Alpacas in Fashion

Software analyst turned alpaca farmgirl Maggie Wright recently tells the AP about “falling in love” with the puffy animals with cashmere-like fleece and why she ditched the corporate treadmill for life in a niche market that is turning out to be a fashionable trend. The story details the economic incentives in alpaca farming – $1,000 hand knitted sweaters and a whopping $250,000 for a top quality herdsire. But farmgirls say it’s the gentle nature of the alpacas and their newfound lifestyle that’s particularly attractive. “Alpacas’ relatively small size, lack of upper teeth and generally docile temperament make them easier to handle than many farm animals. And the fact that breeders can turn a profit without killing them for meat makes alpacas an attractive option for those who are not so comfortable with the less cute and cuddly side of farm life,” the story says. Another farmgirl mentioned in the piece, Lynne Johnson from Wisconsin, sees alpaca breeding as her “retirement plan.” Photo from Cinco C’s Alpacas.