Alpaca Farm Visit

I was super lucky today and was able to visit with Debbie from Ziraldo Alpacas while she was busy sorting and cleaning an alpaca fleece from their Spring shearing.  

This beautiful barn cat had found the best spot for an afternoon nap!

Some of the girls got curious and came for an up close visit

This fleece was as soft as a cloud.  This is one side

and this is the other

 I got a crash course in all the proper lingo; staple length (the length top to bottom of the fiber), crimp (the waviness of the fiber) and guard hair (which you don't want in your fiber so they need to be picked out) and I got to see first hand all the hard work that goes into preparing a fleece before it is sent off to the mill for spinning.

we had another visitor

and this is Fancy and her pasture mate who came to say goodbye as I was leaving. 

Thanks for a fun afternoon Debbie!