About

For Dr. David Anderson's Camelid Environmental Impact Statement, click here.

An above-ground 300-gal. cistern catches rain from half of the roof. One inch of rain = 150 gallons.

Runoff from the second-growth forest on the hillside above had to be diverted around the pasture.

Below our pasture is a pond which was originally a quarry.

Cameron Mountain Alpacas

We are committed to maintaining and improving the farm and pasture in accordance with the needs of the animals and best environmental management practices (BMP). We believe that these objectives are mutually compatible, resulting in a quality livestock-breeding program that improves quality of pasture, enhances the surrounding environment, and protects adjacent waterways.

Pasture Maintenance and Surface Runoff. Our pasture is situated on the side of a mountain and receives significant surface runoff from rainfall. In order to minimize the mobilization of fecal bacteria (coliforms) and other pathogens from manure in surface runoff waters, we have diverted most of the incoming runoff to one side of the pasture where it is eventually received by a pond.

We compost all of our manure--as opposed to just letting it pile up--so that it decomposes to produce a rich, organic fertilizer that can replace chemical fertilizers that could be potentially harmful to the environment. 

Daily removal of manure from the pasture and the subsequent composting process are part of the strategy to keep fecal coliforms out of surface runoff and ground water.

We compost  our manure for up to two years to ensure that the manure will go through a "hot" phase where thermophyllic bateria will kill parasites and unwanted seeds and a "curing" phase where animal and insect shredders will further decompose and digest the manure into particle size.

When collecting manure from the pasture we thoroughly mix it with plenty of waste hay, the hardwood pellets used to absorb liquids, and fallen leaves from surrounding hardwood trees (in the fall).  We keep the piles "houseplant moist" and turn them a couple of time a year.  Fully composted manure is the product and organic gardeners love it and our reward is fresh locally grown produce!

Our pole barn is in a location on the pasture, which did not require excavation for a foundation. The absence of excavation minimizes erosion that might otherwise have occurred with construction.

Being faced with upgrading the existing horse fencing around the perimeter of our pasture, we were alerted to the existence of the Virginia Agricultural BMP Cost-Share Program, which provides assistance and tax credits to eligible farmers who take measures to keep livestock away from surface water. We contacted the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District and received advice on how to construct fencing that would protect a stream and the wetland that wasn't previously fenced off. After completion, the Culpeper Soil & Water Conservation District inspected our fence and the Board of Directors approved cost-sharing funds and a tax credit certificate.

Water for Farm Use. We have installed a 300-gallon cistern to provide for the watering needs of the alpacas and regular barn water use. The cistern is fed from rainwater runoff from one side of the barn roof. Thermal inertia in the cistern, insulation of the water lines, and low-powered heaters keep the water in the barn waterers from freezing. The installation of this system allowed us to forego burying a drinking water line from a well. We have found that we do need more water for cooling purposes during the summer so have a line that runs in from the well system on the property. We are confident that even in the event of a power outage our alpacas will have drinking water. We will be able to install an additional cistern as the need arises to increase our storage capacity.

Electricity. We have installed solar powered predator proof fencing and we are developing a a solar powered system for the electrical needs of the barn. The enhanced reliability that comes with a self-contained fence system gives us a great deal of peace of mind. And we hope to one day have a entirely solar powered barn.

Ohio State University's web site publishes information about camelid health and current research programs. Here's a link to Dr. David Anderson's Camelid Environmental Impact Statement. Dr. Anderson is now at Kansas State University.