After a year of research, alpacas were at the top of our list of possible businesses. We purchased our first bred females from Fireweed Ranch in Colorado. Talk about a change in lifestyle! I learned to spin (a bit like learning to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time, not very coordinated at first) and we dove headlong into any and all alpaca information that we could find. We went to clinics and visited farms – something we highly recommend to anyone considering alpacas. We moved from the mountains of Colorado to Amish country in Northern Indiana.

To make a long story short, we considered mountain real estate prices outrageous. I have now returned to my Midwest roots. Yes, we miss "our" mountains, but we are now living atop the gentle hills that overlook the Elkhart River valley. With central air-conditioning and a few summers spent getting used to the humidity, we are now happy Hoosiers. The alpacas have also

Cooling off on an Indiana summer day

acclimated with sprinklers in the summer, cozy sheds in the winter and lots of grass to eat. The growing season is a lot longer here in Indiana, as Clark will attest to now that he and the riding mower are best buddies.

Paintbrush Farms is one of the largest alpaca farms in Northern Indiana. We offer animals for sale, alpaca brokering services, boarding, stud service, fiber for sale, alpaca products for sale and a wide range of customer support services. We are breeding for color, conformation and fiber. While it is true that there is no "perfect alpaca", we can help guide your search for the right alpaca for you and your breeding program. We can also help you establish that breeding program. We host or participate in a number of alpaca events every year.

We believe in the long term, successful future of the alpaca industry (otherwise we would have chosen one of the "other" home based businesses). We are members of AOBA, ARI, AFCNA, ALSA, GLAA, HLA, 4H and SWIFT – all these acronyms stand for alpaca or fiber related organizations. It is farm policy to allow only ARI registered alpacas on the property. You are encouraged to either join the above organizations or at least browse their websites listed on the links page, especially if you are considering becoming an alpaca owner. These organizations and the member farms are a wealth of information. One can learn everything from "what do these critters eat" to advanced color genetics.

One characteristic of the alpaca industry that impressed us was the willingness of the vast majority of breeders to share information. This is a "user friendly" industry. I call it a symptom of alpacaholicism (I know that's not a real word). It becomes downright impossible to stop an alpacaholic from talking about their animals or industry issues and I am just as guilty as the rest. Whether you are a fiber artist, just curious about alpacas, seriously considering investing in the "World's Finest Livestock Investment" or are a long time alpacaholic, you are invited to visit Paintbrush Farms and share some "alpaca talk". We started our alpaca research in 1996 and are still excited about this gentle and incredible animal.

Clark & Kathy Bromley