Rock Ridge to celebrate National Alpaca Day

Chester — As the nation’s alpaca farms prepare to open their doors to the public in celebration of National Alpaca Day, the owners of Rock Ridge Alpacas of Chester, Wayne and Marsha Oliver, are also celebrating the fifth anniversary of their business. The Olivers will hold an open house at their farm on 229 Gibson Hill Road on Sept. 29 and 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The day will include educational farm tours, fiber-to-yarn spinning demonstrations, and a free raffle drawing. When the Olivers found their place in Chester, they loved the acreage even more than the house and dreamed of its possibilities. Exploring everything from raising butterflies to growing lavender, they knew, as soon as they saw the soulful eyes and peaceful demeanor of alpacas, that this was the life for them. Wayne cleared boulders and created fenced-in fields, and there was no doubt the farm would be named “Rock Ridge.” Alpacas, cousins to the llama, are native to the Andean Mountain range of South America, particularly Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. They were first imported into the United States in 1984. Since then, the alpaca industry has grown steadily, according to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association. There are two types of alpacas in the United States today. Although almost physically identical, the two types are distinguished by their fiber. The Huacaya (wa-Ki’-ah) is the more common of the two and has a fluffy, extremely fine coat. The Suri is the rarer type and has fiber that is silky and resembles pencil-locks. Adult alpacas stand at approximately 36 inches at the withers and generally weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. They do not have horns, hooves, claws or incisors. Alpacas are alert, intelligent, curious, and predictable social animals that seek companionship. They communicate most commonly by softly humming. Alpacas are shorn, without harm, every 12 to 18 months. Each animal produces five to ten pounds of luxurious fiber. Because of its soft texture, alpaca fiber is sometimes compared to cashmere. Alpaca is just as warm as, yet one-third the weight of wool. It comes in 22 natural colors, yet can be dyed any desired shade. Alpaca fiber contains no lanolin and is also naturally hypoallergenic. It also has stretch, water repellency, and odor reduction properties. Travelers like clothing made from alpaca because it is wrinkle-resistant. To find out more about National Alpaca Farm Day and for a complete list of participating farms and ranches, visit www.AlpacaFarmDay.com. For more information about the Rock Ridge open house call 469-6196 or e-mail info@rockridgealpacas.com.