Island Alpaca’s third annual Shearing Day attracted quite a crowd on Saturday. With the help of staff, family, friends, and much advance preparation In just under eight working hours, which translates to approximately seven minutes per alpaca, the workers harvested over 300 pounds of fleece from the herd of 58, according to a press release.
Much of the shorn blanket or primary fleece, which is the finest, is destined to go to a New Hampshire fiber mill this week for processing into yarns that will be added to the yarn collection from 2009 harvest in the alpaca farm store — due sometime this summer, farm owner Barbra Ronchetti said.
The day also featured a raffle for door prizes. Rose Cecil of Edgartown won an Island Alpaca blanket; Megan Wiener of Cumberland, R.I. won a gift certificate, Ben Hall won a pair of Island Alpaca socks, and Missy Willoughby of Edgartown won the Alpaca stuffed toy.
