In a time when many farms face economic troubles, a couple who owns a llama farm just south of Eleva says their business is booming since they've opened a fiber mill last fall.

"I'm a city girl! And when Dave and I bought the farm here it was a complete lifestyle change here, but I love it,” says Roxy Westland.

Roxy Westland and Dave Smith of Mystic Water Llamas and Fiber Mill say when they started their farm five years ago with only six llamas, they never thought they'd be spinning a profit from their animals.

"We take the fiber and we process it into products that are used by crafters either yarn or rovings that are used by hand spinners to spin their own yarn,” says Roxy.

"The mill is kind of a growing thing right now coming on. There's not that many in the area,” says Dave.

They say the buying local and go-green movements are helping them rake in the green.

"I think that more and more people are looking to go back to the natural fibers and a lot more people are getting interested in knitting, which is kind of coming back,” says Roxy.

Since the mill started turning out yarn in October, Roxy and Dave have seen an increase in business—even from out of state—and they expect it to keep on going.

"This spring people will be shearing sheep, llamas, alpacas, and hopefully they'll send it here to get it processed for them,” says Dave.

But of all animals to raise fiber from, why llamas?

"They’re curious and each one has their own personality,” describes Roxy. “One big misconception is that they spit all the time, and they don’t. They generally don’t spit at humans.”

Dave, who grew up on a dairy farm, says llamas are easier to take care of than cattle, because they do not need to be milked, and eat far less feed than a cow does per week.

Roxy says the Mystic Water Yarn is for sale online at www.mysticwaterllamas.com and at the Yellow Dog Yarn Shop in Eau Claire.