CIABA Unskirted Event reminder

today's message is from our co-founder, Robin Alpert

Ok, people.
We planned a great,new, inovative event, we hired the best people in the industry to evaluate your fleeces, we tried to make it so everyone who wanted to enter could, then Irene came along and literally blew us three ways from Sunday. Now that we are beginning to recover, let's get our fleeces out and send them to
the CIABA Unskirted Fleece Event. This concept is the event than brought about change to the whole alpaca industry. We all need to support it. I would have liked to enter more fleeces, but I only saved the limit, 3. So I want to see every CIABA member enter at least 1 fleece.

This Event was created for all who want to know more about their fiber. So let's get those entries in. Go to
http://www.ciaba.org/ to get the entry forms. This event is coming so fast I feel I'm spinning.

An organization can only present an opportunity. It is up to everyone else to support it.

Robin Alpert
Paola, KS

The BAT project becomes Alpaca United, L3C

For those of you interested in what has happened to the Build A Tent initiative that started last fall, it has officially become its own organization, Alpaca United, L3C.  With a steering committee now in place, and a Board of Directors to be seated in the near future, they're moving right along!

You can read more about this exciting new development in the alpaca fiber world here:

http://www.textileworld.com/Articles/2011/March/Alpaca_United_Formed.html

An Idea Whose Time Has Come

We would like to thank Gwen Coltrin of Diamond Triple C Ranch for this most wonderful interview of Val Newell and Robin Alpert, co-founders of CIABA.

The interview can be found at this link:

http://www.diamondtriplecranch.com/articles/ciaba.html

Not a New Year Resolution: A New Industry Resolution

written by Ciaba co-founders Val Newell and Robin Alpert

Hello everyone,

“To everything there is a season.”

In life, things are always changing…. It is much the same with our industry.  We have all seen alpaca prices drop all over the country, and drop dramatically.  We can look at this reality in two ways: we can grumble and get disheartened as some may have done, or we can use this opportunity to create something that really should have been created 20 years ago.  Simply put, we are farmers of fiber animals.  Our alpacas are capable, (with good care and nutrition), of supplying valuable and useful “green” fiber to us for many, many years.  They are a sustainable source of fiber for us now and in the future.

What is Currently Happening ?

Since the dramatic decline in prices for alpacas, many may not yet be aware but there are beautiful alpacas being sent to some auctions for slaughter. Yes, this is not a “fun” subject to bring to the fore, but it is true, and you personally can do something about it.

Rationale

How, you may ask?  Well think about it.  Why are we repeatedly breeding a fiber animal without first creating a fiber industry?  Have we not built a house without a foundation?  Folks, now is the time, this is the season to change our thinking.
We may have bags and bags of fiber in our barns.  Why?  First, we may not know what to do with it.  Second, because the cost to process it can be nearly $40.00 per pound and then we all have to become our own sales managers with stores or websites to sell our products.  What we need to do: create a demand for our fiber. How do we do this?  By finding out what the best use for our fiber is. We need to grade and sort our fiber or have it done by someone who can.  We need to know HOW to produce fiber for production, and how to put that fiber into production.  We need to make a profit on our fiber, thus making it more profitable to harvest fiber from alpacas instead of meat.

Creating a Fiber Industry and BRANDING

In order to create a fiber industry we need some type of system.  We need some kind of “sameness” across the country.  We need to look at those who are creating products and those who are sorting / grading and see the results.
There are co-ops right now one can join and pool together grades of fiber thus getting standardized systems across country.  We cannot “brand” alpaca if some type of standardization system is not adopted across the board.
This measured predictability is what drives demand.

If a company that produces fabric wants a certain grade fiber, certain color, etc… we pool together, they BUY our fiber.  Presently, we have companies who would love to purchase fiber from the US farms if we could get ourselves together and give them what they need. Some people still say we don’t have enough fiber to supply the demand.  Well, isn’t that an interesting theory since many alpacas right now are being slaughtered?   Why on earth would we put more energy into destroying this national herd than in honorably creating a fiber demand? 

  Green for the Future

Never before has our country been so motivated to be “green”. Just Google the word “green” and see what comes up!  With all the support and innovations of the future right at our finger tips, we implore you to reach out and support the fiber industry

How?

Will AOBA’s “Build a Tent”* initiative help get the country together and on tract? It just may be the vehicle to inspire groups to work together.Will CIABA be the driving force helping to educate and connect the farmers to the processors and purchasers? It just might, especially if the groups mentioned above work together and with others.  

Will the Certified Sorting System be the way of the future for grading and sorting in this country? The Certified Sorting System is a consistent grading and sorting system presently in place in the U.S. with unparalleled quality control standards, and they maintain a precise and accurate data base with the most comprehensive fiber statistics ever compiled in the nation.  AFCNA and The Blanket Project also use a grading system, but there are differences in the systems.  Will there be a way that all will be able to come together and create a standardized grading system?  These are all questions that must be answered.  Someone has to lead the way.

