Nashville Fleeceline: CCNF at the 2019 Natural Fiber Extravaganza & AOA National Fleece Show (AKA We went to Nashville and all I got was this handy beer cozy)

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About 10 days before we traveled to Nashville and the Natural Fiber Extravaganza for the 2nd consecutive year, we were privileged to attend a premier of episode 3 of filmmaker Ken Burns’s upcoming documentary, Country Music, at Dartmouth College. Burns is a resident of nearby Walpole, NH so the Upper Connecticut River Valley is kind of his home turf. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to see any of his previous work — given to me by my parents the year it came out The Civil War was both ground-breaking itself and life changing for this then 18 year old — you can imagine the detail that the new series will be going into. I’m not sure that one has to even be a huge fan of country music (I count myself a middling one) to appreciate the film but in any case, getting to see Nashville venues like the Ryman Auditorium (aka The Mother Church of country music) featured again and again on-screen just days before we were scheduled to see a bluegrass act right there in the flesh, made it all come alive for us that much more. Three chords and the truth indeed. That we got to spend additional time on Sunday afternoon after the fiber conference finished up, gallivanting up and down Broadway with our friends Dee Sherman and Liz Alvino from Arrow Acres Farm listening to even more live acts, just made our long weekend in Music City that much sweeter…

So though my better half did her usual crazy thing of skirting over 50 fleeces for the National Fleece Show, in point of fact we were an early arrival at the Fiber Extravaganza this time around primarily because of my involvement as a member of the AOA Alternative Products Committee. As I said in my introduction to the round table presentation I was moderating on Friday afternoon, explaining what the APC really is: whether one approves of us or not, we’re the meat people. The round table, which was titled An Introduction to Terminal Markets, was attended by roughly 30 conference goers and featured a panel of speakers from different parts of the country: Jen Lutz as the brains of this operation here in VT, along with our colleagues Tom Blanford of Clayfarm Alpacas in IN, Vern Butler of Morning Beckons Farm in CT, and last but certainly not least, Alvina Maynard of River Hill Ranch in KY.

So why a presentation on terminal markets at a fiber conference you might ask? As I pointed out in my preamble and the accompanying dopey PowerPoint presentation, world-wide there is no such thing as a commercially viable live stock industry producing textile fiber that doesn’t also include terminal markets. Let’s be totally clear: this does not for one second mean that those that are uncomfortable with the idea of their alpacas as food animals need to participate in those markets. Yet conversely, to deny the need for a viable terminal market for alpacas on a commercial scale here in the US, is to deny some basic math. For my part, I’m just happy to see that AOA is letting us have a grownup discussion about this topic under their proverbial tent. Anyone that’s been around the block here, understands what a massive sea change that in and of itself represents. Though we obviously have a long way to go — eventually having a level playing field nationwide, with alpacas processed at USDA-FSIS inspected facilities being the ultimate goal — just being able to share what we know, what we have all experienced setting up our businesses, as well as the present realities of the situation — namely various state-level meat inspection protocols — with those interested in learning more and dipping their toes into the pool for the first time, was valuable. Thanks to all of our panelists for sharing their stories and to all the good folks from the AOA office who helped us to put it on. It will be interesting to see where this all goes next year…

Hey, and then there was a fleece show! There are always shows — both halter and fleece — such as this one, where despite some very good results on our part, we must also simply doff our caps to the competition for a job well done. Big picture, the really cool thing is that the Nashville show attracted over 600 fleeces counting huacayas and suris. In other words, it was genuinely worthy of being the National show! All of that said, in spite of a decidedly bride’s maid’s feel to some our our placings (looking at you @daveserino7), in the final analysis we could have no complaints whatsoever: we unquestionably held our own — as a certain Cup and collection of banners and ribbons can attest — and anyway like Crash Davis said in Bull Durham, strikeouts are fascist.

