WHAT DREW YOU INTO THE FARMING BUSINESS?
My husband and I love animals! We wanted something that would be relatively easy to raise and different, not like the usual animals on farms and ranches.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO HERD ALPACAS SPECIFICALLY?
We did not want to have to kill the animal for the end product. Alpacas live to be 15-20 years and produce wonderful fleece that can be sold each year, so alpacas were a natural fit.
WHAT IS YOUR DAY-TO-DAY ROUTINE ON THE FARM?
The female and young alpacas are fed one cup of food in the morning and evening, while the breeding males are only fed three nights a week. They have pastures to graze on all day. It’s important to maintain their current weight.
WHAT DO VISITS TO YOUR KELLER FARM ENTAIL?
We educate our visitors on the history of alpacas, show the special things about them and allow them to be fed and walked around. Hugs, kisses and special selfies with the alpacas are a big hit. We also have fleece products and items available for purchase. We do private farm tours, birthday parties, weddings and more.
HOW MANY ALPACAS DO YOU TAKE CARE OF?
We range from having 45-50 alpacas here at any given time, which includes alpacas that are boarding here and those that are staying temporarily while being bred to one of our herd sires.
DO YOU ATTEND ANY CONVENTIONS?
We go to several alpaca shows each year to compete with other breeders across the United States. It helps us to understand where our breeding program is and where we may need to focus to improve the quality of our breeds. There are also fleece shows where we send in the shorn blanket for judging, and we get a report card on the fleece qualities. We also have retail shows that we attend to sell alpaca products.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE ALPACA BUSINESS?
Besides the alpacas, the people! We enjoy learning something new every single day, working with young people and mentoring new owners. We have been in business for 13 years, and our only regret is that we didn’t start sooner.