Why Alpacas?

The Golden Girls the day we got them.

I am often asked the question, "Why Alpacas?" It's not a very easy question to answer because the simple truth of the matter is it just kind of happened. It all started a long, long time ago in a state, very far away.

Many years ago I walked into the Post Exchange (PX) at Fort Leavenworth, KS where a local alpaca farm had set up a display in the atrium of the store. They had spinning demonstrations, pictures and alpaca products for sale arrayed all around the display. I was captivated. At that point I had heard about this alpaca animal but didn't know much about it. Melanie and I spent quite a while there looking at the displays and asking questions.  After that day I started researching alpacas and frequently told Melanie that I wanted an alpaca farm when I grew up and retired from the Army. We kind of treated it as a joke but deep down, I was serious.

Fast-forward several years...

I began my transition from the Army in the winter of 2013 and my Army retirement ceremony was in February. One day shortly after the ceremony, Melanie made me get in the car and took me to Irmo, SC where we met a man who was selling four pet alpacas because he no longer had time to care for them. They were named after the Golden Girls; Sophia, Dorothy, Blanch and Rose. As my retirement gift, Melanie bought them for me. A week later we came back with the trailer to pick them up. Sadly, Sophia had an accident where she cut her eye severely on chicken wire and died before we could bring her home, but the other three became permanent residents of Red Clay Farm.

A few weeks later, I traveled to Emmitt Acres Farm in Bennettsville, SC to meet with an alpaca farmer friend I know. He was going to give me some pointers on raising alpacas. While I was there, he introduced me to 11 alpacas he was keeping on his farm. Their previous owner was a local farmer who had lost her battle with cancer and the alpacas were part of an estate sale. My friend told me I could buy the herd of 8 registered females, 1 registered male and 2 unregistered males for a song. So I did. A week later they arrived at our farm and joined the golden girls.

I suddenly found myself with an instant alpaca farm on my hands and I needed to figure out how to be an alpaca farmer. I'm still figuring it all out but we're making progress. That will be the topic of another post later on.

Some of the girls after shearing this year.

So, why alpacas? Here is my list of reasons:

1. I like them. They are interesting animals. They are curious, a little standoffish and cute.

2. They are a potentially profitable livestock and offer an opportunity to provide a product that does not require slaughter (although, that is an option. Alpaca is the other red meat in South America). Alpaca fiber is among the softest fiber there is. Additionally, alpacas can sell for a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the market and the quality of the animal.

3. They are fairly low maintenance animals.

4. Alpacas have padded feet and are easy on the pasture (although if given a chance, will eat the grass to a nub).

5. Alpacas use communal dung piles which makes clean up fairly easy. We collect and compost the manure to improve our soil around the farm.

So, there you have it... the exciting story of an accidental alpaca farmer and why I do it. Stay tuned to this station for more news and information about alpacas, goats, worms and other miscellany.