March 11, 2012

Wow, what an adventure the past day has been! Jesse and I arrived to Mallkini Alpaca ranch yesterday around 2 pm and the first 24 hours on the ranch have been magnificent.

We arrived to the ranch after a 7 hour drive from Cusco... but the scenery and sights made the journey very enjoyable, as did one of our guides, Patrick, who shared with us much local knowledge. We had the pleasure of stopping between Cusco and Puno where many Peruvian women sell their goods. And of course, we are excited to stop on our journey back to help support the local market. Throughout the drive we also saw many small towns and substinence farmers. Because it was Saturday, many people were bringing their animals (sheep, cows, llamas) to the market.

When we arrived to the ranch we were greeted by the manager of the ranch Moises and enjoyed a delicious hot meal of beef, rice and vegetables (all the meals have been delicious!). Our driver and Patrick joined us for lunch before thy returned to Cusco leaving Jesse, Cynthia (our translator) and I to enjoy the next four days together. After lunch, we had the pleasure of walking around the ranch and seeing some of the 4,000 alpacas. We learned much throughout the walk from our host and the ranch vet. Before dinner, Moises shared with us the history of Mallkini. Mallkini has a rich history and today us owned by Mitchell & Co, the world's leading producer and exporter of Alpaca fibre products. Mallkini is the largest privately owned Alpaca operation on the Altiplato and has both Huacayo and Suri Alpacas. The ranch is manager by Moises and his son. In addition to alpaca farming and breeding, Mallkini invests in the local farmers and their families. In addition to providing local farmers education on alpaca breedig and health, Mitchell initiated a social program at Mallkini. The Mirasol Project was initiated in 2006 and started fully running as a boarding house and school in 2009. The program provides the children of alpaca farmers a goodschool and proper nutrition. 

After a delicious dinner, Jesse and I were beyond exhausted from our travel days and went to bed around 9 pm so we would be well rested for our 8 am horse backing adventure throughout the 9,000 acres of Mallkini in the Andes. What a beautiful, spectacular trip!

We left the ranch by 8:30 and set off to visit some of the different herds of alpacas. In Mallkini there are 9 herds each consisting of 250 to 500 alpacas. We were led by the vet, Carlos, and our translator, Cynthia, came too. We set off with four horses and a foal (one of the horses was it's mother). Given I only rode a horse once in my life, I was very, very nervous but also excited. Jesse has ridden horses her entire life, so she was a pro! I was nervous for probably the first hour and a half... Until we climbed a steep mountain (that even made Jesse nervous) and I realized my horse really knew what he was doing! The sights were absolutely breathtaking! it was so, so amazing, the pictures don't do it justice an they're also amazing (see below).

The first herd we visited was all female alpacas and some llamas. Both the alpacas and llamas had some crias (babies). And we had the chance to meet the person watching and taking care of the herd. She was a 6 year old girl. Could you believe that?! And she knew exactly what to do with the hundreds of animals. When we were chatting, she excused herself to herd some of the alpacas and llamas closer to the group. Sure enough, moments later 25 alpacas and llamas cam running towards the others.

We met 3 girls at the next herd. The herd was entirely female alpacas and their crias. Here, we had the opportunity to pet a cria after the 11 year old caught it to show us. The girl was watching the herd with her two younger sisters for the weekend while their parents went to town. During the week, the girls attend the school at Mallkini. What amazing little girls! 

Upon arriving back to the ranch around 1 pm (4.5 hours later) we had a delicious lunch (do you sense a pattern?all the food is delicious!) and finally a hot shower! in the evening, we met with Moises, the manager, Carlos, the vet and Daniel, a genetics expert to talk about alpacas... There is so much to know!

FUN ALPACA FACTS:

• Llamas, alpacas and vicuñas are all in the same family. The main differences are their size and fiber quality.
• Female alpacas are pregnant for 11 months before giving birth to one cria.
• Alpacas typically live for 18 to 20 years.

Tomorrow we'll be visiting the school and talking with the community, the children, and the teachers! 

Enjoy the photos!

-Leah 

 sights from on the way to the ranch

  sights from on the way to the ranch

 our van

cusco-puno divide

 cusco-puno divide

view from porch outside our room

view from porch outside our room

 our room 

 Jesse and I with Patrick, guide to ranch

 Alpacas!

  Alpacas!

 Alpacas!

 Mallkini Guest House

 Ready to go horse back riding

  Ready to go horse back riding

  Ready to go horse back riding

 Horse back riding

 Herd 1

  Herd 1

 Alpaca Cria 

 Llama 

 Alpaca

 Jesse with an alpaca

 Me and an alpaca

 6 year old shepherding the herd

  6 year old shepherding the herd

  6 year old shepherding the herd

 View from the mountains 

 Horse back riding

 Cria

 Cria

 Jesse, Cynthia and I with the three girls 

 Horses taking a break 

 1 week old cria 

 Another herd

Lunch!

