Showing posts with label alpacas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alpacas. Show all posts
Saturday, June 16, 2012
alpaca cool down
Monday, May 14, 2012
Hey! Whatcha doin?
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
all together now
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
ready to head to the spinning mill!
I've finally got all the fleeces weighed and ready to head to the spinning mill on Monday and will have yarn for sale mid November! Really looking forward to this, finally!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
chuck wagon...quite literally!
We had hay delivered the other day and it quite literally instantly turned into a chuck wagon or an all you can eat buffet. The llama, alpacas, and goats all took to it like a dog on a bone! I figured they were thinking, "Well isn't this convenient?! It's about time!"
I love this picture of Buckley, he's soooo expressive and looks as though he's just been caught doing something Blackberry told him he wouldn't get in trouble for. Hmph! Older brothers!
I love this picture of Buckley, he's soooo expressive and looks as though he's just been caught doing something Blackberry told him he wouldn't get in trouble for. Hmph! Older brothers!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Ramsey gets a haircut - finally!
With everything happening here recently and all the crap we're dealing with it has not been at the top of the priority list to buy a set of clippers to clip the alpacas, a new washing machine was however. Especially when on the spin cycle you hear a loud BANG BANG BANG - on a front loader. Turns out the blah blah blah bearing went and it would have cost more for the replacement part not including labor and a house call than it would have cost for a new machine, with a warranty - guess what I opted for. So anyway, I had to ask the neighbor if I could borrow theirs again to get it done. I detest asking for help, but it was necessary, so I managed. My neighbor brought the clippers over tonight and after the barn chores were finished I decided that since it was cool now and would be hot tomorrow and we'll be busy that 9pm at night seemed like the perfect time to start shearing. So I did! I got most of the fiber off and will finish up just here and there spots tomorrow, well I guess technically today. And I think Ramsey will be less likely to attempt to climb into the water bucket. Between the time I get the rest of the boys shorn and next spring I've got to set aside a couple dollars here and there to be able to purchase my own clippers or maybe just maybe Santa will bring me a pair if I don't end up on the naughty list - again. :-)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Nope! No spoiled animals here...
The heat and humidity were stifling here today - not ideal for dark colored alpacas still wearing their winter coats, and my guys needed some cooling down, so we borrowed the pig's pools, filled them up and well, you can see the result. They loved it!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
...as the death toll rises...
What an absolute crazy insane couple of days it has been! Thankfully I'm fairly flexible in some areas and have learned that plans change, opportunities arise, death happens, life goes on and either you learn to roll with it or it'll roll you over. I'm warning you now; you'll need a seat belt, tissue, steering wheel and direction signal if you intend to keep reading. Go ahead, I'll wait......
....got your tissue? no. Well, I cannot be held responsible if you end up crying and shorting out your computer, I gave you fair warning...
It starts last summer, late August-ish early September time frame with a decision to put our Boxer Harley down, she's never really been a fan of other dogs and with other dogs in the area and small children it was a risk and a liability we just couldn't have. The thought of her hurting a small child or another dog would be more painful than the loss of her and we knew it was the right thing to do. Despite every attempt imaginable and within our resources nothing worked. Yes, the behavior was stopped in that instant, but not permanently, so the call was made...several times.... I'm not going to into details, but suffice it to say, it was just not Harley's time. Since Harley never showed any aggression to us or humans, just other dogs she was allowed to sleep with Andrew, and they had a bond unlike any I've ever seen with an animal. She was his dog and he was her boy. She was so gentle and kind with him and he adored her. It was beautiful. Fall rolled into winter and Christmas and winter, we lost Hyacinth, then Coreah, I knew it still needed to be done, but just couldn't bring myself to do it right then. Call it what you will, I just couldn't. During this time I continued to try to work with Harley in the hope that I could make it work with her, she was my dog, my responsibility and as smart as a whip, crazy intelligent. I wanted more than anything to be able to rehab her and knock the dog aggression switch into a permanently off position. For Andrew, for us, for me and for Harley. It didn't work, and the fact remained that she was still dog aggressive and I was just sweeping it under the rug, in a manner of speaking I was avoiding the fact that I failed. I failed my dog and my son. Failure sucks in so many ways. Sunday we were visiting my parents and there were many children around, I had a hold on Harley so I knew she wouldn't go anywhere but she tried to lunge at another dog - while a niece of mine (who'd already been bit by a dog) walked by. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I could not live with myself if she hurt a child inadvertently in an attempt to get to another dog.
