2010 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

February 21 - 22, 2010

I will be participating in an advanced spinning class at Hillcreek Fiber Studio in Columbia, MO, learning how to spin designer yarns including loops, knop, boucle, slub, cord and metalic.

March 9 - 10, 2010

MOPACA Fleece judging will take place at our farm with AOBA judge Kathy Klay. If you are interested in entering an alpaca fleece, please see the instructions on the MOPACA web site at MOPACA.org to find out how to submit your entry. Deadline for entries is February 28, 2010 and entries must reach me no later than March 4, 2010.

March 20 - 21, 2010

2010 MOPACA Invitational Alpaca Show. To be held at the American Royal in Kansas City, MO, and will feature weaving and spinning demonstrations, vendors, fiber arts competition in yarn, and hand made alpaca wearing apparel. Alpacas will be competing against each other in the ring in different color and age categories. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. NO admission fee.

April 17 - 18, 2010

Our shearing season begins. On Saturday morning, April 17, at 8 a.m., we will have a professional shearer begin shearing 40 alpacas. If you are interested in participating, we can use any available help. We will provide lunch to all volunteers. It is truly a learning experience — preparing the alpaca for shearing, sorting the fiber as it is sheared, bagging and weighing the fiber and keeping a record of sheared weight for each animal.

Please call me if you are interested in helping (573-721-1415). On Sunday, April 18, a friend and I will shear five to seven alpacas. We go at a much slower pace. An extra hand on this day is helpful, but not as demanding as on Saturday, as the shearer will shear three to our one!

April 19 - May 31, 2010

I will be shearing until the remainder of the herd is finished. If you are interested in learning how to shear, I am willing to teach you. This means that I will demonstrate how I prepare an alpaca for shearing and how I shear. We will also discuss clippers, blades and cutters, and sharpening, and using a shearing table vs. pulleys, and floor shearing. You will also do a "Hands On" which means that you will be given the clippers and will be guided in your first shearing efforts. You will do at least one side of an alpaca. The charge for this lesson is $40.

I feel that you can watch a shearer every year, but you can only truly learn by doing it yourself. That is the only way to build confidence. If you would prefer to come out and watch me shear, that is fine, too. I can always use the help.

May 1, 2010

Alpaca birthing season begins.

August 1, 2010

U-Pick Apple season opens and should continue until mid October.

September 25 - 26, 2010

Our 4th Annual AOBA National Farm Day open house will be held at our farm. More information will be given as we decide on specific hours and the line-up of entermainment and possible concessions.