So here we are, 5 years into this wonderful adventure of alpaca ownership and with a starter herd of 4 girls, we already have 16 alpacas!  This is one investment that grows before your eyes!  It strikes us that alpacas have something for everyone:

ANIMAL LOVERS - Alpacas are for you!  Not only are they as cute as teddy bears, but they are naturally sweet-tempered.  You can even train them to do tricks!  Alpacas are playful too, often "pronking" around the pasture in the evenings.  These delightful creatures can live 20-25 years producing adorable babies and pounds of their luxurious fleece every year.

SMALL FARMERS - Alpacas are for you!  Alpacas are very hardy - not prone to disease or illness.  They are small - averaging 150 lbs - and have padded feet that do not destroy your pastures.  And with their gentle grazing and nutrient-rich manure, alpacas are easier on the land than any other livestock.  With supplemental hay, you can raise as many as 10 alpacas on a single acre!

HANDCRAFTERS - Alpacas are for you!  With little or no processing, alpaca fleece - which has no lanolin or other oils - can be used for felting, weaving, rug-making, knitting, crocheting, you name it!  And of course, with its incredibly soft texture and warmth, your family and friends will love the alpaca garments you create.

BUSINESS PEOPLE – Alpacas are for you!  Not only are the alpacas themselves valuable but they produce 5-10 lbs of fleece each year that can sell for upwards of $2/oz in the raw form.  With an active breeding program, you can double the value of your investment every year with a new crop of cria (alpaca babies)!  You don’t even have to own property – you can “agist” or board your alpacas with us.  And alpacas are not a “fad”.  In fact, garments produced with their unique fleece have been highly regarded for thousands of years.

TAXPAYERS – Alpacas are for you!  Okay, we all fall into this category but the tax deductions provided by our alpacas can make this a very affordable opportunity for you.  The alpacas are a deductible “business asset” – as much as half of the purchase cost in the first year!

PEOPLE PERSONS – Alpacas are for you!  If you like to meet new people, you will have many opportunities through local alpaca competitions, educational seminars and other events.  Alpaca owners are a friendly group that love to share ideas and information with each other!

GREEN CITIZENS – Alpacas are for you!   What a perfect product.  The alpacas themselves are very friendly to the environment – being gentle on the land – but so is their fleece.  Since it contains no lanolin, harsh chemicals and soaps are not required to prepare the fleece for us.  Simply wash it (with mild soap), comb it and spin it!  And the other “by product” of alpacas is a rich manure that can be used directly in local gardens without composting.

As you can see, alpacas really do have something for everyone.  We truly hope that you will give us a call for a tour of our farm.

Best wishes for a prosperous and blessed 2012!

The McClarys