I made the call Monday morning. I talked to the kids and told them that the decision was theirs to make as to whether they went with me or not to the vet's office. Ron was working at home and they were able to stay here of that's what they chose. Andrew immediately told me he would go and Faith went back and forth. I went to talk Ron and change my shoes, I needed to put something other than crocks on to dig a hole to bury her in. Andrew collected his thoughts for a minute and headed outside. I went out a few minutes later grabbed a shovel and noticed him talking to a neighbor, when he saw me headed to the makeshift graveyard he came to my side shovel in hand and said, "I'm going to help dig the hole Mommy, she was my dog too." And went to work. As much as I'd cried that day and in the previous months for this dog nothing prepared me for the floodgates that erupted forth at his comment. I grabbed him and held onto him and we sobbed together. I sobbed for the hurt he was feeling, at the loss of his dog, and for the glimpse of the man my son is turning into. I could not have been more proud of his strength and courage. I sobbed at the fact I'd failed in my attempt in avoiding this and I sobbed at all the recent losses, and we continued digging.
Once the hole was dug, we took Harley outside in the sunshine and played with her, loved on her and took lots of pictures, it was bitter sweet. When it was time Faith made the decision to come with me to the vets and all three of us loaded into the truck, Harley in tow and headed to the vet's office.
In a comedic twist of irony the road to the vet's office was closed and there was a rather lengthy detour and in the state of mind I was in I called the office 1/2 hour after the appointment was scheduled for - lost! I drove to an intersection and told them where I was and they gave me directions from there and I made it about 50 minutes late! We'd always called Harley a cat in a dog's body because she was so much smaller that Coreah and what boxers typically are. Between the previous appointment cancellations and the detour and showing up almost 1 hour late she really did have 9 lives! We walked into the office, I filled out the paperwork, paid for the services and then into the room with tears running down my face, children and dog in tow. If ever I needed strength it was at that minute.
We all sat on the floor with Harley and loved on her, telling her she was a good dog, that we loved her and to let go and go find Coreah. It was hard. Oh so hard, but even in that moment I knew it was the right thing to do, I could not shirk my responsibility off to somebody else and take a chance that something awful could happen, knowing what I knew. Harley started snoring and for once I didn't try to get her to move her head to stop, I let her snore in all her glory and just a few short minutes after that she was gone. We cried a bit more, pulled ourselves together and had the vet help us load her into the truck to bring home for burial, next to her beloved best canine friend Coreah. It was a long tear-filled ride back to the farm.
It had recently been brought to our attention by the neighbor (who lives 3 houses down) who had it happen that just a few nights prior(less that a week ago!!) he'd experienced an attempted home invasion. He's fine, just not liking what happened at his home and especially since he was home in bed when it happened! Talk about a violation! What is wrong with people??!!! So for me I'm thinking this is not a good time to be without a dog. Not to mention the void that loosing the dogs left. A friend of mine with huge circumstantial changes had a dog she needed to re-home. Not what she wanted to do, but what she felt like she had to do. She wanted us to take him, we both agreed to give it a try. She's headed out of town for a break and that'll give us a chance to see if it'll work here. Talk about Providential timing....I went to pick him up, Ron called and said one of the alpacas was down and wouldn't get up and that it looked bad. I was over an hour away! Ron put Garlic's winter rug over him and I scooped up the dog, accessories and my kids and flew back to the farm. Yes, all this has happened since Sunday afternoon, it's Wednesday!
Monkey was acting fine; well as fine as Monkey ever acted, when I left. I got home went to the paddock where he was laying and when I first saw him I thought he was already dead. It looked as though he'd already checked out. It's an hour + drive and I'd had an iced coffee.... Monkey was still alive - good! Now I need to pee! I sprinted into the house, unbuckling my belt and stripping my "public clothes" once inside. I peed, changed and donned a do-rag and was back outside in the paddock in less that 3 minutes. No joke.
