We are the proud owners and daily operators of Alpaca Pastures of Virginia.
Patrick and I met in August of 1987, our friendship of many years blossomed and we were married on May 1st 1999. In many ways Patrick and I are very different but where it counts we have a strong connection. We are both from large families, Patrick is one of 6 children and I am the oldest of 5 children. The dedication to our family and our commitment to each other is the bond that our relationship is built on.
The move to our country home and our genuine affection for animals led us to the decision to raise alpacas. Why alpacas? We had researched raising dogs and different types of livestock but in the long run it appealed to us that alpacas are fiber producing animals and are not slaughtered for meat. Our alpacas are easy to handle and offer us a rewarding lifestyle. For us, raising alpacas is a labor of love and a source of income for our retirement.
Patrick has worked in warehousing since he was 19 and has the practical experience and strength to manage the day to day operation of our farm. His carpentry skills and CDL license are utilized to maintain our barns and fencing and transport our alpacas to the shows. In 2010 we had 17 inches of snow, watching him carry a 50 pound bale of hay on his shoulder from our hay barn to our alpaca barn is an example of his dedication to our alpacas.
I have worked in Information Technology since 1986 as a developer, systems analyst, and project manager. I’ve utilized my analytical, business management, and technical skills to handle the farms business transactions, design our marketing materials, develop our website, prepare training materials, and conduct our tours & seminars. I am an analyst at heart and strive to apply what I learn to the care and maintenance of our herd.
