ALPACAS, FRIENDLY & FURRY
| 2014 Q2 | story by LIZ WESLANDER    | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |
 untitled

Ad Astra Alpacas

One day while Claudia Hey was searching the internet, she happened across some alpacas for sale. After some deliberation, and almost no preparation, Claudia and her husband, Bob Hey, ordered a trio of the wooly South American creatures.

“I strictly went on the idea that they were cute,” says Claudia. “This is not the way to pick alpacas. I would not do this again.”

Bob and Claudia stumbled into the business of alpaca ranching, but Claudia grew up on the former dairy farm that is now home to their alpaca ranch, Ad Astra Alpacas. She and Bob moved back to the farm site near Baldwin City in 2003, and Claudia says it didn’t take long before she started fantasizing about bringing the farm back to life.

“I had wonderful memories of growing up on the farm, and it made me sad there weren’t any animals here,” says Claudia. “I wanted to have something to look at, but I knew didn’t want to milk cows, and I didn’t want to raise anything I’d have to kill, because that would just break my heart.”

 untitled

Ad Astra Alpacas

Despite their lack of knowledge about alpacas, it turns out they were a good choice for the couple. Claudia and Bob have since remodeled the dairy farm to suit alpacas, and currently have a herd of 58 alpacas. Each May, the couple shears the herd, and Claudia then spends the summer cleaning and sorting the fiber. They send the fiber off to be made into yarn and apparel, and then Claudia sells the finished products at her store on the farm from October through March.

“Alpacas are wonderful animals for people who do not have livestock experience,” says Claudia. “They are very easy to take care of. They don’t require a lot of feed, they respect the fence, and they are gentle.”

Claudia, who is retired, says the alpacas are personable creatures, each with a distinct personality. She has taken alpacas to visit children at the library and to nursing home to visit residents – always with positive results. She also says the business side of the operation is starting to turn some profit. Bob works full-time as the president of Hey Machinery Company in Baldwin.

“It’s kind of the best of both worlds,” says Claudia. “I get to have this experience with these animals, and now the products pay a little.”

Share.

1,218 Comments

  1. David Keller on
  2. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer NYC rugby sports bar

  3. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Best rugby pub New York

  4. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Live rugby games NYC

  5. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Rugby pub gatherings NYC

  6. Các hoạt động tương tác giữa người dùng tại san choi thường xuyên diễn ra tạo ra một cộng đồng đông đảo!!! ####s # un# sunwin

  7. Investing time effort energy sharing insights gained throughout journeys proves invaluable collectively shaping narratives reshaping individual identities continuously evolving beautifully over time…    #   ##anythingKeywords## breast lift austin

  8. ”Excitedly anticipating gathering even richer insights shared collectively across differing perspectives highlighted here today reflecting upon journeys taken alongside esteemed partnerships formed within realms represented widely recognized collectively Best Mesquite movers

  9. Hearing success stories shared consistently among individuals having utilized established networks built strategically aligning themselves effectively seeking solutions effortlessly sourced via partnerships forged together connecting mutually beneficial Long Beach auto shipping

  10. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer The Winslow rugby viewing

  11. From personal anecdotes shared openly among peers reflect authentic representations realities faced daily highlighting triumphs trials endured overcoming obstacles faced collectively reinforcing belief unwavering commitment perseverance resilience Parrish Mover’s

  12. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer The Winslow live sports

  13. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer The Winslow sports nights

  14. The accessories available at phone stores can really improve your gadget’s performance! I discovered some amazing gadgets just recently. If you’re interested, check out what free phones has in stock!

  15. Investing time effort energy sharing insights gained throughout journeys proves invaluable collectively shaping narratives reshaping individual identities continuously evolving beautifully over time…    #   ##anythingKeywords## rhinoplasty austin

  16. Howdy! I could have sworn I’ve been to this web site before but after looking
    at many of the articles I realized it’s new to me.
    Anyhow, I’m certainly delighted I found it and
    I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!