I took a temp, gave him a once over, checked for fecal pellets, checked limbs and his neck. It wasn't looking good. Not knowing what else to do I called the vet, I cannot stand seeing an animal in pain and this was not like Monkey at all. The vet had just made it back to the clinic for the day and despite the fact it was after hours she would come out. About 1/2 hour later she pulled in and opened the box on the back of the truck, any animal lover would love to have all those supplies and the knowledge of uses, that is a fully stocked truck. I have a ton of emergency supplies, but mine pales in comparison. One thing I don't have but intend to get is a stethoscope. She changed into barn boots and headed to Monkey's side. Her initial comment upon seeing him was "Wow, he's about as checked out as he can be huh?" He didn't move when the vet moved in close to him. Not good. We did manage to get him up and he started wobbling, more so than ever before. (FYI, Monkey is the one that already went one round with the meningeal parasite and suffered some severe neurological issues and had a humdinger of a case of eczema before we got him. The previous owners almost lost him.) He was sort of disoriented and seemed confused and hummed for the rest of his herd and then started to collapse. The vet and I who'd been following him watching and talking reached out to steady him and helped him to the ground. Monkey was in rough shape, old, had a weakened immune system because of the severity of the eczema and checking out. The vet said that even if we had a place to work on him with warm fluids and what have you he'd not likely make it or if he did it would likely be just prolonging the inevitable and the most humane thing to do would be to put him down. This is coming from a vet clinic that I have a very high respect for and they are big supporters of supportive care and trying everything. I asked her of he was suffering and he answer was, "He's clearly stressed and likely uncomfortable." I said, "OK well I'm ok with putting him down, I do not want him to suffer any longer." It's not what I wanted to happen, (Monkey had my favorite color fiber and such a cute personality) but somehow I knew on the way back to the farm that this would likely be the outcome, I have no way to explain it, I just knew. It was nothing that we did or didn't do, it was just a matter of being his time and I can accept that.
We walked him carefully over to the makeshift graveyard, which seems to be filling up quickly and humanely put him down, holding his head next to my heart, patting his neck and telling him he was a good boy he slipped quietly and peacefully from this world.
After the vet left, I had a quick bite to eat and headed out, shovel in hand - again and started digging. It was a cold, misty, gloomy night and perfectly fitting for what I seemed to be doing a lot of lately as the death toll rises.
....got your tissue? no. Well, I cannot be held responsible if you end up crying and shorting out your computer, I gave you fair warning...
It starts last summer, late August-ish early September time frame with a decision to put our Boxer Harley down, she's never really been a fan of other dogs and with other dogs in the area and small children it was a risk and a liability we just couldn't have. The thought of her hurting a small child or another dog would be more painful than the loss of her and we knew it was the right thing to do. Despite every attempt imaginable and within our resources nothing worked. Yes, the behavior was stopped in that instant, but not permanently, so the call was made...several times.... I'm not going to into details, but suffice it to say, it was just not Harley's time. Since Harley never showed any aggression to us or humans, just other dogs she was allowed to sleep with Andrew, and they had a bond unlike any I've ever seen with an animal. She was his dog and he was her boy. She was so gentle and kind with him and he adored her. It was beautiful. Fall rolled into winter and Christmas and winter, we lost Hyacinth, then Coreah, I knew it still needed to be done, but just couldn't bring myself to do it right then. Call it what you will, I just couldn't. During this time I continued to try to work with Harley in the hope that I could make it work with her, she was my dog, my responsibility and as smart as a whip, crazy intelligent. I wanted more than anything to be able to rehab her and knock the dog aggression switch into a permanently off position. For Andrew, for us, for me and for Harley. It didn't work, and the fact remained that she was still dog aggressive and I was just sweeping it under the rug, in a manner of speaking I was avoiding the fact that I failed. I failed my dog and my son. Failure sucks in so many ways. Sunday we were visiting my parents and there were many children around, I had a hold on Harley so I knew she wouldn't go anywhere but she tried to lunge at another dog - while a niece of mine (who'd already been bit by a dog) walked by. That was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. I could not live with myself if she hurt a child inadvertently in an attempt to get to another dog.
