Zookeeper since 1978, Laurie has an obvious love for all animals and especially the more unusual kind.  Through the years her responsibility for the well being of numerous endangered species has put her in a unique position to start up an alpaca breeding business. "In 2009 I moved back to the family farm in Rockford Minnesota and was thinking what I could do with the prime farm land set before me.  Alpacas were an opportunity to put my knowledge and skill to good use".  

I started my adventure with alpacas with the purchase of three fiber boys.  Like so many others interested in the alpaca, I attended several Alpaca shows, lectures and workshops prior to my first purchase to understand the breed, their fleece and talk to alpaca owners.  I found a wonderful community of alpaca owners ready and willing to mentor me and I found plenty of opportunities to expand my knowledge through conferences and workshops.

 

In 2010 I purchased my first bred female and the next year I was in the alpaca breeding business.  I have carefully selected breeding stock and herdsires with the intention to slowly and deliberately increase my herd and improve their genetics with each generation.  In 2015 I was well on my way to this goal with two of my alpacas listed in the top 1% of their EPDs .