It’s been a busy two months of shearing for Ron and we can finally see things winding down. We’re still getting calls about shearing and Ron will continue to do his best to fit new customers into his schedule. But as shearing season comes to an end, fencing season begins … Read More
Snowshoe Farm is offering free shipping on all products from our online yarn shop through December 31. Use coupon code SHIPFREE. VermontAlpacaYarn.com lists alpaca yarn, roving and felting fiber as well as dyes, needles & hooks and free patterns. All alpaca fiber used in our products is grown on our Vermont farm. We … Read More
Done! This is our last victim…er, alpaca…of the day and we are finished shearing our herd. Snowshoe Allegro, co-owned with Spirit Wind Farm, has the most lustrous fleece I’ve ever seen. I wish I had been able to get a better photo. I’ll give it another try when I skirt … Read More
Snowshoe Farm is an alpaca breeding business. As such when we sell alpacas, we offer service and support to our customers both before and after the sale. We see the alpacas produced from our breeding program as our responsibility long after they’ve left our farm. We do not breed unless … Read More
Now that we’ve finished our spring shearing, we’re faced with piles of fleeces waiting for the next step. This is just a portion of the fiber that will be sorted, skirted and sent off to various destinations: fleece shows, yarn mill, felting fiber, etc. The first thing we’ll do is … Read More
Done! Shearing is THE big spring chore at Snowshoe Farm and it feels so good to have finished. We shear early – usually the end of April – and, being spring in the NEK, the weather rarely cooperates. Generally, the alpacas have to endure a period of chilly temps before … Read More
Winter is finally loosening its grip on the Northeast Kingdom. The last remnants of the white stuff – those shaded locations where snow slid off the barn roof – are melting quickly. Apparently, the alpacas like their spring snow piles; these boys could not get enough of this yesterday! We’re … Read More
I’d venture to say that most alpaca breeders don’t shear their crias until the spring following the crias’ births. But those cria fleeces become messy very quickly as their fine, velcro-like tips attract hay and other debris. We’ve learned that we can get much cleaner and more valuable fleeces in … Read More
It’s over! And with the help of very good friends, shearing not only was not painful, it was actually fun! Many, many thanks to Larry from Twilight Ridge Farm, Jane from Berry Hill Alpacas and, last but not least, Kathy and Tracey from Foggy Bottom Ranch who went above and … Read More
Most of us who have owned alpacas for any length of time have experience treating skin conditions. Diagnosing skin conditions has been difficult and there are a number of theories out there about the cause – or causes – of skin conditions. The symptoms we generally see are hair loss … Read More