Rusty Stars Alpacas

Alpaca hike reservations can be made using Eventbright or messaging. We are planning hikes for Saturdays 10:30a and 2p, and Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 2:30p for all of June with bonus dates. Some are already booked. The cost is $15 ea, please only reserve tickets for the number of alpacas your group wants, helpers don’t need a ticket.

Alpaca Hikes https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alpaca-hikes-tickets-1990648227435?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

Open visits are free. Why not everyday? We schedule large groups and field trips on Thursdays and Fridays during the summer. Watch for special events and alpaca hikes throughout the summer.

Lions at the alpaca farm? This beautifully painted sculpture is part of Blank Park Zoo’s Roar and Explore feature this summer. There’s 14 to find around central Iowa, each uniquely painted by Iowa artists, and you can find one here at Rusty Stars Alpacas. Learn more at Blank Park Zoo. There are sponsorship opportunities for this lion, ask me if you’re interested. Funds support the zoo and their conservation efforts. Come visit the alpacas and start your lion finding adventure for the summer!

We were surprised today by this nice story from dsm Magazine

A herd of 40-some alpacas lives on a serene farm in the hills east of Winterset. Feel free to swing by for a visit the next time you’re in the neighborhood.⁠ ⁠ Aron and Kari Shultz own the operation, known as Rusty Stars Alpacas, @rusty_stars_alpacas, and have turned it into a relaxing outdoor destination in Central Iowa. Anyone can visit and feed the alpacas for free.⁠ ⁠ The Shultzes shear the fiber once a year and spin most of it into balls of yarn, as well as a few little handmade items. Each ball has a tag that identifies its specific producer. “It’s not very often you can take a photo with the animal that your sweater came from,” Aron said. “Several people have made things and then come back to show us what they made and to see the alpaca.”⁠ ⁠ One of our former @drakeuniversity interns took a trip out to the farm to report on this story:⁠ ⁠ "I walked around the pack and met Millie (the friendly one), Stella (the hungry one) and Barry, the farm’s only llama, a cousin of the alpacas in the camelid family. I visited on a hot summer day, so most of the animals huddled under a shady tree, where I sat down and petted Millie’s silky fiber. With the breeze and the birdsong, it made for a peaceful summer afternoon."⁠ ⁠ Read more about how to experience the farm in the online story from our annual ia magazine. Link in bio. 🦙⁠ ⁠ ✍️: Emmett McMenamy⁠ 📸: Duane Tinkey

The proposed shooting range was denied. We are so grateful to everyone who offered so much support in the form of letters, sharing awareness, knowledge, and compassion. If there’s a lesson in this, I think it’s never underestimate the power of community. We’re proud of Madison County and thankful our Board of Supervisors and Zoning Board diligently determined this was a poor location for this proposal.

*updated, we’re very happy this did get denied by the BOS.* As many of you know we’ve spent the last two months in a situation we didn’t ask to be in. On Wednesday May 13th at 6pm, the Madison County Board of Supervisors will hold a meeting to hear public comments and the proposal for the commercial shooting range. We’ve been working hard to gather and submit the many reasons why this would be a poor choice for this region of the county and detrimental to our farm that we’ve worked so hard to establish for everyone’s enjoyment. Thank you for the hundreds of letters submitted to the BOS and Zoning board. The zoning board unanimously voted against it but the BOS has the final say. Wednesday is an important day and if you’d like to show more support in opposing the shooting range, you can attend the meeting in the Winterset High School auditorium 6pm 5/13. Please especially encourage any of your Madison county friends and family to attend. Fingers crossed, a little prayer, and simply sharing this post really helps too. Thank you!

Happy Mother’s Day to every kind of mom

Grass is mowed, now the alpacas are working on trimming the trees. We’re open 10a-3p today.

Barry gives the best hugs (usually 😆). Open Mondays and Saturdays in May. Visits are free. Experience these inquisitive animals on the farm where you can enjoy the relaxed atmosphere while learning about them, getting that perfect photo, feeding a snack or just hanging out. Hikes are available for $15, call or message to reserve.