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AlpacaNation Q&A with ELDORA Suri Alpacas
Leanne (Hanson) Nakashima & Richard Nakashima, Ph.D., J.D.
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Near I-25 just north of Denver, NEW Mail address: PO Box 868, Erie, CO 80516-0868
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303-828-4923
AlpacaNation: Tell us about yourself...
ELDORA Suri Alpacas: Leanne employs her artistic talents designing and making unigue alpaca wear and products. Prior to retiring, Leanne worked for many years as a Senior Lab Specialist for IBM. Also having an education in art and textiles, Leanne then served an apprenticeship under one of the nation's most respected and well known artists, Ray Kinman. Leanne enjoys using the alpaca fiber as a medium for her art.
Richard is a scientist with an M.S. in Biology, M.A. in Zoology, a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and a Law degree. Richard has performed Cancer Research at Johns Hopkins and was a Professor at Texas Tech University. He currently practices Bio-Tech Patent Law in nearby Boulder, Colorado.
Both Leanne and Richard love animals and enjoy caring for them.
AlpacaNation: What sets your farm and herd apart from others in the industry?
ELDORA Suri Alpacas: Our foundation stock comes from some of the best Farms in the country. We spend a lot of time researching before we add an animal to our breeding program. Then we show our animals and their fiber to verify that we are staying on target with the industry's highest standards.
We have found that our Accoyos' shear weight is from 50% to 100% heavier than our non-accoyos. So the Accoyos have become an important part of our breeding program. We are dedicated to perserving those bloodlines as well as providing excellent breeding stock to beginning and experienced breeders alike.
AlpacaNation: What steps did you take to prepare for raising an alpaca herd?
ELDORA Suri Alpacas: We started by being very picky about our breeding stock. We searched for males and females with solid/proven bloodlines who meet the highest standards in the industry. We look for super reproductive qualities such as heavy milkers, early maturity and large testicles in the males.
We have continuously taken part in seminars and educational opportunities in a wide range of subjects relative to the alpaca industry. Learning neonatal care, genetics, herd health, pasture management, and fiber education helped us get off to a great start.
AlpacaNation: What unique challenges do you face as a small, mid-size, or larger breeder?
ELDORA Suri Alpacas: Staying small. We selected dams, service sires and herdsires who have quailities that are highly sought after in the suri market. As a result, we aniticpate having crias that will show well and sell quickly.
AlpacaNation: How did you become interested in alpacas?
ELDORA Suri Alpacas: Leanne started out with an interest in the alpaca fiber. Suris became Eldora's specialty because Leanne found that the Suri fiber tends to have a finer handle and is more versatile to work with. Leanne uses the fiber herself in creative and sometimes unconventional ways and prefers the Suri.
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