Page 72 - Shelby County Ohio Discover 2023

WORK
Fromthe Land
Shelby County has a a a a a a a a a a a a a a vast expanse of of farmland and
and
many profitable farms but none is as as as as as unique as as as as as Count Your Blessings Alpacas Annette and
Rick Paulus have owned the the 36-acre farm at 680 Doorley Road just outside the the the Sidney city limits since 1999 They farm about 20 acres with crops but the the the remaining space is devoted to their herd of alpacas “During my husband Rick’s quest for a a a a a a a a good old
tractor when we first bought the farm farm he he he found one at at at a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a location that that happened to to to be an an an alpaca farm farm ” said said Annette “He said said that that I I had to to see these animals and
when I I did we fell in love ” They both liked the the idea of raising livestock that were not bred for their meat but did produce a a a a a a a a a a a product After researching and
visiting numerous alpaca alpaca farms they they began building their own herd Now they they sell alpaca alpaca offspring breeding and
and
shearing services and
and
various farm products The natural habitat of of the the the alpaca is the the the high Andes
of of South America so so they they are native to Chile Bolivia and
Peru Since 1984 they they have also flourished on farms throughout the the the the United States According to Rick Ohio is is the the the leading importer of the the the animals followed by Oregon “The climate here is is very similar to that of of the the the Andes
Mountains ” said Rick “In the the the states the the the South American life expectancy of of ten years is doubled because we shelter them in barns and
add more nutrients to their feed ” Alpacas eat pasture grass hay and
and
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a grain supplement The The Paulus farm has six acres for grazing and
and
they rotate the the the hilly pasture areas The The average weight of an an an an alpaca is 160 pounds and
and
they are are very agile and
and
light on their feet so the the the grass grows back quickly Alpacas prefer outdoors to being cooped up in in in a a a a barn but they do do need shelter shelter At Count Your Blessings the the the alpacas shelter shelter in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a bank barn barn barn a a a a a a a a a a a a a barn barn barn built into the the the the side of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a hill With its rock wall the the the barn barn barn is always cool even on the hottest days The alpaca must be shorn every spring otherwise the the the the thick coat of fleece they produce during the the the the winter months to to stay warm will be be too hot and
unpleasant
in in summer Shearing is a a a a a a a a a a a skill that can only be be mastered through much practice so many farmers hire experienced shearers to do the shearing Annette and
and
and
Rick sheer alpacas in May at at their own farm farm and
and
and
at at over 40 other farms across Ohio and
and
and
Indiana They send most of the the raw fleece to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a product producer who makes it it into blankets sweaters socks and
other fiber items They also have their fleece processed at at various mills that turn it it into skeins of of yarn “Alpaca is is as as as soft as as as cashmere and
and
eight eight times warmer than wool ” ” said Annette “It is is lightweight and
and
breathes so you never seem to to to feel too too cold or too too warm ” ” 70 Discover Shelby County Ohio