After 6 years in the making, I'm all growed up! I, Dennis L Dueñas, first became interested in alpacas in 2004. Visiting a number of alpaca ranches in my travels from the Pacific Northwest down through the Rocky Mountains trying to figure out the ins and outs of alpaca ownership, breeding strategies, fiber production, animal husbandry, etc. Many of you may remember me calling you up wanting to come by and look at your herd and talk alpacas. Everyone I visited greeted me with open arms and smiles. But there was some slight hesitance from some on my ideas.
After discussing where I'm at in the business, ranchers quickly learned I didn't have a place to live, didn't have a job, and wanted to create an end product that was "Epic. Its like cliimbing Everest!" one fiber processing mill commented. My reaction to his comments was "I love climbing and Everest has been climbed. So, making a base layer athletic garment is possible?" "It's possible" he cautiously said. Realizing this would be a life journey I needed to invest in the foundation of my journey. I first bought my 2 Suri alpacas back in October of 2006, one pregnant female and one female yearling. Over the next several years, I agisted (boarded) my suri alpacas. I was on the move and wasn't sure where I wanted to call home. I traveled, worked and lived until I found the right place and the right situation. Timing is everything, even if it takes years! Learn more click here
In Feburary 2011, I moved to Bear Canyon of Bozeman, Montana to help care take a house, barn, 12 chickens, and 4 llamas on 14 acres. After working with the land owner, she allowed me to re-fence and cross fence the pasture to make it predator proof for my alpacas. All spring Anna and I worked to remove the old rotten wood posts, strands and strands of smooth wire, barbed wire, electric fencing, and overgrowing shrubs to make way for our new fencing. As summer came, we became very familiar with a skid steer and post pounder, which we had to rent twice! Friends graciously helped out in stringing fencing, pounding fence nails, digging holes, and fixing Anna's crooked fence posts. She was driving the skid steer. First starting with 2 acres above the barn just to the base of the mountains behind us, fencing went up to house the male alpacas and llamas. A perfect situation to have the llama post guard to the mountains behind protecting the alpacas from dogs, coyotes, wolves, mountain lions and bears. Thus far, we have seen a handful of bears come close to the pasture next door. But the llamas quickly make their siren call only to see a retreating bear scurry up the hillside. A perfect situation indeed. Once the upper pasture was complete, I brought home my male alpacas to "wean" me into hands-on day to day care in July 2011. Over the next 2 months, we worked to finish the lower pasture, ready the barn for the additional 6 female alpaca and 3 jueviles, and prepare the entire alpaca farm for winter.
I'm proud and excited to say as of October 1, 2011 all my alpacas, SkyDog, Mister Tripp, Anna and I are located in Bear Canyon of Bozeman, Montana! I want to thank everyone I've met throughout the years making this happen. Especially Lona Frank of ALPACAS of Tualatin Valley and Steve and Debbie Jesse of Bozeman Alpaca Traders. Both alpaca ranches have done a great deal of holding my hand. Each time I've loaded alpacas into the trailer leaving each ranch, I've felt like I'm off to college. As I see many alpaca owners retire from the industry, I proud to say I'm here for a long time. We welcome you with open arms if you'd like to come visit. Just give a call ahead of time to make sure we're around. Northern Rocky Mountain Alpacas features a steller herd of suri alpacas for sale, herdsire service, alpaca fiber related end products, and good ole conversation about these crazy creatures. Schedule a visit today! We've got lots to see! Call 406.600.3835 or email
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