BMR Acres to Participate in National Alpaca Farm Days

(Sullivan) On September 26 and 27, 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.

On Sunday, September 27^th from 10 to 4, BMR Acres will welcome guests to join them for many activities. Enter a free drawing to win a gift basket of alpaca fiber products. Have your picture taken with an alpaca, feed the animals, watch local artisans, shop at local vendor tables and of course stop in and browse through the wonderful items in our Country Farm Store. Snacks and refreshments will also be for sale. Proceeds benefit the Divine Nature at BMR Acres Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. BMR Acres is located at 2542 Pine Ridge Road, Canastota, NY 13032, and there is no admission fee.

BMR Acres, owned by Brian and Mary Ellen Rose is located at 2542 Pine Ridge Road in Canastota in the Town of Sullivan. Just drive about 3 miles out of the Village of Canastota down North Main Street, take a left at the Pine Ridge Road/North Main Street intersection (Great Swamp Conservancy is on the corner) and follow Pine Ridge Road all most to the end. We are two houses before Pine Ridge Road and Gee Rd intersection.

About Alpacas

Alpacas, cousins to the llama, are beautiful, intelligent animals native to the Andean Mountain range of South America, particularly Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. The United States first commercially imported alpacas in 1984. There are now over 150,000 ARI (Alpaca Registry, Inc.) registered alpacas 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.

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.

About Alpaca Fiber

Alpacas are shorn, without harm, every twelve to eighteen 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.

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.

About AOBA

Headquartered in Nashville, TN, the Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association (AOBA) serves to facilitate the expansion of a strong and sustainable alpaca industry through the growth and development of the national herd and its products. Since AOBA’s formation in 1988, its membership has grown steadily to more than 4,000 members with over 150,000 registered alpacas in North America.

About EAA

The Empire Alpaca Association (EAA) is the New York State affiliate of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association. EAA has over 250 active members. Its mission statement is: to promote, educate and support the alpaca breeders, owners, and enthusiasts of New York State. EAA is a very vibrant affiliate working hard to support members with outstanding events such as the Empire Alpaca Extravaganza. The Extravaganza is an annual alpaca show held at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. This year’s show will take place on October 24 and 25 with over 1000 alpacas, alpaca product vendors, and seminars. It is open to the public and admission is free. To learn more about alpacas or to locate an alpaca farm in your area, visit www.nyalpacas.com.

To find out more about National Alpaca Farm Days visit www.NationalAlpacaFarmDays.com. To learn more about BMR Acres, visit www.bmracres.com or call toll free: 1-877-855-4BMR.

CALL TO ALL VENDORS, ARTISANS, FARMS:

We are looking for vendors & artisans who might be interested in selling, displaying and/or demonstrating their craft or product one or all days – September 27th from 10-4. And it’s free, there are no vendor, table, or space fees. Farms who might want to bring their livestock/animals to ‘advertise’ what they do or raise are welcome also (depending on size of livestock and what we can accommodate). I would need to know as soon as possible so that we can plan appropriate spacing. Spacing is limited so it will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please call us toll free at 1-877-855-4BMR (4267) or locally at 315-697-5476.

2 Comments on "BMR Acres to Participate in National Alpaca Farm Days"

Mary EllenRose on Tue, 22nd Sep 2009 10:10 am

Please Note: Event will be held on Sunday, September 27th only. Time remains the same, 10-4.

karen bandera on Tue, 6th Oct 2009 10:44 am

Hi I am not a vendor.I am currently out of work due to spinal surgery. My family is having a hard time right now.I was wondering if i might be able to get some wool for some craft projects i would like to make for christmas presents. Maybe you could give me a reasonable price. Please contact me via e-mail or phone at 697-9364. Thank you,sincerely Karen Bandera

BMR Acres to Participate in National Alpaca Farm Days

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