Michigan | Cotton Creek Farms
Contact Information
11885 Jewell Rd
Thompsonville, MI 49683
231-631-2341
Services Offered
- Clinics
- One-on-one mentorship
- An opportunity to show at the local county or state fair
- An opportunity for a 4-H or FFA club to meet at my farm
- An opportunity to show an alpaca at an AOA show or participate in the Youth Judging program
Experience
Our 4-H club, Farm and Fleece, is in its second year. We spend time throughout the year working with the kids at 4-H events on and off the farm. We offer 4-H clinics, train children on the proper handling of alpacas, help prepare them for showmanship, and we create an obstacle course that can be used to train for this fun 4-H event.
Expectations
Our 4-H group forms in January of each year and we begin group activities in winter. When spring arrives, we begin training at the farm with the alpacas.
We also offer our alpacas for “rent” for 4-H usage and encourage children without farms to participate. Kids can pay for their alpaca rent via work on the farm, donations to the 501c3, or via check.
Obligations of Participating 4-H Youth Members:
- Read and sign a participation contract.
- Participate in fundraising activities to help support our group and the cost of care for the animals used by the 4-H group.
- Participate in monthly meetings.
- Proactively educate yourself on alpaca care, behavior, and how you can positively influence your relationship with the 4-H alpaca herd.
- Participate in weekly training sessions (in months leading up to the fair) to build trust with your alpaca and to work on preparing your alpaca for the 4-H fair and activities.
- Perform daily barn duties at the fair so that our alpacas have a clean and healthy fair environment, receive exercise, and are supervised at all times the barn is open to the public.
Transportation Provided to Alpaca Shows
Possibly, depending on the event and distance. This would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Additional Information
We believe 4-H should not be limited to youth who have the privilege to live on a working farm. 4-H should be available to all those who want to participate regardless of their location or economic status.
As part of our ongoing effort to give back to the community in which we live, we open our farm and alpacas to extend the reach of 4-H participation within the Grand Traverse area. We are active members of the Northwest Michigan 4-H Livestock Council’s Llama and Alpaca group.
We welcome and encourage participation from youth of all ages. We also welcome youth that are part of Northwest Michigan 4-H Livestock Council’s Differently Abled Program. We will do our part to make sure our 4-H group is inclusive and that everyone experiences a program that encourages, nurtures, and supports them.
4-H is not about the animal. 4-H is about creating and fostering an environment that allows kids to grow through learning and experiencing life through their livestock. Alpacas have an amazing ability to help nurture that growth.