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Alpaca Breeder Farm

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Welcome to C&M Acres.

We are embarking on our newest adventure. Starting in April 2012 our full service fiber mill will be operational. We can process any type of fiber into roving, bumps, batts, felt and yarn. Our mill is a full turnkey operation that can handle all processing steps in house. Our mill makes a worsted yarn that is prepared by pindrafting the fiber to further align the individual fibers for a very consistent yarn. Our felting machine can produce felt in whatever thickness you want in sizes up to 5’ wide and any length.

C & M Acres is a 20+ acre alpaca farm that is owned and operated by Christian and Michelle Davies. While our farm is located in central Iowa close the main I-35 and I-80 interstate corridors crossing the state, we appreciate a very rural setting. We invite you to take a peek at the lifestyle that is working and living with alpacas.

Our intent is to raise quality, healthy animals. Our view is that anyone coming to our farm or website should be able to find out everything we know about the animals. We want to help educate new and interested people on what alpacas are, what they can do, and what it takes to raise them. We are working with the fiber ourselves so we can show people the complete cycle from animal to fleece. As accountants, we can also help people with the financial aspect and business plans. We believe in sharing our knowledge so that others can avoid pitfalls we may have made but also get ahead in the learning curve that much faster.

We have a separate quarantine barn for all new arrivals. We are a BVD free farm.

Come see us, our animals, our mill, and our farm store.

Check our our Class listing and our Schacht Equipment list for your spinning/weaving equipment at www.cmacres.com.

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INTRODUCTION TO ALPACAS (day class) $25/person (limit 10 per class) 9A-3P
We are offering this seminar to provide information about alpacas and the various aspects of owning them. The seminar will cover:
-What are alpacas and their history
-Why do people raise them
-The animals (from health to feed to vet care)
-What is needed to raise them
-How to make it a business
-Business Plan/Model
-Marketing, Sales & Resources
The seminar will be held at our farm and will include time with the animals. All attendees will leave with a resource manual and a better understanding of what it is to be an owner/breeder of alpacas.
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HAND-PROCESSING FIBER (day class) $25/person (limit 10 per class) Class Time: 9A-2P
We are offering this seminar to provide information on hand processing of fiber. The seminar will walk people through the process from raw fiber to finished products.
We will spend the morning working through the process of skirting, tumbling, washing, picking and carding.
After lunch we will then look at dyeing, spinning, needle felting, wet felting, knitting, and weaving. All attendees will have the opportunity to try all the various aspects of working with fiber. The seminar will be held at our farm and will include time with the animals.
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INTRO TO HAND-SPINNING (day class)
A one day class taking people through the process of turning fiber into yarn. We will discuss and show the variety of wheels available and have people try different wheels to see which works the best for them. While you will not be an expert at the end of the day, you will have a firm grasp of the fundamentals allowing you to continue on your own. We will work with a variety of fibers to show you how different fibers spin differently.
$50/person including materials (limit 6 per class) minimum of 3 to hold class. Class Time: 9A-3P
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INTRO TO NEEDLE AND WET FELTING-(day class)

A unique class taking people through the two very different ways of producing felt: needle felting and wet felting. By the end of the class you will have had the opportunity to produce both needle felted items and a wet felted bag or beret.

This class should be a lot of fun and you will definitely learn a lot about fiber and how to work with it to make things with felt. You will get your hands wet when you wet felt and you will be working with felting needles while you needle felt

$70/person including materials. (limit 6 per class) minimum of 3 to hold class . Class Time: 9A-3P
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RIGID HEDDLE WEAVING (day class)

Interested in weaving but just not sure where to start or sure if it is for you?

This class is the entryway to weaving using a rigid heddle loom to create a scarf. The class takes the attendees through all the steps of warping and weaving a basic loom. We will discuss the steps as we do them so you feel comfortable in going forward on your own if you choose. You will also receive a handbook that will assist you so you have a reference in the future.

By the end of the class you will have created a scarf from alpaca fiber that you will be able to show your workmanship.

$85/person including materials. (limit 4 per class) minimum of 3 to hold class. Class Time: 9A-3P
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4 HARNESS WEAVING (2 day class)

Still interested in weaving and think weaving with a bigger loom might be for you?

This class will take you through weave structure, warping a larger loom, setting up the treadles, and weaving. We will discuss the steps as we do them so you feel comfortable going forward on your own if you choose. You will also receive a handbook that will assist you so you have a reference in the future. From this class you will have the basics to step up to larger looms if you have the desire. The theory is the same, just more steps.

At the end of the class you will have created a sampler from alpaca fiber that you will take to show your workmanship.

$100/person including materials. (limit 4 per class) minimum of 3 to hold class. Class Time: 9A-3P
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Most classes do require a non-refundable deposit to reserve your space.
Call or email to reserve your seat. Deposits can be mailed to: C&M Acres 33707 663rd Ave, Maxwell, IA 50161