If you were to take a drive around Wise County you would find mostly cattle ranches, hay fields, and the occasional pecan orchard. But Alvord, Texas resident Stephanie Cordova looked around and decided something was missing from this picture: Alpacas. With an adoration for the animals and passion for educating the public on livestock and agriculture operations, Stephanie is a perfect example of taking a leap and hitting the ground running towards a new venture.
Although Stephanie has a background in nursing and currently works as a nursing professor at a local college, her husband Luis grew up raising cattle in Ecuador, a country that is known for some of the highest populations of alpacas. After visiting the country several times, Stephanie fell in love with alpacas and – despite having no ranching history herself – knew they would be a huge part of her life going forward. She started visiting farms to learn about caring for alpacas and what was required in the barns. And then she made connections in the agricultural industry. With some soul searching and eye-opening life events, she and her husband agreed that life was short, and it was time to dip their toes into raising alpacas of their own. They purchased acreage in the small town of Alvord, Texas, and the dream of Harmony Ranch Alpacas became their reality.
In March 2022, the Cordova family started their herd with seven alpacas from a ranch in Colorado. Over the past year of selling, buying, and breeding, the herd has grown to 20 animals and will stay at or around that number for the future. Today, visitors to Harmony Ranch are immediately greeted by some of the herd, eagerly hoping for some tasty hay or other treat.
In addition to hay, the herd is fed orchard grass sourced from Colorado, along with senior equine pellets and high-protein grain for nursing females. Females can give birth to one baby at a time and will be pregnant for 11 ½ months, nursing for six months before weaning. They have teeth only on the bottom, and soft pads instead of hooves, which do less damage to the soil compared to other livestock. Two Great Pyrenees dogs live on the ranch to guard against coyotes and stray dogs. Stephanie’s two children are very involved with feeding and cleaning tasks and are starting to show the animals at local events.
Stephanie’s herd is sheared every year in April by a professional who travels from New Zealand. The alpacas’ bodies, necks, and legs are sheared, and the animals may need either sunscreen or blankets for protection against the fluctuating Texas spring weather. Most American mills are functional for sheep wool only, and with such a finer texture, alpaca wool must be sent to a specialized plant. Black and brown alpaca wool usually keeps its natural shade, but white and light-colored wool can be dyed to vibrant colors.
At the entrance of the property, Stephanie has set up a storefront where she sells incredibly soft accessories and decor made from the alpaca wool they shear. Alpaca wool can be used for both cold weather and warm weather garments due to its natural antimicrobial and moisture wicking properties. Gardeners visiting the ranch may also purchase manure from the farm, since it is rich in nitrogen. And it is ready to use raw because it doesn’t require time to break down or mix with compost before use.
Stephanie hosts a variety of events at the ranch to educate the community and grow agritourism. She enjoys teaching people about raising alpacas and showing others how to care for livestock. Participants can take painting classes, decorate cookies, or do yoga, and then go out to meet the alpaca herd, feel their soft wool, and give them some treats. The up-close-and-personal experience is sometimes a visitor’s first interaction with the animal. Ranch tours can also be arranged for individuals and groups interested in more in-depth information about alpaca farming. Harmony Ranch Alpacas maintains social media pages and a website, too.
Stephanie recently contacted the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service regarding technical assistance and cost-sharing practices. Through NRCS technical and financial assistance programs, she and Luis now plan to add cross fencing to create more pastures that would encourage rotational grazing and allow the grass and soil to rest in between. Additionally, they plan to install pipelines and water troughs to provide water sources to these new pastures.
Diving into an agricultural operation with little to no ranching experience is an intimidating idea to most people, but Stephanie and her family were up for the challenge. She maintains a diverse income stream from selling the alpaca fibers, breeding alpaca when possible, and attracting guests for agritourism and education experiences. Her dedication to the animals and willingness to learn new things is admirable and sure to inspire more women in agriculture.
Original source can be found here.