Fife’s Firwood Farm Alpacas greet guests

Photos by Meghan Erkkinen

When Leanna Stidham decided to quit her job with the city of Puyallup a couple years ago, she wanted to pursue something she was passionate about: animals.

She and her husband, Greg, bought six alpacas, including four pregnant females, to raise on their lot in the Firwood area of Fife. These low-maintenance, South American mammals are related to llamas and camels. Alpacas stand about three feet tall at the withers and weigh between 100 and 200 pounds, making them smaller and easier to manage than their llama relatives.

“Once you look one in the eye, you just about fall in love,” Leanna Stidham said.

The Stidhams have their herd of 13 alpacas shorn once a year, in the late spring, and send away the animals’ soft fibers to be turned into yarn. Then, Leanna Stidham knits scarves, hats or berets to sell. Because alpaca fibers can be any of 22 different colors – ranging from black and white, to brown and grey, even reddish – the yarn does not need to be dyed to make colorful knits and patterns. Alpaca fibers have another benefit over sheep’s wool, too.

“It’s warm like wool, but it’s not as scratchy,” Leanna Stidham said.

By selling the yarn and clothing products, and by breeding and adopting out some of their alpacas, the Stidhams have managed to make money to significantly contribute to the cost of raising the animals.

“It’s less stressful than getting up and going to the office every day,” Leanna Stidham said. “It’s relaxing to just go out in the warm weather (to care for them).”

There are two types of alpacas, and the Stidhams have some of both. The huacaya have crimped, fluffy fleece, making them resemble teddy bears. The suri have stringy locks that cling to their bodies.

That is not to say there have not been challenges along the way, though. The couple has learned a lot over the past two years, about everything from nutrition to pregnancy and birth.

“There’s a lot to learn and know about them,” Leanna Stidham said.

The Stidhams’ alpacas range in age from a year to 16 years old and another is due to be born this August. Their alpacas are social because they have received a good deal of human interaction. They all have unique personalities. Their diet consists of grass, hay and special alpaca grain.

The Stidhams are opening up their household of Firwood Farm Alpacas to visitors June 6 and 7 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Alpaca Farm Days. Visitors can meet the alpacas, as well as other members of the Stidham household, which includes six cats, a dog, 12 chickens and a guard llama named Jethro. They can feed the alpacas and learn about how the alpaca fiber becomes yarn and view samples of alpaca fiber creations. The Firwood Farm Alpacas are located at 8021 50th St. E.

Just watch out – they spit.

For more information, call (253) 926-2582 or visit http://www.firwoodfarmalpacas.com.

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