AM GOING TO SEE IF LAYOUT ARTIST CAN USE ANOTHER PHOTO THAN ONE AT LEFT. I PIONEER SPOTLIGHT DON’T LIKE THE TWINE --IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S OVER THE EYES AWESOME

TheseALPACAS friendly, multi-purpose animals are helping an Oregon couple live their dream

Alpacas are easy on the land, unlike cattle and horses, one of the reasons the Gardiners wanted to raise them.

newpioneermag.com ‘While in high school, I “learned how to spin,’ By Barbara Delbol Christine says…She fell in love with the fine-textured, soft fleece that’s hypoallergenic, anti- microbial and flame retardant.” PHOTOS BY THOMAS KIRCHEN John and Christine Gardiner at their farm in Oregon. Their alpacas generate income from fiber and fiber products, meat, breeding stock and compost.

oaming a grassy pasture guarded by big white dogs, the shaggy alpacas seem content to spend the day doing nothing more than lounging about. But as charming as these South Ameri- can native camelids appear, they’re the bread- winners at John and Christine Gardiner’s Siskiyou Alpaca business (siskiyoualpaca.com). The former university professors came to farm life in a roundabout way. “We wanted to engage in a life that expresses the principles of permacul- ture,” Christine explains. RJohn met Christine in 1990 when both were working The hair on Suri alpacas is lighter and finer than in the field of urban river restoration—John in the Unit- that on the more popular ed Kingdom and Christine in California. In 1995, John Huacayas. newpioneermag.com Summer 2019 | THE NEW PIONEER 15 became a professor at Middlesex Uni- versity in London, specializing in sus- tainable environmental management. In the late 1990s, a Bay Area river restoration firm lured the two of them with an offer to open a branch office in Portland. They bought a small farm east of Portland outside the city of Sandy, and that’s where they first became acquainted with alpacas. While some people were promoting alpacas as an investment with money to be made in the breeding and sale of the animals, the Gardiners’ attrac- tion to them was more practical and immediate. “We had 20 acres, and the grass was four-foot high,” John says. Conveniently, a neighbor was selling his herd, so the Gardiners took the opportunity to but it. Through this venture, they found their passion for small-scale farm production that nur- tures the health of soil and water.

MORE THAN MEADOW MOWERS But it was more than acquiring a natural mowing system that en- ticed them. “While in high school, I learned how to spin,” Christine says. The Gardiners with their At one point, she worked with alpaca partner, Stacie Van De roving, a fiber processed to be ready Weerd, her son, Jayven, for spinning. She fell in love with the and on of their Maremma fine-textured, soft fleece that’s hypo- livestock guard dogs, allergenic, antimicrobial and flame Solomon. retardant. “Of course, I thought I BELOW: Alpaca fleece is warmer than sheep’s BELOW: Christine feeds the alpacas organically then knew everything about alpac- wool, is not prickly, is water repellent and con- grown grass hay in the winter. In the spring and as,” she adds with a smile. Which, of tains no lanolin, which can make wool greasy. summer they forage on pasture and fresh hemp.

