Today we begin the work of getting all of the gear packed to go to the North American Alpaca Show in Springfield, Mass. http://www.naalpacashow.com/ Archie, Lia and Maestro will all be competing in their first alpaca show and this is a BIG one. As you know, our farm is also The Alpaca Center of New England, an educational organization and a proud sponsor of the North American Alpaca Show. We will have a large display set up for the Alpaca Center of New England as well as the Maine Alpaca Association. It will be exciting! Attending one of these large Alpaca Shows is just amazing whether an alpaca owner or just a big fan of alpacas. There will be pictures posted on facebook as we capture the 3 days of events so stay tuned for all of the excitement!

It's show time!

We can't believe it is already time for our first Alpaca Show of the year!

Next weekend Robin, Corry, Ari & Meg will be attending the North American Alpaca Show with the three crias.  Laelia, Archimdes and Maestro are all ready for their very first show.

Are we ready? That is the real question!


Wish Lia, Archi and Maestro good luck!

Archi

Lia

Maestro

Follow our Facebook that weekend (April 2nd-3rd)  for updates and pictures from the show.


To read more information on the event click here.

A reciept you can finally care about!

We are constantly striving to provide our customers with outstanding service and products.  Recently we have upgraded our credit card system. 

We are now using Square!

Square allows us to accept MANY credit cards, we are no longer limited to only Visa & Mastercard!

Square gives us flexibility, we will be able to accept credit and debit purchases at trade shows and other events!  No more cash only or finger pinching machines!

We can send your receipt to your e-mail account or directly to your phone. No more worrying about digging through your bag to find your receipt, you'll have a copy on your computer within seconds of your purchase. 

What will your receipt look like?

Lost your receipt? No problem, print out another one!


Do you like to have a paper receipt in hand after purchase? We understand! We are in the process of updating our register so you will have a choice.

You  hear us talking about Alpacas being GREEN, now our business is joining the revolution.  

Paperless receipts save energy and expenses.

Green

Saint Patrick's Day is all about being GREEN. This year we're taking green to a whole new level, it isn't just a color, it's a lifestyle.

What does it mean to be green?
Being green means acting in an environmentally responsible manner.

Alpacas are green? YES!

• Their soft padded feet do not cut into the topsoil.
• Alpacas are kinder to the pasture, they do not pull up grass by the roots.
  
• This allows faster pasture recovery and minimizes soil erosion.
• Alpacas’ fiber, grows quickly and is lighter, warmer (meaning it takes fewer strands than wool to insulate) and softer than wool.
  
• Alpaca fiber is naturally hypo-allergenic, meaning it does not contain lanolin.
  
• Alpacas consume far less water than most other herds. Their efficient 3-stomach digestive system metabolizes most of what they eat.
• Their pellet-like droppings are Ph balanced and an excellent, natural, slow release, low odor fertilizer or for use as bio-fuel.
• They lack upper incisor teeth, so they do not chew and tear the native vegetation. Rather, they gently "cut" it against their palate, which encourages plant regrowth.
• Sheep fleece contain lanolin (the substance that causes wool allergies). A multi-step detergent wash is needed to remove most of the lanolin. Alpaca needs to go through a fiber-scouring phase also – just fewer and less harsh chemicals are required.
• Alpacas come in many natural colors – offering a full array of ‘natural’ as opposed to chemically dyed products.
• Manufacturing synthetic fibers is energy-intensive and can release lung-damaging pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides, particulates, carbon monoxide and heavy metals into the air, as well as climate-warming carbon dioxide.
• Even the less desirable fiber (lower legs, stomach, neck etc) is being used as natural weed mats around trees, and for indoors rugs.
• Alpaca clothing breathes naturally which helps keep perspiration away from the skin.

Want to learn more?
Check Out This Website


Wear your green this St. Patricks day by supporting sustainable, local businesses!

Visit our farm and experience sustainable, environmentally friendly, GREEN alpacas for yourself.

Friends & Fiber Night

This Wednesday, March 9th is our monthly Friends & Fiber night at Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm!

You can arrive anytime after 4pm and we will provide light snacks and beverages. Feel free to bring along snacks too! Bring your knitting, spinning, weaving or just an interest in watching others work with fiber. We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

Robin & Corry

And of course the Alpacas

Happy Birthday Grandmother Flanagan!

Mary decided to treat her mother to a special and unique 84th birthday. For her birthday she surprised her mother with our RentAlpaca program. She came out for a visit and shared these wonderful pictures with us. 

After getting to know the girls she chose Mary Lou! 

Thanks again for sharing these photos with us Mary.

Happy Birthday Salsa!

Salsa turned 11 yesterday!  Some of her friends came to wish her a happy birthday!

Griffin and his mother, whom shares her birthday with Salsa, visited, massaged and even gave Salsa a special cake. (Apples with alfalfa grain frosting!)

What was Salsa's birthday wish?  More cake!

Needless to say, Salsa had a wonderful birthday.  She says thank you to all of her loving friends.

Visiting Friends

Thank you Rebecca, for sharing this wonderful photo with us and others.

Salsa with her new best friends, Austin & A.J.

Pam Wells took these wonderful photos yesterday.  Thank you for sharing Pam! 

Pam takes beautiful wildlife photos.  We have some prints available for sale in our shop & we have free 2011 calendars showcasing some of her breathtaking photos. 

Visit Pam's Website Here

Our favorite shot of the day, the girls. 

Archimedes

Archimedes, Maestro & Laelia

Paxson, Eclipse & Murphy

Laelia

Laelia

Laelia

Maestro

Salsa & Sonni

The girls: Sonni, Salsa, Splenda & Mary Lou

The girls: Salsa, Sonni, Splenda & Mary Lou

Space Cowboy, Eclipse & Murphy

Murphy, Eclipse & Aniken

Space Cowboy, Murphy

New Children's Items!

We're excited to offer some really cute new children's apparel!  We have added some spring items to our inventory!

This month we are giving away a FREE finger puppet with your children's apparel purchase!  

Made from alpaca fiber.

*while supplies last

So many options!

About our "barn" scene sweaters:

These adorable childrens 100% acrylic novelty cardigans are machine made with hand applied applique. These fun cardigans provide warmth and are fully machine washable and dryable.

Call or visit our store for color and sizing options.

*Colors and sizes may vary
Visit our website for contact information!

 

Matching barn scene hats

Mother & child zip up sweaters