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Its News To Me
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Brooklin Alpaca farm breaks out its shears
Fleece made into numerous luxury items
Tue Jun 17, 2008
BROOKLIN -- Deep in the grassy fields of a Brooklin farm grazes a herd of animals not many people know much about but everybody wants to see.
They are called alpacas and they have lots of personality under their furry exteriors.
Lori Dzingala lives on the farm, Heronview Alpacas, where her husband Ed and their two sons raise 25 alpacas. Every year they hold a shearing day to gather the fleece and turn it into yarn used to make products sold in their store, the Gifted Alpaca.
Some of the luxurious items include sweaters, duvets, socks, scarves and hats. Alpaca fleece is the world's leader of specialty fibre industries and is often compared to cashmere for its silky texture, Ms. Dzingala said.
(Click here to read full story)
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Alpacas as an alternative enterprise
June 16, 2008
Farming the UK
Alpacas belong to the camelid family. They originate on the high altiplano in Peru, Chile and Bolivia but are now kept around the world. There are two types: the huacaya has a fine dense fleece while that of the suri hangs in long ringlets.
Compared with the three million animals living on the altiplano, the UK herd, at around 16,000 animals, is small. However, it is growing rapidly as the alpaca is increasingly seen as a viable alternative farming enterprise and more people are keeping them as pets.
Breeders are continually improving the quality of animals and their fibre and this is increasing the market opportunities for alpaca products. The fine, warm, light, lustrous, luxury fibre can be made up into yarn, jumpers, shawls, throws, suits, coats, duvets and other items.
(Click here to read full article)
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A day in the life of a fiber mill operator
06/09/2008
WEST DECATUR - There's nothing like a warm scarf or blanket when the weather is cold. However, few people think about where the yarn or batting to make a scarf or blanket come from.
Fiber mills, such as Dream Catcher Farm and Fiber Mill in West Decatur, are responsible for taking raw wool and animal fibers and turning them into yarn or batting. Dream Catcher Farm is owned and operated by Tammy Bush. In addition to processing wool and fibers, which are sent to her from all over the state, Bush owns and raises 12 alpacas and processes their fibers. She then spins the fibers into yarn. It takes many steps to change the fuzz on the back of an alpaca into a scarf. (Click here to read full story)
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