Hot News Fun Photos Satisfied Customers and Great Links! Home Herdsires Sales & Our Alpacas Basic Alpaca Care History of the Alpaca What About Fiber? Hot News & Fun Photos! November 12, 2006       It may seem strange how much of our news page ends up being dedicated to the changing seasons. Those of you who are already in this business will understand what a major role the seasons and the weather play in our lives! Those of you contemplating or planning on getting into alpacas need to know this. The strong connection to the land and all of nature that alpacas bring is one of the major attributes of having them in our lives. The pace of our lives has changed. We have become more aware of the natural rythms that are all around us, and things that we never noticed in "busier" lives gain great importance. When I walk down to the barn at night, I find myself giving thanks for this connection that was so absent in my "former life!" I have seen more beauty, experienced more peace, walked in greater awe, than ever before. The animals themselves are entrancing....what they bring to us is truly a blessing!           Our spring arrivals have been busy growing over the summer and fall. RCF Gilderoy Lockheart, Jenna's boy, and RCF Luck of the Draw, Grizz's, are quickly developing into juveniles instead of crias. These two boys spend most of their time together, neck wrestling, running, or just hanging out. Mom is always nearby if one gets a bit thirsty. Check out both these boys on our Alpacas page for a better view, but you can get an idea of them in the picture above.       Marzipan's first cria has arrived! SHE is a dark brown female born to RCF Shadow's Hulla at Buttercup Farm in North Carolina. Congratulations to Richard and Martha Miller! I have not yet seen her, but in her photo she is covered in curls and looks to have good coverage as well. Of course, it is very hard to truly assess a newborn in a photo, but this one sure looks awfully good to me! I can't wait to see what his next will be, for he has one more due this month. Glad that at least my customers can have girls!

    We attended the VAOBA Expo near Richmond earlier this month. It was the first show for Trip and Duke, and they both did extremely well. Trip was "top dog" in his two Jr. Youth Performance classes and Duke won the Blue in the Juvenile Brown Male class. The judge, Tim Lavan, called him the "standout in the class," and had nothing but nice things to say about him in his comments. Duke went on to nearly take the Reserve Championship, losing out to an older male with a bit more uniformity, according to Tim. I was disappointed not to win it, but I am sure this youngster will have another chance. He is a truly stunning young male! We consider this a very successful start for them both.

      Once again I participated in offering the ABC Buyer's Clinic at Fireweed, in Maidens, VA, along with Teri Phipps, David Schieferstein and Bill and Sherry Watkins of Frostglen in Tennessee. This event was held on the weekend of November 11th. We were thrilled that LaRue Johnson was able to be there with his wonderful contribution to the whole. LaRue also taught his reknown Neonatal Clinic on Sunday (LaRue's 106th!!). We did not have quite the record turnout we did last year, for our clinic was the weekend following the Expo, but we had enough people to make it a good experience for all. Teri sure knows how to put on an event. The food was excellent, as usual; the course content was outstanding, as usual--everyone ate well and learned a lot! As sponsors and instructors, we greatly enjoy meeting new people and offering this solid educational opportunity. We look forward to doing it again next year. Watch for the flyers, and if you are particularly interested in attending, let me know and I will be sure you are on the mailing list.

The days have grown noticeably shorter, and as the sun starts to drop lower in the sky, we realize that summer is past and fall will soon be over. We have overseeded the winter pastures with orchard grass and annual rye, and are holding the alpacas off of them for a bit longer to let the grass grow as much as possible before being grazed. It is time to be tackling the downed leaves in both the pastures and the yard. I find this to be a daunting job, until I finally pick a cool, crisp day to get started. Then I realize that it is a chore I enjoy, for the weather is energizing, the alpacas are out grazing and soaking up the sun, and the youngsters are romping. Yes, indeed, it is a great time to be an alpaca breeder!

Satisfied Customers

From David & Linda Grubb of Wolf Hills Alpacas   (E-mail at: DBGrubb@mindspring.com)
      "We first met Jo at an ABC Buyer’s clinic in August of 2002. Right away, we bonded with Jo, because we were impressed with both her sincerity and genuine love of her alpacas. When it was time to choose a breeder to buy our alpacas, the choice was evident, as Jo showed that she not only was highly knowledgeable, but also provided invaluable information to ensure that we were prepared to care for our investment. Since our purchase, she has always been there for us, at our beck and call, with both day-to-day care information, as well as over the phone hand-holding through difficult births. Jo is the greatest, and we will always be appreciative of her honest and straightforward support."