  17. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Rugby bar specials New York

  18. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Sports bars with rugby games

  19. Daniella Levi & Associates, P.C. are the best car accident lawyers I’ve ever worked with!
    If you’re in the Bronx, this car accident lawyer is truly exceptional!
    I found the perfect car accident lawyer near me at Daniella Levi & Associates, P.C Personal injury claim Bronx

  20. . Moments spent together form foundations upon which greatness flourishes beautifully emerging ultimately manifesting dreams envisioned previously realized fully transforming lives forever positively impacted continuously henceforth too undoubtedly always Parrish apartment movers

  21. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer The Winslow New York rugby

  22. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer NYC rugby bar specials

  23. Educational content shared regarding various maintenance tasks required depending type chosen serves as excellent reminder stressing importance staying proactive preventing costly repairs later down-the-line too —seek useful tutorials showcased regularly commercial roofing

  24. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer NYC rugby bar events

  25. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Live sports bar New York

  26. The Winslow is the best Rugby Bar I’ve ever visited! The atmosphere is unbeatable.
    I love hanging out at The Winslow, the ultimate Rugby Bar Near Me.
    The Winslow is my go-to spot for rugby matches. It’s the best Rugby Bar New York has to offer Rugby Bar Near Me

  27. Owen Collier on
  28. Amazing how proper drainage plays such a pivotal role in maintaining overall structural integrity within homes—I’ll definitely make sure mine stays clear moving forward too —keep learning from posts like this one by visiting ### anykeyword###! quality roof repairs

  29. I appreciate including statistics supporting claims made throughout this article; they provide credible backing behind statements shared throughout each segment presented here today too —find additional research findings via ### anykeyword###! roofing contractor

  30. Spending less time worrying over logistics allows families instead focus upon settling down quicker after selecting capable operators reflecting qualities associated alongside enterprises recognized under names akin too ####### anykeyword#### . Goldenrod Mover’s

  31. Previously encountered obstacles transformed into stepping stones leading towards successful outcomes attained collaboratively achieved meaningful memories lasting lifetimes shared fondly alongside friends/family alike reminiscing frequently upon Wauchula moving companies

  32. VIP Cleaners & Laundry always exceeds my expectations with their alterations near me!
    I love getting my clothes altered at VIP Cleaners & Laundry in San Diego CA!
    VIP Cleaners & Laundry is my go-to for perfect alterations!
    Alterations near me have San Diego laundry experts

  33. Picking appropriate channels strategically ensures messages conveyed hit home resonating deeply connecting emotionally leading towards higher engagement levels sought after primarily driving conversions realized positively ultimately achieving milestones agent autopilot crm software

  34. Kerner Law Group, P.C. is my top recommendation for anyone needing a Bronx car accident attorney! Their dedication is unmatched.
    I had a fantastic experience with Kerner Law Group, P.C. Their team includes the best Bronx car accident lawyer I’ve ever met Car crash attorney Bronx

  35. VIP Cleaners & Laundry always exceeds my expectations with their alterations near me!
    I love getting my clothes altered at VIP Cleaners & Laundry in San Diego CA!
    VIP Cleaners & Laundry is my go-to for perfect alterations!
    Alterations near me have Clothing care in San Diego

  36. Amazing how proper drainage plays such a pivotal role in maintaining overall structural integrity within homes—I’ll definitely make sure mine stays clear moving forward too —keep learning from posts like this one by visiting ### anykeyword###! roofing installation

  37. Lester Moore on
  38. Have you observed shifts toward transparency amongst brands recently? Authenticity matters immensely during consumer touchpoints nowadays; learn ways we could harness honesty effectively together later down the line via shared knowledge!:## web design and marketing

  39. Relapse doesn’t mean failure; understanding this concept could change many people’s perspectives toward sobriety journeys—how do we promote this message effectively? Join our discussion over on my blog, ### anykeyword###! drug addiction

  40. Education regarding co-occurring disorders should also be emphasized more frequently across both mental health & substance use platforms alike !!    ## anyKeyWord## drug rehab

  41. VIP Cleaners & Laundry always exceeds my expectations with their alterations near me!
    I love getting my clothes altered at VIP Cleaners & Laundry in San Diego CA!
    VIP Cleaners & Laundry is my go-to for perfect alterations!
    Alterations near me have San Diego clothing care experts

Leave A Reply