Seminar & Shearing Weekend Update

The last weekend of June is shearing weekend at Alpacas at Tucker Creek. It will start out with a seminar presented by Carrie Hull from Coarse Broads entitled "A Good Yarn--Essential Yarn Basics That Every Alpaca Breeder Should Know" on Saturday, June 27th starting at 9:30 am. Click on the title to get more details on the seminar. A continental breakfast (being served at 8:30 am and lunch (being served immediately following the seminar) are included with your seminar registration. Serendipity Caffe of Warrenton will be catering our weekend again this year. Please let us know if you have any special dietary requirements. The cost of the seminar is $50 per person paid via check or credit card. Click here to register. As always, seminars are free to client farms.

Following the seminar from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm will be an "Open Barn" for seminar participants, family and friends only. (The public will be welcome to attend the shearing activities on Sunday and Monday.) This will be a great opportunity for you to see Carrie in action as she sorts fiber from area alpaca farms being brought to Tucker Creek for her expertise. Also available will be spinning and other fiber demonstrations along with tours of the barns and pastures and a great chance to check out the new cria.

Then shearing begins on Sunday afternoon, June 28th. Armando Victoria and his crew are scheduled to be here mid-day as they will be shearing for Pat and Rhonda Green at Alpacas at Bear Creek in the morning.

Carrie Hull will be our resident certified sorter again this year. Several of the individuals who attended her seminar last year have started the two year apprenticeship program and will be sorting beside her.

If you wish to help on either day please contact us no later than Friday, June 26th, so we can finalize our duty roster in advance of the event. Shearing on Sunday will begin at 1:00 pm (or whenever Armando arrives). Shearing on Monday will begin at 8:00 am and will be over whenever Armando is. Note the overriding theme here--it all begins and ends with Armando Victoria.

If you wish to watch the event but not get dirty (and we do tend to get dirty) the cost of admission is a nonperishable food item for the Clatsop Community Action Regional Food Bank or the Clatsop County Animal Control Shelter.

Look forward to seeing you there. It is a lot of work but it is our harvest and it is the culmination of all our year long efforts. And from the alpacas' point of view--they are just thrilled to get rid of all that fiber. Even little ones get shorn--here is a shot of Candy and her mom, Queen Amidala, after her tips were shorn at six days of age--you should come back this year just to see what she looks like now.

It is absolutely gorgeous on the Oregon Coast this time of year. Why not make it a nice long weekend--check out some of the hotels listed below and the link to the Chamber website to participate in some of the other wonderful activities available in our little part of the world.

Cannery Pier Hotel - right on the Columbia River, incredible views, day spa available by reservation. Be sure to ask for Ally Stevens when you check availability. ally@cannerypierhotel.com - email

Hotel Elliott - in the center of downtown Astoria--recently restored, beautifully historic.

Holiday Inn Express - also located right on the Columbia River-a little less expensive but still breathtaking views.

Check out the website of the Astoria Warrenton Area Chamber of Commerce for a more detailed list of hotels and other activities happening on the coast.

If you are coming in via Portland International Airport, you will be happy to know there is now an air shuttle service available. It is called Seaport Airlines and their service cuts a two hour drive down to a 25 minute flight. To further simplify your weekend planning there is a Hertz Car Rental office at Astoria Regional Airport. Click here for directions to Alpacas at Tucker Creek.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us--we would love to visit with you. Hope you are enjoying the wonderful spring weather and will be able to join us for the seminar, or shearing or both. Enjoy!