Julies Alpacas: Let's repeat history...

I'd like to tell you a story about our alpaca named "Keckley".
First we like to name our alpacas after Gettysburg or Civil War themes. We are located just outside Gettysburg, PA so it is a fun way to learn or review history. Funny thing happened as I was writing up a review of this alpaca "Keckley" read this first.

Keckley alpaca was named after Elizabeth Keckley. Ellizabeth Keckley was called "Lizzie" and was born about 1818 in Hillsborough, NC living in slavery. Lizzie's mom was a seamstress and taught Lizzie everything she knew. Both Lizzie's parents were slaves but were owned by different masters. Lizzie's dad was over 100 miles away and could only see Lizzie on Easter and Christmas and only til she was about 7 after that she never saw her father again because his master moved and took Dad with him. Lizzie's mom worked for a Colonel. When the Colonel's son got married Lizzie was "given" to him as a wedding gift.

Lizzie eventually earn her freedom from slavery by the generosity of one of her patrons who loaned her $1200 to pay for her freedom.. With her freedom, living in Baltimore, Lizzie started a school for young black girls to teach them sewing and etiquette.

Lizzie became the personal dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln (that's President Lincoln's wife) after working on Mary's Inaugural Ball gown.
So goes your history lesson for today.

So here's the funny part, in a strange kind of way...
I had just finished writing a Craigslist ad for Keckley the alpaca

Looky who is pregnant with Ace of Hearts...

It's Keckley and she is due to deliver in May. She produces

some of the softest cria's (baby alpacas) on the farm. You want

soft fiber on your alpaca so you can use alpaca fiber to make yarn

and then knit into wonderful products. Keckley has a beautiful shine

to her soft coat. Her color is mostly light brown with a small hint of

black on her ears and legs. Her belly is off white in color as is the

inside of her legs. She has personality and a mind of her own.

Keckley is gentle and touchable and has given birth a couple of

very crimpy fibered offsprings. She is easy to rebreed. She produces

healthy crias easily and with plenty of milk. Financing is available:

25% down and quarterly payments for one year with NO INTEREST!

We offer the following terms and services with the sale of this female:

30-day live birth guarantee! ARI registered, micro chipped and up to

date on all shots, support and education.

Shearing will be offered, this spring, at our farm using our professional,

should you wish to bring Keckley. Respond to this ad to schedule a

visit to see Keckley and the many other alpacas on the farm.

You can see Keckley and many others at

(click here=>http://goo.gl/q4s5PI)

and had drastically reduced her selling price to $1200. Then I read in her history Lizzie the person that my alpaca was named after bought her freedom for that same price.