Alpacas in Mainstream Mediahttp://blog.fastline.com/2009/08/03/fastline-spotlight-a-look-at-a-non-traditional-farmer/
Katy Spears, an Alabama alpaca breeder, is what I like to think of as a non-traditional farmer. Katy and her family live and work on their farm in Fair Hope Alabama, and have around 70 alpacas. While Katy is proud to call herself a farmer, she describes the alpaca industry as something that is, “on the fringe of the ag world.”

Willington Man On Cutting Edge Of Renewable Energy
Hartford Courant
“This is my brainchild,” Nadeau said, waving a hand toward his alpaca farm, his converted cars and the solar panels towering over him. “This is my model, …
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For years, the 43-year-old Willington resident spent his free time designing and building the solar photovoltaic system now standing in his front yard, almost fully powering his ranch house. He tells time with a solar-powered watch. When he’s not doling out financial advice, he’s installing fuel cells in his family’s cars.
And if approved for a federal grant, he hopes to start turning the feces of his pet alpacas into fuel for a homemade power generator.

Slideshow of native Peruvian weavers.
The Alpaca Weavers of Ccaccaccollo
World Hum
In Ccaccaccollo, Peru, weaving alpaca wool is a daily source of sustenance for its villagers. While the village men plow fields or work as porters, …
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Tansy ragwort threat blooms in county
The Columbian
And it’d be a danger to cattle, alpacas and horses, which generally know to avoid the poisonous plant but can find it mixed into their feed if the hay …
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http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsandplants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/tansy-ragwort.aspx

BTB Transmission - alpacas

We are grateful for sight of this week’s Veterinary Record, where a report investigates an outbreak of disease which appears to be the result of convoluted movements, undertaken by some of this country’s alpacas.

Really, Thurston County Fair all about the animals

The Olympian - Olympia,WA,USA

This year’s mascot is the alpaca. (Mascots are a chosen by a vote of children at the previous year’s fair.) “Alpacas West is bringing some alpacas to have …

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This year’s mascot is the alpaca. (Mascots are a chosen by a vote of children at the previous year’s fair.) “Alpacas of America is bringing some alpacas to have on display, and they’ll be at the Willuweit Pavilion,” he said.

http://www.waggleroom.com/2009/7/29/968001/why-make-your-children-caddy-for

Forget sizzling China or bubbling Brazil. The world’s best performing stock market this year, with bulls even more rampant than machos on an alpaca farm, is Peru’s. Lima’s general index has more than doubled; Shanghai has risen by “only” 85 per cent.

BMR Acres, NY	Fans flock to Fiber Fair Utica Observer Dispatch - Utica,NY,USA Rose proved that during the Madison County Fair in Brookfield this month, as he shared some of the behind-the-scenes goings-on at the alpaca farm he owns … See all stories on this topic
Hubbert Farms, Obosheen Alpacas, and Averegan Alapacas,Ontario,Canada	Peterborough Ex soon Peterborough Examiner - Peterborough,Ontario,Canada For the first time, the Peterborough Exhibition will feature alpacas — animals whose fur is called the fleece of the future. … See all stories on this topic
Friend of the Show, Sylvan Skies Alpacas, Oregon Listen to interview here	Event features friendly competition Statesman Journal - Salem,OR,USA Also new this year was a petting zoo featuring alpacas from Greg Schneider’s Scio farm, Sylvan SkiesAlpacas. “When you meet an alpaca for the first time, … See all stories on this topic
Bel Canto alpaca farm, NY	Ulysses Town Talk: Mobile food pantry coming to church Ithaca Journal Bel Canto alpaca farm is planning an open house for the weekend of Sept. 26-27 in celebration of 2009 International Year of Natural Fibers, and National … See all stories on this topic
Brookfield Alpacas, Whitby, England	New generation of alpacas put Lawrence on way to 50 - VIDEO Whitby Today By Caroline Gough In January, the Whitby Gazette told the story of how breeder Lawrence Waller surprised locals when he took his pet alpaca to the pub. … See all stories on this topic
Silverod Ranch, MI	Special guests Sturgis Journal Kim and Alechia bought their first alpaca about five years ago in South Bend. There was a youngalpaca at her side and she had been rebred. … See all stories on this topic
Friend of the Show, Bil Morrill (@BilOregon )	Sizzling heat’s not neat, but a real tweet The Register-Guard Cottage Grove alpaca rancher Bil Morrill (@BilOregon), was all business when tweeting that he’s got “too many alpacas to bring in so we cool them off by … See all stories on this topic

Alpaca Industry News 

July 20, 2009

The 2010 AOBA BOD has unanimously decided to constitute the 2010 Nominating and Election Committee early this year in order to create a cost effective election, improve election documentation, explore electronic voting, improve overall processes and to establish the 2010 candidate selection and education process.

