About Us

Michael, Tripp Forstner of Magical Farms, and Jake check out the nursery.

Charlotte is on the Board of the Southeastern Alpaca Association (SEAA) and in 2003, 2004, 2005, was in charge of the Raffle and Silent Auction for the annual Southern Select Show, which is the main fundraiser for the organization. She raised over $50,000 during that time. In 2006 and 2007 she started the Herd Sire Live Auction for the annual show, and had huge success of raising over $50,000 for those two events. Her success was noticed as she was asked by AOBA to chair the Silent Auction for their National Conference, and other affiliates contacted her to see what was the secret of the success. Most of the money raised is donated to research for alpacas, such as Alpaca Research Foundation, University of Tennessee Vet School, University of Georgia Vet School, so she is excited at the opportunity to help.

Jake, Michael, and Charlotte celebrate the purchase of one of their alpacas at the Breeder's Choice Auction!

Charlotte and Michael are both very involved in the alpaca industry, as are members of their High Meadow Team. As mentioned above, Charlotte is on the Southeastern Alpaca Association's Board of Directors, and was just elected to her second term. The success of her fundraising has been a delight and pleasure, and she is already working on 2008's Southern Select Live Herd Sire Auction, with a great group of people who are now involved. Michael Goldston is involved with the SeAA and is in charge of the Marketing and Public Relations, whose purpose is to promote alpacas in the Southeast. Having exposure on programs such as Tennessee Crossroads, a PBS Televison series, and local publications in individual farm's geographic areas, has been one outcome of his work. In addition, he serves as one of the six committee members for the joint national ARI/AOBA Government Industry Relations Committee, that is charged with lobbying for pro-alpaca actions, and coordinating with U.S. government agencies. He is starting his second term with them. Michael also served as one of the five AOBA members on the AOBA Board Nomination Committee, to locate and nominate strong candidates to serve on the alpaca industry's top board. The other members of High Meadow's Team have also been involved in volunteering for Alpaca Events. Jake Way and Marilyn Welsh are both actively involved with the Herd Sire Auction that Charlotte chairs as well as other events in the Alpaca World.

Jake Way, High Meadow's Farm manager, and Charlotte continue to take classes as offered in the medical area, and work closely with Dr. Norm Evans, who is the Vet of Record for High Meadow Alpacas and spends several days here ever six weeks or so. Dr. Michelle Preston is the day to day vet and works closely with Charlotte and Jake, and spends time with Dr. Evans also. Jake's knowledge of the medical needs for alpacas, and previous experience running horse farms, has been a great asset to High Meadow and their clients. Many of his ideas and methods have been used by many vets because of the success he has had in creating what everyone calls, "Jake's miracles."

Jake is in charge of the day to day running of High Meadow Alpacas. You might see him unloading the trailer at one of the shows, setting up stalls, showing alpacas, bottle feeding in the middle of the night (both two legged (look below) and four legged babies, bush-hogging late at night when it cools off, or creating one of his special miracles.

  Landon Way 6 Weeks Old

Jake, Charlotte, and Jamie are the ones that show our alpacas at the regional and national shows. Jake travels with Charlotte and Michael to check out other blood lines, and is involved with breeding and marketing decisions, as well as everything with High Meadow Alpacas. Everyone in the alpaca industry knows who Jake is and he is a wealth of knowledge of all things alpacas. And he is always happy to share the knowledge that he has. (He also has a big family and a new baby named Landon! 16 lbs now and just over two months old. And his father and sister can often be seen at shows with High Meadow, or helping with shearing or whatever else is needed.)

 

Marilyn is hard at work on shearing day!

Marilyn Welsh, High Meadow Alpacas' fleece expert and office manager, has been involved with numerous regional and national fleece shows, and served as a Judge's Scribe at several AOBA National Shows, as well as assisting where needed in other shows. She has taught classes locally and at fleece mills, to groups, using alpaca fleece, and what can be done with the fleece. She has taken numerous classes in fleece evaluation, and is considered one of the foremost fleece experts in the country. We attribute a lot of our success in the fleece awards we have received to Marilyn. She is a great asset to High Meadow Alpacas and to our clients.

Diana St. Onge and Scott Payne, along with Jamie Johnson (seen in the show ring at shows with Charlotte and Jake), Lupe and Martin Rodriguez also keep the day to day work going at High Meadow Alpacas. (Michael is the note taker when all are in the show ring, to record the amazing things the Judges say about High Meadow Alpacas.)

And all High Meadow Alpaca employees receive up to date training on new medical ideas for alpacas, sit in on sessions with Dr. Evans, and Marilyn, Diana, Jamie, Jake and others have attended several of the courses offered by the SeAA in Neonatal Care, as well as others.

Benjamin Reynolds is our inhouse photographer, and "jack of all trades" as needed.

At High Meadow Alpacas the members of the team (whom we think of as a "High Meadow Family" )take "ownership" of alpacas quite seriously. Jake and Marilyn both have alpacas, who have given them beautiful babies. Charlotte's father, Perry White, also has his own herd. It is an "obsession" or some might say an "addiction" once exposed to these beautiful creatures.

Boys out for a walk.

For additional information contact :

Michael & Charlotte Goldston
High Meadow Alpacas, LLC
3400 Floyd Road
Franklin,Tennessee 37064
Phone (615) 373-0171
FAX (615) 371-8534
E-mail
mgold35@yahoo.com