elcome to astle anch lpacas

There are times that you know you need to change the course of your life, and that is how we fell into alpacas. Sometimes the change may be by choice, other times by circumstance, but for us it was a combination of both.

Rick has worked in juvenile corrections for over 20 years, and he loves it. He takes great satisfaction in the change he is able to make in the lives of young people. I, Teresa, had been working as a nurse in the same hospital for over 20 years. When a severe accident ended my nursing career I started to look for a new avenue to keep me busy and active.

A steadfast animal lover I was drawn to alpacas out of curiosity. The first time we saw alpacas in person we were impressed with the beauty, elegance, and comical nature. I know that sounds like quite an odd combination, but it fits alpacas.

With money tight we began our adventure into alpaca farming. We were blessed to have a wonderful alpaca farm that was willing to help us get started, with reasonable payments, and lots of mentoring. Now in our fourth year of raising alpacas we have 9 females, 9 males, and 7 cria due in 2007!

We understand that not everyone can realize their dream of owning alpacas. It is our desire to help and mentor people that are started out in the alpaca business, just as we were helped in the beginning.

Our On-line Store

I have two passions that have been brought together in our on-line store: alpacas and jewelry making. What a combination! In our store you will find wonderful and unique handcrafted items. We have hand-woven afghans, shawls and original pieces of artwork created from alpaca fiber. Warmer than wool, yet softer than cashmere, alpaca fiber is hypoallergenic and one of the worlds finest and rarest fibers. Everyone in the family will want something special made out of alpaca; from Grandma right down to the new baby. These are heirloom pieces that will hold up to the test of time.

My jewelry is handcrafted from clay, wood, alpaca fiber and silk. Each seems to take on a character of its own as I work with the elements to find the inner beauty. You will find classic, elegant, whimsical, and even primitive pieces in my collection.

We hope that you enjoy visiting our site and on-line store. If you want to talk about alpacas please give us a call or send us an email. We are also at the Redding Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

Thank you,
Rick and Teresa