Do you know what these terms mean?

Not many people do, but Canadian alpaca farmers and their national association – Alpaca Canada – will, throughout September, do their best to help Canadians from coast to coast to coast broaden their knowledge of alpacas. They are throwing open their gates and inviting the public to come and see the alpacas in a more natural habitat, rather than in a petting zoo or at a fall fair.

Do you know:

* Alpacas can be easily led using a halter and lead line and that they love to go for walks. You may be lucky enough to try your hand at this when you visit.

*Crias (alpaca young) are born during daylight hours after a gestation of eleven to eleven and a-half months? The birthing season will be over for most farms by September which means the crias will be at their entertaining best. You will understand first hand why so many alpaca farmers say their favorite part of the day is watching the alpacas in their pastures in the evening.

*Alpaca fibre is warmer than wool, second only to cashmere in softness, lighter than cotton and was once considered ‘the fibre of the gods?’ This meant only Inca royalty were allowed to wear garments made from alpaca fleece. It also contains no lanolin or grease so, if you are sensitive to wool, alpaca fibre may be exactly what you are looking for.

*Alpacas are considered the ‘greenest’ of livestock? Their toes are padded so their feet do not tear up the terrain as they roam about. They are also ‘grazers’ so they bite the stalk of grass, rather than pull or tug it from the ground.

On September 20th from 10am until 4pm, Sunkeya Farm Alpacas, owned by Linda & Clay Schultz, and located at 1264 Green Lake Road in Oliver, BC will be throwing open its gates and welcoming young and old to meet the alpacas. Phone 250-498-6565 or email at: schult@telus.net