16 THE NEW PIONEER | Summer 2019 newpioneermag.com Stacie with an alpaca hide and the socks and gloves made from alpaca fiber that she and the Gardiners sell. Pick Your ’Paca Alpacas have been domesticated for thou- sands of years, and fiber was considered to be their primary product. Compared to llamas, another South American native, alpacas are smaller, about 3 feet tall at their shoulders. They typically weigh between 100 and 200 pounds compared to the heft- ier llama that can get up to 450 pounds. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2012 agricultural census (the most current available), there are more than 141,000 alpacas in the U.S., with Ohio, Washington, Oregon and Colorado noted as the top alpaca production states. Alpaca ABOVE: The Gardiners΄ alpacas are very friendly, female and four male Huacaya alpacas, registries, however, cite unverified num- thanks to the way they raise them. Christine the thick-fleeced breed that is the more bers as high as 250,000 in this country. refers to their method as “dainty farming.” common of the two alpaca breeds. Of the two breeds, the Huacaya Preferring the finer, lighter fleece of (pronounced ‘wah-KI-ah’) alpaca is the most common at about 90 percent of the course, the Gardiners didn’t. the Suri breed, the Gardiners began documented population compared to the But as river and land restoration transitioning the herd makeup, first Suri’s 10-percent representation. The pri- specialists, they knew that alpacas by selling off the male Huacayas and mary difference between the two is found minimize potential problems in the acquiring Suri females for breeding. in their fleece, with Huacayas producing pasture. “We saw that alpacas are thicker fleece similar to that of sheep, while gentle on the land,” John says. Be- ON THE MOVE Suri hair is longer and falls in thin rope-like cause alpacas have only lower teeth In 2001, the Gardiners launched their bundles resembling dreadlocks. at the front of their mouths, they own water resources management “Hair will be up to 8 inches long for Suri don’t rip up rooted plants like horses firm called WaterCycle, with river and up to 4 inches for Huacaya,” John Gar- and cows do. Their soft, padded feet projects ranging from Washington to diner says. Suri hair “has the distinction of don’t churn a pasture into knee-deep southern California. With the pros- being slick and lustrous and much denser” than Huacaya hair. mud as do the feet of hard-hoofed pect of the collapse of the banking Unlike that of sheep, alpaca fleece livestock. With a new alpaca herd at system in 2006, they realized they doesn’t contain the oily lanolin that can hand, the Gardiners’ education in had either to sell the farm and return make fleece feel greasy. Alpaca fiber also is quality breeding and animal hus- to city life or join another farm with softer, hypoallergenic, water-resistant and bandry was underway. their alpaca herd in order to move considered to be warmer than sheep wool. Their first herd consisted of eight toward practicing permaculture. They —Barbara Delbol newpioneermag.com Summer 2019 | THE NEW PIONEER ## were invited to join a land-trust farm in Southern Oregon and decided to make the move so they could “farm like they mean it.” “As a child, we traveled, and I saw lots of different parts of Oregon,” Christine says. She recalls her attrac- tion to the crystal-clear rivers and botanical diversity of southwestern Oregon. By the end of 2006, they had moved their herd of now 40 alpacas to the farm in Cave Junction. There, they opted to become tenant farmers, to rent farmland rather than buy. “If we The Gardiners deposit hay had to own the land, then we couldn’t in patches throughout the alpacas’ pasture, which afford to farm,” Christine says. Their keeps them eating and alpacas had won some of the high- walking, simulating their est awards in the toughest national habit in the wild. competitions, so they knew the quality of their herd would endure. Now, 12 years later, their herd stands at 36 FABULOUS FIBER top-grade breeding alpacas, down from “Fiber is still the top reason for rais- kindness to show respect. about 80 a decade ago. ing alpacas,” Christine notes as she Before shearing begins, dust and At the new farm location, the knits alpaca yarn into a hat. Alpaca debris are blown off the animal to Gardiners have practiced integrating fleece grows all year and is shorn just clean the fiber of dust and “veg.” This these small livestock into the pro- before the summer season by the Gar- also helps to prevent excessive wear duction of food, fiber and medicine. diners’ professional shearer. He works on the sharp blades of the shears. One The herd and farm now produce six with a team who are all trained by one, each alpaca is laid down and income streams. These are 1) breed- in fiber production and handling tied down on a mat while the shearer ing livestock, 2) alpaca fiber and alpacas with respect. “We’ve come to carefully removes fiber from one side, fiber products, 3) “Siskiyou Pacapoo” understand that it is not a contest of from belly to back, then turns the an- compost, 4) meat products made by strength or will,” Christine says. “It’s imal to its other side to shear there. a local sausage company, 5) hide and one of trust and cooperation.” And Fiber shorn from the legs and neck is bone products and 6) plant medicines they practice those skills with the sorted into bags of like fiber by color that grow well on soils enriched with herd all year as they work with the and grade. All the fiber has an end Pacapoo compost, like hemp. animals, touching them often with use, so nothing is wasted. Hemp For Animals Hemp is traditional livestock fodder, i.e. Hemp fodder is easy to grow in many cli- a crop grown for the purpose of feeding mates. It’s a ready solution to the hay crisis, if livestock. It is “feed” when fed to animals as we can focus together on creating small-scale seed to add oils and protein to their diet. production, using it for food and medicine. As fresh “fodder,” the whole plant provides —Christine Gardiner superior nutrition, providing fresh enzymes, Editor’s Note: To learn more about the en- chlorophylls and many other nutrients. All docannabinoid system, visit the U.S. National livestock will choose fresh food when given Library of Medicine website and type in that the chance. Alpacas also eat dried hemp term. Hemp and marijuana are strains of Can- leaves (hay) with enthusiasm. nabis sativa and share similarities. The biggest Whether as fodder or as feed, hemp difference between the two is the amount of contains the rich profile of cannabinoids that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol nourish the mammalian endocannabinoid (CBD) that they contain. TCH is the psychoac- system. When meat animals eat hemp, their tive component, CBD the one with medicinal cannabinoid needs are met, and they stay properties. Marijuana refers to those strains healthy more easily. Their meat is a rich with high amounts of THC and not much CBD; Dried hemp flowers are used in oils and creams to source of these precious nutrients for the the reverse is true of hemp, which contains ease pain from arthritis and other joint ailments. carnivore. less than 0.3 percent THC. Correct and add to this.

