Alpacas are sheared once a year - in the spring.    We had a few people who took vacation days to help us. We also had a few new volunteers this year and it looks like they will be part of the crew next year too.

Happy helpers with full bags of fleece!  Russell Ratti was the shearer this year.  

 

< The happy toe nail trimmer, Julie Porter.  They get worked on from both ends!

 

We support the Fiber Co-Op here in the United States.   So we spend most of  August and September getting our fleeces skirted, cleaned, logged and boxed to send to the co-op. We are also very fortunate to have a mill in our area. We send some of our fleece to this mill and have started crocheting with this wonderful yarn.

 

<An expert shearer, Steve Murray, from Cottonwood, CA.

 

Contact:  www.AmericasAlpaca.com for more information about joining the co-op.

Every male on our ranch has received at least one ribbon - 16 of which we got in one year!!   Each of our new crias are amazing with the volume, crimp and sheen of their fleeces.

 

Polaris, after shearing (NOT HAPPY!!)                                 

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We keep some of our fleece for our own use and for our alpaca scarves and hats. We crochet and knit and love working with this wonderful yarn.      We love the combination of the brown, white and black from our animals. 
The End of this section........Keep going!