I made the call Monday morning. I talked to the kids and told them that the decision was theirs to make as to whether they went with me or not to the vet's office. Ron was working at home and they were able to stay here of that's what they chose. Andrew immediately told me he would go and Faith went back and forth. I went to talk Ron and change my shoes, I needed to put something other than crocks on to dig a hole to bury her in. Andrew collected his thoughts for a minute and headed outside. I went out a few minutes later grabbed a shovel and noticed him talking to a neighbor, when he saw me headed to the makeshift graveyard he came to my side shovel in hand and said, "I'm going to help dig the hole Mommy, she was my dog too." And went to work. As much as I'd cried that day and in the previous months for this dog nothing prepared me for the floodgates that erupted forth at his comment. I grabbed him and held onto him and we sobbed together. I sobbed for the hurt he was feeling, at the loss of his dog, and for the glimpse of the man my son is turning into. I could not have been more proud of his strength and courage. I sobbed at the fact I'd failed in my attempt in avoiding this and I sobbed at all the recent losses, and we continued digging.
Once the hole was dug, we took Harley outside in the sunshine and played with her, loved on her and took lots of pictures, it was bitter sweet. When it was time Faith made the decision to come with me to the vets and all three of us loaded into the truck, Harley in tow and headed to the vet's office.
In a comedic twist of irony the road to the vet's office was closed and there was a rather lengthy detour and in the state of mind I was in I called the office 1/2 hour after the appointment was scheduled for - lost! I drove to an intersection and told them where I was and they gave me directions from there and I made it about 50 minutes late! We'd always called Harley a cat in a dog's body because she was so much smaller that Coreah and what boxers typically are. Between the previous appointment cancellations and the detour and showing up almost 1 hour late she really did have 9 lives! We walked into the office, I filled out the paperwork, paid for the services and then into the room with tears running down my face, children and dog in tow. If ever I needed strength it was at that minute.
We all sat on the floor with Harley and loved on her, telling her she was a good dog, that we loved her and to let go and go find Coreah. It was hard. Oh so hard, but even in that moment I knew it was the right thing to do, I could not shirk my responsibility off to somebody else and take a chance that something awful could happen, knowing what I knew. Harley started snoring and for once I didn't try to get her to move her head to stop, I let her snore in all her glory and just a few short minutes after that she was gone. We cried a bit more, pulled ourselves together and had the vet help us load her into the truck to bring home for burial, next to her beloved best canine friend Coreah. It was a long tear-filled ride back to the farm.
It had recently been brought to our attention by the neighbor (who lives 3 houses down) who had it happen that just a few nights prior(less that a week ago!!) he'd experienced an attempted home invasion. He's fine, just not liking what happened at his home and especially since he was home in bed when it happened! Talk about a violation! What is wrong with people??!!! So for me I'm thinking this is not a good time to be without a dog. Not to mention the void that loosing the dogs left. A friend of mine with huge circumstantial changes had a dog she needed to re-home. Not what she wanted to do, but what she felt like she had to do. She wanted us to take him, we both agreed to give it a try. She's headed out of town for a break and that'll give us a chance to see if it'll work here. Talk about Providential timing....I went to pick him up, Ron called and said one of the alpacas was down and wouldn't get up and that it looked bad. I was over an hour away! Ron put Garlic's winter rug over him and I scooped up the dog, accessories and my kids and flew back to the farm. Yes, all this has happened since Sunday afternoon, it's Wednesday!
Monkey was acting fine; well as fine as Monkey ever acted, when I left. I got home went to the paddock where he was laying and when I first saw him I thought he was already dead. It looked as though he'd already checked out. It's an hour + drive and I'd had an iced coffee.... Monkey was still alive - good! Now I need to pee! I sprinted into the house, unbuckling my belt and stripping my "public clothes" once inside. I peed, changed and donned a do-rag and was back outside in the paddock in less that 3 minutes. No joke.
