Failure to Post--No excuse!!

As you can see it has been three and a half months since we have posted to our blog.  Is there a reasonable excuse--no.  So we are not going to bore you with one.  Babies are on the ground and more on the way; shearing is over; this year's cut is at the coop (thanks to Carrie); farm visits are scheduled (including Alpaca Farm Days at the end of September) and we are gearing up to open our farm store with all the beautiful products from the coop (NAAFP). 

We'll be adding posts over the next few days.  But to get started here are a few photos taken during our shearing weekend by a very talented local photographer, Jennie Kendrick.  It is a great shot of the farm--but all the critters are in the barn patiently (or impatiently as the case may be) waiting their turn with the clippers.

And I just loved this shot of Sun Tzu . . . what more can we say . . . he's got it all . . . and he is just plain cool. 

So, check back soon.  Several of the topics have surfaced because of questions we have received recently via email or the phone from soon to be alpaca breeders; others are just updates on what is happening in the realm of Section 179 and Bonus Depreciation (will they or won't they be extended for 2010 or future years); and of course, there will be the photos of this year's cria. 

Happy Thanksgiving

What better way to say thank you to each of you who follow our blog than to share a wonderful Thank You we received following a recent alpaca visit by a local group of little ones and their mothers.

Here is a photo of our visitors and their wonderful thank you (click on each to enlarge). These visits are always so much fun. The critters seem to enjoy them as well. Whenever we have visits including such energetic and curious minds I always wonder if any of them will grow up to be alpaca breeders. Hope so.

We wish you a heartful Thanksgiving and appreciate your ongoing support of our blog, website and breeding program. Enjoy!

Grandparents' Tour

Yesterday we were happy to have the Philadelphians Group Tours join us again with their Grandparents' Tour for the second time. They last visited our farm in August of 2006. It was just as impressive as the last time when the big white tour bus pulled into our barn yard and 33 eager visitors appeared--quite fun.

This time was equally enjoyable for all of us. I'm not sure who has more fun--our visitors or us. Their smiles and laughter were infectious. As always, Sun Tzu was ready to act as our official farm ambassador welcoming everyone as they exited the bus.

Also joining us for the day's visit was Peggy Boisvert, a very talented local fiber artist. Peggy brought her spinning wheel to demonstrate the process of spinning the raw fiber into yarn. She also displayed some yarn she had spun from Tucker Creek's Franchesca's fiber.

We would like to thank the Grandparents' Tour for their visit and hope they join us again soon.

Open House and Tax Seminar at Alpaca Woods Ranch

For those of you who have been wanting to come to one of our seminars but didn't want to travel all the way across the country to Oregon, here is your chance. Mark March 29th on your calendars as the 2nd Annual Open House at Alpaca Woods Ranch. Ronnie Nagimesi has been one of our clients and great friends for two years and has put a great deal of time and effort into taking the "woods" part of Alpaca Woods Ranch and turning it into pasture for his wonderful critters. It has been a year since the last open house and there have been plenty of changes in that time—more pastures, new shelters and, of course, the best part—new crias. Refreshments will be served. There is no charge but we would appreciate an RSVP just for planning purposes.

Peggy will be the featured speaker addressing the tax consequences of alpaca ownership. The session will cover the great opportunities this industry has to offer as well as some of the pitfalls to avoid. Here is a brief outline:

Summary of Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 and its impact on you

What is Section 179 and how it impacts the alpaca industry

How Section 179 works; comparing it with regular depreciation

The difference between a Hobby Farm and your farm

What is the IRS looking for when they look at your return

Types of Income and Expenses that should appear on your tax returns

The importance of Business Plans

Question and Answer Session – all the issues that matter to you

The Open House will be from Noon to 5:00 p.m. The tax presentation will be held from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Please advise if you will be able to join us on March 29th by either phoning or emailing Ronnie at (770) 972-1247 (mabinda@excite.com), or Peggy at 877-915-0522 (peggy@alpacadigest.com). Here is a Google link for directions. Just add your address in front of Ronnie's and click on the Search button.