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Royal River Alpaca Company - "Suris and Fiber" By Claudia Raessler As you turn onto a winding dirt road following the signs that lead you to Royal River Alpaca Farm, the serene, calm feeling of the Maine woods suddenly opens up to a 25 acre suri farm bustling with activity. On any given day, one can see members of the talented and dedicated farm staff in the pastures with the animals or upstairs in the barn helping to plan and prepare for upcoming events. You can also be guaranteed you will be greeted by the farm’s two friendly dogs, Asher and Sadie. 
As the owners, we are certainly not farmers by background. Prior to starting this farm in
2000, we kept ourselves busy in the medical and legal worlds respectively. Originally we
envisioned having a small alpaca farm that would both serve as an interesting business and a
"way to stay busy" as we moved into the next phase. We quickly recognized, however, the
rewards associated with raising these stoic and wonderful animals far exceeded our expectations.
Seven years later, our herd has grown to 43 suris and we have both found our niches in the
alpaca world. When not working as an anesthesiologist, Ken devotes his spare time to building
barns, managing the pasture, and being the farm’s resident "medical expert." Claudia traded
in her business suits for farm boots and usually can be found on the farm wearing many hats
from managing daily operations to focusing on improving the collection, processing, and sale
of the growing fiber supply in the United States. Ironing out the details for upcoming farm
events and alpaca shows around the country falls to both of us.While our vision for the farm has been dynamic and ever changing, our primary goals have not wavered. After what seemed like endless amounts of research prior to our first alpaca purchase, we decided we wanted to have a pure suri farm with proven genetics, high luster fleece, and award-winning conformation. We continue to plan our breeding program around acquiring excellent genetics from well-known and future lines including Torbio, Uribe, Bruxo, and Ramilo. Second, is to continue our focus on working within the industry to develop a commercial market for alpaca fiber and end products. At the core is our commitment to customer service. Beyond the work on the farm, we have experienced some unexpected rewards as we joined the alpaca industry’s culture. We have come to understand, value and appreciate the dedication alpaca farmers have to helping one another and their communities. Additionally, we have appreciated the people we have met and the relationships that have formed as a result of traveling throughout the country to various alpaca shows and hosting events on our farm. As a result of these rewards coupled with the pride that comes along with building a small business, we both say unequivocally there has been no reason to look back, nor do we regret undertaking this new challenge. Frankly, we believe there are very few people in the industry that feel differently. We look forward to your visit to our farm. Talking with you about alpacas, breeding strategies, farm buildings, and fiber will be a pleasure! |
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