PARIS – Alpacas at the Mountain Brook Farm greeted Open Farm Day guests on Sunday with mild curiosity, but that didn’t interfere with their enjoyment of fresh hay accompanied by a gentle humming. When agitated over the food, their sound is similar to croaking.
Dan Mingle, a physician, says his wife, Cindy, is the true farmer and knows each of their 53 alpacas at their South Paris farm by name. Coming in some 22 shades of fawn, gray, brown, black and white, their yield of soft wool fiber similar to cashmere, is sought by hand spinners and co-ops alike.
The Mingles started with seven females and one male 10 years ago and already have an awarding-winning farm.
Since 1985, when alpacas were introduced into the Unites States from Peru, 60 farms have been established in Maine alone.
There also is a Maine Alpaca Association, which oversees registration of the newborns that are called cria. The cria are checked for DNA against their registered sire and dam before they can be formally registered by the association. Alpacas along with llamas, vicunas and guanacos all belong to the camelid family. They were domesticated more than 5,000 years ago by the Incas in the high Andes.
The fine wool fiber that comes from an annual shearing can bring approximately $40 a pound. The first year’s wool is the best. Breeding stock range in price from $10,000 to $25,000 each, where a pet quality alpaca can go for $1,500.
There were visitors from surrounding areas enjoying the sunny day and taking advantage of the many farms participating in Open Farm Day.
On their Web site, www.mtbrookfarm.com, the Mingles state they’ve “found alpacas to be a wonderful family project. They are gentle, curious creatures with very distinct personalities.” Their site also includes photos of some of their animals.
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