We first saw the suri alpaca in 2004 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and were immediately intrigued! We began our adventure in earnest in early 2006 by investigating their care and the investment, visiting some other alpaca farms (and met some wonderful alpaca farmers), and decided to take the plunge in the Spring of 2006! Our goal was to raise predominately Peruvian suris of color and with that in mind, found and purchased four female suris. All were pregnant with crias due at varying times over the coming year. So … we had to get the place ready for them … hopefully by late Fall 2006!
While we were busy getting ready, the alpacas were busily creating crias! Peruvian Javi was born, July 17, on the farm where we purchased her dam, Desiree’s Spirit. Both Javi and mom are medium fawn beauties that we brought to Pennsylvania from California.
Also, in September 2006, our prized Bianca (a beautiful white Peruvian suri from excellent bloodlines), gave birth to Court Jester’s Peruvian Allejandro, Alex for short. Alex has proven to be a really sweet alpaca with amazing luster. He will be a difficult one to part with…. But my accountant husband says I must, when the opportunity presents itself!
So the crias keep coming, we keep learning, the relationship with the animals continues to grow … and so it goes! |
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It all started with a tractor! Brion loves big machinery … the bigger, the better. So he bought his beloved John Deere tractor in 2002. We live on 16 acres of farm land in southeastern Pennsylvania, decided we never wanted to leave, but wanted to do something useful with the property. Neighboring farmers were farming the acreage prior to this point.
The only thing we had in the Spring of 2006 was a 36’ by 40’ barn to house the beloved John Deere tractor. We didn’t even own a lawn mower! We started with a plan of what needed to happen first. We planned out the barn stalls, a vet room, put in electric, water, and heat (more for us than the alpacas), then planned the pastures, cleared and seeded the pastures, put in fencing, and voila! the alpacas arrived December 16, 2006! And – we are loving it!
The first cria was born on our farm on a very cold day in February. What a wonderful and non-eventful event. The birth was picture perfect, and we think Izzy (Rocko’s Icy Isadora) is too!