Llamas Are a Hit

At National FFA Convention

By Sheila Fugina

                The llama community’s display at the National FFA Convention in October drew even more attention this year than it has in the past. With a llama pen on one end, fiber demonstrations on the other and lots of information in between, the exhibit was eye-catching, interactive and offered something for everyone.

A loom and spinning wheel were in constant use by our demonstrators. In addition, this year students and teachers themselves were invited to learn how to spin using a drop spindle. Almost 300 drop spindles were given out at the convention to those who stopped and took a short spinning lesson on them. Many stayed and asked questions about the spinning process and about the beautiful garments and fiber products on display. A number of teachers were anxious to include the drop spindle in their classes.

Two Indiana farms provided llamas during the career fair, and many students and advisors came back each day to see the new llamas. Students received bookmarks tied with llama yarn and also signed up for a free drawing of a Paige McGrath Hairy Potter llama print. Advisors received Discover Llamas packets filled with llama resource material, and sponsoring organizations had their names and web sites printed on the outside of the packets. Almost 500 packets and 4,000 bookmarks were given out.

A large poster of a teenage girl and her llama and a quote from Garrison Keillor’s “More Llamas Would Make Us a Better People” article attracted many to the display. The article ends with the statement, “If every teenager had his or her own llama, this would be a very different country.” A copy of the article, reprinted with permission, was included in every advisor packet courtesy of Llama Life II magazine. Major sponsors of the display were the Alpaca & Llama Show Association, International Camelid Institute and International Lama Registry. Thirteen state and regional organizations (see below) provided much needed additional support that allowed expansion and upgrading of this year’s display.

We talked with many teachers and advisors over the three days and found a number either have a llama project in place at their school or are planning to start one. Some recently had llamas donated to their schools, and others were looking at purchasing some. Even more teachers said they include llamas in their agriculture class curriculums, often under alternative agriculture. Several said they are being charged with starting or increasing their offerings on alternative agriculture, which is a natural for llamas and their many uses, so they were especially appreciative of the educational materials.

Many teachers from all parts of the country asked how to access visuals such as videotapes and DVDs for use in teaching about llamas. If your llama organization has a library of educational materials, you might consider loaning them to FFA chapters in your state or region. If your organization’s funds are tight, set up the program so that schools pay for shipping the materials. These teachers were eager to find good educational visuals on llamas, and those agriculture teachers who don’t yet include llamas in their curriculums might very well do so if offered the loan of such materials. You might put together specific educational packages, or you could provide titles and descriptions for teachers to put together their own packages. Then set a specific time period for the loan, such as two weeks, after which the materials need to be returned so someone else may borrow them.

Other teachers asked about handouts—from llama fact sheets to bookmarks tied with llama fiber—for all ages from elementary school through high school. Students in high school FFA chapters often present agricultural programs at elementary schools, taking various animals to the schools and presenting short talks on them. Llamas are a natural for these programs, and simple handouts (especially with llama fiber) leave a lasting impression. Advisors and teachers also were interested in fiber activities for all ages, and many liked the idea of creating drop spindles from CDs.

Those of us staffing the llama display were very impressed with the caliber of llama questions and interest from both advisors and students at the FFA convention. It would behoove llama organizations across the country to capitalize on this interest in their own regions as well as to support the llama community’s effort at the national FFA level.

State and Regional Organizations Contributing to FFA Llama Display

Southern States Llama Association, Rocky Mountain Llama Association, Greater Appalachian Llama & Alpaca Association, Michigan Llama Association, South Central Llama Association, Ohio River Valley Llama Association, Illinois Llama Association, Llama Association of Southern California, Wisconsin

Organization of Lama Enthusiasts, Lamas of Minnesota, Lamas of the Mid-Atlantic States, Llama Quest and Llama Association of North America. If your organization would like information on helping to sponsor the llama display at the 2009 National FFA Convention, contact Barb Baker at bebaker@hughes.net or 740-397-1736.

As parents of a child with severe autism, the Rev. Jim and his wife Pam Wining wanted nothing more than to help their son. Pam knew that animals have been known for helping children with autism. So she started bringing home different kinds of animals. One day she brought home a llama, and her son watched as she fed and cared for it. After a month an amazing thing occurred; her son took water to the llama. From there he started to gradually take care of the llama, and with time he started to make progress in other areas as well.

Inspired by their son’s success, they decided to get more llamas and bring in other kids and form a llama therapy group. The group meets once a week. 1 week a month at the church they discuss llamas and 3 weeks a month they meet at the farm to work with the llamas. They have found that it takes about 6—8 weeks for the kids to get use to the llamas and to make a connection with a llama. Once that connection is made, the kids then learn to halter the llama and to attach a lead rope. Once the basics are mastered the kids then start working with the llamas on an obstacle course.

The kids use these skills when the group travels to show and fairs around the Midwest to demonstrate their handling skills in competition. Competing in fairs gives the kids a unique social opportunity to talk with other kids about their common interest in llamas. Three of the youths are now Grand National Champions. To help raise money to support the program the kids sell the wool from the llamas and bag and sell llama manure as fertilizer.

Rev. Jim and Pam have found that many children who have been unable to benefit from working with horses are able to work with llamas, which are less forbidding than horses because of their smaller size and loving disposition. After working with the llamas, many children are then able to start working with horses.

Today the program has 15 show llamas and 23 kids currently in the program and five youths who have graduated from both the program and from high school. Thanks to a generous gift of two alpacas, the group will be expanding to include children who are younger or who have been unable to benefit from the llamas.