I took a temp, gave him a once over, checked for fecal pellets, checked limbs and his neck. It wasn't looking good. Not knowing what else to do I called the vet, I cannot stand seeing an animal in pain and this was not like Monkey at all. The vet had just made it back to the clinic for the day and despite the fact it was after hours she would come out. About 1/2 hour later she pulled in and opened the box on the back of the truck, any animal lover would love to have all those supplies and the knowledge of uses, that is a fully stocked truck. I have a ton of emergency supplies, but mine pales in comparison. One thing I don't have but intend to get is a stethoscope. She changed into barn boots and headed to Monkey's side. Her initial comment upon seeing him was "Wow, he's about as checked out as he can be huh?" He didn't move when the vet moved in close to him. Not good. We did manage to get him up and he started wobbling, more so than ever before. (FYI, Monkey is the one that already went one round with the meningeal parasite and suffered some severe neurological issues and had a humdinger of a case of eczema before we got him. The previous owners almost lost him.) He was sort of disoriented and seemed confused and hummed for the rest of his herd and then started to collapse. The vet and I who'd been following him watching and talking reached out to steady him and helped him to the ground. Monkey was in rough shape, old, had a weakened immune system because of the severity of the eczema and checking out. The vet said that even if we had a place to work on him with warm fluids and what have you he'd not likely make it or if he did it would likely be just prolonging the inevitable and the most humane thing to do would be to put him down. This is coming from a vet clinic that I have a very high respect for and they are big supporters of supportive care and trying everything. I asked her of he was suffering and he answer was, "He's clearly stressed and likely uncomfortable." I said, "OK well I'm ok with putting him down, I do not want him to suffer any longer." It's not what I wanted to happen, (Monkey had my favorite color fiber and such a cute personality) but somehow I knew on the way back to the farm that this would likely be the outcome, I have no way to explain it, I just knew. It was nothing that we did or didn't do, it was just a matter of being his time and I can accept that.
We walked him carefully over to the makeshift graveyard, which seems to be filling up quickly and humanely put him down, holding his head next to my heart, patting his neck and telling him he was a good boy he slipped quietly and peacefully from this world.
After the vet left, I had a quick bite to eat and headed out, shovel in hand - again and started digging. It was a cold, misty, gloomy night and perfectly fitting for what I seemed to be doing a lot of lately as the death toll rises.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
shearers...start your clippers!!!
Poor little unsuspecting Monkey, just hanging out in the glorious afternoon sunshine filling his bellys with the first green grass of the season. Little did he know that he'd be stripped down, or should I say clipped down 'nekkid' in less that 24 hours!After Dakota (our llama) arrived, my husband as well as the farmer I get hay from told me I should go get to know the people just down the road from us, the people with sheep, a llama and an alpaca and likely shears! Instead I didn't. I just used the kids' school scissors to shear Dakota, reasoning that I'm not generally one to force myself on people and figuring that I could manage quite well with the scissors. And I did until the fiber herd increased from 1 to 6! I'd never have won any awards for beauty; shearing with scissors, but I got it done and Dakota was much cooler! I knew that when the alpacas arrived I'd need to do something different, like purchase a set of shears and ask (oh the dreaded word!) for help. I prepared myself all winter and since I didn't formerly know this couple I decided to write a letter explaining who I was, where I was and wondered if they'd mind showing me the ropes. Time passed and I figured they were too busy or had no interest, the letter was never received or what have you because I hadn't heard from them, but just last week I had a voicemail from them and much to my delight were willing to help! I called back yesterday and we chatted a bit and was told they could stop in this afternoon and we could go from there. It was set.
Today arrived and so did my neighbors, shears in hand and willingness to show and guide me. We chatted in the driveway for a while, getting to know each other and all 4 of the Nubian "guardgoats" walked up to them and demanded they be pet and loved on before any shearing was to be done. Fortunately the "guardgoats" are super friendly which renders them completely useless as "guardgoats." But I digress.
Andrew went out to the pasture caught Monkey and brought him to us. Jan, (pronounced Yan, my neighbor) and Monkey sized each other up and decided neither on was a threat and got comfortable around each other then we all headed to the barn. I had special concerns about shearing Monkey due to his having a wobbly hind end because of and a severe bout with the meningeal worm at the previous farm. I expressed this to Jan when talking to him on the phone and asked how he shears. Most of the shearing I've seen done had been to have a couple strong able bodied men on one side of the alpaca reach over and flip them to their side, and strap down legs, for Monkeys sake I was relieved to hear him say that he stands and works with the animal instead of traumatizing them. Monkey was a doll, he stood and was so well behaved and Jan was patient and took his time! I couldn't have been more relieved. I stood watching, learning, taking mental notes, and pictures. (And forming this post in my head.)