18 THE NEW PIONEER | Summer 2019 newpioneermag.com The chocolate-colored fiber on these Suris is rare and females for a “cria crop” in June. “So, commands a high price. we’ll be ready for baby season to start Cream and black fleece are in late May,” Christine says. the two other color in the In all that they do to create a Gardiners’ herd. healthy herd, the Gardiners have implemented traditional practices. They refrain from using synthetic hormones, antibiotics, pesticides or other toxic chemicals. Instead, they practice traditional herbal medicine when needed. Like the shepherds of old, they carefully cull a herd to main- tain the number of animals they can feed and care for. “To stay in any animal business, you have to make peace with life and death,” Christine says. “We have culled most of the males we produced and have culled females who couldn’t carry a pregnancy or who didn’t have enough milk for their cria. It’s about caring for the health of the whole herd.” “We’ve studied and learned so much,” John adds. “This kind of work makes anyone a better human being.”

END PRODUCTS At Siskiyou Alpaca, nothing goes to waste—not even alpaca waste. Pine shavings and straw are used to absorb poop and urine in the animal pens. Just the act of picking up this mixture blends alpaca manure, urine, wood chips and straw for a compost balanced for the right carbon-to-nitro- gen ratio. Once composted, the mix- ture is rich with beneficial bacteria, The Gardiners have bred their fungi and micro-organisms and ready alpacas to specialize in white, black for farm and garden soils. and chocolate-colored fiber. Prices for “We discovered that Pacapoo is one the raw fiber can range from about of the finest composts for the gar- $5 a pound and up for the lowest den,” Christine says. “It’s like feeding grades to $25 a pound for the rare whole food for the soil. Diseases don’t black and dark fleeces, all the way up become a problem when that magical to about $14 per ounce for two years’ balance is reached.” growth of “long locks” for the global Some may be surprised that doll hair market. You can find their alpacas are used for food as well as yarns on Etsy as the Oregon Alpaca fiber. “The alpaca is to the Peruvians yarn spun by Columbia Mill near and Argentinians what the beef cow Astoria, Oregon. is to the United States,” Christine says. She and John turned to a local BREEDING FOR QUALITY sausage maker, Taylor’s Sausage, With a gestation period of 330 to 375 to become one of the first alpaca days, alpacas are bred just once a year Stacie rakes up alpaca manure, pine shavings and farms in the U.S. to offer alpaca meat for a single baby, or “cria.” For the lat- straw to take to the compost pile. Together they products to local markets. But rather est season, the Gardiners have bred 18 have the right carbon/nitrogen ratio., 25-30/1. than selling steaks and chops, the newpioneermag.com Summer 2019 | THE NEW PIONEER 19 We wanted to engage in a life that pay her enough so she can do it next expresses the principles of permaculture…” year, too. That’s an important part of “ sustainability,” says Christine. THE FUTURE Educating others about alpacas and traditional practices is also part of their job. The Gardiners estimate that about a half dozen new alpaca farm- ers have settled into the region since their arrival. “We are aiming to create a producer cooperative, designed to return value to the farm producers. Only that approach can ensure that the producers get a fair return for their work,” Christine explains. A regional network of sister farms can share the costs of production and marketing to obtain better returns for each farm family. Mentoring helped connect them to their new partner, Stacie Van De Weerd of Dandelion Fields Alpaca. She inherited an alpaca herd of 30 and had received little to no training on how to care for the herd. “I started doing a lot of research on alpaca health and what I was supposed to do with them,” she says. “All I could find was information on the typical pharmaceutical treatments, feeding grains, etc. But everywhere I looked, The Landjaeger, a semi- no one talked about practicing the dried German sausage alternative nutritional ideas I had.” made from the Gardiner’s With advice from the Gardiners alpaca meat is delicious. and her background in herbalism The Gardiners cull their and nutrition, Stacie has confidence herd to keep it a size they can maintain and care for. about her ability to raise alpacas now. She also works with the Gardiners in marketing alpaca products at regional Gardiners have Taylor’s make alpaca markets. She bought the Sock Division meat into cured and smoked products, and they share a booth at the Grants including plain and peppered jerky, Pass Growers Market, where she sells summer sausage, landjaeger and a sa- socks and gloves. Recently, she’s de- vory alpaca paleo bar. Christine uses veloped a new line of herbal medicinal the bones to create a mineral-rich products for both people and animals. bone broth, which they sell direct to “She’s one of the young people who interested locals. inspire us,” John says of Stacie. The unshorn, tanned alpaca hides Perhaps the biggest lesson the are also sold to customers looking Gardiners have learned in their for durable yet soft rugs, throws and journey is that alpacas “can meet our baby blankets. The natural hides are needs in the practice of sustainable tanned using a nontoxic process and agriculture,” Christine says. “It’s priced according to size and color. Christine and Stacie at a fiber show, where they working with nature, serving the “We’re very proud of our local tanner! displayed yarn and fleece from their alpacas. I am Good Shepherd and respecting all life, Jessie is doing a fabulous job, and we not sure what your had there so correct copy which seems worth doing.” ❂

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