Alpacas in the Heart of Tennessee

Tennessee farmers aren’t just meeting the nation’s fiber needs by raising cotton, sheep and goats – they’re also raising alpacas and creating high-quality apparel with warmth and comfort in mind.

“Clothing made from alpaca fiber is softer than wool, generally speaking, and it’s more insulating than cotton,” says Ruth Fuqua, who owns Hickory Bluff Farms with her husband, Bill Fuqua. “It’s considered to be a luxury fiber like cashmere, and acts similar to cashmere as far as the softness and the wearability.”

Located in Mt. Juliet, Hickory Bluff Farms is a 106-acre operation that raises 60 Huacaya alpacas on a pasture covering about 15 acres. Huacaya alpacas produce dense, fluffy fleece, and they make up the majority of the world’s alpaca population.

Hickory Bluff Farms includes the Alpaca Store, which offers items such as socks, gloves, scarves, hats, men’s and women’s clothing, stuffed toys, and yarn. While most of the garments are handmade using the farm’s alpacas’ fiber, select items are imported from Peru. And because alpacas naturally come in 26 colors, minimal dyeing is required when preparing products for market.

“More and more people want to wear clothing made from alpaca fiber every year,” Ruth says. “The ‘prickle factor’ is very low compared to wool.”

In nearby Gallatin, Long Hollow Alpacas features 150 Suri alpacas on 62 acres. Suri alpacas, which are rarer than the Huacaya breed, have long, rope-like, twisted locks that drape and create a silky fiber.

The farm’s store offers men’s and women’s clothing and yarn. Services like alpaca breeding, training and boarding are also available.

“We enjoy the alpacas because they are great animals with wonderful personalities,” says Jan Heinrich, who owns Long Hollow Alpacas with her husband, Karl Heinrich. “The alpaca community is filled with interesting, dynamic people from all walks of life. Alpacas allow us to travel to shows and be a part of a nationwide group.”

Jan and Karl also own New Era Fiber, an alpaca and llama fiber processing company that provides customers with yarns and roving. In addition, the company offers a line of original knitting patterns designed for alpaca fiber.

Both Hickory Bluff Farms and Long Hollow Alpacas offer tours of their grounds and facilities by appointment.