Red Truck Alpaca Farm is a small family owned alpaca farm since 2022. Our farm consists of twenty one adorable alpacas! We opened our doors to visitors in June 2024 and encourage you to come out and visit the farm to meet our alpacas! Visitors can learn about raising alpacas and stop by our store to see our various alpaca products.
About us
The Story of Red Truck Alpaca Farm
The story begins with Wade and Laura Mosset. The two met while attending college at South Dakota State University. Wade grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota while Laura grew up just down the road in Sioux Falls, South Dakota! In total the pair has been happily married for 38 years. However, the first 36 years of their married life, they lived several places within the Midwest region such as: Kansas, Michigan (twice), Minnesota, and even further west in San Francisco. The last stop on the tour being Brandon, South Dakota. A perfect place for an Alpaca Farm!
While raising a family with three children in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, Laura ran two Kumon Math and Reading Centers. After several years working as a mechanical engineer, Wade eventually joined Laura at the Kumon Centers. However, during the year of 2020, Laura was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Wade became her full time caregiver. This unforeseen diagnosis led to the married couple closing their final Kumon Center that same year. The youngest of their three kids, Matthew, had just graduated high school in May of 2020. It was an eventful spring for the Mosset family and so they decided to move back to their home state, South Dakota. Although the two older Mosset siblings, Sarah and Joseph were already beginning their lives as young adults, they were in full support of the move- especially upon learning alpacas would be involved.
The 9 acre farm in Brandon was a perfect property for their alpaca dreams to materialize right before their eyes. Not only did the house itself offer more living space for the family, but it came with 5 additional buildings for farming activities. Still, with both Laura and Wade unable to work they had to find a way for the farm to be sustainable. The previous owners utilized the space for a small art studio, restoring cars, and woodworking. These options were wonderful but they were not a way to provide an income for the Mosset’s. The property was too small for the more popular options for farm animals such as horses or cattle. The perfect animal, they decided, were alpacas!
…but Why Alpacas?
Alpacas are a low-maintenance farm animal to raise. Wade wanted to be sure that whichever farm animal they set out to raise would be one they could raise well. The alpaca was the perfect animal for the job because while they are a pack animal, they do not need a lot of acreage in which to live. The care for these overtly intellectual animals is minimal which worked well with the Mosset family’s circumstances. Wade and his family knew the alpacas would be an animal they could maintain and give a good life to.
In terms of personality, the alpaca is an animal similar to a house cat. They are docile by nature, curious about the world around them, and allow affection on their own terms. For example, generally speaking alpacas are not fond of being pet by people. Though, if you’re lucky a select few alpacas may let you pet their neck! These animals have proven to be a smart choice in farm animal to raise considering they are quiet, clean, safe, and disease resistant.
In a more factual sense, the alpaca is a relative of the llama and the camel- just tinier! In biological terms, llamas, camels, and alpacas are from the Camelid family. Another fun fact: Alpacas are native to Peru and the Andes Mountains! For over 5,000 years alpacas have been domesticated. The relationship between the earth’s elements and the alpacas are a testament to their ability to live well with their surroundings, whatever they may be. Alpacas have padded feet which leaves terrain undamaged by their presence, their stomachs process grass in a way that allows for them to gain energy off of less food than any other farm animal, and lastly their bathroom habits are consolidated in one or two spots of their living space which lessens the spread of parasites! It is a beautiful harmony between the natural elements and the alpacas, a harmony that is then extended to the Mosset family or any other person in the alpaca business.
The most promising bit of information on owning and raising alpacas is their fiber. Alpaca fiber not only grows quickly, but it grows incredibly thick in order to protect them from the Peruvian elements. Alpaca fiber is warmer, stronger, lighter, and more resilient than wool. Plus, it’s softer than cashmere! Alpaca products are highly functional due to the fiber being hypoallergenic and moisture wicking. This means that it is not an allergen but it also pulls moisture away from the skin! All of this (and more) is why alpaca fiber is considered to be of the highest quality products. If not, the highest of quality products! Plus, they are so cute!
