About Us

How We Got Started Raising Alpacas in Tennessee at Foster's Trail & Alpaca Farm

We are Peter and Susan Goodwin. In 2005, we were living in Marietta, Georgia, a busy area located in the East Cobb suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, where growth, traffic and urban sprawl had started to become a drain on us. A move and lifestyle change were in order.

We looked at several locations, including Friday Harbor, Washington; Margate, New Jersey; and Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It was the rich heritage and bucolic setting of Susan’s hometown that eventually helped us decide to move back to Cleveland, Tennessee...that and the beautiful house we found there. We began renovations in 2005 and moved in June, 2006.

Peter and Susan Goodwin, Owners of Foster's Trail & Alpaca Farm in Cleveland, Tennessee

Part of the renovations included adding fencing for our two Australian Terriers, Foster and Abbey. We named our new home Foster’s Trail after our dog, Foster.

While the dogs loved having full run of the five-plus acre pasture behind the house, we realized quickly that something was still missing. The pasture land was beautiful but we wanted to use it for a business that would be profitable and enjoyable. The land was unsuitable for horses and cows. While looking for alternatives, we saw an article in the local newspaper, the Cleveland Daily Banner, titled “Alpacas in fashion on the farm – and runway.” The article went on to tell about lovely animals, a sound business, and potential for significant income.

Foster, our Australian Terrier and namesake for the farm

From our subsequent investigations, we fell in love with these adorable animals and that was the beginning of Foster’s Trail & Alpaca Farm in May, 2007.

We started our alpaca farm with two bred females and one gelding. By August of that same year, our herd had grown to nine alpacas. Now, the herd is much larger and includes genetics from industry leaders including 4Peruvian Legacy, PPeruvian Augusto, PPeruvian Caligula, PPeruvian Victor, PPeruvian Felix, Peruvian Hemingway, Snowmass Matrix, Accoyo America Polaris, and PPPeruvian Royal Fawn. They are frequent winners in the show ring and our foundation females sport numerous champion banners as testament to their supreme quality. The herd is truly amazing to see.

More crias arrive each year. Foster has plenty of friends, and we have never looked back! If you are a serious potential buyer, we look forward to hearing from you: contact us.

Patrick Mike from the "Alpaca Everything" group on Facebook...

A very special thank you to Peter and Susan Goodwin at Fosters Trail and Alpaca Farm for sharing their time, knowledge, advice, wisdom and allowing us to come to their amazing farm and spend a good part of their day with us. We are a small start up Alpaca farm here in Tennessee. My wife Sonia had recently taken delivery of her 4 female Alpacas from another breeder that was also going to help mentor us but passed shortly after we received the girls. Adding to that, Sonia lost the youngest (just a year old) girl to Barber pole worms just a few days after delivery. She was devastated and scared. She contacted AOA to see what other breeders were in our area and they mentioned Fosters Trail and Alpaca Farm was not far away in Cleveland Tennessee. Sonia sent an email to them explaining her situation. Peter was quick to call her and spent about 20 or 30 minutes on the phone with her and offered their help. We were invited to their farm and to bring fecal samples from each animal and he would test them for us. Turns out 2 of the three had issues and we were instructed on how to treat them. While the samples were working, Susans and Peter went over a lot of information on caring for and keeping healthy Alpacas and showed us what they are doing there. I learned a much better way of holding them than I had been doing. The holding an ear thing is a game changer, (no longer do I look like a candidate for tic-tok or youtube posting) thank you again for that one. While we still have a learning curve ahead of us, we came away knowing that we can do this and the confidence to do so. I have had to email with questions several times and they both are very supportive. Don't know what we would have done without your help. Can't thank these great folks enough.   

Foster's Trail & Alpaca Farm is proud to be a member of the national Alpaca Owners Association.