After a while standing Monkey cushed, (laid down) and we were able to get to his legs. Lots of alpacas are sensitive about their legs and male alpacas can be especially sensitive, so that; along with his wobbly issue was a valid concern. Additionally Monkey is the one with a sort of eczema skin issue on his legs. It doesn't seem to bother him, but it looks just awful. And just so you know I'm not forcing monkey to lay there, I'm just attempting to keep him calm and petting his neck and shoulders.
I'm not sure why, but I like the above picture of me. Sorry, had to throw that in there.
When it was all over and Monkey was let back out into the pasture the other alpacas went running up to him and pushed him around a bit; I think it was because of his skinny little pencil neck, which is so ridiculously small it makes me laugh, but it was more likely because the rest of the herd didn't recognize him. That is until they smelled his butt, I'm so thankful we as humans do not have to do that to recognize friends and family! Can you imagine?!So there you have it, Monkey nekkid! All winter long I've been telling him that I couldn't wait to get him nekkid so that I could wear the fleece and now that it's here I can hardly wait to get it
spun and knit into a sweater! Yes, I'm going to attempt to make a sweater for me out of Monkey! I think I'm just a bit too excited about this!
Next up was George and my attempt at putting to use what I'd just observed...
Jan oiled the clippers, made the first pass, and handed the clippers to me! I took them, took a deep breath and stepped up to the plate, or rather the alpaca.
I was glad I'd had some practice clipping cows this past summer, it made this seem easier than what it might have had I not had a tiny bit of practice. (Funny how a shirt can feel soooo comfortable on and at the same time look sooooo awful! Yikes!) I did what he'd shown me to do and I had a blast doing it. I'm totally ready to buy my own shears and finish up the rest of them! We only did two today because of time, blades getting dull, and the whole teaching me how to do it thing, but I was fine with that. I've got a pretty good grasp on how to do it and I think with the exception of Dakota (the spitter) and Jonathen, (the kicker) I'll be able to do the others without too much help. I could be wrong of course...
And there you have it, my first attempt at alpaca shearing with clippers and a great mentoring neighbor. Thank you Jan, Vicki and Ron for your help! I really appreciate it! Now to get it into a finished product...
Sunday, January 9, 2011
you know you want some
Ahhhh there, that's better. I've been without a camera, mouse and computer for far too long! To make a long story short, problem fixed, thanks to a computer savvy husband and a new mouse, er well two new mice(?) but anyway, I'm back!
So, back to this post, well as you can see we've got alpacas and that means fiber, loads of it! (Not til spring obviously, as it's still on the hoof!) In addition to the alpacas, the llama, the two fiber goats (and the angora bunny I've been asked to take in...) I'd say we'll likely have enough to share. Ya interested? Details on the way.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
reputation
*Isn't this picture tranquil?
I read a sign once regarding a good reputation - hard to earn, easy to lose. I don't know who said it, but it stuck with me. It's one of those things you just cannot argue with, like fact. Which leads me to what I'm thankful for tonight, I'm thankful for the reputation I have and by that I mean all of it. The good the bad and the ugly. I've got a reputation for being a straight shooter, not one who dances around and sugar coats things, impulsive, a hard worker, quick tempered, good in crisis situations, not always patient, refined, somebody who flies by the seat of my pants, a lover of animals and orphans, and others I may or may not know about. The reputation I'm talking about tonight is the animal lover part of me. Since September I've been asked to take in 5 alpacas, 1 horse, 3 ducks, 2 dogs, 1 cat, 5 goats and a Beta fish. Some might see this as having a reputation of being a sucker, I look at it as a blessing. (Did you hear that? Ron's head just exploded!) Lots of the animals here at From the Country Farm have come here as rescues of some sort or at one time or another. I consider it a blessing for two reasons; one being that I'm seen as a good steward or caretaker of Creation and two because most of the animals that I've been blessed with have something I can use to help pay to take care of them. (Garlic does not nor do I expect him to pay his own way, it is not possible to put a price on what he gives me.) I love working with textiles and natural fibers and creating things and what have I been blessed with, a milking goat to make soap, cheese, butter, ice cream and milk. Two fiber producing goats to make yarn with, a llama and 5 alpacas that have such wonderful fleece to make into even more yarn which I can sell to help with the cost of their care!
