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src="https://archive.nnsl.com/buttons/smallbig.jpg" width="55" height="24" usemap="#textsize" border="0" alt="text size buttons"><map name="textsize"><area shape="rect" coords="30,2,54,24" href="javascript:increaseFontSize();" alt="bigger text" title="bigger text"><area shape="rect" coords="2,2,24,23" href="javascript:decreaseFontSize();" alt="small text" title="small text"></map></td><td width=85><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>Text size</b></span></td><td width=32> <A HREF="https://archive.nnsl.com/bin/mailbot.pl" method="post"><img align=middle src="https://archive.nnsl.com/buttons/emailicon.gif" border="0" alt="Email this article"></a></td><td><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><b>E-mail this page</b></span></td></tr></table> <br> <div class="headline">A real neat critter</div> <b>Fort Smith alpaca farm operating since last year</b><br> <br> <strong>Paul Bickford</strong><br> Northern News Services<br> Published Saturday, March 6, 2010 <div class=newscopy><p> <grab>THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - Since August of last year, an alpaca farm has been operating in Fort Smith. </grab> <br> <table align=right cellpadding="12"><tr><td width=310><img src="../../pics10/0803alp-bus.jpg" width="300" border="0" alt="NNSL photo/graphic"><br><br><div class="cutlineblue"> Mike Couvrette, the owner of Flat Earth Alpaca Farm in Fort Smith, feeds his animals, although one seems more interested in checking out a camera-toting visitor to the farm. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo </div></td></tr></table> <p>Mike Couvrette, the owner of Flat World Alpaca Farm, said it is the only operation of its kind in the NWT as far as he knows. <p>Alpacas are members of a South American camelid family, resembling a small llama. They have been domesticated for thousands of years and valued for their fleece, which comes in 22 natural colours. <p>Couvrette said, before he launched his farm, he had heard about alpacas and went to B.C. to see some of the animals. <p>"I thought they were a real neat critter," he said. <p>Couvrette bought a small herd of alpacas in 2006, and they were boarded in Alberta while his land was prepared and a barn was built. <p>His farm, which he operates with his partner Helena Katz, is located on three acres, about 10 km west of downtown Fort Smith. <p>Couvrette said he chose to become an alpaca farmer for a number of reasons. <p>"It was something to do with having a large piece of property," he said. <p>Plus, he said he was looking for something different for a hobby. <p>Couvrette said he has enjoyed being an alpaca farmer, saying it is nice to see the animals roaming around his property and learning their individual personalities. <p>"You have to set yourself a bit of a routine, but that's not all bad, either," he said. <p>Couvrette said the gentle animals have a calming effect. <p>Alpacas, which weigh between 100 and 170 pounds when fully grown, are recognized by their compact size, bountiful soft fibre, long necks and ears that point slightly outwards. <p>The fleece collected from the alpacas is sent to Alberta to be processed – cleaned, carded and spun into yarn. <p>It is then sold to craftspeople in Fort Smith. A 100-gram sheen of yarn sells for $22. <p>Each alpaca produces about three pounds of quality fleece annually. In addition, each animal produces two to three pounds of lower-quality fleece, called seconds, which is used to make felt and other material. <p>Couvrette said, historically, there has been livestock in Fort Smith, but it has been mostly horses. <p>"In comparison to horses, they are a lot easier to look after," he said of alpacas. <p>"Basically, they were an animal that was adapted for the cold, coming from the Andes," he added. <p>The farm has eight alpacas, including two that were born there, Couvrette said. "I believe we're expecting another two." <p>In addition, the farm has a llama, which was part of the original purchase. The llama is kept as a guardian companion for the alpacas. <p>A breeding alpaca can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 depending on its fertility and the quality of its fleece. <p>A regular grade alpaca can cost from $250 to $1,000. <p>Couvrette, who works as a regional program co-ordinator with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, said the alpaca farm is strictly a personal endeavour. <p>"No government money is involved whatsoever," he said. <p>Couvrette said an alpaca farm can offer some supplemental income for a person. <p>However, for it to become a full-time job, he said many more animals would be needed. <p>Couvrette said Flat World Alpaca Farm is close to breaking even and he expects it to eventually become a money-maker depending on how big the herd gets and how aggressively the fleece is marketed. <p>Currently, he also brings in alpaca fleece hats, scarves, mitts and socks, which are sold at North of 60 Books. <p>The 50-year-old Couvrette said, once he reaches retirement age, he may move more heavily into alpaca farming. <p></div> <table><tr><td>  <table border='0' cellpadding='0' align="left"> <tr><td> <OBJECT classid='clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000' codebase='http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0' width="40" height="44"> <param name='movie' value="http://www.nnsl.com/editorials/email.swf"> <param name='quality' value="high"> <param name='bgcolor' value='#FFFFFF'> <param name='loop' value="true"> <EMBED src="https://archive.nnsl.com/editorials/email.swf" quality='high' bgcolor='#FFFFFF' width="40" height="44" loop="true" type='application/x-shockwave-flash' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash'> </EMBED> </OBJECT> </td></tr>  </table></td><td><A HREF="https://archive.nnsl.com/editorials/emailform.html"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">We welcome your opinions on this story. 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