Menu
Shearing day — Alpacas get summer haircuts at 'Walpaca Ranch'
ARAPAHOE, Neb. — Rancher JoDee Walbridge of "Walpaca Ranch" northeast of Arapahoe hosted an alpaca shearing in her historic 1930s-era barn on May 30.
"Top Notch Shearing" of Fort Collins, Colo., arrived to shear JoDee's herd of 11 animals, and neighbors brought in 19 more.
JoDee raises alpacas for their fiber, but she adds, "They just make me happy. Mine are all very tame — they're family."
Alpaca fiber is hyp0allergenic and because it wicks away moisture, it's great for hats and gloves, JoDee said. Tightly woven into a "dryer ball," it will cut clothes dryer time in half, she added.
The Shepherd's Mill in Phillipsburg, Kan., spins JoDee's fiber into a yarn, some of which she supplements with bamboo fiber and recycled silk scarves for added strength and color.
"It's a very high-end yarn," she said, explaining that it's best suited for experienced knitters, crocheters and spinners, to whom she sells yarn.
JoDee, an Arapahoe native and retired special education teacher, fed the shearing crew and neighbors before and after. "In true Nebraska style, we share a meal afterward," JoDee said.
