Alpaca farms open doors to public
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By Steven Martens | Monday, September 24, 2007 |
Alpacas move out into the fields early in the morning to feed at the Delaney’s Irish Meadows alpaca farm, operated by Mike and Julie Delaney near LaMotte, Iowa. Buy this Photo
LaMOTTE, Iowa — At least once a day, Mike and Julie Delaney see brake lights on the highway in front of their Jackson County farm.
Sometimes passers-by just slow for a better look, and sometimes they come up to the house and ask, what are those things?
Those things are alpacas, which the Delaneys have been raising for three years.
The public will get a chance for a closer look at their operation during National Alpaca Farm Day, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. More than 1,000 alpaca farms nationwide, including the Delaney’s Irish Meadows at 23477 Bellevue-Cascade Road and Huacaya Moon at 2145 S. Riverview Drive in Bellevue, will hold open houses.
The event is being organized by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association as a marketing tool to try to get more people in the business.
It was Julie who first got the idea of raising alpacas.
“I saw an ad on the back of a magazine, and it intrigued me,” she said.
She visited other alpaca farms and gathered information. Mike, a self-described “traditional farmer,” had his doubts at first, but now he says he enjoys the business.
“It’s very addicting,” he said.
Alpacas are low-maintenance, especially compared to hogs and cattle, Mike said. They eat very little and are quiet and clean.
“They’re gentle, they’re easy to be around,” he said.
Retirees are a fast-growing demographic among alpaca farmers because the animals are so easy to care for, Mike said.
Irish Meadows began three years ago with six alpacas, and the farm now has 44, Julie said. They take the animals to shows around the Midwest.
Alpacas are raised for their fleece and are shorn every spring. The fleece is used in a variety of products.
For more information about National Alpaca Farm Day, visit alpacafarmday.com.
What is an alpaca?
Alpacas are native to South America and resemble a smaller version of their cousin, the llama. Alpacas, which live about 20 years, were first imported to the United States about 20 years ago. Alpacas are shorn once a year for their fleece and can produce about 13 pounds of fleece per year.
If you go
What: National Alpaca Farm Day
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Where: Delaney’s Irish Meadows at 23477 Bellevue-Cascade Road near LaMotte, Iowa, and Huacaya Moon at 2145 S. Riverview Drive in Bellevue, Iowa.
Information: alpacafarmday.com.
Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.
Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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