On April 22 and 23^rd, 2006, you are all invited to come to the First Annual Multi Farm Tour in Mid Tennessee.  Four local area farms, one being Black Mountain Alpacas, are opening up their farms to folks contemplating alpacas in their future.  The idea is to let people get some hands on experience with the animals to see if this is the life for them. We will discuss and answer any and all topics including but not limited to fencing, pasture management, fiber, birthing and guard animals.  Visitors can help trim toenails, give a vaccination or halter train a weanling.

We have crias expected through out the months of April and May, so newborns will be a common sight, as they pronk in the pastures and entertain us all.

April 24^th and 25^th are Shearing Days.  Shearing is a very important event around here.  It is the time of year we prepare our alpacas for the summer.  They each receive a full body shearing, by a professional shearer, a pedicure and vaccination.   We collect the fleeces and make decisions if the fleece will be shown in a competition, made into yarn or processed by hand into some wonderful garment.

May 28^th and 29^th we will be at the Great Smoky Mountains Lama Show at the Walters State Community college in White Pine, TN.  This is an ALSA Level II show for the Llamas and a Level I show for the Alpacas.  We will be a vendor at the show too, featuring our new line of spinning wheels, beautiful hand spindles and alpaca apparel too.

In June, you will find us at the 2006 AOBA National Conference in Louisville, KY.  This is the biggest alpaca event of the year.  Our animals will compete in the Fleece Show and Heather will submit entries in the Fiber Arts Competition.  The Website at www.AlpacaShows.com has all the information you need to join us there!

July is usually a quiet month and will be spent back at the farm as our grandchildren visit and play with the alpacas. Our granddaughter Elizabeth is a natural with the animals and Matthew makes sure they always have what they need.

August we plan to travel a little bit here and there, to relax and recharge the batteries, but we’ll be home in between, so call us if you plan to visit. You just might catch us at home.

Throughout the summer months, ongoing lessons are available in spinning, knitting, felting and dyeing fibers. Just call to make your arrangements.

September takes us locally to a halter show in Harriman, TN.  Usually in the middle of the month, The Tennessee Llama Community is kind enough to invite alpacas to their show and we are nice enough to show up.  Watch for exact dates at www.tennllama.com. Look for us in the show ring    (Photo of ajreservechampion)

October is busy for us.  Pioneer Days, held here in Crossville, TN at the Cumberland County Complex and Fairgrounds is where we will be the 1^st of the month.  It is a local exhibition that illustrates how things were done in the old and not so old days.  Look for Heather at her spinning wheel this weekend

The last full weekend in October is the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville, NC, held on the 27^th, 28^th and 29^th of Oct.  It is a fiber fanatic’s dream.  Everything from the animals to the fiber can be found at this festival.  Rabbits, Sheep, Goats, and Llamas join our Alpacas for the weekend to show off themselves and their fiber.  This is a great opportunity to educate and enhance our knowledge of the fiber arts.  Classes and workshops are given on all subjects.  The full schedule and complete listing can be found at www.saffsite.org.

November is Baby watch, again, as we wait for Lucie’s, Mariah’s, Lillibel’s, Rosetta’s, and Yasmin’s crias. 

December, January and February finds us, at home finishing up the chores and preparing for the winter. 

Visitors are welcome anytime at Black Mountain Alpacas, but please call first, so we can arrange to spend some time with you and show you around our farm and introduce to our beautiful alpacas. Just call us at 931-707-1996, and we’ll plan your visit.