Montgomery Alpaca Farm Seeks Quieter Alternative to Township Fireworks

Nicholas Mistretta

Hidden Spring owner says repeated pregnancy losses followed displays near her farm; township and county officials continue reviewing her concerns

MONTGOMERY — The owner of the local alpaca-breeding farm is asking Montgomery Township to reconsider the use of loud explosive shells in its annual Independence Day fireworks display, saying the event places severe stress on her animals and has been followed by multiple pregnancy losses.

Marie Voorhees, owner of Hidden Spring Lavender & Alpaca Farm on County Route 601, said the fireworks are launched approximately one-quarter mile from her property. Her family has owned the farm since the 1990s, when goats, chickens & horses were kept there, and began raising and breeding award-winning alpacas in 2021.

Voorhees said she is not seeking to end the township’s Fourth of July celebration. She told Headline News Montgomery that her animals would experience less harm if a compromise could be reached and presented a colorful, lower-noise light show instead.

Alpaca pregnancies last approximately 11½ months to one year, making the timing and success of each breeding important to the farm’s operation. Voorhees said a lost pregnancy can also affect the following breeding season and carry an estimated financial cost of between $5,000 and $10,000.

In correspondence with township officials, Voorhees said the farm has experienced six lost pregnancies since 2022 and the abort of a 7.5 month cria, or baby alpaca, one day after a fireworks display. She estimated the combined financial impact at nearly $60,000.

Voorhees attributes the losses to the stress caused by the nearby explosions. However, the correspondence provided does not include a veterinary finding establishing that the fireworks caused any individual pregnancy loss or stillbirth. Somerset County officials have requested additional herd-wide breeding data as they examine whether the farm’s experience reflects a broader pattern.

According to records Voorhees submitted with a Somerset County Right to Farm application, she reported breeding difficulties involving several animals in the periods surrounding the township’s fireworks. The filing states that she sought to have the display moved to a location that would not affect any surrounding farm animals or agricultural operations. It also documents a July 18, 2025, meeting with Montgomery Township Parks and Recreation Director John Groeger and indicates that Voorhees was willing to participate in mediation.

The farm’s records describe the timing of breedings and subsequent behavioral pregnancy tests involving alpacas named Fay, Spice, Bonnibell, Violet, Curls, Joyous and Nadya. Voorhees explained that the farm uses behavioral testing after breeding to help determine whether an alpaca remains pregnant. The records also note that hot weather can limit the farm’s ability to attempt another breeding, potentially delaying the process until the fall or the following year.

She said the farm did not breed any alpacas in 2025 or 2026 so far because the fireworks issue remained unresolved.

Voorhees first raised the matter with Groeger, who later told her that township representatives had considered alternate locations.

“I have taken your information and requests very seriously,” Groeger wrote. He said he understood the mental, physical and financial effects that Voorhees said the event had placed on her animals and business.

Groeger said he had met with several township departments to evaluate other possible sites but concluded that Montgomery did not have another location with sufficient parking and gathering space for an event of that size.

He said he would continue discussions with township departments and the fireworks vendor to determine whether changes could be made to reduce the event’s impact.

Voorhees subsequently wrote to Mayor Neena Singh and members of the Township Committee, asking them to consider moving the launch site farther from active farms, eliminating high-decibel explosive shells or replacing conventional fireworks with drone or light-based displays.

“Fireworks generate sudden, high-decibel noise that can trigger acute stress responses in animals,” Voorhees wrote. She said livestock may panic, become injured, damage fencing or be exposed to smoke and debris.

Township Committeeman Mike Martin responded that he had not previously understood the issue but believed Voorhees had raised legitimate concerns.

“It requires a little bit of a mind shift, with fireworks being such an expected thing,” Martin wrote.

Martin said he would examine what a change could involve, including the possibility of replacing fireworks with a drone show or selecting quieter options without loud explosions.

Voorhees also filed a Right to Farm grievance with Somerset County in 2025 and later contacted the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners, expressing frustration with what she described as a lack of progress before another Fourth of July celebration.

The five-page application is dated Oct. 1, 2025. In it, Voorhees stated that breeding is a central part of the farm’s business and that pregnancy losses require animals to be bred again, sometimes using off-site males at additional cost.

A county representative informed Voorhees that officials had consulted a large-animal veterinarian because the county board did not have a member with enough alpaca-specific familiarity to advise on the matter.

The county requested additional information about pregnancies throughout the herd, including the total number of successful full-term pregnancies and losses from 2019 to the present. Officials said year-by-year figures would help them evaluate trends while accounting for changes in herd size.

The county representative also said agricultural specialists were being contacted to determine whether similar livestock concerns had been reported in other counties or states. At that point, the most commonly reported fireworks-related agricultural concerns identified by those contacted involved crop losses, according to the correspondence.

The veterinarian consulted by the county suggested playing music as one possible way to calm the animals. Voorhees responded that the farm had already tried numerous methods to mask the noise but said music could not offset the force and vibration of explosions so close to the property.

Voorhees said she believes the animals can distinguish between thunderstorms and repeated fireworks explosions and may remain unsettled for days afterward.

While her original Right to Farm application requested relocation of the display, Voorhees believes a lower-noise event would still provide an enjoyable celebration without harming local animals.

She said her principal request is that the township preserve the visual celebration while eliminating the loud explosive booms that she believes are endangering the farm’s animals and breeding operation and many pets and wildlife. “This affects much more than just our farm”.

Township officials have not committed to changing the display, but Groeger said discussions with municipal departments and the fireworks vendor would continue. Martin also said he would explore drone and quieter-fireworks alternatives.

The county’s request for additional breeding records indicates its review remains focused on determining whether the farm’s losses show a consistent pattern and what role, if any, the annual fireworks may have played.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/headlinenewsmontgomery.com