Jim Patrick, who as committee chairman ran our very successful 2009 election, has agreed to return and be the temporary chairperson of the committee.  As the committee members are selected and finalized, a recommendation for the 2010 Election Chairperson will be made by the committee.
We are calling for potential committee members (4 will be selected in addition to Jim Patrick).  The ideal committee members should have the following credentials:

• A minimum of 3 years experience in the operation of an alpaca livestock business
• >5 years experience in general business
• Member of at least 1 AOBA affiliate for > 2 years
• Willingness to NOT be considered in 2010 as a BOD candidate
• Experience and interest in the marketing of alpaca fiber
• Experience in showing alpacas
• A willingness to devote a minimum of 2 hours a week to this committee
• A spirit of making the impossible the possible!
• Strong team player!
• Willingness to serve 2 years if asked (2 members of the 2010 committee will be asked to return in 2011)

Interested parties should contact Jim Patrick only; prior to August 5, 2009.  Please call and /or email Jim at 214-505-0754 or patrickspastures@verizon.net.   As this committee is an independent entity, please do not contact the AOBA office.

2009 AOBA Student Design Competition

Now in its 7th year, the AOBA Student Competition is in full swing. Over 200 schools in North America have been contacted regarding the SDC, and the response from the instructors indicates this year will be the biggest participation of the 7 years of the competition. The mission of the competition is being realized, with alpaca fiber being incorporated into the curriculum of several design schools and colleges this fall! 

The Mission Statement for the AOBA Student Design Competition is:  To expose college-level art, fashion and textile design students and professors to the wonders of designing with alpaca fiber. By promoting the competition, we are ensuring the next generation of designers will be entering the workforce with a positive awareness of this amazing luxury fiber that can be utilized throughout their professional lives.  This is exactly what is happening, as we know several of our former student participants are now incorporating alpaca into their further education opportunities and careers in fashion and textiles.

Students from college level design schools across North America are being given a wide variety of alpaca yarn, roving and fabric donated from North American alpaca farms to design fashion and textile concept boards for their entries into the competition this fall semester.   The top four winning entries in each category will be awarded recognition in the form of plaques along with scholarships at the AOBA Winter Conference.

There are several ways to be a sponsor for the Student Design Competition:

• Individual student sponsorships, where sponsors are matched up with nearby participating schools. $100 will sponsor a student entry. We anticipate over 100 student entries this year, the largest number ever for the competition!
• Operational and scholarship donations, which fund the awards and scholarship funding for this year and the future. Various levels of monetary donations are available, and any amount is very much appreciated!
• 100% alpaca yarn and roving in natural colors, which are sent to the participating school instructors for use in designing entries. Any amount helps!

All sponsors and donations will be recognized at www.alpacafashion.com , the home site for the competition. 

Materials and monetary donations are needed now to fulfill the school requests by the November 15, 2009 entry deadline and to fund the entry sponsorships, scholarship and awards parts of the competition. 

If your farm, business, and/or affiliate would like to become an SDC sponsor, please fill out the sponsor form available at www.alpacafashion.com/forms.asp  and send it with payment to AOBA. To donate yarn, roving and/or fabric, use the materials donation form and follow the instructions for shipping. 

For more information, and to donate yarn, roving and/or fabric, contact Ruth Fuqua, AOBA Student Design Competition Coordinator, Hickory Bluff Farms, Mt Juliet, TN 

at 615-444-4765 or hickorybluffalpacas@comcast.net

AOBA ANNUAL MARKETING SURVEY – 2009

For Immediate Release – July 23, 2009

If you haven’t completed AOBA’s Annual Marketing Survey you still have one week to do so.  This survey is undertaken each year about this time to help the committee be as effective as possible in developing programs and services to support you.  To do this we would like to gain a better understanding of your needs and experiences.  Since this is an annual survey designed to track changes and trends in the industry, some of the questions have been repeated from previous surveys so that we can compare the aggregate responses of our members from year to year and monitor changes.

Please complete the following survey by next Friday - July 31, 2009

No matter how new you are to our industry, your feedback is critical.  Survey results will be used for future planning.  For technical assistance or questions about the survey, please contact Barb Nuessle, Marketing Committee member, by email:  bnuessle@aol.com or phone:  (609) 884-0563.

Click on this link to complete the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gx6QhAT_2bp3VdHJ2_2b_2bRgbJQ_3d_3d

Thank You,

AOBA Marketing Committee

Alpacas in Mainstream Media

Coalition meets to take on issue of young adult unemployment

Medill Reports - Washington,DC,USA

Cheryl Friedman, 21, a recent graduate from the University of Illinois in Chicago, said she wants to start a non-profit alpaca farm retreat for battered …

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Organizers also believe start-up innovation is suffering. Saddled with debt, and lacking funds to get off the ground, many would-be young entrepreneurs are opting to place their business ideas on hold. 

Cheryl Friedman, 21, a recent graduate from the University of Illinois in Chicago, said she wants to start a non-profit alpaca farm retreat for battered women who have gone through the shelter system, but still need more time to recover. Retreat residents would help produce income for the farm by creating yarn out of alpaca wool.

“I’ve been looking for a job since October,” said Friedman. “With $20,000 in student loans that I’m going to have to start repaying in four months, I’m frantic to find a job, I will take almost anything that pays because I’m in that sort of situation, and I find that a lot of people everywhere are.”

 

Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair starts today

Evansville Courier & Press

By Staff Report Matthew Schnautz waits to be judged with his alpaca, Montana, during a showmanship class for llamas and alpacas at the Vanderburgh County …

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Things that Make You Go “Hmmm.”

Costume contest, with a twist

Evansville Courier & Press - Evansville,IN,USA

The Vanderburgh County 4-H Fair was holding a llama and alpaca contest with an unusual twist: a costume contest. This marked the first llama and alpaca …

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Farm Shout-Outs