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ALPACAS
MAGAZINE
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Fall is in the air, not to mention showing up as
a light frost on the lawn two mornings last
week. Perhaps that chilly harbinger of the cold
weather to come has made me feel particularly
reflective—I find myself considering how lucky
I am to be a part of the alpaca industry.
Here in central Montana we’ve enjoyed plenty
of warm, sunny, blue-sky days, but this seems
to be a rarity for summer 2011. Many of our
colleagues have had serious challenges to deal
with: drought, excessive heat and fires from the
southwest into Texas and Oklahoma, hurricanes
on the East Coast, tornados in the Midwest, and
flooding along some of the continent’s largest
river systems. Yes, it’s been a tough summer
for many.
Thankfully we are part of a wonderful
industry, filled with compassionate people
who go out of their way to offer assistance,
even to open their farms and their homes to
those who need help. It’s not just the big emer-
gencies that bring out the best in alpaca peo-
ple. Many in our industry will drop everything
to assist fellow breeders with the smaller but
just as worrisome stresses inherent in raising
livestock—things such as births gone wrong,
alpacas with medical problems, or new owners
that need mentoring.
From north to south and coast to coast,
North American alpaca owners can be
counted on to band together and do their best
to help those in need. I hope you will take a
moment to appreciate the wonder, not just
of alpacas, but of alpaca owners. We are, truly,
a breed apart.
Wishing you a cozy Fall and many happy
hours of reading!
Deb Hill
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Editor