Hello All! Our barn doors will once again be opened for our spring Shearing Festival on Mother's Day Weekend, May 7th and 8th from 10 am to 4 pm. We have lots of exciting events and festivities planned. Old favorites including crafts for the kids, halter training demonstrations, hands-on activities and opportunities for pictures with the alpacas are definitely on the agenda. NEW this year will be ongoing shearing demonstrations! Watch as we give our woolly friends one gigantic haircut and prepare them for the hot summer days ahead. Brand new inventory will also be making a debut in our prouct shop. An extensive variety of sweaters, stylish summer fashions, accessories, and alpaca yarns will be available to purchase. Don't see what you're looking for? We will also be taking special product orders all weekend! This will be an event to remember, jam packed with food vendors, fun activities, and of course - ALPACAS!

The summer was intensely hot but the alpacas made it through it all at Sugarloaf Alpaca Company (SAC). We are Frederick County’s largest alpaca breeder and are throwing open our barn doors for the Fall 2010 National Alpaca Farm Days. This event is being conducted in partnership with South Valley Alpacas and Absolute Alpaca Heaven on September 25 and 26th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The public is invited to this free event which is being held on the Sugarloaf Alpaca Company farm at 1347 Buckeystown Pike in Adamstown. This year’s event will include new activities and educational opportunities as well as last year’s spectacular show. The Open Barn event will allow farm visitors to meet the alpacas up close and personal. Alpacas enjoy alfalfa and carrots so we’ll have plenty on hand so that you can have them eating out of your hands. Yarn sales have been a big hit during past Open Barn events and this year we have expanded our offerings with new colors and a greater variety of weights. We stock patterns and ideas for trendy products made of alpaca fiber as well as the treasured standbys like alpaca scarves, hats and mittens. We also stock a variety of clothing items made from alpaca fiber which showcases just how luxurious alpaca fiber can be.
Farm visitors from last year’s event will recall watching the birth of a baby alpaca - Chester. While there is no guarantee the same will happen this year there are three moms due the week following the Open Barn Event so the potential exists for another birth. In total, 15 alpacas are due this fall so there is plenty of excitement to come!
At 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM each day the public is invited to attend a free 45 minute seminar to be held on the care, feeding and breeding of alpacas. You’ll learn just how easy it is to own and breed alpacas either as a business enterprise or simply for the love of an alpaca. Halter training demonstrations will occur directly after the seminars. You’ll be amazed at their ability to follow commands as well as jump, run and stand for judging competitions. These skills will be invaluable to the lucky farm visitor who registers for and wins a free pet male alpaca. It’s true, we will repeat last year’s excitement of giving away a pet male to someone who comes to the farm on Saturday or Sunday and register to win (qualifications apply).
Sugarloaf Alpaca Company was established in 2003 with a dozen alpacas hand-selected from one of the founders of the American alpaca industry. Since then the herd has grown to more than 85 animals with nearly two-dozen cria, or babies, due this year. Sugarloaf Alpaca Company’s business model includes selling breeding stock to existing alpaca breeders and mentoring new breeders. In addition, the company has herdsires for hire, boards a small number of alpacas for new breeders and sells yarn and other fiber and fiber arts products to the public. Anyone interested in alpaca breeding, yarn or fiber arts are welcome to come visit the alpacas and meet the producers. To arrange a visit at another time contact Nancy Brandt at 301-606-2133 or nancy@sugarloafalpacas.com

Wish you had been there!

Plan to stop by our farm as we throw open the barn doors and introduce you to our alpacas.  Enjoy the thrill of having the alpacas nibble carrots and alfalfa pellets from your hand.  Meet our newest arrivals who will be literally just days old but just as frisky, cute and soft as you can possibly imagine.  Learn about alpacas - where they came from and how they came to be here in America, what you feed them and what do you do with their fiber,  how you take care of them and how they take care of you!
Check out our fiber store and see and feel just how soft, warm and hypoallergenic their fiber products really are.  We stock socks, pillows, hats, scarves, capes and yarn of all types and, as we say, the yarn is "colored by nature and painted by rainbows."  You won't want to go home empty handed!