RUTHIE GOHL, who owns Columbia Mist Alpacas with her husband Daryl, is shown here holding one of their many alpacas and helping with shearing. Columbia Mist Alpacas is home to more than 50 award-winning alpacas. Photo courtesy of Columbia Mist Alpacas.
THE ALPACA GROUP, located in Ridgefield, has more than 200 alpacas with diversified bloodlines and colors on their 47-acre farm. They focus their breeding program on the fiber of their alpacas. The farm offers free farm tours, alpacas, raw and processed fiber and more. Photo courtesy of The Alpaca Group.
Each year for one weekend, area alpaca farm owners aim to educate the public on what it’s like to raise alpacas and the many uses they have during National Alpaca Farm Days, presented by the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association.
This year’s Alpaca Farm Days will be held Sat.-Sun., Sept. 28-29. Several North Clark County area alpaca farms will participate in Alpaca Farm Days, some offering farm tours, activities and more.
Here’s a look at some participating farms and activities they have planned:
The Alpaca Group
The Alpaca Group is located at 8092 S. 5th St., Ridgefield. The farm will be open for Alpaca Farm Days Sat.-Sun., Sept. 28-29, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Attendees can get hay rides out into the pasture, pet new bay alpacas and learn about raising alpacas. Farm staff will also have snacks and drinks available.
The farm’s alpaca boutique offers socks, gloves, scarves, sweaters, hats, stuffed animals and more, all made from alpaca wool. Everything is 10 percent off during Alpaca Days.
The Alpaca Group’s 47-acre farm is home to more than 200 alpacas with diversified bloodlines and colors. They focus their breeding program on the fiber of their alpacas. The farm regularly offers free farm tours, alpacas for sale, raw and processed fiber and items in the alpaca boutique.
For more information on The Alpaca Group, visit their website at www.thealpacagroupnw.com or call (360) 887-0492.
La Finca Alpacas
Owned and operated by Richard and Lisa Cruanas, La Finca Alpacas is located at 33410 NE 60th Ave., La Center. Visitors are invited to come to the farm Sat.-Sun., Sept. 28-29, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. to look around and enjoy the animals.
Every year for Alpaca Farm Days, La Finca Alpacas hosts a barbecue with hot dogs, cheeseburgers and drinks. There will also be activities for children and about 25 baby alpacas running around for children and adults to visit with and pet. Attendees can also enter to win two free fiber-quality males.
New to this year’s events, Richard said they will have some spinners at the farm performing demonstrations.
Other farms participating with La Finca Alpacas at the their farm include Lost Creek Farm and North Plains Alpacas.
For more information on La Finca Alpacas, call (503) 351-1616 or email lafincaalpacas@msn.com.
Columbia Mist Alpacas
Home to more than 50 award-winning alpacas, Columbia Mist Alpacas has won 177 ribbons, 10 color championships, three best handles of show and two second place awards and one third place award at the International U.S. Show for having the most uniform breeding program in just 23 of the largest U.S. alpaca shows. Located at 104 Morrison Height Rd., Woodland, Columbia Mist Alpacas is owned and operated by Daryl and Ruthie Gohl.
As a part of Alpaca Farm Days, Columbia Mist Alpacas will host their open house Sun., Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Attendees will have a chance to interact with their alpacas, including a number of babies as young as 3 months old. Their farm boutique, Delightful Treasures, will be open and will offer merchandise ranging from socks to scarves made from alpaca fleece. The fiber sorting and grading will also be open for viewing as well as yarn and roving being available for purchase.
This year, the Gohls have made available two male and female pet-quality alpacas free to good homes at no charge on a first-come basis.
For more information on Columbia Mist Alpacas, visit their website at www.columbiamistalpacas.com or call (360) 225-1763.
Serendipity Ranch
Started by Karen Rice and her daughter Pamela Conrad in 2011, Serendipity Ranch is located at 15704 NW 11th Ave., Vancouver. For Alpaca Farm Days, Serendipity Ranch will be open Sat.-Sun., Sept. 28-29, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. They will have raw fleece on display and for sale, and also products on display that are made from fleece. Carding, the process of preparing fleece for spinning, felting, weaving and other uses will also be demonstrated.
There will be light refreshments and new baby alpacas for attendees to enjoy.
Serendipity Ranch started out with three animals (two of which were given to them) and Rice and Conrad decided to name their ranch Serendipity after reading the definition, “happy accident/pleasant surprise.”
For more information on Serendipity Ranch, visit their Facebook page or call Conrad at (360) 798-7520 or Rice at (360) 903-3044.
Angelic 777 Alpacas
A relatively new alpaca farm, Angelic 777 Alpacas is located at 37218 NW Hillis Hill Rd., Woodland. The farm is not yet set up for visitors, but owner Sharon Mackey said they will take visitors by appointment only.
To make an appointment to visit Angelic 777 Alpacas, call Sharon at (360) 256-4388.
