My journey in life has always been in Chenango City In the beautiful hills of South Otselic. Born and raised on a registered Holstein farm, I have enjoyed many years in the field of agriculture. By 2004, I was looking for other farming opportunities that would be easier on an aging body. Our attention was drawn to alpacas. Cute? Yes! Luxurious fiber ? Yes! Three pregnant alpacas were purchased and a new adventure began.

My herd of registered Hucacayo Alpacas is developed for alpaca sales and for harvesting their product; fiber. I chose to use all the fiber they produce. The 3 kinds are used for different purposes: the best (blankets) is cleaned, sorted, and graded, then sent to a mill for processing into yarn. I then take the yarn and dye it in my home, either for customer sales or I use it to make hats and scarves.

The next grade of fiber is processed into rug bumps or rug yarn. This becomes rugs, runners or mats. The fine grade of fiber is made into dryer balls or felted insoles. I have also been able to use this alpaca fiber in draft dodgers and decorative jars with pin cushion tops.

It is important to me to use the product an alpaca produces every year: fiber. This commitment has led to the many ways I use all the fiber my herd produces annually.

My alpacas have been shown successfully locally and at the NYS level garnering many ribbons, a few Championship banners and even a Judge's Choice banner.

With careful attention to herd sires and breeding choices, progress continues to be made in creating fiber and crimpier fleeces that will become projects and fine products.

Visit us on the web: http://www.lonesprucealpacas.com/