We focus on producing alpacas in various solid colors, consistently improving the qualities of their fleece from one generation to the next and maintaining excellent conformation. Our alpacas are DNA tested to prove their parentage and are all registered with the Alpaca Registry (ARI).
Interested in Learning More About Alpacas?
Prior to and since acquiring our original alpacas in 2002, we have learned much about working with and raising alpacas on a small farm. Are you interested in raising alpacas? Do you want to learn about the daily needs, shelter, fencing, and other aspects of setting up and managing an alpaca farm? Are you interested in alpaca fiber or products? Take advantage of our experience! We love to share the knowledge we have gained over the years with others that are looking to get involved with these wonderful creatures.
Why Alpacas?
We were fortunate to purchase an old farmhouse with some acreage in Winchester, Connecticut not long after being married. The first projects we took on all had to do with renovating the house and cleaning up the immediate area around the house, all while starting our family. Jon’s interest in working the land in some way (as his ancestors had in times past) led us to consider putting our old farm back to work in some way. We considered raising Christmas trees or possibly some livestock. We decided on livestock as we thought it would be a wonderful experience for our children and Jon missed having animals around. This was a big step for Pam as she never had any pets while growing up! We wanted to raise livestock that would not be used for consumption and that led us to consider fiber producing animals.
The thought of being able to raise an animal and use it’s fiber to produce products was exciting and we started researching what it would take to raise sheep as they were the only fiber producing livestock animal we were familiar with at the time. During our research, we happened to come across an article on alpacas and they were intriguing, so our research took a turn. After learning of the benefits to the environment of alpaca vs. sheep and reading more on the ease of managing them, we decided it was time to visit some farms and meet our first alpacas. Our first up close and personal encounter resulted in our young daughter getting her first lesson in the fact that alpacas spit! This didn’t deter us, just one touch of their fine, soft, warm and lanolin free fleece and we were sold and knew that this was the livestock for us! We have been able to manage our herd while still working full time jobs and our children have had great experiences learning to work with the alpacas and showing them.
Where do Alpacas come from?
Alpacas are native to the Altiplano (high plains region) of
the Andes Mountains primarily in Peru, Bolivia and Chile. The native people of this region
domesticated alpacas from vicuña approximately 6,000 years ago. Alpaca are members of the camel family
along with the vicuña (their wild ancestor), the llama, guanaco (the wild
ancestor of the llama), bactrian and dromedary camels. Alpaca were used for their fine fiber
to produce textiles used for garments and for trade. The highest quality fiber was used for those of the highest
social standing. Up through the
time of the Spanish conquest of the Incas, alpacas were managed by the native
people to produce a high quality fleece that is unmatched by any alpaca fleece
today. Many of the management
techniques that resulted in this high quality fleece were lost with the
conquest of the Incas.
In 1983, the first alpacas were imported into the United States and from that time through 1998, when the Alpaca Registry was closed to new imports, approximately 7,000 alpacas were imported. Today, there are over 170,000 alpacas registered in North America. We are one of many breeders in North America working to constantly improve the quality of alpaca fiber.
What do you do with Alpaca Fiber?
As with any other fiber producing animal, Alpaca fiber or wool is spun to produce yarn that is used for knitting, crocheting, weaving, or felting. Alpaca fiber is considered hypoallergenic as it contains no lanolin and the structure of the fiber gives it a higher insulating value than sheep wool. High quality, fine alpaca fiber also is smooth against the skin and breaths in the same way as other natural fibers. Lightweight garments can be worn all year long, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Alpaca fiber may be used alone or blended with other fibers to produce all types of garments like sweaters, coats, shawls, hats, gloves, and socks. There’s nothing like a nice thick pair of alpaca socks to keep your feet warm while participating in outdoor activities during cold New England winters! Alpaca fiber is also used to produce household goods like placemats, rugs, quilt batting, stuffed animals, and more!
Interested in Alpaca Fiber or Products?
Are you a fiber enthusiast? The fiber from our alpacas is available for sale in several forms. If you are a fiber artist that enjoys working with raw fleece, contact us in the spring to select and reserve the fleece of your choice. Would you rather start with roving for your spinning or felting projects? We can have roving made for you. Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting with yarn that is ready to go? We turn our best fiber into yarn that you can purchase and use for your projects. Choose from a variety of natural and dyed colors. Don’t have the time or skill to create items from scratch? No problem, we sell a variety of finished products made from 100% alpaca or alpaca blends. Check out our Products page for more information or contact us to arrange your visit to our Farm Store today!
Interested in Raising Alpacas?
If you are interested in raising Alpacas, we would love to help you get started! We have a number of animals for sale and will work with you to select animals that meet your need. Are you not quite ready to raise alpacas on your own or don’t have the space for your own farm? We will board your alpacas and you can assist with their care as your schedule allows. Once your alpacas are home with you, we provide ongoing personal support for any questions or concerns you have. We also provide financing.
Whatever your interest in alpacas, get started today with a visit to Countryside Alpacas!
