Our Story: The New Farm in Montague, Michigan
So much has happened since 2019...
So much has happened since we first acquired the Grand Alpaca Company and moved to Montague, MI in 2015.
Les’ goal was to create a place where we would be able to take a fiber farmer’s harvest and turn it into a finished product for them. After years of hard work and planning, that dream became a reality in February 2019, construction started almost immediately on a 20 x 100 area, which was completed that August. It was important for us to remain as local as possible when purchasing our equipment and setting up the mill. Les was able to secure a deal to work with McDermott Manufacturing in East Jordan, Michigan where he was able to spend several weeks helping with the production of the equipment itself while simultaneously learning. This time was truly invaluable as he gained a vast amount of experience that would help us back on the home farm. The equipment was installed in September, and we began processing fiber immediately. By late October we were able to begin advertising and opened the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill to customers!
In March of 2020 we headed to the National Alpaca Show in Fort Wayne, Indiana, just as COVID-19 was shutting things down. In spite of the setback, the rest of the year found us working and staying busy since there are always animals that need to be fed, things to be fixed, and improvements to be made. We definitely never ran out of things to do!
A new metal roof was installed on the entire 100x100 barn in February of 2021 and, in August, Cherish was able to join the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill full time! Our well unfortunately went out that November (which proved to be a bit tricky to navigate and deal with), but thankfully by January 2022 our new well had been drilled and was working. This made life much easier in so many ways! Just recently, the last bit of hay acreage has been planted and is starting to grow, enabling us to finally be self-sufficient and eliminating the need for purchasing this resource elsewhere. We are excited to see where God leads us next at the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill!
Les’ goal was to create a place where we would be able to take a fiber farmer’s harvest and turn it into a finished product for them. After years of hard work and planning, that dream became a reality in February 2019, construction started almost immediately on a 20 x 100 area, which was completed that August. It was important for us to remain as local as possible when purchasing our equipment and setting up the mill. Les was able to secure a deal to work with McDermott Manufacturing in East Jordan, Michigan where he was able to spend several weeks helping with the production of the equipment itself while simultaneously learning. This time was truly invaluable as he gained a vast amount of experience that would help us back on the home farm. The equipment was installed in September, and we began processing fiber immediately. By late October we were able to begin advertising and opened the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill to customers!
In March of 2020 we headed to the National Alpaca Show in Fort Wayne, Indiana, just as COVID-19 was shutting things down. In spite of the setback, the rest of the year found us working and staying busy since there are always animals that need to be fed, things to be fixed, and improvements to be made. We definitely never ran out of things to do!
A new metal roof was installed on the entire 100x100 barn in February of 2021 and, in August, Cherish was able to join the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill full time! Our well unfortunately went out that November (which proved to be a bit tricky to navigate and deal with), but thankfully by January 2022 our new well had been drilled and was working. This made life much easier in so many ways! Just recently, the last bit of hay acreage has been planted and is starting to grow, enabling us to finally be self-sufficient and eliminating the need for purchasing this resource elsewhere. We are excited to see where God leads us next at the Grand Alpaca Farm and Fiber Mill!
