First, we fell in love with these elegant, gentle animals when we first saw them and never looked back. They were so graceful and elegant as they ran through the fields and they were so curious. It was love at first sight and alpacas have become our passion. Since we were looking for a combination of lifestyle and investment that would carry us into retirement, the choice was simple - Alpacas.

We chose suri alpacas because they are the rarest of breeds, comprising less than 12% of the U.S. population, creating a high market demand. On the world market, suri fleece is in high demand for its luster and hand (softness) for the high fashion textile markets. Today it commands more than double the price of huacaya fiber.

Alpaca farming is a lifestyle choice with benefits and opportunities for the whole family. They can add a dimension to family life that many find are missing these days. Raising alpacas are fun, relaxing and a potential source of income.

Being active in the alpaca farming and fiber industries, we are ambassadors for the alpaca industry in our local area and the mid-Atlantic region. We are members of theAlpaca Owners Association, the Suri Network, the Alpaca Registry, the Pennsylvania Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association and the Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Association.

Dennis was the past vice president of the Georgia Alpaca Association and Rose has coordinated the alpaca photo contest for several alpaca shows. We are members of the Atlanta Knitting Guild and the North Georgia Knitting Guild and attend farmer's markets to sell our alpaca yarn and products. Rose was a member of the Georgia Farm Girls also.

Rose teaches how to felt an alpaca scarf at classes held throughout the year and hosts farm visits for senior citizens, young children and various groups. We host several educational classes throughout the year including Herd Health days and Alpacas 101. Our farm is open for our Annual Shearing Festival each May and in September for National Alpaca Farm Days for people to learn about alpaca farming but visitors are always welcome to our alpaca farm.

We have wanted yaks for about two years and we finally purchased two heifer calves from Great Lakes Ranch in October. The yaks arrived December 5! Their names are Eliza and Kenai and they are about five months old. Sweetest girls! These are registered Tibetan Woolly Yaks. We will be breeding them as soon as they are old enough and selling their calves. Harvesting their down for yarns is also a goal for us as well. So much to learn but so fun to be involved in the industry. Their wool is so very soft. I thought alpaca was soft but this is heavenly.