Alpacas, and Cotton, and Fiber…. Oh my!
Check out Astrid's transformative journey through craft and travel, exploring various Harvest Hosts' farms, learning about fiber, and bonding with alpacas across the U.S.
By: Astrid Tauber
When I was 7 years old, my mom signed me up for a series of craft classes at a local store. Little did I know that now, at the age of 14, most of my thoughts would still be consumed with all things fiber. It is safe to say that I am not your typical teenager! Who has time for Minecraft and TikTok when there are sheep to be sheared, yarn to be spun, fabric to be woven, and garments to be sewn?
We are an adventure-loving family that has crisscrossed the country multiple times in our RV. We love camping off-grid, exploring national parks, and meeting people from all over the world. Imagine my delight when my wandering, free-spirited mother signed us up for Harvest Hosts a few years ago! I now had an excuse to buy oodles of fiber, all in the name of “supporting our host” for the night.
As I reflect on some of the hosts we stayed with last year, I’d love to present a few quirky awards to my favorites!
Most Serene Spinning Location: Mesa Trail Alpacas
As Harvest Hosts members, we have visited many alpaca farms from coast to coast. We have already established that I love their fiber, but I also adore them because they’re so serene and graceful. Seeing the moms and babies graze in their pasture is such a calming way to end the day after hours on the road in our camper van. One of the things that drew us to Mesa Trail Alpacas was the iconic red barn photos in their listing. However, upon arriving at the farm, we realized that photos would never be able to do this incredible location justice.
Markus and Stacy’s beautiful 100-acre farm is set on a quiet, heavenly hillside. We parked in our overnight space which was in a secluded area and made our way down the winding driveway to the pastures. And yes, I set up a blanket right near the iconic, beautiful red barn! I travel with an Ashford electric spinning wheel that is powered by a rechargeable battery. It allows me to spin beautiful yarn anywhere… and I had found the most serene place right there beside a lovely herd of alpacas!
Most Educational Visit: Schronk Custom Ag
Our stop at this 7,000 acre family-owned farm was truly unique! We have stayed at farms with sheep, alpacas, llamas, and more! But this was our first fully agricultural farm stop. While this location didn’t sell any processed fiber that I was able to purchase, I did leave with incredible knowledge about growing cotton! For example, did you know that there is cotton in both U.S. currency and toothpaste? I sure didn’t!