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. 

AlpacaLease - a division of Alpacas at Tucker Creek

Today's economy is causing us to carefully watch how we spend our money but even more carefully how we can save money.  Let's face it, the cost of entry into the alpaca business or any business can be down right daunting.   AlpacaLease is designed to make entry into the alpaca business much more user-friendly.  But it is also designed to make herd diversification a lot less costly as well. 

AlpacaLease does not require any long term commitments--you select the time frame.

AlpacaLease has no monthly payments--just one payment at the start of the lease period based on 15% of the selling price of the animal--male or female.

Should you decide to purchase the alpaca you leased, every dollar you paid in lease payments will be applied to the purchase price.

So if you have been hesitating to enter into the alpaca business but were concerned about taking that step because of the cost of entry--consider leasing.  If you lease a bred female, at the end of the lease term you own the cria. If you are leasing a male you can breed as many females as you wish (including outside breedings) for one flat fee.  You treat the animal as if it were your own.  You are required to maintain mortality insurance based on the selling price of the animal.  The males must also have fertility insurance. 

If you are an experienced breeder and have considered herd diversification but have been procrastinating in this economy this could be the answer--whether you lease a male or female you could add the diversity you have been wanting for a very economical cost.

Any of the animals listed for sale on our site are eligible for the AlpacaLease Program.  So whether you are new to the industry or an experienced breeder with AlpacaLease you can bring flexibility and diversity to your breeding program.  If this interests you, please feel free to contact us at 877-915-0522 or peggy@alpacalease.com.

Local Newspaper Highlights Alpacas at Tucker Creek

Recently Bob Duke, the business reporter for the local newspaper, The Daily Astorian, selected us for an interview for his column entitled "Making the Dollar". Each week he features a local business asking them the same four questions. We were not sure how he was going to handle it since we are not exactly a traditional store front type of business--but he did a pretty good job. See what you think! Click here to read the article.  The cria is Ace owned by Susan Jones of Oregon Coast Alpacas.   What a handsome little man. 

TESTING THE ALPACA INDUSTRY . . . HOW CAN THAT BE DONE WITHOUT A LOT OF MONEY!

Today’s economy has most of us wondering what it is going to take to turn things around. There are lots of theories and much is being tested. Being a rather conservative retired accountant I believe in a very conservative approach. Do what you can . . . today. If you have a goal, make careful slow steps toward that goal. Being an alpaca breeder, I want people to buy alpacas, breedings and alpaca related products. What can be done to encourage a market with so many problems to purchase any of the above?

Guess, we all just need to be creative and do what we can to work together. So if your goal is to have alpacas but in this economy it just seems really scary . . . test the waters. But how do you do that?

1. Buy a few males to make sure you enjoy having them around. After you are confident you want to take the next then you can think about females and the higher price tag that comes along with them.

2. Buy a package of females that includes their breedings for the first two years. That way you can concentrate your efforts on developing your business knowing that you are not required to come up with those additional funds.

3. Lease a package of bred females. Now there is a concept. How do you lease an alpaca? The farm agrees to transfer all care and responsibility for the animal for a specific period of time . . . a year for example. In that year you are completely responsible for its care . . . feeding, husbandry, shearing, veterinary care, insurance . . . just as if you owned it. At the end of the year you have a cria who will be yours . . . free and clear. You now just need to decide whether you want to continue leasing that particular female or return her.

It is truly a time for us all to get creative (regardless of our industry) and find methods that work for a wide scope of customers—we are not in a one size fits all economy. This is a wonderful industry and we need to craft different financial tools to allow more people to join us without creating huge monetary obstacles in their paths.

So if you have been sitting on the fence wondering whether alpacas are right for you . . . give a call to your favorite alpaca breeder and see if they can come up with a plan that will work for you.

President scheduled to sign legislation to extend increased Section 179 limits through 2010

President Obama is scheduled to sign the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act tomorrow.  It contains a variety of provisions to encourage employers to add employees to their payrolls and to invest in equipment.  The provision we are noting today relates to Section 179.

CODE SEC. 179 EXPENSING

For 2009, the maximum Code Sec.179 deduction was $250,000 and the phase-out limit for qualifying property purchased during the year began at $800,000. First introduced in 2008, enhanced Code Sec. 179 expensing expired on December 31, 2009. Without legislation, Code Sec. 179 expensing for 2010 is limited to $125,000, with a $500,000 cap (both adjusted for inflation). The HIRE Act extends enhanced Code Sec. 179 expensing, at the $250,000/$800,000 threshold levels, through December 31, 2010.

Unlike bonus depreciation, Code Sec. 179 expensing is available on both new and used property. Also unlike bonus depreciation, the $800,000 qualifying property ceiling for Code Sec. 179 property effectively limits expensing to small businesses. Finally, Code Sec. 179 is keyed to the business’s tax year rather than the 2010 calendar. The extension under the bill applies to purchases made in tax years beginning after December 31, 2009 and before January 1, 2011.

The HIRE Act does not extend bonus depreciation. 

A very sad day at Tucker Creek

All who have visited our farm know we have a variety of four legged critters.  Two of which are Texas and Tess.  On Monday afternoon Texas Lightning (as was his registered name) was euthanized after being treated by our veterinarian over the weekend.  Upon necropsy it was found that he was bleeding into his abdomen and had a basketball sized tumor around his kidney. 

Texas was 27 and appeared as healthy as a horse half his age.  He is painfully missed by all of us humans but that loss is nothing compared to the loss felt by our dear little mare and his long time pasture mate, Tess. 

It is amazing the role he played beyond just being a great horse--he also helped us to locate Tess.  Tess has always been a bit of a Houdini from the time she was a young filly.  The first thing every morning we look out to see where the horses are.  Texas was always easy to find--being bigger than Tess and a paint he always stood out in the pasture--and that is where he generally was as he did not have the Houdini tendencies that Tess has.  So all we had to do was find Texas and Tess would be somewhere near by as he would stay near her even if she chose to morph herself into the area between the pasture and the creek (none of us has ever seen how she gets over the fence).  Tess would be witchy to him from time to time but he would always be at her side--sometimes painfully for him. 

So it has been a very painful goodbye to a very dear friend.

2010 IRS Tax Calendar

What a concept . . . the 2010 IRS Tax Calendar has been released and is quite a handy tool.   It is not only a traditional calendar with the various tax deadlines we all need to follow but the online version also has links for what is new, forms and publications, helpful tips on what to do when you receive a notice as well as a list of resources for most tax related issues. 

Many times the IRS website can appear quite overwhelming; however, the calendar has links to get you to the same place without the daunting official appearance.  The hard copy version is free but is currently out of stock--so check back in a few weeks.  The online version is a great link to add to your favorites.  Here is the link:

http://www.tax.gov/calendar/