ALPACAZONIA FIBER COLLECTION PROJECT

FIBER COLLECTION

We collected 72.6 lbs of Southern California “short/robust” fiber via Beckie Perrell of Loomis Alpacas, who delivered clean/sorted fiber from Julie Roy of Alpacas of Anza Valley and Cindy Hager of Heaven Can Wait Alpacas.

Dave, Sandra and Beckie transferring fiber at I-5 turn off to Paso Robles on 12 July 2011

                   

A truck load of fiber bags back at the ranch!

We met Ian Watt, President of SoCalpaca, to pick up more fiber sent by Cindy Mendiola of Critter Country Ranch and Julie Roy of Alpacas of Anza Valley.

Dave Wallace taking fiber delivery from Ian Watt in Templeton, CA  - 19 July 2011 

Thanks to everyone helping us on this venture!

There are 17 California and 3 Arizona alpaca fiber producers“sorting for dollars” at the moment.

We’re in the process of inspecting and weighing bags today, while celebrating our 48^th wedding anniversary!!!

WE WON!

Our local group of project supporters, the Paca Pals, entered the CA Mid State Fair Community Display Booth competition and we won first place!

L to R top: Barbara Zachary, Pat Schulz, Sandra Wallace, Marya Bolyantz, bottom: Daphne Capaldi, Connie Zamora    The Paca Pals

We’ll be attending the Fair tomorrow, Thursday, 21 July, between 1 and 3 pm, to do fiber demonstrations for Fair goers!

Come join the fun!

Alpacazonia Fiber Collection Update

WHAT DOES 2,000 LBS OF ALPACA FIBER LOOK LIKE?

At 4 lb per bag - short/robust blanket or neck/leg fiber = 500 bags

At 20 lb per bag = 100 bags

At 400 lb per bale = 5 bales

At 500 lb per bale = 4 bales

As of today, the Alpacazonia Fiberometer level is, via reports from 8 participants during teleconference call held Wed evening, July 6:

We have 14 committed alpaca farms/ranch sellers to date. The tally will increase when all sorting reports are in this week.

                                                                                                                                 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PREP 2,000 LBS OF SHORT ROBUST ALPACA FIBER FOR PROCESSING?

At 1 lb per hour = 2,000 hours / 40 hour work week = 12 ½ months at 8 lbs per day.

At 1 lb per half hour = 1,000 hours / 40  = 6 ½ months at 16 lbs a day.

At 1 lb every 15 minutes = 500 hours / 40 = 3 months at 32 lbs a day.

On my best days, I’ve sorted 20 lbs max so far, but my average is 5 or less lbs during recent heat wave…

Therefore, one person alone cannot possibly sort and collect 2,000 lbs of alpaca fiber within 5 weeks, when sorting leg bags for length! We have to be able to point to 50 lbs sorted every single day for solid 6 weeks to meet our goal. Can you help us?

With 14 owners participating in the project, plus 8 of us having committed to invite two more ranches each, to join us by next week - If we end up with 30 sellers, we will reach our goal IF each contributes an average of 52 additional lbs per producer by deadline later this month!  Doable.               

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USA BUSINESS CULTURE

My eldest son cautions me that “successful” businesses in the U.S. are cut-throat and that one has to protect themselves from competitors, by locking in supply and keeping sources and insider information secret.

I believe that our country’s poor economic situation can only change when we become socially responsible to each other and decide to work together as business entrepreneurs for universal good.  There’s power and influence in scale and numbers, whether dealing with lowering production costs (vets, shearers, transporters, shipping, and feed) or with increased profitability and fairer price points for our fiber in production sales options. I believe that working hard and smart, while supporting colleagues rather than competing against them is best, and not the antithesis to success.

This...equals this...

Prove me correct and help me teach my son how things CAN be done better by networking together without elite status tiers keeping us disconnected,  fragmented and at odds with each other as USA alpaca owners and fiber producers.

This...equals this! 

Equine horse cinch to be made from 8 ply worsted alpaca yarn

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Alpaca owners and colleagues across the country, plus manufacturers and processors are watching and waiting to see what we do here on the West Coast. Let’s show them what positive change looks like, California and Arizona!              

                                                                                                                             

WHAT ANGEL INVESTORS WANT:  Last year I attended two venture capital investor workshops at two different California Universities. As I listened to the presentations of start-up companies, followed by  evaluations of potential investors, this is what I heard, “We want to invest in new products, developed by visionary entrepreneurial owners, who can show us how their company is going to contribute to their community, to our country and to the planet, with respect for economy, ecology and the well being of other people, in addition to bottom line profits.”                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                               

MANUFACTURERS WANT specs to length and certain grades and sometimes color, with consistency and reliable sustainable quantity being the key. Some mills want between 4”-6” length staples and others work with shorter fibers, especially for non-woven processes.  There are those owners who say they can send fiber right off the animal “as is” and it doesn’t matter whether it’s sorted or clean. Some mills claim the same.  I say, “Junk in, Junk out”. Why pay extra for shipping, and then have someone else determine how much of your clip is “waste” or “unusable” or charge extra for what you can do yourself?                     

