We sit and watch the sun rise as it shines upon the Rocky Mountain foothills. A pink alpenglow welcomes the busiest day of our year. Soon Mark arrives with his kit of shearing tools. He greets us with friendly smiles, and cheerfully announces that he is ready to work. Neighboring farmers soon begin arriving, as they pull their trailers of fluffy alpacas to a gentle stop near our barn.
Warm welcomes fill the air.
There is little time to waste, as the day's work is on everyone's mind. The visiting alpacas are also treated to a special greeting. They have stalls waiting with lots of fresh hay, cool water, and comforting shade. Vacuuming gives the groomer greater control over the debris, and prevents him from blowing, or forcing the debris deeper into the fiber coat. We soon discovered that the process was stressful to the alpaca as well as to the handler.