West County Alpacas
What are you supporting?
My
small family farm that will be raising alpacas to provide a luxurious raw
fiber. Most of this raw fiber will be converted into yarn and supplied to
my farm share customers. I will be offering farm shares much like a CSA
(Community Supported Agriculture). Farm shares will be an annual box of
fiber goods that will be mailed, or available for pick up, shortly after the
Spring Shearing. Subscribers will have two options and will get to choose
whether they want more roving for spinning/weaving or yarn for knitting.
There will also be a quarterly zine with seasonal news, photos, artwork and
other special surprises. The funds I get from my farm share subscribers
will be invested into my breeding program to make sure I can grow my herd and
maintain excellent fiber quality. When my herd does grow, I will be
seeking to sell bulk fleece to small-production designers and artists who are
sourcing sustainable materials.
What are alpacas?
Alpacas
are part of the camelid family. Along with llama's, camels, and vicunas,
they are hearty animals with gentle and curious souls and three stomachs!
Alpaca
wool has many similarities to sheep wool, but alpaca
is stronger, warmer, naturally hypoallergenic, won't mat or pill,
comes in more than 22 rich natural colors, and is cleaner because it's lanolin
free and doesn't hold dust. It is amazingly soft too!
How can you help?
By
donating to West County Alpacas and spreading the word!
Where is this farm and what are you all about?
Located
in diverse and gorgeous Sonoma County California just an hour north of San
Francisco, our small farm thrives on permaculture practices, cooperative living
ethics, and a lot of DIY gumption. Through the principles of beauty,
kindness, and sustainability, my aim is to treat these animals with the
same amount of pampering as they do us. Have you ever worn an alpaca
sock? If you haven't, you'll be changed forever! If you have, you
know the beauty and warmth they provide!
Where will this money go?
The
funds I gather here will be used to build fences and to build a barn. The animals: Demetria, Othella, Coriander, and Picasso have been purchased and are waiting at their home ranch until I can get the field ready for them.
My inspiration?
I'm
inspired by these animals! I'm also inspired by today's artist and designers that promote simplicity, longevity and embody the slow movement. Andrea Zitel, Julia Ramsey, Tiersa Nureyev of Stella
Fluorescent, Kacy Dapp, and Natalie Chanin are women who I feel hold
the same values, have great forward thinking fashion sense, and care about
sustainability. I'm excited to explore what avenues these creatures will
lead me down. I'm
looking forward to networking with local artists through my local Fibershed and
staying connected to my future fiber customers.
My gratitude...
Thank
you to Sharon Tomlin and Mike Manzoori for video magic. Thank you to my awesome landmates that are letting me run with my ideas even if it means that I'm creating a bit of a stir over here. Thank you to my family for always supporting my dreams. And lastly, thank you to my friends who have given me much needed advice!
Warmly,
Noelle ~ West County Alpacas