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Monday, November 24, 2008

Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Sent to Alpaca site...held, not posted by site...

Of course Pamela!
We welcome visitors at all times. Just let us know you are coming and when!

Bluest Skies
Jennifer
Aero Ranch Suri Alpacas
Browns Valley, CA

--- On Mon, 11/24/08, Pamela Hunter <peakprez@gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Pamela Hunter <peakprez@gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Sent to Alpaca site...held, not posted by site...
> To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 7:37 AM
> Can I come too Jennifer?? ;)
>
> ~Pamela Hunter
> Weston CO
>
> On Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 12:27 PM, Jennifer J Powers <
> jpowers@bentstarproject.org> wrote:
>
> > Richard,
> > your post from November 14 is copied in it's
> entirety below. No where do
> > you offer ideas on what you would believe to be a
> positive and workable
> > model. In fact after rereading all of your posts to
> this site I find no
> > examples of your offering any sort of positive
> feedback. In every posed
> > instance of someone working a successful model you
> have come back with a
> > negative. There are always folks willing to stand on
> the sidelines and say
> > "that's impossible" and "that will
> never work" while others are busy
> > succeeding.
> >
> > It is obvious you have a formed opinion and your goal
> is to share that
> > opinion. Fair enough. What I am asking of you is to
> offer your ideas on a
> > positive model. Now your seeming to not do so could be
> attributed to the
> > nature of email and tone getting lost in translation.
> Or you are simply here
> > to criticize and berate.
> >
> > Most years we have sold our fleeces to hand spinners
> and the like at a
> > number that has gone on to cover feed and vet bills
> and expenses for the
> > year. This year we chose to sell our clip at a lower
> rate to help support a
> > new yarn business's efforts. This was done with an
> eye to the future. The
> > monies paid for this years fleeces are still
> significantly higher than the
> > whole sale numbers frequently quoted.
> >
> > If you are ever in Northern California we'd love
> to host you for a day to
> > show you how we are working our particular model.
> There will be steaks on
> > the grill and a bottle of your choice of vino to
> share.
> >
> > Bluest Skies
> > Jennifer
> > Aero Ranch Suri Alpacas
> > Browns Valley, CA
> >
> > Nov 14th you wrote:
> > Allison, it seems that fiber isn't ever going to
> be viable on
> > its own, with its wholesale value limited to only a
> few $s/lb. Even
> > assuming everyone could get the fiber processed and
> sold as their own
> > yarn, you are looking at perhaps this sort of
> scenario:
> >
> > Process 5lbs/head and get 3.3lbs yarn back, output say
> $85/lb x 3.3
> > = $280/head less processing 5 x $32 = $160: margin per
> head (before
> > other costs)= $120. That wouldn't cover annual
> keeping costs, let
> > alone allow for capital costs and overheads.
> >
> > So some sort of economic model is needed that gives
> some basic
> > production value for an alpaca. That is why folk are
> casting about
> > for other potential products: perhaps not so much as
> an alternative
> > to fiber, but in addition.
> >
> > I don't know if alpaca meat is going to be an
> acceptable product in
> > principle for consumers (and clearly it would be
> anathema to many
> > alpaca producers), but if it did ever take off, the
> requirement would
> > be for animals no more than about 2 years old: of
> course the younger
> > the animal, the better the fiber too. So a possible
> model to consider
> > might be one rather more akin to sheep (albeit with a
> slower
> > turnaround rate): rearing production animals, that are
> taken to about
> > 2 years old, for fiber + meat + hide, and sourcing
> them from
> > breeding flocks (which could be in the same ownership,
> or separate
> > ventures).
> >
> > The trouble is that if anything along those lines were
> ever to be
> > viable, you would have to be looking at sale prices
> for production
> > and breeding stock closer to that of sheep as well -
> the typical
> > alpaca can't be worth $000s on any rational
> agricultural basis.
> >
> > Richard
> > Maidstone Kent
> > UK
> >
> > --- On Sun, 11/23/08, suekodu
> <humhojl120@hotmail.com<humhojl120%40hotmail.com>>
> > wrote:
> > From: suekodu <humhojl120@hotmail.com
> <humhojl120%40hotmail.com>>
> > Subject: [AlpacaTalk] Re: Sent to Alpaca site...held,
> not posted by site...
> > To: AlpacaTalk@yahoogroups.com
> <AlpacaTalk%40yahoogroups.com>
> > Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008, 3:37 AM
> >
> > --- In AlpacaTalk@yahoogro ups.com, Jennifer J Powers
> <jpowers@... >
> >
> > wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Richard,
> >
> > > Like any other business there are many paths to
> success. All involve
> >
> > > dedication and hard work. One only need look a
> the rate of
> >
> > attrition in
> >
> > > any other small business (restaurants spring to
> mind) to know it
> >
> > isn't
> >
> > > easy nor guaranteed. The US is full of successful
> businesses
> >
> > fullfilling a niche. My stance is that we ignore the
> multi million
> >
> > dollar cottage industry at our peril.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > You are obviously comfortable dismissing
> successful models out of
> >
> > hand.
> >
> > > Folks who are selling their fleeces (from
> whatever species)at
> >
> > profitable levels. Folks selling high quality alpaca
> products at a
> >
> > price point that illustrates that consumers will pay
> top dollar for
> >
> > quality... And you obviously have an opinion on a
> successful model
> >
> > for the US alpaca industry. We are all ready to read
> your suggestions
> >
> > and model for success in the US market.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Please illuminate us.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > Blue Skies
> >
> > > Jennifer Powers
> >
> > > Aero Ranch Suri Alpacas
> >
> > > Browns Valley, CA
> >
> > I think the "comfortable" ,
> "dismissive" and "out of hand" remarks
> are
> >
> > unfair. I have questioned the viability of these
> models in some depth
> >
> > and included (unchallenged) figures, sourced from
> within the alpaca
> >
> > industry itself, in support.
> >
> > With regards to "illumination" , we are
> rather going round in circles –
> >
> > it was my musing on a possible structure for the
> industry (posted
> >
> > November 14th), and your response, that started this
> particular
> >
> > discussion.
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > Maidstone Kent UK
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and
> are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the
> moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion
> group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It
> is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat
> others with respect and civility.Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

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Message posts are the opinion of individuals posting and are not necessarily endorsed or approved by Yahoo! or the moderator of this group. The purpose of this discussion group is to ensure that all points of view can be aired. It is the responsbilty of all individuals who post to treat others with respect and civility.
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