Heartland "Criations": Kathy Albert’s Alpaca Farm in Forgottonia
November 2024 Small Business Spotlight -Hannah Chatterton
Kathy Albert didn't plan on becoming an alpaca farmer when she left the Chicago area for Abingdon. She originally moved to take a teaching job but quickly found out that buying a farm on a teacher's salary wasn't realistic. So, she pivoted—earning her real estate license, completing a master's degree, and eventually working as a principal in Abingdon and later Aledo. It was not until she stumbled across an ad for alpacas that her journey to Heartland "Criations" Alpaca Farm truly began.
"I didn't even know what alpacas were," Kathy says. She shared that even her father, a veterinarian, had no idea what they were either. After a year and a half of heavy research, she realized alpacas were a perfect fit. Unlike the horse world she grew up in, alpacas were easier to manage and didn't come with the same challenges. In 2012, she started her own farm, naming it Heartland "Criations"—an ode to "cria," the term for baby alpacas.
Today, Kathy's farm is home to a herd of 40 to 50 alpacas, all of the Suri breed, which are less common but known for their luxurious fleece. Kathy also keeps llamas on the farm, not for their wool, but to guard the alpacas. "If you walked in when I wasn't here, the llamas would immediately step between you and the alpacas," she explains. "They're great at protecting the herd from predators like coyotes or stray dogs."
Alpacas themselves are gentle and easy to care for. They have teeth only on the bottom, with a gum on the top that allows them to pull food in with their split lip. They are also hypoallergenic, making their fleece highly sought after. Kathy points out that alpaca fleece is warmer than wool but less bulky, making it perfect for sweaters, scarves, mittens, and hats.
Life on the farm is not without its quirks. The alpacas have a herd mentality, and their behavior can be quite amusing. Kathy laughs as she describes how they roll in their dustbowls to keep cool and clean off parasites. "Once one starts rolling, the rest all follow. It's like high school girls going to the bathroom."
In addition to raising alpacas, Kathy also boards alpacas for other owners and participates in a few alpaca shows each year. She's well-known for her fleece products, which are sent to various co-ops for processing. After skirting the fleece to clean it, the softest fibers are dyed and turned into hats, mittens, scarves, and sweaters. The coarser llama fiber is turned into durable rugs, perfect for keeping underfoot.
Visitors to Heartland "Criations" come from all over, even as far away as Ontario, Canada to stay on her farm. Kathy's farm is open for tours by appointment, and she hosts an annual open house the weekend after Thanksgiving, where people can experience farm life firsthand and browse her handmade alpaca products. She also occasionally hosts felting classes where participants can learn to felt scarves or create landscape "paintings" with the fleece.
Kathy Albert's journey from city life to alpaca farming may have been unexpected, but her passion and love for these unique animals is so evident and she has created a loving haven for alpacas and visitors alike.
