Alpaca ranch will host open house May 25, 26
From our weekly issue dated May 21, 2008
Suri Futures will host Open Farm Days Sunday and Monday, May 25 and 26 at the farm at the west end of River Street in Cave Junction.
The free event, which will run from noon to 5 p.m., will feature shearing demonstrations, fleece and textile products, and ’paca poo fertilizer.
Spring brings baby alpacas and shearing season to Suri Futures alpaca farm. The cria (young alpacas) are in the pasture with their dams, and they will soon be joined by a new herd sire, “High Voltage Vortex.” The new male is true-black, a color which is enjoying increasing popularity among suri alpaca breeders.
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“We’re very excited about this stud. He’s got the best genetic material for a black suri,” said John Gardiner, co-owner of Suri Futures. “Three years ago you could hardly find them.”
The Peruvian textile industry demanded predominately white alpaca fleece, to which color could be added. As such, the genetic variations of colored animals were repressed. In the growing market for alpaca fleece, the natural colors are resurgent.
“The black genetics were buried, but they do pop up,” said Gardiner.
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“The other reason we’ve decided to have the Open Farm Day,” said Christine Perala-Gardiner, “is that we’re excited about the opportunity of sharing about the textile market,
“This is an invitation for people to join us in a conversation about growing the local economy,” Perala-Gardiner said.
“We’re going to have an Open Farm Day every year around shearing time,” Perala-Gardiner said.
“We want get people excited about the fact that in this valley we produce this fabulous fiber,” she said.
