Mesa Mill and Meats

Aplaca’s are an ideal grazer in our dry Hawke’s Bay climate and they have a lesser environmental impact on the land than sheep and cattle. Being a grass eater the taste isn’t gamey, unlike a lot of exotic meats. It’s a juicy sweet-tasting meat and for the health conscious lean, very low in cholesteryl and high in iron and protein-rich. Mesa Meat Company do a range of cuts, sausages and pies and if you’re not game enough to buy and prepare it yourself … there are a few restaurants around in which to become initiated. Otherwise cook quickly on a high heat and serve rare to medium.

Alpaca fleeces are known for their softness, durability and warmth and are supposed to be three times warmer than sheep’s wool. Just ask the ancient Incas who have farmed them in the Andes for centuries and what could be better than knowing you’re cuddling into something of the back of such a cute and fluffy animal. Mesa Natural Fibre Mill specialise in processing fine exotic fleeces, mainly alpaca, silk and angora and even if you have just one they’ll give you a quality job. They also sell alpaca yarns, felted products, knits and a variety of alpaca knitting kits with funky one-off patterns, ideal when you don’t want excess wool lying around.