas Prove to be Trusty Investment
NBC 29 News - Charlottesville, VA
January 12, 2009

With a volatile market making many investors wary of purchasing stock, several Central Virginians are turning to a unique investment.

They’re not stocking up on bonds or jewelry, but rather a cousin of the llama called an alpaca.

They’re fluffy and quiet, and according to some Central Virginia farmers, alpacas also a very good investment. “We have Principesa, Hazel, Old Rosie, Little Vegas, Claire, Inxs,” said farmer Amanda Schwab.

Schwab can tell you how each of the 47 alpacas she cares for are different from each other. She says she loves them for their calm temperaments, but their biggest selling point is their fleece. “It’s about ten times warmer than sheep’s wool, but it’s lighter,” she said.

Alpaca fiber is valued for its warmth and durability, and all that softness translates into cold hard cash. “I’ve seen a big increase in demand for their fleece. There’s some big, big shows in Maryland, and you sell out; the fiber’s gone,” Schwab said.

The Saturday Morning Post
DCist.com - Washington, DC
January 3, 2009

Although it often comes second or third in the news listings of current major world crises, the global food crisis has had profound effects on the way that we eat. The nation's corn crop has been diverted from livestock feed (and human food) toward ethanol production. Wheat from the nation's breadbasket — an important symbol for America, and once a source of food for the entire world — has been largely replaced by soy bound for China, forcing production costs for simple staples to soar.

The Washington Post reports on the trickle-down effects of the global food crisis around Washington. A growing number of farmers are giving up traditional livestock and taking up, of all things, the alpaca. Agricultural officials say that nearly all of the farmers in southern Maryland have cut the number of livestock animals they keep on their farms and some have replaced them altogether.

Not only does the alpaca offer an abundant resource of cute, it is economically efficient to raise. They eat less than livestock and they don't have to be slaughtered for farmers to harvest their woolly fur, which fetches a good price at market. Plus the food they eat is called alfalfa, making this an animal that brings two hilarious words into everyday use.

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