There is an old saying, “If you do what you always did, you get what you always got,” and another, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.”  It is time to change not only what we are doing, but how we are thinking… and the hardest thing to change is ourselves.

In closing, we ask that you please consider how you think we, as a nation of farmers, can pull together to strengthen our fiber industry.  Lend a hand, an idea, think of the greater good.  If our motives and ideas are far reaching, they will indeed be the arms that will reach back to every one of us!  Pay it forward.  We have a fabulous opportunity in this momentous time as we are on the horizon of a new industry in this country.  It is exciting!  Where will it take us?  Pack your bags and let’s just see!
 

*Some have asked, what is Build a Tent all about?  No tent ever stands by itself or gets erected without man power.  In order for a tent to be constructed, it needs a support system that comes together.  If the supports are scattered, the tent cannot be stretched to enclose and protect and you end up with nothing constructed.  All the supports do not have to be the same size, but they do need to work together and cooperate to build a tent.

**CIABA respects and honors everyone's right to make an individual decision.

Let us all continue to demonstrate our passion for supporting our fiber industry by supporting
 the Cottage Industry Alpaca Breeders Association.

Farm Store Ideas

Good morning everyone!

There's only 2 shopping weekends left before Christmas!  I thought it would be fun and helpful to share ideas of what works well in your farm stores this time of year.  Perhaps your simple idea will help out fellow Ciaba members!  Or maybe just make us all smile.

On our farm we do not have a physical farm store.  So unfortunately, I cannot post 'what works for us.'  Some ideas I've heard from others are: making up little kits of knitting needles/crochet hook with a simple scarf or hat pattern and your alpaca yarn.  Or handmade alpaca themed ornaments.  And sometimes just having hot apple cider available brings people in.

So please leave your ideas in the comments area, or email me directly if you'd prefer.  I'll put all the ideas on a separate page for reference at any time for all of us.

Thanks!

Mona

The Industry is changing…. To everything there is a season....

Or are we out of our “Cotton Picking Minds?"

Written by CIABA co-founders Val Newell and Robin Alpert

There is a lot of “talk” going on about alpaca fiber all over the country. Things are moving and shaking! It is probably one of the most exciting and pivotal times to be part of the alpaca industry because the focus of the alpaca industry is finally shifting and being steered toward a fiber industry.  A large group of producers were invited and came together on November 18^th at the AOBA office in Tennessee, and via a Webinar.  The meeting was called “Build a Tent”. 

In essence, the group of producers agreed to come together as an industry and build a tent, or rather form an organization not run by AOBA, but made up of the collective of fiber producers. The structure of the organization has yet to be decided upon, but an L3C appears to be the choice.  Every producer has the opportunity to be a part of this organization by purchasing a share or shares of the organization, presently one share being 250.00.* Further, it was unanimously agreed that no matter how many shares a person or group bought, they have but one vote.** Now that is different!   The group agreed to form an organization to develop a standard for alpaca products being produced in this country, to brand alpaca for its properties, and to brand Alpaca through an identifying logo. The group preliminarily adopted the name Alpaca Alliance. Further this newly formed group agreed to hire Nick Hahn, the man behind the success of Cotton.  As you hear the word cotton, you are probably now singing “the fabric of our lives”…..

Yes this is truly a wonderful time to be part of the alpaca industry!

Some are wondering just what part CIABA has in this new plan. There seems to be some confusion as to what CIABA means by “Cottage Industry.”

The Alpaca Cottage Industry is:   Individuals working together to form alliances with others to produce products while retaining the right and freedom to produce individual and unique items from their own fiber production.

CIABA considers all farms to be a part of the Cottage Industry.  The industrial revolution started with the Cottage Industry. As smaller farms began to work together, things became more streamlined. People could still choose to make their own unique products, but could also participate in larger endeavors. This is CIABA’s vision. It is about working together for the good of the many which in turn usually makes things better for the individual also.

The co- founders of CIABA see the organization’s role as educators and facilitators.   One on one, farm to farm involvement to educate and help each farmer across the country get connected and learn how to produce fiber for different manufacturing specifications is essential for our industry to prosper. CIABA wants to help educate individual farms and groups of farms to understand changes in the industry, encourage all to learn industry standards and facilitate the bringing together of producers and manufacturers of goods.

We would also like to state that although CIABA has purchased a share, the organization respects and honors everyone’s right to make an individual decision to support or not support the Alpaca Alliance.

*If you are not able to come up with the $250 on you own, be creative.  Get together with another farm and split the cost.  This arrangement would probably only procure one vote, so be reasonably sure your partner farm agrees with your philosophy.

    **When there is profit, those who have more shares will get the profit share according to their number of shares, but will not have more voting power than those with only one share.