Local alpaca farmer is a breed apart

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers FRIENDLY NUZZLE—Cindy Harris shares company with about 400 alpacas at Windy Hill ranch in Somis. Like most alpaca ranchers in the U.S., Cindy Harris knew little about the exotic pack animal. But lack of experience didn’t stop her from turning her passion for alpacas into a full-time occupation.

Harris was introduced to alpacas about 10 years ago. The 57year-old elementary school teacher now owns and operates the largest alpaca farm in California.

“Somewhere in all of us, there’s an inner rancher. There’s a whole group of people who are fed up with the rat race and city living so they’re buying land to grow food or raise livestock,” she said.

Harris, who raised four children before becoming a fourth grade teacher in the Las Virgenes Unified School District, didn’t know anything about alpacas until she bought a 14-acre ranch on Waters Road north of Moorpark and began learning about the animals. She had come from Agoura Hills.

“I loved teaching, but during my last year, I decided that it really would be fun to live some place where I could have my horse at home,” Harris said.

While agriculture didn’t appeal to Harris, she learned from a friend that she could still earn property tax credits by investing in a pair of alpacas.

“It was love at first sight. After some careful planning, I decided to take a big chance, take a leave of absence from teaching and throw all my energy into raising alpacas,” she said.

Harris established Windy Hill Farm in 2000 to board animals for other people and to expand her own herd. In 2004 she relocated to a larger property on Bradley Road in Somis to accommodate her growing operation, which now includes more than 400 alpacas, several herding dogs and two llamas.

Alpacas are members of the camel family and mostly resemble llamas. Their meat is consumed in the Andes, but not in America. The mammal’s value lies in its soft, luxurious coat, but the alpaca fleece industry won’t be fully viable until there are enough ranchers to support a commercial mill in the U.S, Harris said.

The animal’s soft fiber is lighter and warmer than wool and it’s hypo-allergenic.

Alpaca profits mostly come from breeding, not fleece. Alpaca farmers also receive tax advantages because they’re in the agricultural trade.

A pregnant female costs approximately $15,000. Some sell as low as $5,000, but superior stock can fetch up to $50,000. Breeding males cost about $25,000.

The cheaper animals are usually sold in pairs as pets. Alpacas are highly social animals and shouldn’t be left alone, Harris said.

Alcapas live approximately 20 years and reproduce once per year. There are two kinds of Alpacas: Huacaya and Suri. Huacaya fiber is crimped, dense and has a woolly appearance. Suri fiber is silky and forms twisted locks.

Moorpark resident Sherri Wadman, who lodges her 26 animals at Windy Hill Farm, said Harris is a well-informed alpaca farmer.

“She knows a lot about the animals and she has good connections in the alpaca industry so she’s also brokering animals for us,” Wadman said.

Wadman, another former educator, said she bought alpacas to teach her children the value of hard work and to show them the value of producing something in society, not just consuming.

Wadman spends much of her time helping at Windy Hill Farm and is developing a fleece business that will offer spinning and crocheting classes at the farm. In the long run, she and her family plan to buy land and raise their own alpacas.

“Alpacas are just about the right size and they’re pleasant animals. So buying and selling them is something we could do as a family,” Wadman said.

According to Harris, alpaca farmers are usually between the ages of 35 and 65, have expendable income, and are looking for a new investment opportunity.

Harris’s husband, Doug Feig, was a systems engineer in the aerospace industry prior to become an alpaca rancher at age 51. The couple was married in 2005 and now operate their farm together.

“I like working out there with alpacas. You make your own hours, you’re in charge of everything and you can make your own policy decisions,” said Feig, who is in charge of the farm’s breeding and record keeping.

Harris, who takes care of the animals, remains a teacher at heart and strives to create a place where people can learn about the industry. She seeks to offer educational programs for school children and budding alpaca farmers.

“The ranch slogan is ‘alpaca ownership with a safety net,’” Harris said.

Windy Hill hosts open ranch days for the public on the second Saturday of every month.