Hi. Our names are Julie and Derek Sines and together we make our home with a select herd of AMLA registered miniature llamas and MSFGA registered miniature silky fainting goats at Blooming Valley Minis. Our farm is a Michigan Centennial Farm and has been in my family since 1906. When my Grandmother passed away in 2007, at the age of 96 ½, we purchased it. The farm was homesteaded in the 1870s and includes 30 acres with a big old red barn on it, which is my favorite part of the farm. As old farms go, it is a work in progress. An old house and an old barn take lots of work! But we are happy to be continuing a piece of Michigan’s Agricultural History by keeping our farm in the family as a working farm.Our farm was given the name Blooming Valley Minis because it is located across the street from the Blooming Valley Country School, where my ancestors all went to school and next to the Blooming Valley Grange Hall, where my Grandfather was a member. Another reason is the area of Shelby where our farm is located has been known as “Blooming Valley” since the 1860s because of the rolling hills and continuous blooms from spring to fall.How did we become interested in miniature llamas? Well that can be blamed on the Animal Planet channel! They used to have a show that was called “That’s My Baby”, which went around to different farms and profiled an animal baby being born. During the summer of 2002, I watched two different episodes of “That’s My Baby” with one being about an alpaca and one about a llama giving birth. After that, I was hooked! I started taking my, now husband, Derek to llama shows, alpaca shows and went on visits to llama and alpaca farms to learn more about my new love. I eventually, through Internet research, decided that the miniature llama was what I wanted because they had the small size of the alpaca, but the appealing personality and look of the standard-size llama.Fast-forward to 2005 and our first wedding anniversary. Derek decided to take me to meet my e-mail friend, Julie Chapman of Minnesota Minis, in Spring Grove, Minnesota. Little did he know that when Julie and Julie finally met, he would be stuck at the llama farm for over 6 hours of llama talk! That one visit started our future herd of AMLA registered miniature llamas with a small herd of 7 being picked out to come home to Michigan.From there, I have grown our herd to a select number of show quality AMLA registered miniature llamas. I am involved in all aspects of the miniature llama industry by writing articles pertaining to the mini for well-known llama magazines, I successfully coordinated the first mini-halter classes at Lamafest, the largest ALSA show in the nation besides Nationals, participate in parades, and I am a past American Miniature Llama Association’s Board of Director's President and member. Derek is fully involved by helping me in all these different endeavors by being a proof reader for my articles, dressing up for parades, showing at Llama shows and helping me with chores on the farm. We are also blessed to have the help of my parents, Don and Catherine Schmieding, with everything from llama and goat shows, to farm maintenance and taking care of the llama and goat's healthcare.In late winter 2010, we had the opportunity to purchase a small starter herd of miniature silky fainting goats from Renee Orr of Sol-Orr Farm in Lignum, Virginia. My Mom and I first saw these goats in Hobby Farms magazine in 2007 and were just waiting for the right time to add these special little goats to our farm. We are so excited to be beginning our adventure with the mini silkies! Please call, e-mail or come for a visit. We would love to show off our Michigan Centennial Farm and our lovable herd of AMLA registered miniature llamas and MSFGA registered miniature silky fainting goats! Our Land and Our Minis
Our 130 year old Michigan Centennial Farm
Julie & Derek at Lamafest
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