Re: [AlpacaTalk] WAS: spring mating/WHAT ARE WE TO DO?
I'm right there with you all...
I've already sold all my goats, the horses go this Sunday. My Komondor will have a new home in April, and the list just gets longer.
It seems as though all I do is wake up and cry.
I have a herd of 27, and by next fall I'll have 32. We're done breeding at this point.
We have booked farm visits already ( thank goodness ), but if they don't buy... We rarely get calls anymore or emails in regards to fiber or potential alpaca owners.
The shame of it all is that we have such exciting animals who are bred to some outstanding herdsires, and I'm no longer excited to see the results because I'm so consumed with finances.
The matching making, the research, the seeing the results of your own decision making has always been the fire that keeps me going. And on a personal level, it's been harder, and harder each year to be enthused.
It's a tough time for us all and we each have our stories. And still somehow I have faith that in some way, once the dust settles, the few of us who are able to maintain our herds, will slowly pick up the pieces and begin again.
Not sure if that'll be me, but I'm sure trying.
Wow, talk about flood gates... Geez.
Dede Crout
Dragonfly Alpacas LLC
Marydel, MD
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Ah Janice, I do certainly feel for you. I am in EXACTLY the same place as you with respect to your angst and worries about the business. I too have had to come to the realization that I simply cannot afford to continue in the alpaca business and am looking at selling off my herd, or at least most of it. I cannot tell you what that is like - it is almost like asking me to sell off my own children. I am devastated, extremely depressed and am an emotional basket case. Yes, things are bad for many breeders right now... and yes, if the economy doesn't begin to improve soon, it will become even more devastating to our industry. Which is a darn shame, especially in light of the evolution that is taking place with the strong shift towards FIBER and the development of the North American commercial alpaca fiber industry taking place. Look at what we are doing at CIABA with starting a whole new concept in showing fiber, judged solely on its merits for commercial purposes... and the Build A Tent Initiative... and the many other small organizations that are focused on fiber sorting, grading and processing. Yes, it is a horrid time for us alpaca business people, but a horrible time to get out of the business as well as we see the sprouting of our commercial processing industry. Oh what to do. I know for a fact that many of us breeders are feeling the same way. And I wish there was an easy answer... :-( Peace and blessings, Pia Best regards, Pia M. Al-Ubaidi, Owner Fiori del Campo Suri Alpacas, Cincinnati, Ohio
www.fioridelcampo.com
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posted by Chaddo at 12:31 PM
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