A Real Farm

Now that I know what I can do with the fiber, I'm going full steam ahead planning my farm. I really love reading the web pages of other farms. I found one where they have chickens. I had been toying with the idea of having chickens. I've also been kicking around the idea of having a horse, too. I also like the idea of having a vegetable garden and possibly a small orchard.

I've been working on preliminary sketches of the layout. I've also been looking a blue prints for houses and found a great floor plan for the farm store and helper's cabin. I'm even looking at potential houses. I've become a DYI network junkie and I'm convinced I can build them myself. I'm also thinking realistically that I might simply purchase a maunfactured house.

Today's task will be creating my five year financial plan so I can begin the process of getting funding. I found a grant to start a new farm unfortunately it was already closed. Maybe next year.

The Fiber Market

I am now more excited than ever about my ventures into the alpaca industry. My biggest questions were "what to do with the fiber?" Afterall, the fiber is suppose to be the reason we are in the alpaca business. From what I've read, fiber is the end product. I was getting concerned for a while because I was unable to find solid answers and once I was on the right path, I encountered something I hadn't before in the alpaca industry: rudeness and lack of assistance. I was actually feeling discouraged but I forged on and found what I was looking for: what to do with the fiber.

I have found a wonderful alpaca fiber mill, All Alpaca Fiber in West Virginia. I spoke with an employee who was sweet and very helpful and later her boss called me to answer the questions she couldn't. It was a relief to find the kindness and comraderie I have come to expect of the alpaca industry. They have reasonable rates and excellent turn around time. And now that I've found a place that will process my fiber for me, not only into yarn, but into fabric as well, (they are working on making fabric from the fiber) I can now comfortably plan out my place in the alpaca industry.

I have decided to focus more on fiber and creating end product and helping increase the demand for alpaca fiber products. I think I'll be a lot more comfortable with the majority of my business focused on fiber but I will be very active on the breeding and showing end as well.

Farm Visits

I've been told the most valuable learning tools for a new alpaca owner is farm visits. I have only visited two farms besides where my kids are, but of course, I'm still new to this. The first farm I visited was great. The people were really nice very sweet, incredibly hospitable. They were generous with their time and knowledge of their experiences. They have a family operation and have two farms, one here in the LA area and one up north. I liked the layout and the space they provided for their animals and how they were able to reconfigure their fields by opening and closing different gates.

The wife suggested another local farm that specializes in suris, the type of alpaca I'm really interested in. I went there and saw an absolute nightmare. The animals were so crowded that the first thought that came to my head was "puppy mill". The poor animals couldn't even move more than ten feet away from the poop pile. She had breeding males directly next to open females. The guys were not happy campers. I know it was hot and she called herself bringing them in from the heat, but I can't imagine they were happier in those conditions than they would have been outside.

After that visit, I learned the value of space and one can never have enough shade shelters or trees. If she'd had some outside, the poor animals wouldn't have been cramped together like that. The scariest part she boards other people's animals. Never mine.

I told the person who recommended the farm about my visit and she was horrified. She said her lesson was to always have her farm in "visitor" condition and to be careful about recommendations. I am keeping those lessons in mind for myself.

Research

I guess I should begin at the beginning. How did I decide to invest in alpacas? I was speaking with someone who has become a friend and she told me about her alpacas. She also invited me to visit the ranch where hers are agisted (lay term: boarded). While waiting for her to come back from vacaion, I began my research online and loved everything I read. By the time I went with her to the ranch, I was sold.

That's probably why is wasn't hard for me to decide to buy Keona especially since her brother was thrown in. Look at those faces, why could you not fall in love? And when I saw Michael and Ewok together and how much they cared about each other I knew I couldn't separate them. But emotions aside, alpacas and having an alpaca farm is a business and before I take over the care of my kids, I have a lot of things to learn and a lot of decisions to make.

I've already made some: my farm will be in Arkansas, I'm going to have a small herd, 25 at the most, and most of my herd will be suri (decision made by attraction - every alpaca I really liked except one was a suri). I still have a lot of research to do. I have to learn about the fiber end of this business and decide if I'm going to emphasize the fiber end of the business or the breeding side. I haven't learned enough about the fiber end but from what I've learned about breeding, I'm not 100% comfortable with it. But we'll see what the future holds.

My First Alpacas

I have purchased my first Alpacas! I am very excited. I have two boys, Michael Jackson and Sir Ewok and Michael's sister, Keona.

My boys are only one month old and Keona is 10 months old. Keona is being halter trained and will be going to her first show in November.

Michael has incredible luster and is looking more like a herdsire everyday. He and Keona are out of Blade and they are incredible looking animals. It looks like my Sir Ewok might just be Michael's fiber buddy. But we'll see.

Here are pictures of my kids.