Fairhope Alpacas will participate in the first ever "National Alpaca Farm Day." Governor Bob Riley has proclaimed Sept. 29 "Alabama Alpaca Farm Day" as well.

On Sept. 29, alpaca breeders from across the United States and Canada will invite the public to come to their farm or ranch to meet their alpacas and learn more about these inquisitive, unique animals. From noon to 5 p.m., Fairhope Alpacas will welcome guests to join them, visit the alpacas, shop for alpaca products and yarn, and get all their alpaca questions answered FREE. Local spinners will be demonstrating the art of spinning alpaca fiber into yarn from 1to 3 pm.

Fairhope Alpacas is located at 20201 County Road 33 a few miles east of 181. To get there go south on County Road 33 from 48. Coming from the south go north on County Road 33 from County Road 32.

What IS an alpaca?

Alpacas, cousins to the llama, are native to the Andean Mountain range of South America, particularly Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.

Alpacas were first imported into the United States in 1984. Since then, the alpaca industry has grown steadily, according to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA), the backbone of the alpaca industry. Current estimates total over 100,000 registered alpacas with the Alpaca Registry Inc. (ARI) in the United States and more than 4,000 AOBA members in North America.

There are two types of alpacas in the United States today. Although almost physically identical, what distinguishes the two types of alpacas is their fiber. The Huacaya (wa-Ki‚-ah) is the more common of the two and has a fluffy, extremely fine coat. The Suri is the rarer of the two and has fiber that is silky and resembles pencil-locks. Fairhope Alpacas is home to a herd of 45 huacaya alpacas.

Adult alpacas stand at approximately 36 inches at the withers and generally weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. They do not have horns, hooves, claws or incisors. Alpacas are alert, intelligent, curious, and predictable. Social animals that seek companionship, they communicate most commonly by softly humming.

Alpacas are shorn, without harm, every twelve months. They produced five to ten pounds of luxurious fiber. Long ago, alpaca fiber was reserved for royalty. Today it is purchased in its raw fleece form by hand-spinners and fiber artists. Knitters buy it as yarn. Alpaca is also used for weaving and felting.

Because of its soft texture, alpaca fiber is sometimes compared to cashmere. Making the fiber even more coveted, it has the luster of silk. Alpaca is just as warm as, yet 1/3 the weight of wool. It comes in 22 natural colors, yet can be dyed any desired shade.

Containing no lanolin, alpaca fiber is also naturally hypoallergenic. Most people who are sensitive to wool find that they can wear alpaca without the itching or irritation they feel from wool because alpaca fiber is smooth.

Additional performance characteristics include: stretch, water repellency, and odor reduction. For travelers, clothing made from alpaca is desirable because it is wrinkle-resistant.

To find out more about National Alpaca Farm Day visit www.NationalAlpacaFarmDay.com. To find out more about Fairhope Alpacas, call Katy Spears at 929-0677 or visit them at www.fairhopealpacas.com.