We arrived in Cusco, Peru today! We now have our luggage (thank goodness!). It wasn't transferred from Lima on our plane - so, we were very, very happy when it was tracked down and arrived to our hotel tonight around 6 pm. Now, we're ready for our alpaca adventure to begin tomorrow. We'll be leaving our hotel at 7 am for a 6 hour drive to Arequipa. We're staying at an alpaca ranch called Mallkini (www.mallkini.com) where we'll participate in alpaca classes, visits with locals and the "alpaca lifestyle". We are very, very excited! 

Today, we had the pleasure of walking around Cusco but just for a little. W e'll spend an entire day in the city after returning from the alpaca ranch but it was great to go out and see the city a bit today. And, we're happy to report we're adjusting well to the high altitudes. 

We may not have internet access on the ranch, but if we do... we'll blog! If not, we'll blog when we return to the city on the 14th. Enjoy the pictures of Cusco below!

-Leah 

The plan...

Hello All! 


In just a little less than 2 weeks, I will be traveling to Peru with my great friend Jesse to study alpaca farming! Our project is funded by the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows at Washington College and we're more than ecstatic to embark on such a great adventure. To learn more about the society, visit: http://sjf.washcoll.edu/. 


The purpose of our study is to compare and contrast alpaca farming in the US and Peru. So, prior to our trip to Peru we have much to learn about US alpaca farming and plan to visit some local alpaca farms this upcoming weekend! 


To understand what we're doing, why we're doing it and how we're doing it, please feel free to read part of our grant proposal below. 


Description of our project: 

Our project utilizes our individual areas of expertise to explore both the economics and sociology behind alpaca farming, both in the United States and Peru.

The first part of our project examines the young, but increasingly popular alpaca industry in the United States. The alpaca did not arrive to the United States until 1984, but has since developed into a niche market, supplying consumers with an alternative luxurious, natural fiber and owners with a unique lifestyle. To accomplish our inquiry, we plan to conduct library research, visit two alpaca farms in the Middle Atlantic region, and hold semi-structured interviews with their owners/operators.

The second part of our project examines the ancient tradition of alpaca farming in Peru, where approximately 3 million alpacas (the majority of the world’s 3.5-4 million alpacas) make their home along the Andes. For this portion of the project, we plan to conduct library research, travel to Peru over spring break in order to take part in a five-day alpaca course in Arequipa, and hold semi-structured interviews with alpaca farmers.

Ultimately, we hope to compare and contrast alpaca farming in the United States with its Peruvian counterpart. Although the goals in our projects are overlapping, we will each have our own set of research questions, with Leah focusing primarily on the economic aspect of the industry and Jesse focusing on the sociological aspect. Some of our preliminary questions are listed below. 

Leah’s Research/Exploratory Questions

Overarching Research Goal: Determine the industry’s significance to each country’s economy.

Basis for Research: Many differences exist between the alpaca industry in the United States and that of Peru. In Peru, alpacas are a mainstay in the economy and are farmed for their meat, leather, and fiber; whereas in the United States, alpacas are farmed only for their fiber. Peru exists as the main producer and exporter of alpaca fiber with 65,000 rural families in Peru’s Andean region farming alpacas. On the contrary, alpaca farming in the United States is a much smaller industry, more likely to be marketed as a lifestyle choice than a profitable industry. Interestingly, despite its small scale, the US subsidizes the industry. Leah will compare/contrast the industries on their profitability, the demand for alpaca products, their export markets and in the case of the US, the role of a government subsidy. At the end of her research, she will draw a conclusion as to the sustainability of the industry in each country.

Jesse’s Research/Exploratory Questions

Overarching Research Goal: Determine the alpaca’s contribution to a national identity as well as the personal identity of their owners.

Basis for Research: Dating back to the Incan empire, Peruvian alpaca farming has been both culturally and economically important for thousands of years. A fact which has not been lost on the various conquerors who have tried to gain control of Peruvian lands and their people. More than once, the alpaca has become the target of mass extinction as a means of dominating the rural people. For instance, in the early 1500s, Spanish conquistadors nearly drove the species to extinction in attempts to subdue the native people. This phenomenon also precipitated the exportation of alpacas in the late twentieth century, when a terrorist group known as the Sendero Luminoso" ("Shining Path") tried to come to power. How does this rich history shape the current role of alpacas in Peruvian households and the identity of alpaca owners? How does this identity compare to the perceptions of alpacas owners in this country?

Why Alpaca Farming?

Leah was the first to develop an interest in alpaca farming after noticing the increasing presence of alpaca products available in the United States. What especially piqued her interest was the fact that alpaca farming in the United States was subsidized. She couldn’t help but wonder, why? As close friends, Leah spoke of her interest with Jesse and the project began to spawn. 

I am so excited to start learning more about the intriguing and quite fascinating alpaca industry. Please stay tuned for more information as I research, meet with US farmers, travel to Peru and share my experiences! Stories, pictures and (hopefully) some videos will be shared! 

-Leah