About Us
Located in Gilroy, California 95020
We Love Them Alpacas and want the world to know just how great they are. Our goal is to have healthy and happy alpacas. We are trying to maintain holistic practices on our ranch. We are also learning the Marty McGee Camilid Handling practice and doing our best to incorporate it.
Our Goal
Breed for the health and vigor of the alpaca while improving the quality and quantity of the fleeces. Educate and introduce people to the wonderful world of alpacas.
Our History
Our ranch is operated by Richard and Robin Vasquez (that's us). We became interested and involved in Alpacas just a short time ago. In may of 2006 we brought home our first alpacas. We live on 20 acres in Gilroy, California. We are right along side the 101 freeway just 3 miles south of San Martin and 7 miles south of Morgan Hill and three miles north of Gilroy City limits.
Years ago the entire valley was made up of beautiful orchards. Our land was a prune orchard planted and taken care of by my father Melvin Silvera. It was a sad day when you could not longer profitably care for an orchard and the beautiful trees were pushed over and burned. The land has been leased out for various row crops for the last 15 years. The lease was not renewed and it was our decision to take the land back and make it into a thriving working ranch again. Neither of us knew a thing about farming or row crops. Richard's knowledge was pretty strong in the area of cattle and horses. I, on the other hand, am a big animal lover so eating cattle I raise and feed was out of the question. We talked seriously about horses but it seemed to be a big endeavor that would take us years to get started properly. We then came across alpacas and we have been on a roller-coaster ride since then. We were married in December of 2005 and five months later had a working alpaca ranch with 23 alpacas and and two guard llamas.
Fast Forward 2011
Alpacas are bred and raised for their fiber. We have become very interested and invested in the fiber aspect of alpacas. Richard and I went back to New Hampshire to participate in an educational course about sorting and grading fibers for the textile industry. We also were able to tour a very old textile mill that is still in operation. I am now an apprentice in the sorting program. NAAFP is a fiber co-op that had a very high standard for alpaca fiber and their products are top of the line in the industry. Alpaca United is a new group that has just started for the promotion of alpaca fiber. They just attended a major worldwide textile show in Barcelona Spain. The textile world has not yet heard about the wonderful fiber of alpaca and that it is becoming available in the USA in 32 natural colors. This is creating a big stir around the world and will be a huge boon to the USA alpaca fiber industry. We see nothing but great things for this business in the future.
We have grown rapidly. October of 2011 We now own over 150 alpacas. We have two teams of Maremma's which are working livestock guarding dogs that watch over and protect the herd. We continue to learn about fiber and adjust our breeding program to produce the most high grade profitable fiber possible. Yep we still Love Them Alpacas and I can say this is the best job I have ever had.
Call for a visit
If you would like more information or would like to schedule a farm visit and tour. Please call us to set an appointment. 408-842-5233 or 408-710-0676
or
Fast Forward 2011
Alpacas are bred and raised for their fiber. We have become very interested and invested in the fiber aspect of alpacas. Richard and I went back to New Hampshire to participate in an educational course about sorting and grading fibers for the textile industry. We also were able to tour a very old textile mill that is still in operation. I am now an apprentice in the sorting program. NAAFP is a fiber co-op that had a very high standard for alpaca fiber and their products are top of the line in the industry. Alpaca United is a new group that has just started for the promotion of alpaca fiber. They just attended a major worldwide textile show in Barcelona Spain. The textile world has not yet heard about the wonderful fiber of alpaca and that it is becoming available in the USA in 32 natural colors. This is creating a big stir around the world and will be a huge boon to the USA alpaca fiber industry. We see nothing but great things for this business in the future.
We have grown rapidly. October of 2011 We now own over 150 alpacas. We have two teams of Maremma's which are working livestock guarding dogs that watch over and protect the herd. We continue to learn about fiber and adjust our breeding program to produce the most high grade profitable fiber possible. Yep we still Love Them Alpacas and I can say this is the best job I have ever had.
Call for a visit
If you would like more information or would like to schedule a farm visit and tour. Please call us to set an appointment. 408-842-5233 or 408-710-0676
or
If you are
interested in purchasing any of our wonderful alpacas. Let us know what
alpaca you are wanting to purchase and we will be happy to quote you
current pricing of that particular alpaca.
Ranch Ph: 408.842.5233 ~ 325 b Denio Ave., Gilroy California, 95020-9203 ~ Email: rv@lovethemalpacas.com