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About Ourselves
We began this business with the idea
that it would be fun. Yes, it is a business and yes, with any business
there is a profit motive; but it must also be fun. With anything there
will be ups and downs. However if it's fun the downs should be less in
frequency and duration than the ups. If this business ever becomes
drudgery and not fun, we will politely excuse ourselves and get out. We
certainly don't want a bad attitude to ruin this wonderful business for
others. Right now we don't see ourselves getting out of the business any
time soon.
About Our Customers
In our dealings with other ranchers we have very quickly learned what we like and what we do not like. We will always strive to treat you, our customers, the way we would like to be treated ourselves. We will make every effort to help you and to respond to inquiries in a timely and professional manner. We will work to make you glad that you decided to do business with us; and we'll try to make this as fun of an adventure for you, as it is for us.
About Our Animals
We strive to provide the absolute best care for our animals. Candace is a Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas and also a Certified Animal Therapist. (Check out her website - www.holistic-critters.com) Her knowledge and contacts help us to decide on what we feel is the best course of action in the care of our animals.
We feel that when medical care is needed, there is a time and place for modern western medicine and also for natural holistic care. Each has it's pros and cons and neither is the best solution for all cases. We strive to use natural care whenever possible; but will always use what is best for the animal.
About Size
Some say that bigger is better; but that's not always true. Alpaca ranches come in all shapes and sizes, and like many things in life the best way to know is to check it out, evaluate and judge for yourself.
There are several very large Alpaca ranches in the United States, some with over 500 Alpacas! However there are many more small and medium sized ranches and farms. According to the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA) website, "The average Alpaca herd is made up of about eight to ten Alpacas".
Big ranches certainly give you, the buyer, a broad assortment of Alpacas to pick from. For some this is great but for others it might be somewhat overwhelming. Small ranches, while not having the huge selection, can offer the same quality Alpacas. Some might argue that service and personal attention is better at a small ranch. Maybe, maybe not; but give them both a look and decide for yourself. Find several Alpaca ranches near you, give them a call and arrange a visit. You'll learn a lot from visiting Alpaca ranches both large and small - they're all different. And learning, when you're getting into something new, is definitely a good thing.
Whatever you do, don't exclude the small rancher just because of size. After all, if you're reading this, you're probably thinking about getting into the Alpaca business; and you'll probably start out as a small ranch. You certainly wouldn't want someone to miss visiting your ranch just because of size!
Mountain Dream Alpacas
Larry
& Candace Wingo
Waynesville, North Carolina 28785
email: info@mountaindreamalpacas.com