Magical Farms Implements Currency for Classics
Magical Farms
In what can only be described as a brilliant business move, Magical Farms has rolled out an innovative alpaca sales/trade program called “Currency for Classics” . Inspired by the “Cash for Clunkers” automobile program, this program has alpaca breeders trading in, ahem, older model females for younger stock. Numerous jokes spring to mind about trading in the old broad for a newer model, but hilarity aside, the plan makes great financial sense for Buyers as well as for Magical.
I spoke with Tripp Forstner recently about the new program, which was his idea. “I thought of it awhile back, but we had to work out the details.”
The program works like this:
- You trade in your older female who has reached the end of her reproductive career (or are getting close to it). Magical Farms will give them a good home in one of their retirement pastures. They retain the right to breed the female, and they might do so, depending on her situation.
- In exchange, You receive 25% towards the purchase price of another alpaca from their sales list up to $5,000.
- You pay 25% down
- You may finance the other 50% over 4 years.
Magical Farms is one of the largest farms in America, with a herd of over 1600 alpacas and 400 acres of pasture. Not many farms would have the space and staff to take on a lot of older alpacas, but this one does. They are offering a nice “retirement village” for gals who have outlived their production lives when it comes to fiber and cria. (Alpaca fiber becomes shorter and more coarse with age. Most geriatric alpaca fiber can only be used for felting.)
In exchange, breeders can purchase newer stock with longer productivity and infuse new genetics into their herd. As females get older, they can be a financial liability to the farm when one considers feed and vet bills. Unloading these expenditures in exchange for a production animal can be a good solution for many farms watching their profit margins.
“It’s a win-win program,” says Tripp. “We gain new customers and new bloodlines, and people now have an option for their older girls. I love the older girls.”
Currency for Classics began on August 13th and will be going on for a limited time only. I spoke with Ty Forstner of Magical Farms this morning. He confirmed that the well-received program has been working well and generating sales. Learn more about the program here. Watch a video about Magical Farms.
What do you think of this idea? What other innovative business ideas have you seen recently?
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:29 am
I think I want to retire to that pasture. It’s beautiful!
September 6th, 2009 at 6:34 pm
So what you’re saying is, an alpaca lives on your farm and gives you love (and offspring) for 15+ years, and then as thanks (and because, you know, we have to always be thinking of the bottom line, of course) just ship her off to somewhere where she doesn’t know anyone or any of the herd? That’s the thanks she gets for all those years of love . . . and progeny?
Ugh. In a word? That program is SHAMEFUL.
September 7th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Sydney,
You make very good points, especially for those who see their alpacas as pets.
Early in my alpaca breeding career my vet asked me about a chronically ill alpaca, “Is she an expensive pet? Or is she a livestock production animal who is not producing and is costing you money?” I had to make a decision. And when that question comes up I don’t have a blanket answer for the whole herd. I treat them as individuals.
In South America, older females would have long ago been someone’s dinner. If you keep in mind that alpacas are livestock, I think this program is a pretty good way to balance the livestock business side of things with humane treatment.
July 9th, 2010 at 4:58 am
Nowadays, you must be super creative to have a good business idea that works.:*`