Exciting News for Our Alpaca Owners! 🦙✨
For those of you who have purchased alpacas from us at Little Valley Farm, we’re thrilled to introduce a brand-new service starting in 2025!
During the upcoming shearing season, make sure to save your fleece, as we will soon offer hand-spinning services to help you transform your fleece into beautiful, usable yarn.
In the next eight weeks, we’ll provide all the details on how this service will work. In the meantime, as you prepare for shearing, be sure to store your fleece properly and skirt it carefully to get the best.
More info coming soon. Daniela.
While genetics play a major role, management practices also have a significant impact on fleece quality. By controlling fibre growth and timing shearing properly, you can ensure optimal results. Here are a few key tips:
Timing: Shear before pasture plants set seed to minimise contamination from vegetable matter and shear in Spring before it get to hot.
Clean paddocks: Keeping paddocks free of debris is crucial for maintaining fleece purity.
Nutrition and environment: Dust, poor nutrition, and environmental factors can affect the fleece's luster, tensile strength, and colour. Maintaining good animal health and nutrition is essential to prevent "tender fleece" that breaks easily.
Water sources: Keep alpacas away from creeks and dams to avoid fleece damage.
When to Shear
The timing of shearing is important, especially as spring approaches.
What we need
Saddle only. Skirt and remove any short legs and neckpieces. You may lose up to 30% during the process and remove any dirt and vegetation matter.
What you will receive
70-80 g per yarn ball. Anywhere from 8 to 20 yarn balls (adult-size fleece).
Price
Will get quoted once we inspect the fleece. Price will include GST and P&P charges.
This yarn processing service is exclusively available to those who have purchased alpacas from us.
