About
NeverSummer
Alpacas

About Alpacas

About
Steamboat
Springs

About Us

About NeverSummer Alpacas

We maintain a diverse herd of around 30 huacayas at our, 36 acre, Spindrift Ranch near Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

As a handspinner I was drawn to the luxurious fiber of alpacas and especially enjoy their wide range of natural colors. I have a passion for fleece and am always excited when I get a chance to spin some up. I find that it's a great way to assess the progress of our breeding program.

While I didn't have a livestock background, it didn't take long to realize the importance of reproductive strength in both our dams and sires. We value our older, "golden" females who breed easily each year and are great milkers and mothers and pass this trait on to their offspring. NeverSummer Alpacas' herd sires are chosen on the basis of several different qualities including fleece, conformation, temperament and reproductive background.

Our bloodlines include some of the most highly sought after names in the industry, both old and new, as well as some lesser-knowns. We are great believers in genetic diversity and hybrid vigor.

There are many benefits to dealing with a small breeder, especially one that is fairly remote as we are. Our commitment to both our alpacas and clients has to be exceptionally strong.

Affiliations

NeverSummer Alpacas is a member of the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association, Alpaca Breeders of the Rockies and the Alpaca Fiber Cooperative. We are also supporters of the Quechua Benefit and Alpaca Research Foundation. All our alpacas are registered with the Alpaca Registry, Inc.

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About Alpacas

Alpacas were bred in South America for their fabulous fleece before the time of the Incas. (Their close cousin, the larger llama, was bred as a beast of burden.) Although an ancient fiber, alpaca is a fiber for the future – warmer than wool, soft as cashmere, it also comes in a glorious assortment of natural colors. As our North American herd grows it will become more affordable as well.

These gentle, intelligent creatures are a joy to own. They are "easy keepers" - extremely efficient, economical to care for and very adaptable. Alpacas are herd animals and have quite a complex social structure. They also have distinctive personalities and are interesting to observe and interact with. In South America all of the alpacas' by-products are used. In fact, they eat them when their fiber quality dwindles around middle age and they use their dung for fuel. I've found that their dung makes superb fertilizer and the fact that they use a common pile makes poop-scooping a fairly easy task.

We shear our herd each year in early summer and as the happy, cool critters cavort back out to their pastures I'm left with mountains of beautiful fleece. This all has to be sorted and graded for appropriate end product uses - yarn for weaving or knitting, roving for rugs and batting for spinning or felting are just a few possibilities.

Farm visitors are always welcome – just give us a call!

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About Steamboat Springs

The Steamboat Springs area of Routt county offers many recreational opportunities year round with western flavor. Whether you prefer to ski, hike, mountain bike, kayak, fly fish, ride, rope or rodeo, thermal hot springs offer blissful recovery and the town boasts fine shopping, dining and night life.

Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association
P.O. Box 774408
Steamboat Springs, Co. 80477
970-879-0880
www.steamboat-chamber.com

Steamboat Central Reservations
800-922-2722

Inquiries and visitors are always welcome!

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