Crimp Haven Alpacas ~ Daily Photo ~ 9-26-12

Sunrise down the road about two miles from the house. It was early yesterday morning on my way to school, but for some reason the alpacas were not out. Our road is just one little farm after another...some with cows, one with alpacas,  and others where the farmers rent the fields for growing hay for their animals in another location. Our world is definitely one of lots of little farms of one kind or another. Here is some interesting information about alpacas from the Crimp Haven Farm site ~ http://crimphaven.info

Perfect for a family farm, alpacas are gentle and easy to handle. They are safe even for younger children to work with, as they do not bite or butt. This is a venture that the whole family can work together on.

It is our vision that alpacas can become a vital part of the American economy. Well suited to the land and environment here they are also environmentally friendly, protecting the land that we love.

• Alpacas have soft padded feet. This leaves pasture undamaged, and usable for years.
• They have no top front teeth, so they are gentle grazers.
• The alpaca does not usually eat or destroy trees.
• The average alpaca only eats four pounds of food a day.
• Although they need a regular fresh water supply, alpacas do not require abundant amounts of water.
• The herd tends to deposit their manure in one or two spots in the pasture, making clean up easier.
• Alpaca manure is a fantastic fertilizer.
• One good acre of pasture can support up to ten alpacas.
• Alpacas require minimal fencing, as they do not challenge it.
• However, be careful to have enough fencing to keep them safe from predators (we use post and no climb wire fencing about 5 feet high).
• They can produce four to ten pounds of fleece a year.
• Their fleece produces 87 to 95 percent clean fiber compared to sheep’s wool.
• People who are allergic to wool are generally not allergic to alpaca fiber.

This post is linked with 'Barn Charm" and "Our World Tuesday
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