NEAFP Note - October 2009
Embracing your Local Economy / 2 New Products!
Although the average consumer is cutting down on their spending, they are still looking for local businesses in their community to support. More and more people are becoming conscious to who they are supporting when they make a purchase or use a service. The Buy Local / Farmer's Market movement continues to grow despite the current economic situation and continues to be a great way for Alpaca Farms to bring finished products to market and showcase their farms and animals to the general public.
Progressive cities like Portland, Oregon have begun marketing campaigns to get local residents to shift 10% of their spending to locally run businesses to help create jobs and stimulate growth.
Visit Portland's Buy Local Website
It also is becoming more and more beneficial to work cooperatively with other local businesses and farms, both in and out of the Alpaca Industry. Strong relationships allow farms to split feed, vet, shearing, transportation, and other business costs by taking advantage of economies of scale. Other networks will help with local marketing campaigns, event planning, and community building opportunities as more and more local businesses look to stimulate their regional economies. It is also a great time to establish yourself and your farm outside of the business community, volunteering with local schools and organizations.
As the U.S. Alpaca Industry shifts and matures, it is important for farms to position themselves properly now to ensure long term success. Even in a down turned economy we are seeing more and more farms embracing the fiber aspect of their business, and more importantly, we are seeing the brand recognition of U.S. Alpaca grow throughout the country.
Further Reading: http://small-mart.org
Resources / Local Business Search – http://www.localharvest.org / http://www.merchantcircle.com, http://www.local.com
2 New Product Additions!
We are happy to announce the addition of two new Mayflower style baskets to our product catalog. The Mayflower Knitter's Tote has been a great success and we wanted to follow that up with more products made from Thirds that had great curb appeal and utility.
The first addition is the new Alpaca Waste Basket. It combines recycled Corded Material with Alpaca for a very sturdy basket with a ton of curb appeal. The Basket measures 12" High with a 10" Base and uses 1.5lbs of Third-Grade Alpaca Fiber. $30 with Fiber.
The second addition is the new Alpaca Laundry Basket. It combines recycled Corded Material with Alpaca to create a sturdy all purpose basket. We are really happy with how these turned out and believe they will be a great addition to the products we offer made out of Third-Grade fiber. The Basket measures 12" High with a 18" Wide Base and requires 2.5lbs Third-Grade Alpaca Fiber. $40 with Fiber.
These two new baskets will begin shipping October 15th, 2009. This being their first run there are limited quantities available so you can begin placing orders for these items today! - Head to Catalog
NEAFP on the Go!
We are beginning to finalize dates for upcoming shows that we will be attending as an Informational Vendor, and doing Fiber Collections. We would love for everyone to come out and say hello, get your hands on some of our new products, and let us haul your fiber back to the mill. This is a wonderful way to save on Fiber Shipping Costs!
- 9/18 - 10/4: The Big E (Fiber Pickup Oct. 1st) - Springfield, MA
- 10/11: MAPACA Members Meeting - Fiber Forum - Lancaster, PA
- 10/24 - 10/25: Empire Alpaca Extravaganza - Syracuse, NY
- 11/7 - 11/8: New England Coastal Classic - Worcester, MA
Find Out how to Participate in Fiber Pickups and Save on Shipping HERE!
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Click through to search LocalHarvest's 3000 Markets!
Snowflake Pattern Earflap Beanies are back in stock!
Catch up on all the Resources you missed!