Our Story ~ About Us
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Deborah Low says, "The adventure began many years ago when I became interested in alpaca fiber to use in weavings and knitting. In 1984 I heard about the importation of alpacas and llamas to the U.S.A. and investigated. The costs were prohibitive at that time and one thing lead to another but I never forgot the feel of the marvelous fiber.
Fast forward to March 2009 and my first visit to Alpacas at Windy Hill with Cindy Harris and Doug Fieg. It was a long overdue love affair and MFI Cocoa Puff became my first alpaca. I was in heaven. Within two weeks I won Melano of Park View Alpacas at a pen event and was really on my way to having a herd! No stopping now!
In April 2009, I truly became charmed by Princess Charming, a petite sweet girl who was due to deliver in May. Now my foundation herd was on its way and the arrival of Morgan in May 2009 was such a thrill. I never imagined owning alpacas would be so much fun!
There's more fun in learning about processing fleece and yarns. A budding Fiber Studio and knitting classes keep things exciting. See Products page for yarn sales and custom alpaca apparel items made with the beautiful fiber."
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| Morgan is born and is off to get weighed. |
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It's all about crias!
"Cria races" are the best spectator sport around. Lots of wobbly legged fuzzy babies racing up and down the pastures. Watching mothers attend to their crias will melt your heart. There seems to be someone new arriving almost everyday.
Click on images to enlarge.
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| Learning to wear a halter just like mom! |
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| Vauxhall carries his favorite leaf around! |
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| Lancia grows up quickly |
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The "Herd"
MFI Cocoa Puff IFOR SALE) is deep chocolate brown with full Peruvian heritage and has been a wonderul mother. Her 2011 cria, Sunbeam, is full of fun and fleece. ~ Our herdsire, Melano of Park View Alpacas, is medium fawn, a product of Royal Peruvian Apolla and Mirada of Park View Alpacas. ~ Princess Charming, a light fawn, is a daughter of Peruvian Jeronimo. She is sweet and cuddly and an excellent mother. Her 2009 cria Morgan of Near Sawrey Farm won 3rd place at AOBA Nationals in May 2011 indicating his status of junior herdsire Charm's 2010 cria Aston Martin is off to a great start in his career. Vauxhall her 2011 cria proves Melano passes on his wonderful fleece and confirmation to all his crias. ~ Cashmina of Park View Alpacas is a daughter of The Elite Maximus and is especially cuddly. Her 2009 and 2011 crias, Riley and Lancia, have beautiful fleece. Camillia of Park View Alpacas, is also a daughter of The Elite Maximus. Her 2011 cria, Guilia, carries great density. ~ A new girl joined the herd in May at AOBA's auction. She is A.L. Paca's Chiri Bim, a stunning gray female, whose gentle nature and wonderful fleece are notable additions to our breeding program.
Breeding Opportunities
Melano of PVA is available for breeding ($1500) and has proven to be an outstanding sire.
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There are two types of alpacas - the "woolly huacaya" and the "silky suri. Huacaya fleece is dense with a crimp and looks like teddy bear fur. Suri fleece is long, silky, and twists into locks. First imported into the United States in 1984, alpacas were a key part of the ancient Incan civilization, playing a central role in the Incan culture on the high Andean Plateau and mountains of South America.
Both types of alpaca have a lifespan of about 20 years and gestation is approximately 11.5 months. Smaller than their cousins, the llamas, they generally weigh between 100 and 200 pounds, standing about 36 inches tall at the withers, and come in 20 natural colors. Shearing of the fleece is done once a year, in the spring before the summer heat. A fleece can weigh from 5 to 8 pounds and produces one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers.
Gentle and easy to handle, alpacas are also easy on the environment! Their feet have soft pads (like a dog's) that do not damage the land. Intelligent and curious, alpacas are herd animals who allow us humans to be part of their lives. Alpacas have a three-compartment stomach that converts grass and hay to energy very efficiently - they eat less than other farm animals. A herd will deposit feces in one or two spots in the pasture making it easy for clean-up and reducing the spread of parasites.
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| This is what it's all about . . . |
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