I would be remiss too if I didn’t point out to those that might be curious that all three of Spittfire, Declan, and Snow King (that would be them below) are now all working Herdsires in our breeding program and available for outside stud service. At a relative value, no less. This may or may not be your first time hearing or reading their names but there is an above average chance, given their quality and genetics, that it wont be the last. In any case, our highlights, as ever, can be found below. Thanks again to all of the vendors and presenters at the Extravaganza, the folks from the Alpaca Owners Association, the fleece show superintendents and judges, and of course the fleece show volunteers for all helping to making it another top notch event: we can’t wait to come back again next year! 🙂

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2019 AOA National Fleece Show, Lebanon, TN – CCNF Championships, 1st Place Winners, & Specialty Awards

Cas-Cad-Nac Farm LLC – 2019 AOA Heirloom Breeder Cup, Huacaya Fleece

CCNF Spittfire (CCNF The Mighty Beats Alexandra x CCNF Elixir) – Judges’ Choice Male Huacaya Fleece

CCNF Elixir (CCNF Ascension x Snowmass Elite Legend) – 1st Place, Huacaya Get of Sire

CCNF Declan (Delicate Lace x CCNF Elixir) – Huacaya Best Brightness

CCNF Heimdall (CCNF Mechlin x CCNF Centurion) – Huacaya Best Prepared

CCNF Spittfire (CCNF The Mighty Beats Alexandra x CCNF Elixir) – Champion Light Male Huacaya

CCNF Declan (Delicate Lace x CCNF Elixir) – Champion White Male Huacaya

CCNF Moonraker (CCNF Moonlight x Snowmass Matrix Majesty) – Reserve Champion Brown Huacaya Male

CCNF Dreadnought’s Andromeda (CCNF Aurora x CCNF Dreadnought) – Reserve Champion Fawn Huacaya Female

CCNF Sovereign-Legacy (CCNF Luna Majesty x CCNF Elixir) – Reserve Champion Fawn Huacaya Male

CCNF Snow King (CCNF Elizabeth x MFI’s & KVR’s Mint Mo Money) – Reserve Champion White Huacaya Male

CCNF Victoria (CCNF Swahili x CCNF Dreadnought) – Reserve Champion Combined Mixed Female Huacaya

CCNF Moonraker (CCNF Moonlight x Snowmass Matrix Majesty) – 1st Place, 2 Year Old Brown Huacaya Males

CCNF Nikita (CCNF Margaux x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, Adult Medium Brown Huacaya Females

CCNF Lyanna (CCNF Dorianna x Snowmass Matrix Majesty) – 1st Place, Yearling Dark Fawn Huacaya Females

CCNF Sovereign-Legacy (CCNF Luna Majesty x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, Yearling Dark Fawn Huacaya Males

CCNF Eternal Revel (CCNF Eternal Rose x CCNF Dreadnought) – 1st Place, Juvenile Medium Fawn Huacaya Males

CCNF Dark Storm (CCNF Love Dove x Snowmass Matrix Majesty) – 1st Place, Yearling Medium Fawn Huacaya Males

Arrow Acres and Emelise’s Mayfair (Glen Ridge Diplomacy’s Sugarlily x LMFI and TNT Neveda) – 1st Place, 2 Year Old Medium Fawn Huacaya Females

CCNF Privateer (CCNF Nutmeg of Consolation x Spirit Wind’s Maestro) – 1st Place, 2 Year Old Medium Fawn Huacaya Males

CCNF Oriflamme (CCNF La Vie en Rose x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, 2 Year Old Beige Huacaya Females

CCNF Spittfire (CCNF The Mighty Beast Alexandra x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, Adult Light Huacaya Males

CCNF Snow King (CCNF Elizabeth x MFI’s & KVR’s Mint Mo Money) – 1st Place, Yearling White Huacaya Males

CCNF Declan (Delicate Lace x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, 2 Year Old White Huacaya Males

CCNF Valyria (CCNF Moonbeam x CCNF Elixir) – 1st Place, Yearling White Huacaya Females

CCNF Victoria (CCNF Swahili x CCNF Dreadnought) – 1st Place, Juvenile Patterned Huacaya Females

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