Owning Alpacas on a farm in Michigan


When I first brought my 6 new alpacas home I was inundated with questions from friends and family. Mostly I heard...What did you buy?? Then I was asked "Are you sure it is not too cold for them in Michigan?" " Or too hot?" "Or too seasonal?" "Or too...Or too?" No they are actually just fine in Michigan. They do well in cold weather. This must be due to the fabulous fiber they cart around 364 days a year. In early summer they are shorn so they stay cooler in the hot, humid, yuck weather. We have three sided houses in their pastures for them to seek shade. I actually think they are a well adapted animal to our Michigan climate. They seem to enjoy the 4 days of 90+ and then the sudden the drop to 72F for a few days. They don't even mind a beautiful sunny blue sky day and then blam! thunderstorm! In fact, I think they do better than we do. Overall alpacas are an even tempered, gentle spirit. They are contented to eat grass, roam around in their pasture, seek shelter when needed and spit when grain is delivered.
I love their serenity. I love to sit on my front porch and watch them graze or to see the crias prong about. Now that the we have owned alpacas for several years we are more apt to get questions like "When is the next cria coming?" or "Can I come and help shear?" or "Do you have any more of that rose gray fiber?"

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