[AlpacaTalk] RE: was spring mating/WHAT ARE WE TO DO?

 

Wow; thanks for the outpouring and sharing - both on list and off. I
do not know what possessed me to even write that post yesterday. Just
so worried I had to express it to *someone*. All the "regular" people
I talk to just look at me and say "get rid of the animals" anytime I
express worry about finances. Well, gee it is just not that simple and
they look at me like I am crazy. It is cut and dried to them. But to
me this (my farm and animals) is the fruition of a lifelong dream and
vision. So this morning I sit here with tears pouring down my cheeks
as I read of all your struggles as well. It is truly sobering.

Nancy and Tina, you both clearly agree with me that "just get rid of the
animals" is not the easy solution some would think. I am so sorry
about the family breakups (I did have to chuckle at Nancy tho - "so me
and the alpacas are leaving" tho I know that was not said to be funny
and is heartbreaking). My husband passed away about 4 1/2 yrs ago - a
month before the baby came. The loss of his income, truck (the bank
took it), and skills, help, support, and companionship have made the
past 5 yrs esp tough. He would have never expected me to get rid of
the animals......I don't think. We were both self employed and had
weathered many tough financial times, but I don't think we EVER saw
anything that lasted this long. My own personal emotional and
financial depression and overwhelm has been magnified by the general
economy and state of affairs in the world. The first two years with the
baby I could not focus on my private practice and so had no clients (and
no income) due to 24/7 with the high need baby and no help at all save
my then 8yo dd; then the past 2-3 yrs my phone simply no longer rings.
I spent big bucks yet again this past summer to renew my listing in the
yellow pages and added a web page at extra cost and have received no
calls at all ......and it is nearly time to renew that listing again.
A real dilemma. If you are not listed no one will call you, but it
costs a lot to stay listed; money that is needed for other things. I
struggled last summer with whether or not to renew as the phone hasn't
rung since Aug of 08 (the date is burned in my brain because I took the
girls on a much deserved and needed beach vacation that cost more than I
was comfortable with and came home to silence to the point I would often
pick up the phone just to make sure it was not out of order), but
decided that if I was not listed it definitely would not ring. Now
here it is again - that same decision to make in just a few months.

And shearing time is bearing down on us as well. Another major expense
that really puts me in the hole for many many months afterwards; it took
over 6 mos to recover from last years shearing. But I see I am crying
to the choir here.

I would not be able to sell my alpacas. They have no papers. Mine
are just pets, rescues. I never intended to make a living breeding. I
was only interested in the fiber and the fact that I simply ADORE these
babies.
I finally have enough beautiful fiber producers to get serious and
finally the baby is 4 1/2 and able to entertain herself for periods of
time and I am starting to get a bit of my life back. I am looking
forward to the day not to far in the future when I will pick up a
spindle and/or sit down at a spinning wheel and start making something
of all this fiber (that is if the moths haven't gotten to it in all
these years). I am creating a craft cottage on my property for the
purpose of creating, crafting, and hopefully selling. So the thought
of having to rehome these guys at this time is just a stab in the heart
and too much irony for me to bear. I agree with what Susan has said:

<<< I really believe the only way to make money with alpacas now is to
process
your fleece by hand, start to finish and sell felted or knitted items,
roving, or yarn. Craft fairs are wonderful and you can still find them for
free or very low-cost table space.

SUSAN OLSON>>>

*Felting is something I have become very interested in and hope that
will be a good use for all the fiber that was poorly sheared in the
early years (if not then I will stuff a quilt or make dog beds). I am
currently reading a book about spinning with spindles and am quite taken
with it and looking forward to picking up a spindle and giving it a
whirl (but first comes farm chores - fruit tree pruning and seed
starting and planting). I used to take my produce to farmer's markets
to sell and enjoyed that a lot. For many reasons I am no longer
interested in selling food (too much liability and accountability and
paperwork involved), but love the interactions at market so I know I
would enjoy doing craft fairs as well. Thank you for mentioning that
possibility Susan.

I am going to hang on to my guys as long as possible. They really are
cheap and easy keepers. It is the ducks and the Pyrs that are causing
me the most time and expense, not the alpacas themselves. But the
ducks and Pyrs protect the alpacas; so we go round.

I hope for all our sakes things (the economy) pick up real soon. I am
waiting to hear back from 2 part time jobs that I hope to get; if I do
that will help immensely with keeping everybody fed, but will leave me
with no time to do anything else.....just exist as far as the farm and
animals go. But existing is better than not.

Janice*

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