Alpaca Farm In Bozeman Is Vertically Integrated

By Jess Antonio

September 25, 2011

BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Alpacas of Montana breeds and raises alpacas, shears them and makes apparel out of their fleece. They opened their doors to the public to give people a better idea of what alpacas are and how a Montana business can create and keep their products local.

"It's an annual event, we just invite people to come to our farm, enjoy a day out away from the city streets and see what an alpaca is and what it's all about, see what our local farm can produce as far as apparel and alpacas and all that goes into making a farm grow," said Alpacas of Montana owner, Sarah Budd.

Alpacas are in close relation to llamas but are genetically closer to a giraffe and can live between fifteen to thirty years.

Budd takes pride in the fact that from beginning to end, every aspect of her products remain local and within the community.

"We have the babies born here and then we go between a dozen to probably about thirty babies per year and then raise them, shear their fleece in May and then we make all the different products here locally," Budd said, "we also do the composting the manure, we breed and sell, we board alpacas here, we sell the apparel."

The apparel ranges from scarves to hats to socks to rugs. Alpacas of Montana sells their products at the Gallatin Valley Mall from Thanksgiving to Christmas.

Budd claims that many of the products before and after being made never leave the community.

"We actually have a bunch of different very, very talented knitters, crocheters, weavers who make all of our different products here locally, so a lot of our products have never left town, scarves, the hats, everything is milled in Bozeman, then hand spun in Bozeman and then knit and crocheted in Bozeman."