[Alpacasite] Re: Getting More People into the Alpaca Industry

Hey Jim,

I don't know about the 'violent' part, but it does appear we are in
agreement (smiles).

Take care,

Sue Zelazny
Andes Dandies, LLC
http://www.andesdandies.com
Middleport, NY

--- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, "Patricks' Pastures Alpaca Ranch &
Habitat" <patrickspastures@v...> wrote:
>
> Sue,
>
> A new owner has to be prepared to go 3 to 5 years with little or no
income for sure.
>
> This is not something that can we done in a bootstrapped method out
of an old doublewide.
>
> I talked to a gentleman last night and bluntly told him that he
needed a minimum of $25k and more like $50 just to get
started....this had to be cash...not a line of credit or an attempt
to get non existent bank financing. Additionally, I told him to look
for 50 hours of work a week...year around....hot or cold.
>
> These are very cute animals...but the cuteness can run out quickly
if you are under financed or over committed in time.
>
> Painting a rosy picture of animals pronging and sweet smelling poop
isn't fair at all.
>
> So, we are in violent agreement.
>
> Jim Patrick
> Patricks' Pastures Alpaca Ranch & Habitat
> 3030 N. Trinity Rd.
> Denton, TX 76208
> 940-323-1011 (Ranch Office)
> 214-505-0754 (Jim Patrick's Mobile)
> patrickspastures@v...
> www.patrickspastures.com
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: andesdandies
> To: Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2005 11:08 AM
> Subject: [Alpacasite] Re: Getting More People into the Alpaca
Industry
>
>
> Jim,
>
> My post was definitely NOT directed at you, very sorry if you got
> that impression. I was just trying to say that along with the
> financial pitfalls of ill-informed owners comes the very large
> problem of poorly cared for animals who may end up as rescues. It
was
> a general caveat, not directed at you or anyone else.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Sue Zelazny
> Andes Dandies, LLC
> http://www.andesdandies.com
> Middleport, NY
>
> --- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, "Patricks' Pastures Alpaca
Ranch &
> Habitat" <patrickspastures@v...> wrote:
> >
> > Sue,
> >
> > I kind of feel like your last email was directed at us....let's
set
> the record straight.
> >
> > We concur with you that not everyone needs to get into the
industry
> if they can not handle the long term financial requirements.
> >
> > Further, we are offering prepaid courses as part of our
packages we
> will be offering to ensure that the new ranches are set to enter
the
> industry with the right understanding.
> >
> > We believe that all new breeders should attend courses taught
by
> experts like Steve Hull and Norm Evans. Each of the members of
our
> team have attended classes at Louisville and other locations.
> >
> >
> > Jim Patrick
> > Patricks' Pastures Alpaca Ranch & Habitat
> > 3030 N. Trinity Rd.
> > Denton, TX 76208
> > 940-323-1011 (Ranch Office)
> > 214-505-0754 (Jim Patrick's Mobile)
> > patrickspastures@v...
> > www.patrickspastures.com
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: andesdandies
> > To: Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2005 8:14 AM
> > Subject: [Alpacasite] Re: Getting More People into the Alpaca
> Industry
> >
> >
> > Judith,
> >
> > I concur, but will go one further. There is an equally large
> problem
> > of animals being cared for by people who are not experienced
in
> large
> > animal care and breeding, who buy from people who don't give
them
> a
> > realistic orientation, and who don't back up the sale with
> support.
> > These buyers get in over their heads financially, true, but
also
> the
> > animals end up paying the price for the disreguard and
> irresponsible
> > actions of the seller.
> >
> > We, the collective 'we' as an industry, have a moral and
ethical
> > obligation to make sure the buyers are informed consumers. In
our
> own
> > business, we have declined to sell to people who were there
with
> cash
> > in hand, but who could not demonstrate that they understood
the
> full
> > responsibilities - the handwriting was on the wall that
things
> were
> > not going to go well down the line, and we weren't going to
risk
> the
> > health and perhaps life of our animals just to make a sale.
Not
> to
> > mention the bad publicity for us as well as the industry as a
> whole
> > if people get into the business unprepared and have bad
outcomes.
> >
> > We have also sold to new breeders who need support, we give
it,
> and
> > the animals do well as do the buyers. There are also the
> investment
> > buyers who know they don't know about animal care, and don't
want
> to,
> > so they let the seller continue to manage the animals, which
is
> > another very good option for a lot of people. Someone
mentioned
> the
> > Thoroughbred horse industry, there are a LOT of investors in
the
> > horse world who do not own a farm and don't know the first
thing
> > about the daily care of animals, they pay the farms to manage
the
> > animals, that is not a new concept at all.
> >
> > Just a little rambling,
> >
> > Sue Zelazny
> > Andes Dandies, LLC
> > http://www.andesdandies.com
> > Middleport, NY
> >
> > --- In Alpacasite@yahoogroups.com, Judith Korff/Ladysong Farm
> > <judithkorff@y...> wrote:
> > >
> > > I know this will not be a popular view, but I want to add a
> > cautionary about the need to bring increasing numbers of
people
> into
> > the industry. We have to be very careful in our marketing
not
> > to "oversell" our industry. There are many people who would
be
> > interested in owning/breeding alpacas but who are not really
> suited
> > for the job, whether by temperament, economic situation,
family
> > issues, etc. but who could easily be sold alpacas. These are
the
> > people who will definitely go under! Talk about the
statistics
> for
> > divorce -- imagine if one spouse were sold into the industry
and
> the
> > other was hesitant/skeptical or worse, outright opposed. It
sets
> up
> > a situation where divorce, and probably the dissolution of
the
> herd,
> > inevitable. Also those with very restricted economic
resources;
> we
> > need to be very honest and upfront about the expenses of
being
> in
> > this industry, and the willingness of an owner to "go
hungry," if
> > necessary, for the benefit of his/her herd. Long-time
farmers are
> > > aware of the need to put the needs of their business
before
> their
> > own; very few new alpaca owners are long-time farmers
(although I
> see
> > that changing in some regions). Let's be very cautious about
how
> we
> > go about bringing new people into the business, and not let
our
> own
> > need to make a sale drive another person into something
he/she is
> > not, in the long run, suited for. Please!
> > >
> > >
> > > Judith Korff
> > > LadySong Farm
> > > 2473 Bunker Hill Rd.
> > > P.O. Box 33
> > > Steamburg, NY 14783
> > > (716) 354-6355
> > > A Holistic Management Farm
> > > Conducting a Symphony of Quality, Value and Customer Care
> > >
> > >
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> >
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> >
> >
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