Meet Rebecca Gill | Alpaca Breeder and Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rebecca Gill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rebecca, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
When most people hear the word alpaca, they think cute and quirky. But alpacas are so much more. They are easy on the earth and very efficient grazers, so they are eco-friendly. Their fiber is three times warmer than sheep’s wool, hypoallergenic, soft like cashmere, breathable, and naturally wicks away moisture. Alpaca fiber is used to make amazing products that last for years and years.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When we decided to give up the suburbs and move north to the farm in 2015, some friends and family referred to it as a mid-life crisis. Our financial advisor Nancy called it living the dream. We refer to it as Life 2.0. Looking back, it was the best decision we could have made for our family and we’re so thankful we took this leap of faith.

After living in the Detroit area for two decades, we said goodbye to high-stress jobs, long commutes, and way too busy schedules. In 2018 we officially moved into our Thompsonville, Michigan alpaca farm and began living a quieter life filled with open land, sunset views, and a herd full of alpaca love and goodness.

Our alpaca farm began with the simple idea of having a few alpacas, sheep, and chickens. Our goal was a hobby farm to keep Jason busy after retirement.

Once we brought our first alpacas home, we fell in love and realized they were magical creatures. We also realized alpacas had a large impact on sustainable living and eco-friendly fiber production. When we saw the happiness the alpacas brought to others, we knew the farm was going to be much more than a hobby. It would be a business where we would invest sweat equity, lots of love, and a lot of start-up capital.

We quickly dove into the industry to learn everything we could about alpaca bloodlines, fiber quality, conformation, genetics, reproduction, and health. We visited other farms, attended shows, and did a whole lot of research. The more we learned, the more we loved alpacas and everything they offered.

Today that love for alpacas lives in our alpaca herd, our onsite farm store, our large online presence, our 4-H program, and the mentorship we now offer new farms.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We would start in our barn and our paddocks so they could see the reason we gave up everything to move north. Once they have seen life through our eyes, we’d head to the spa at Crystal Moutain Resort, then head over to Iron Fish Distillery for cocktails in nature. They would see Northern Michigan is more than camping. It is a vibrant community of people and businesses who choose to live life in a slower and more enjoyable pace.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We’ve been raising alpacas for about five years now and we’ve accomplished a lot in that timeframe. But that said, we would not be where we are today without excellent industry mentors. Our partner farms have helped guide us through medical issues, they’ve taught us the basics of alpaca husbandry, they’ve given us insight into the industry before our arrival, and they’ve been close friends to whom we are forever grateful.

Website: https://cottoncreekfarms.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cottoncreekfarms/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cottoncreekfarms/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2UyGs3KP6Ij-ZhP6gA3Vtg

Other: https://g.page/r/CUuBglpl3b8AEAE