John and Tricia Morton 

We were born, raised, and married in Michigan.   We moved to Indiana in July 1998 and purchased a 100 year old farm house on 2 acres.

 By 2002, we had the 1st floor remodeled and were thinking about refinancing.  What could we do with the equity in our house and 2 acres???  A memory of a show called 'That's My Baby' on Animal Planet brought alpacas to mind.  After visiting farms in Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, and Washington, we knew we wanted to be part of the alpaca industry.

First and foremost, for the love of animals.  Secondly, for an interest in fiber arts and the wonderful fiber these animals produce.  And thirdly, the possibility of being self-employed by raising animals and being part of a young industry that has such potential.

Our initial purchase was for 2 older imported pregnant females and a gelded male.  This decision was based on bloodlines and taking into consideration our financial situation.

We breed for fineness, density, crimp, and uniformity.  

We believe in giving our animals the best care possible.  Their diet plays an impact on their quality of fiber.  We soil sample and fertilize accordingly.  We reseed pastures when necessary and practice rotational grazing.  We feed twice daily to have contact with animals and take note of any signs of illness.  We clean fecal daily, disinfect barns, feeders, and water buckets routinely. 

We currently feed WindSwept Farms, Churubusco, IN, pellets.  We buy quality hay grown for alpacas.  In winter, we supplement with rolled oats and a small amount of cracked corn.

Our Farm-Name Story:

Our original purchase included a gelded male named Kalayo who we call Kal.  When our alpacas arrived in October 2003, they were nervous and curious just like us.  We decided early on we would name our farm after our animals arrived and we got to know them a little better. 

By day 3, we noticed Kal seemed to be 'intrigued' by one corner of the pasture.  He would hum to the females, walk towards this corner, look back at them, walk back over to them because they weren't following, and usually end up in the corner by himself.  He seemed to be on a mission and the girls did not want anything to do with it or him.

Kal has since learned he is better off doing things as he pleases without female approval and he will be just fine.  Hence, the name of our farm, Kal's Corner Alpaca Farm. 

Kal has become less shy and nervous.  He is comfortable in a pasture all alone, sneeks through doggie doors, and goes between pasturing with females or males.  He will even stand at the gate and ask to go to the other side. 

He has been to several festivals and events, loves carrots, has eaten carmel corn, and has taught us quite a bit about alpacas and their ability to learn and trust humans.