                                                                                                                               

TURNING WINE COUNTRY INTO FIBER COUNTRY:

Imagine being a grower of any other commodity and not having a contract in advance for your crop.

 Imagine spending thousands of dollars and hours of labor as a vintner to produce a certain number of lbs of wine grapes – then not picking them off the vine.  Instead, you decide to let them turn into raisins over time, but still aren’t willing to harvest them and get them into production and on the tables of eager consumers. Imagine.

Herd at Summer Pasture with Vineyard…we grow fiber, while our neighbors grow grapes

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We hope you enjoyed your 4^th of July Holiday – now it’s time to get back to work sorting and collecting our annual clip for real alpaca business development!

Join us in our current challenge to reach 2,000 lbs clean sorted fiber, ready for baling and shipment within just a few more weeks. We CAN!

Paying the producer first.

Be ready!

                                                     

Alpacazonia Fiber Collection Pilot Project – Update     1st July 2011

 

We’re at 350 lbs since project launch three weeks ago, with the help of alpaca fiber producers in CA & AZ…join us, if you own alpacas in these two states, to help meet our 2,000 lb goal by mid July deadline!

We can do this! Sorting for length is doable! It just takes time and determination.

Earning $1.50 lb for otherwise unwanted alpaca fiber means we can now cover some herd maintenance overhead costs – it’s a good beginning and we now have our foot in the door to establish USA alpaca fiber production on a commercial textile level – with the producer paid first in the development of alpaca end products via established USA manufacturers.  

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Current Participating Alpaca Owners:

Sandra Wallace - Alpacas at Crossroads Ranch - Paso Robles, SLO County.  805-237-9640  swallace@rain.org   “CEO” of project, & Resident Sorter. Dave Wallace – Tumbler in Chief.

Daphne Capaldi - Alpacas at Capaldi Ranch - Paso Robles, SLO County   818-515-2216   daphne@capaldiranch.com

  .

Yvonna Ray - Ray of Sunshine Alpacas - Oakdale, Stanislaus Co. 209-848-2917   yvonnaray@clearwire.net

    

Linda Snook -  Light Heart Ranch - Willcox, AZ   805-233-2782 linda@lightheartranch.com    

Pat Schulz – Five Oaks Alpacas  Templeton in SLO Co.  805-462-3525 fiveoaksalpacas@wildblue.net

Barbara Zachary – New Age Alpacas  Atascadero in SLO Co.  805-461-1815  barzac1@charter.net  

Cindy Mendiola  –   Critter Country Ranch   Moreno Vy in Riverside Co.  951-243-2574  mmend96466@aol.com 

Cindy Hager – Heaven Can Wait Alpacas   Victor Valley in San Bernardino Co.  760-949-8324 hcwalpacas@yahoo.com    

Shirley Ritter & Lisa Ritterbuck – Alpacas at Wind Dance   Avila in SLO Co.  805-595-2693  winddance@charter.net           

Beckie Perrell – Loomis Alpacas   Loomis in Placer Co.  916-768-0735  bperell@starstream.net 

                                                                                                                     

NEWS:

Beckie Perrell is traveling from Placer Co. on the I-5 this week, plus other freeways, and will be returning North from San Diego on July 12. Call her on her cell listed above to arrange meet up, in order to send your clean sorted fiber up to Paso Robles.  We will inspect and weigh bags here, then cut you a check for $1.50 per lb. Put any necessary I.D. on a file card, plus your determined weight and place in each of your clear plastic bags. Compress air out of large bags for easier transport.  If sending several small bags, press or suck out air with a vacuum and seal in box for less cargo space. Beckie is driving a Yukon.

                                                                                                                         

Daphne Capaldi will loan Alpacazonia Fiber Collection project a battery operated calibrated livestock scale…once we know exactly how much additional fiber needs to be collected closer to our deadline. Dave and I will make a run in our livestock trailer, prior to baling, to meet sellers at key locations, inspect fiber bags, weigh and pay $1.50 lb. on the spot. No date(s) set yet.

Daphne has made one run down south to collect and purchase raw fiber at $.50 lb usable, and then she’s sorting to specs and tumbles fiber clean and sells to project at S1.50 lb.

She's placed her tumbler indoors and put up a pop-up tent with plastic sheet sides to contain the dirt and 2nd cut or too short fiber pieces dropping out of it. A floor fan keeps all unwanted debris from invading her greater workshop sorting and fiber storage areas. 

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Cindy Hager is constructing what she’s dubbed “Fleece Baskets” out of PVC. She’s going to use canvas or mesh to form sides, to hold her fiber bags. I’m guess’n 5’ x 5’ x 4’. Very cool! I need several! A good way to tidy up your shop, garage or barn and keep your fiber storage chaos under control!

Photo by Cindy Hager

Keep sorting your clip(s) everyone – for now and for the future! Contact someone on the list and see if you can network together with them to sort, collect and sell.

                                                                                                                              

It will take more than a village!

Photo by Laurie Donnelly

Peruvian Women weaving together prolifically. Notice those on the sidelines doing nothing but watching and waiting for the spectacular results, missing out on the real fun and experience...

…hint, hint