July is Alpaca month in Kentucky, and as part of it, The Suri Network is hosting the world’s largest fleece show for the Suri alpaca breed in Boone County.
The All Suri Fleece show will be held July 18-19 at the Boone County Cooperative Extension office in Burlington. The event will have about 200 entries from across the country.
This is part of July’s Kentucky Alpaca Fleece and Fiber Month celebrations hosted by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Alpaca Association.
“Alpacas add a uniqueness to Kentucky’s livestock communities,” Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan Quarles said. “In addition to the economic benefit they bring the farms that have added them to their numbers, alpacas produce beautiful, soft, cashmere-like fleece.”
Alpaca producers make fiber and fiber products from the animal, as well as agritourism and breeding for livestock sales and seed stock.
More than 200 mixed-livestock and family farms are raising alpacas around the commonwealth.
“This month, I encourage you to visit an alpaca farm to learn about alpacas and their care and about the many and diverse products that can be made from alpaca,” Quarles said.
A few alpaca-focused farms are operating around NKY, including Eagle Bend Alpacas in Burlington, Wheelrim Alpacas in Verona and 2 Point Farm Alpacas in Dry Ridge.