- Event is free and open to the public
- Seminars include lunch and cost $10 per attendee
- Seminars and lunch are in a heated tent
- Pre-registration is encouraged
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Chris Gray
Topic - Alpacas 101 and business plan aspects
Time 11:45am - 12:45 pm
Chris Gray is a renowned alpaca professional. Her resume includes owning and operating Song Hill Alpaca Farm and Song Hill Transport (alpaca transportation business) in Marion, NY, membership in the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA), AOBA show division, Empire Alpaca Association (EAA), Mid Atlantic Alpaca Association (MAPACA), Pennsylvania Alpaca Association, (PAOBA), Alpaca Registry,Inc (ARI), and the American Tibetan Mastiff Association, ATMA.
From her corporate job with Frontier Communications to full time with her own farm, she has consulted with many well-known large and small alpaca farms (Heart's Desire, Flying Pony, Six-Paca Farm) helping them to develop their marketing and sales. Chris is a fully immersed professional in the alpaca business. Chris' primary goal is to encourage people with facts and critical information in order for them to make correct decisions about the alpaca lifestyle.
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Theresa Reyes-Stassel had been successfully breeding and showing alpacas since 2003. Prior to her involvement in alpacas she has worked in various capacities in horse training and dog training and care. Her main educational training is in the field of Visual Art, having studied extensively at some of the top art Schools in the country. This uniquely qualified her to use her visual skills training to become involved in the program of training offered by the AOBA show division Judges training program in 2007. She has apprenticed at major shows including MAPACA, North Americian, Empire, Ohio Alpacafest
And the North East Expo. She offers consulting services to various farms in the region as well as having presented seminars for the North East Small Farms Expo, put on by the Dept of Agriculture and Tri - state Cooperative Extension Services. In addition she has lectured on Breeding and Selection with an emphasis on evaluation for the Cornell Cooperative Extension Services. She has judged performance for the Ulster and Dutchess County 4H shows in 2008 and 2009.
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Jeff & Leslie Jorritsma
Autumn Mist Fiber Mill
Topic - Fiber prep and accepting fleece at the event!!
Time 3pm - 4pm
Jeff and Leslie Jorritsma started in the alpaca business in 2005, while both still working full time as Snap-on tool dealers in Waverly, New York. By late 2006 they realized there was a niche to fill and took the next step by investing in a complete fiber processing mill. Leslie was pregnant with baby number five and planned to stay home and run the mill while Jeff remained on the road. Within a year the mill was so successful it gave Jeff the freedom to give up his full time job and come into the mill. Both come from a long line of knitters and crocheters, so yarn has always been in the background, although never alpaca. “It was just a natural learning curve. We are lucky – we love what we do!”
In 2008 our mill business and animal herd grew too large for our location. We needed to expand and made the massive move to Prattsburgh NY, in the heart of the Finger Lakes tourist region with 5 kids, 25 animals and a complete mill plus all the fiber in the works! The mill is twice as large as our first one and we are expanding again now in 2010. We are adding another spinner and a second shift to help with the backlog.
We are now up to 50 animals and still compete in the show ring in the spring and fall, but have realized that our true love is the fiber processing. The new mill also boasts a retail store to sell our finished yarn and we have 2 other retail locations where we market our product. Leslie speaks on fiber processing and seminars include information about how to marketing yarn and end product.This is part of her biggest quest – to be a contributing factor in creating a North American fiber market by processing high-end, quality yarn.
Jeff handles the breeding, birthing and care of the animals. Both Jeff and Leslie offer personal consultation on all phases of fiber processing. The three older girls help out a lot on the farm including working in the mill and helping with the animals. The two little girls,ages 2 and 4, hang out with mom and dad in their customized play area right in the mill. You’re welcome to arrange a visit to our farm and mill!
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