In this episode, we talk about the daily, weekly, monthly and yearly chores associated with alpacas. Just so you know what you’re getting into.

Alpacas in the News

1. Alpaca 401(k) http://www.kmbc.com/cnn-news/17741606/detail.html
2. FREE entry to the 2009 Mid-Winter Educational Conference (Las Vegas, 16 - 18 January 2009) – a $250.00 per person value! Details at: http://www.AlpacaOwners.com/
3. Renew AOBA memberships: http://www.AlpacaOwners.com/

Farm Talk

• Our shiny new manure spreader http://www.newerspreader.com/newmodel.htm
• Our new girls:

Nikki (baby) and Sophie (Momma)
(our baby is in the swing)

Farm Basics
“Easy on the land”

Main Topic—Alpaca Maintenance
Yearly shots
o CD&T – Tetnus toxiod plus other stuff.
o A&D
o BOSE

Feedback
We have a fan!

Conclusion
This has been episode number four of Paca Talk, the podcast for alpaca people by alpaca people. If you missed anything, check out our website at www.pacatalk.com. There are links to useful alpaca sites and good books for alpaca farmers of all experience levels. Music provided by Jim Soloway. Find him at http://www.jimsoloway.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/jimsolowayguitars.

Apologies to our fans. We will read mail with much “fanfare” (har har) in the next episode.

–m&c

Welcome to Paca Talk, the podcast for alpaca people by alpaca people. This is Episode 3: “National Alpaca Farm Day, 2008.”

Today we interview Greg Schnieder and Wendy Greenwald of Sylvan Skies Alpacas about their experiences during National Alpaca Farm Day, 2008. We also have “Farm Basics” (a new segment) and some interesting “news” about an alpaca’s sense of direction, Oregon’s new choice for state animal, Stephen Colbert mentioning alpacas on air, and a front-page alpaca in the Wall Street Journal .

Farm Basics

“Why alpacas?”

Alpacas in the News

A cow’s(or alpaca’s) sense of direction?—The Economist

Alpacas-the new state animal of Oregon? –The Portland Monthly

Colbert shoots an audience member—Colbert Report

When Stocks Tank, Some Investors Stampede to Alpacas and Turn to Drink –The Wall Street Journal

Main Topic—Sylvan Skies interview about NAFD

We apologize for the sound quality of the interview.

National Alpaca Farm Day

Sylvan Skies Alpacas

Alpaca Tour Website

Conclusion

This has been episode number 3 of Paca Talk, the podcast for alpaca people by alpaca people. If you missed anything, check out our website at www.pacatalk.com. There are links to useful alpaca sites and good books for alpaca farmers of all experience levels.

Music by Jim Soloway on a Soloway guitar. Find him at http://www.jimsoloway.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/jimsolowayguitars .

On the Farm

Our fleeces: www.et-farms.com/fleece.php

Alpacas in the “News”

The Daily Show Iraqi Budget Surplus

The Onion “Congress To Raise Alpacas To Aid Struggling Economy”

Llama fetus ritual to help Bolivia’s Morales?

National Alpaca Farm Day

• Sign up!
• Planning guide

Alpaca Basics—Basics of Fiber Processing

• • First, skirt it
    • My skirting table
  • Small mills deal with alpaca fiber
    • Star Castle Mill http://www.starcastlefarm.com/
    • Silver Falls Spinnery www.silverfallsspinnery.com
  • At festivals/fairs
    • Black Sheep Gathering
    • Flock and Fiber –home of the “parking lot sale” on Sunday
  • At alpaca fleece shows
    • Willamette Valley Alpaca Fleece Show
  • Sell to/Join a Fiber Co-op
    • Alpaca Fiber Co-op
    • North American Alpaca Fiber Producers
    • Alpaca Blanket Project
      • partnered with Pendelton Mills to make blankets
    • American alpaca Fiber federation
      • making cloth for designer jeans

This has been episode number 2 of Paca Talk, the podcast for alpaca people by alpaca people. If you missed anything, check out our website at www.pacatalk.com. There are links to useful alpaca sites and good books for alpaca farmers of all experience levels.

Music by Jim Soloway on a Soloway guitar. Find him at http://www.jimsoloway.com/ or http://www.myspace.com/jimsolowayguitars .

El Barto before shearing–2007

El Barto after shearing–2007

Evergreen Terrace Farms www.et-farms.com

Alpacas in the News
This week’s items are from ARI email bulletins. Details can be found at http://aims.alpacaregistry.com

• EPD committee appointed
• National Alpaca Farm Days
• ARI website update “Herd Update” option

Alpaca Basics—Basics of shearing

Where to find shearers
Local alpaca affiliate

• Willamette Alpaca Breeders Association–http://www.alpacas-waba.org
• AOBA (national alpaca association)–http://www.alpacainfo.com

Shearing Methods

The table method

On the Farm—So, how did our shearing day go?
It was better than what happened to Steve Hull (http://timberlakefarms.net/dork.html) the first time he tried it.

Conclusion — If you missed anything, check out our website at www.pacatalk.com, or drop us a note at show@pacatalk.com. There are links on the website to useful alpaca sites and good books for alpaca farmers of all experience levels.

Including an explanation of why we started with “zero” and not “one.” Interesting stuff.