Offbeat Acres is located at 5453 Pierceville Road in nearby Cottage Grove, Wiscosin. The farm is just a few miles from the County Highway N exit off I94 east. This past weekend Paul and Erin Eagan celebrated National Alpaca Farm Days.
The farm was open to families to meet alpacas, purchase alpaca products, artwork, kids activities and share a few refreshments.
Alpacas have been domesticated for over 6000 years. Their unique fiber has been called ‘the fiber of the gods’ and was used exclusively by Incan rulers. Until 1993 alpacas were classified as a national treasure in Peru and exporting was illegal because the Spanish conquistadors nearly drove them to extinction.
Alpacas have long, graceful necks, large dark eyes, gentle humming, rich colors and extremely fine fiber and can be raised on small acreage and don’t require a lot of livestock experience before having a herd. Most important they can be an important element in creating a sustainable family farm.
Alpacas are not pets. They are curious and will approach a person to smell, while their eyes are large their sight is not good because the eyes are set on the side of the head. Alpacas do not like to be petted. Like their relative the camel they do spit.
Alpaca fiber is rated as luxury fiber like cashmere and angora. In the United States it is very rare because only about 2% of the world’s alpaca population is located here. Alpaca fleece can command high prices about $2.00 per ounce versus sheep’s wool at $6-$10 per pound. Alpaca wool has a high thermal capacity because the fiber contains microscopic air pockets which increase the insulating properties of the fiber.
Erin and Paul found their own sources to market the fiber and Offbeat Acres is a member of the Alpaca Fiber Co-Op of North America and sends fiber to Willow Bridge Fiber Mill in Mazomanie, WI for yarn and roving.
To contact Paul and Erin e-mail: info.offbeatacres.com to learn more about raising Alpacas and their family farm.
