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About Us & Our
Breeding Business
There are
several ways to accomplish alpaca ownership: breeding and
selling, running a fiber business, having a hobby farm, and
owning pets. From the
beginning, we decided that ours was going to be a breeding
business, not a hobby. We were investing in our children’s
future. We were creating an alternative retirement plan for
ourselves. We “dressed for success.” We approached each
decision from a business perspective with an eye on the
future.
We weren’t just purchasing
animals; we were starting a program.
We didn’t just need fencing;
we needed a farm layout.
We wanted our farm to be
efficient and attractive.
We wanted our business to suit
our family.
 I
poured over the different genetics in the industry. I
wanted to begin establishing an excellent breeding program
with color diversity from the start. Our first animals
were a pair of weanling females. We chose to begin our
program with animals that would be easy to handle because of
their age and size. We wanted our children to be
comfortable around the animals, especially our 5 year old.
We wanted animals that we could grow with as we learned to
care for them. Within a few months we expanded our
program to include a bred female.
Daily
care was literally child’s play. At the time we began our
family business, our work crew had an average age of 8 years
old. Everyone pitched in, whether it was scooping grain or
raking manure. The farming lifestyle was our reality and it
fit. The children embraced the responsibility that came
with livestock. They grew in character and ownership,
interested in the care and maintenance of their herd.
We
established a relationship with our vet. We went to
education seminars. We began developing our business
plan.
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