Moving again!

Earlier this spring we moved the animals around to allow for pasture rotation and a bit of segregation. We wanted to keep the moms in a smaller pasture, let the hay field grow and some pastures recover from grazing.

Haying is done, thanks a lot to Kate's boys, so we moved the main herd of girls back to their usual spot and the guys back to their summer pasture.

Something totally different

In addition to farming I work part time doing bird taxidermy.

Recently I finished a Barred Owl for us, it hangs in the sun room.

New cria

I came home from work today and was greeted by Louisa & Katherina at the barn. It seems that Nikki decided to have her cria a bit early and the gir ls had to help as a leg was stuck.

This was their first experience with assisting a birth and had no one there to help them. They did a wonderful job and the cria is doing well. A little white fellow.

Pooper Scooper

We have been vacuuming the pastures this past weekend. It's hard work but we have a song to lighten the load.

We sing it to the chorus of ABBA's Super Trooper:

Pooper scooper get the motor running
Out there in the sun
Fun for everyone

Somewhere in the field there's poo

Thank you Shearing Day Volunteers

Thank you to all our volunteers who made shearing day a success. 26 animals were sheared between 830 and 4pm with an added bonus of being able to witness the birth of our first cria for 2012.

Thank you to:

Lukas - our shearer
Paddy - Jo (the tackler)
Lori
Katrina
Lisa
Catherine
Katharina
Louisa
Rudi
Emilie

You can also read about shearing day in an article by Bill Spurr of the Halifax Chronicle Herald

THANK YOU AGAIN!

Rob and Caroline

First cria of 2012

The first cria of the season was born today, the first for award winning Anuone. With 2 champion parents we will watch this little one closely.

She was born half way through a busy shearing day, and she needed a little help. Needless to say shearing stopped dead for a while so that everyone could take advantage of the opportunity to see an alpaca being born.

No name yet, but this year's animals will all start with the letter E.

Alpaca rug

After all the projects going on this spring I was glad to get back at weaving alpaca rugs. I had a special order for a large rug, 3 feet x 6 1/2 feet. It took a while to weave, and a while for the hand finishing. In the end it's a really beautiful piece.

Construction is with alpaca rug yarn woven on siene twine in an undulating twill point draft.

Spring cleanout

We had a big day cleaning out the barn after a long winter.  The job took effort but with extra hands it went well.

We took the loads of old hay to the back of the property where it  would be useful for mulch/compost to improve the soil. After the 4th load, Rob tells me to "drive on the left side of the road close to the lake to smooth out some of the bumps". OK I say, "but it's pretty wet still" . The response was "You'll be fine."

As I am a good and biddable wife I do as I'm told.

I have included the pictures of getting the truck unstuck from the mud.

A Man Cave for the Boys

After the tent blew down last fall we decided to build a more secure shelter for the guys in their summer pasture. The shed is the same size that the tent was, 10 x 20 and is far more secure. We added built in hay feeders with feed troughs below making it like a 5 star hotel.

We started with making sure the building would be square, and then secured it with rebar.

Next we built the walls on the ground and then stood each one up and attached it.

Next came the bracing and the roof.

Then the finishing touches.

Alpaca kindergarten

We are teaching the youngsters their manners...lead training, being handled and general good behavior.

Diablo, although cute, is a very stubborn fellow. He braces himself, leans back and looks as if to say "I'm NOT doing that!"

Dolce Vita wins the award for refusing to walk into the trailer. Even when everyone else is in the trailer, she still refuses. More work is definitely required.

More decks!

After we were warmed up with the extreme deck, the other two were realtivley easy.

Extreme deck building

We had a wonderful helper here this spring who was instrumental in some construction projects.

The first one was replacing the deck on the little cottage by the lake. The deck had fallen off after a heavy winter snowfall. This deck extends over the water and it took some creative thinking on how to rebuild the deck.

It was a cold, drizzly day, boots were full of water and many interesting words were said!

Weaving

The farm is a little less busy, so I have turned my attention back to weaving.

Just finished some really yummy feeling 100% alpaca throw rugs, they will keep someone's toes warm in the mornings.

I also picked up a rigid heddle loom that I will dedicate to scarves as it is quite small and will be less abrasive on the delicate alpaca warp yarns.

Also finished off a small wrap, and then felted it for a really unusual look.

Enough already - Breakout attempt

Yesterday Cocoa Blanca decided if you are not going to come in and feed me then I am going to jump the gate and get to the good food myself.

It all started with the neighbour down the road coming to get his trailer that we fill each week with Manure and waste straw. This was about 330pm, which is a bit early for the evening grain feed and hay top up but close enough with activity in the barn it is time for the herd to come in.

At 430, I was showing so farm visitors the alpacas after they came to buy a used woodstove we had for sale. More activity but no food being served.

Just as they left the neighbour returned with his empty trailer which we then put back in the barn. More activity but now it is 5pm which is when Caroline usually feeds them at this time of year.

I had just finished locking up the big barn doors and was making my way to the feed cans when I turned and saw Cocoa Blanca on two legs with her front leg over the gate and her head sticking through the gateway. She was just about to attempt to leap through before a scared her to retreat.

Nothing like teasing an impatient alpaca to cause an attempted breakout.

Cocoa did get her head in the feed bucket before I made it to the feed troughs. So she did get a little reward for her efforts.

Of Barn Cats and Alpacas

This past week we have had some cold nights, in the -15 to -20c range. Ok, not sooo cold, but it's cold for Nova Scotia.

Each morning and evening at chore time I noticed Tab the cat's food dish was empty and upside down on the barn floor. Hmm, it appears we are helping a stray cat get through a cold spell as Tab never tosses her dish to the floor. No worries, always glad to help a critter in need.

This morning I dutifully picked up the dish and filled it up, then carried on with the chores.

Not 10 minutes later I notice the dish empty and on the floor and no stray cats in sight. Hmmm!
Then I notice one of the alpacas stretching her neck to the back of the shelf where the cat dish usually resides and she appears to be reaching for stray bits of cat food.

This cannot be what it seems! To test my theory, I re-fill the cat dish and hold it out to the mooching alpaca. Sure enough, she looks me right in the eye and takes a big nibble of the cat food.

I cannot say how this gal developed a taste for cat food, nor am I convinced that it's a good thing for alpacas to eat. Her efforts have been thwarted and the cat bowl moved to higher ground.

Alpacas and cats do indeed have similar personalities!