From Marty & Harry Leist of Mountain Meadows Alpaca Farm   (E-mail at: Mblhml98@aol.com)
      "Being new in the alpaca business, my husband and I chose to buy our first animals from Jo Overbey of Rock Chimney Farm Alpacas because she was willing and able to meet our needs. She freely shared her considerable knowledge, made honest suggestions and was supportive in every aspect of the business. We were especially impressed that she knew her animals so well and that she obviously enjoyed caring for them. Since that initial sale, she has continued to coach us, generously referred us to other farms, and been readily available to answer our questions. We feel Jo is truly our alpaca mentor."

From Jim Perry of Ambler's Alpacas   (E-mail at: AmbAlpaca@aol.com)
      "I have sent some of my best animals to RCF for breeding. The outcome has been some of the most beautiful crias that I now own (and all girls, at that!). RCF offers a wide range of herdsire color selections. Most importantly, I am impressed with the knowledge and high quality of the health care offered by Jo."

From Lisa Olsen of Alpaca Atlantic   (E-mail at: AlpacaAtlantic@aol.com)
      "I first met Jo Overbey while attending a shearing clinic, which she organized and hosted at Rock Chimney Farm. Without a doubt, the hospitality this woman extended, left me speechless - and that doesn't happen often! I left the farm, not only knowing how to shear an alpaca, but I was confident I had picked her brain to the extent that she would require recovery time. She was, and is, terrific. I would tell you about the time her referral saved the life of one of my animals - but that's another story! Jo is a woman who doesn't compromise standards or principles, and it shows in her animals - I'll always admire her for that."

Great Links

      We're including some links to aid you in your alpaca journey. Some are organizations, others are farms. Before you leave us though, please take a moment to bookmark our site. Check back with us from time to time, or better yet join me for a cup of coffee and we'll talk 'pacas in person!

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Organizations:

The Alpaca Heritage Sale
An outstanding sale and educational venue put on by 15 to 20 small breeders held in different locations in the northeast every fall.

Alpaca Registry, Inc. (ARI)
ARI is a breed registry designed to house the genealogy, blood typing, and ownership records of alpacas in North America. Membership is automatic for all registered owners of alpacas. They have great resources available on their web site.

Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA)
Marketing, information, and shows are the three terms that come to mind when contemplating AOBA. Touring farms on-line, located in their breeders directory, can keep you busy for weeks. New to the alpaca world and want an info packet? AOBA can send you one. They also sponsor regional events, maintain a great calendar of events, and have one of the most complete alpaca libraries in the industry. You don't have to own alpacas to join -- a great resource!

Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Association (MaPaca)
MaPaca is a cooperative group of alpaca breeders in the Mid-Atlantic states of  DE, MA, NJ, NY, PA, VA, and WV. They are a diverse group with both huacaya and suri herds sizes ranging from 2 to over 200 alpacas. During the spring of each year, MaPaca sponsors one of the largest alpaca shows in the United States, The Eastern Alpaca Jubilee.

The AOBA Show Division
A new division of AOBA designed to manage and govern alpaca shows.

Alpaca and Llama Show Association
The name says it all!

Alpaca Fiber Cooperative of North America, Inc. (AFCNA)
The mission of AFCNA is to create, promote and market alpaca products for its members because, "Life Feels Fabulous in Alpaca."

Southeastern Alpaca Association (SeAA)
The Southeastern Alpaca Association, an official affiliate of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, represents well over 60 alpaca farms in the states of AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, and TN.

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Alpaca Farms Worth Visiting

Ambler's Alpacas
Dr. Jim Perry, 3341 Wahrani La, Lanexa VA 23089
E-mail at AmbAlpaca@aol.com
Phone: (804) 966-9329

BaggyWrinkle Alpacas
Kathy Hamblett, 17240 Andreanoff Drive, Juneau, AK 99801
E-mail at Kathy@baggywrinklealpacas.com
Phone: (907) 523-5254

Alpaca-Atlantic
Lisa Olsen, 5378 Woodbury Highway, Manchester, TN 37355
E-mail at AlpacaAtlantic@aol.com
Phone: (931) 728-6945

Mount Airy Alpaca Co.
Thomas & Kate Perez, 6202-C Woodville Rd, Mount Airy, MD 21771
E-mail at KPerez@erols.com
Phone: (301) 609-9129

Silverstream Alpaca Stud
Kit and Sheryl Johnson, 68 Moody's Road, RD2 Kaiapoi, New Zealand
E-mail at Info@Alpaca-Stud.com
Phone: (03) 327-3020

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