YOUR AD HERE »

PHOTOS: Shorn for summer: Sopris Alpaca Farm shear day near Silt

News News |

Chelsea Self
  

Kyle Michals gets a kiss from Doll Baby during the annual shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent

The alpacas at Sopris Alpaca Farm are officially ready for summer after getting shorn last Thursday. The three-man shear crew with the company TopKnot took the stress away from owners Kim and Cory Wesson and worked throughout the day to shear, trim toenails and vaccinate 64 of the alpacas at the farm between New Castle and Silt.

Harvested wool is weighed and tested for quality before being processed into yarn and dryer balls.

The yarn is used to make an assortment of items, including blankets, scarves, sweaters, gloves and even soles for shoes, which are all sold at the farm boutique located next to Coal Ridge High School at 35795 US Highway 6 in Silt.

Pete Hofman and Seth Edwards work together to shear an alpaca during the annual shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm in Silt.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Freshly shorn alpacas and those waiting for their turn hang out in pens outside of the barn at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
A young alpaca waits its turn to be sheared at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Shearers hand over a small sample of Tiffy Tuesday's wool during shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Shearer Pete Hofman shears an alpaca at Sopris Alpaca Farm last Thursday.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Kyle Michals and Pete Hofman work together to lay down a young alpaca for shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Sopris Alpaca Farm Co-owner Cory Wesson walks a freshly shorn alpaca from the barn to the holding pens during the annual shear day.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Weigh totals and notes are jotted down after each alpaca is shorn to track the quality of the wool at the annual shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent
Two-year-old Kazimiera Miller checks out the alpacas at the annual shear day at Sopris Alpaca Farm.
Chelsea Self/Post Independent

Visual Journalist Chelsea Self can be reached at 970-384-9108 or cself@postindependent.com.

Local
See more

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Glenwood Springs and Garfield County make the Post Independent’s work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.