GALA
The Greater Appalachian Llama and Alpaca Association

Directors At Large - Sarah Davis, Donna Zurstadt, Paul Hastings, Jane Hamilton-Merritt, Kathleen Patterson

My name is Deb Elias.  I live with my husband, Patrick and our 5 year old son, Derek and from time to time our foster children.  Our farm is known as Country Quilt Llama Farm located in Winchester, CT.  Besides the lamas, we have two dogs and a cat.  

 Llamas are the most interesting and intelligent animals I have ever had the pleasure to work with.  I currently have the privilege of owning 4 llama geldings 1 male mini and 1 very unique alpaca gelding.  I have owned llamas since 1988.   In 1992 I created a children’s program, “Hooked on Llamas” using my PR llamas, that I started promoting at daycare centers and preschools.  My programs also developed into pet therapy at convalescent homes. To date I currently have a solid business base of over 200 customers for my programs.  I love sharing my llamas with the very young and the elderly.  I also enjoy participating in the performance classes at the local shows.  I am a part of the farm jackpots – a competitor and also this year we hosted our 5^th annual farm jackpot.

 GALA has been a big help to me from the start.  Every single GALA member that I have had the pleasure to meet over the years has always been helpful.  Llama people are special.  The GALA membership, newsletters and conferences are a wealth of information that we don’t want to lose.  I was a speaker at the GALA Conference 2006 and presented “Making Money with Your PR Llamas”.  GALA has the reputation of being an “A” class organization.  I received a call last Fall asking me to be part of the GALA Board of Directors, and have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity.  I would like to continue helping in that way.  I hope that my years of experience in the llama community help me to give back to GALA what GALA has done for so many.

During the weekdays I’m an Environmental Consultant in Frederick, MD where I work as an intermediary between the cement, paint, and steel industries and the EPA and state environmental agencies.  Although I live in Maryland, I spend as much time as possible on the weekends in Virginia with our llamas.  My parents (Linda and Rob Brown) and I run Graustark Farm located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Bluemont, Virginia.  We started the farm in 1997 with two geldings and now have around 50 llamas.

I've taken on the GALA website as one of my projects while on  the board of directors and would welcome any comments or suggestions from the membership - galawebsite@yahoo.com.

Hi, I’m Erika!  I am co-owner of White Mountain Llamas.  With White Mountain Llamas my sister and I promote anything that involves llamas from community service to spinning and felting.  We have a lot of fun with our two llamas Bella and May, going to schools and the Fryeburg Fair Llama Show in Maine every year.  Hana and I have been working in the lama business (mostly llamas) for ten years now and travel around New Hampshire and a little bit of Vermont to help new llama owners shear wool, trim toenails, and do some general training. 

 My permanent residence is in Woodsville, NH and I go to school in Poultney, VT at Green Mountain College.  At college I am majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Production and getting a minor in Geology.  I am an avid worker on the campus farm here, Cerridwen Farm, where I help with pasture management and a lot of animal husbandry aspects. 

I’m here on the GALA board to answer questions and help you network with other lama owners in your area.  I’m also your representative on the GALA board; if you have suggestions or concerns just let me know!  Please feel free to contact me at whitemountianllamas@hotmail.com and we can start some fun conversations!

Picture and Bio not available currently.