A group of 4-H members were part of a crew shearing the valuable fleece off of alpacas at a Marin County farm owned by Sandra Wallace and Michael Frankel, two LA medical doctors, reported Janis Mara in the Marin Independent Journal. The farm's 81 alpacas yield 3 to 6 pounds each of alpaca wool for warm, comfortable suits and sweaters.

"If they have too much fleece, they can die from the heat," said Kylie Horn, 14, one of the 4-H members helping out. 

UC Cooperative Extension livestock advisor Theresa Becchetti, said alpaca operations are typically hobby farms, unlike...