Alpacas

Alpacas are wonderful animals. They’re generally shy, but each one has a different personality. Alpacas are also great therapy: they greet us when we come into the barn early in the morning and they’re always happy to see us. We always have a phone handy so we can take pictures and videos. They’re just so quirky and adorable!

These ruminants are also very environmentally friendly. Their feet are padded, so they don’t trample and pock the ground the way cows, sheep, and goats do. In the long run, this trampling can cause problems with soil fertility and erosion. Another interesting point: alpacas eat a greater variety of plants than other grazers do, so they leave nothing to waste. Cows uproot plants as they graze, whereas alpacas only tear them; this allows the plants to grow again. Alpacas are also thrifty consumers: they require less vegetation and less water than other ruminants.

Alpacas provide material for a wide range of products. Anything that can be made of wool, fur, or fibres can be made with alpaca. Their manure is an excellent fertilizer for gardening. Alpaca meat is also gaining popularity, though this is something we haven’t explored yet. In fact, Canada needs more alpacas to be able to meet a growing demand.

Alpacas come in 22 natural colours: from black to shades of grey and white, as well as an array of tans, browns, and reds. Personally, we love their natural colours. Although 80% of alpacas are white, we like to keep a variety in our herd. So only one-third of our alpacas are white – that’s only 8 out of 24!

Alpaca fleece is incredibly soft and grows back quickly after shearing. It’s an excellent insulator and is seven times warmer than sheep’s wool. Each fibre is hollow and filled with air, which helps regulate body temperature and keeps you comfortable even in summer. Shoe or boot inserts, as well as dryer balls, are also very effective due to their high absorption capacity.

Thanks to the fibre’s natural properties, no chemicals are needed to transform it into a finished product – unlike sheep’s wool, for instance, which contains lanolin and must be processed using various detergents. Since alpaca fur comes in so many different colours, chemical dyeing isn’t necessary. All the different grades of fibre can be used, so nothing is wasted. The highest-quality fibre is reserved for wool, and second-grade fibre can be used for items like insoles.

Our on-site and online stores offer accessories made from alpaca fibre and fur, such as tuques, scarves, mittens, ponchos, and slippers, and we plan on expanding our inventory as we grow our business. We also sell felt products such as dryer balls, boot liners, and rugs. I make bird balls out of the lower-grade fibres, so birds can pick at them to build their nests. We sell stuffed animals and slippers, made with alpaca fur by artisans*. And of course we have yarn for those who love to knit!