I am thankful for all of it, the reputation I have and the blessings I've received because of it.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
George the Optimist
I'm thankful for alpacas who are optimistic! :-) This video was shot tonight by Faith. I've been trying to get a good video of George, (the white alpaca) for days now, as he has got the CUTEST high pitched hum! To me; when he does this, it makes me think he's so optimistic about well, whatever an alpaca can be optimistic about I guess! He's so soft, adorable, outgoing, friendly and optimistic, what more could you ask for?! Enjoy!
Friday, October 29, 2010
So how many injuries does it take?
The boys have been here for almost a week and are settling in brilliantly! They are not even bothered by the constant handling of their fleece and hearing "ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhh you're soooooooo soft!" then a squeal of sheer delight! I think with so many of them they take turns deciding who'll be next, but they really are good sports about it. My mother told me last night that I never blogged about the "experience" of getting them here. Oh yeah, right I forgot to do that... it's a story I thinkg you'll find.... well interesting at least. Here it goes.
Last Saturday we had a 'get together' at my parents home and it usually involves too much food and too much fun, but like my father-in-law says, "too much is just right!" You know the kind of gathering that involves food, family, fun, cousins, crazy aunt Twistie, etc, well that makes for an all day event type thing (especially when you have to work around two families farm chores, milking schedules and 4-H meetings), but I was also supposed to pick up the alpacas...
The afternoon was winding down and it was getting late in the afternoon, as you know the sun is setting earlier and earlier... Well, I decided it was time to go get them and head home. My dad was graciously allowed me to use his truck (which has a cap) to transport my farm animals. I really need a trailer... I've got a tonneau cover for the bed of my truck, but that wouldn't work, hog panels, tarps and ratchet straps, mmmm nope! Not a chance! I got ready to go and asked who was going to tag along on this adventure, my sister who's always ready for a gathering of people and/or party jumped at the chance - mind you this is the sister that IS NOT a farmer or animal person really unless it's a petting zoo... My other sister had gone home or I think she'd have come if just to laugh at the whole crazy situation; my dad scoffed, hmm, maybe he had an idea as to the calamity this would become.... So I asked mom, saying to her well you went with me when I was getting Strawberry bred, and helped me wrangle the pigs back onto the truck at the fair, so you have to come! What do you know, she did! She changed her shoes, flip flops are not proper farm footwear, are they mom? and got in the truck. He he he! Off we went. Ok so I had Jen, my sister, call for directions, I felt like I could get back there no problem, but cell reception is sporadic at best out there and did I mention it was getting dark? I'd only been there one other time and came in from an entirely different direction, I was not interested in being lost.
So we arrive at the house and the owners are out in the pasture with the alpacas, mom drives the truck over to where the gates opens and the boys (alpacas) are... shall we say ....energetically bouncing around the pasture, they smelled a rat! It was most likely me and the multi species oders from my farm off my barn shoes, I don't think our farm smells bad at all, but occasionally I've gotten a whiff of my barn shoes and whew! but I digress. Seeing as one owner has seriously messed up her back to the point of needing surgery she would not be able to wrangle any of the freaked out boys. Her husband, my sister, mother, children, and children of the guests they had were all in the pasture, just past dusk trying to catch the alpacas. Now would be a good time to mention that they live WAY out off the beaten path and there are NO streetlights or many lights at all really. The pasture area was, well, large enough for all 5 alpacas so it was not easy convincing them to stand still and let us strange people walk up to them and put a halter on and be led out, they just were not comfortable with that. So we made a wall of people and cornered them, all together and eased the pressure off them and they settled down a bit. We went in for one of them and managed to get one, but the others scattered, so we had to repeat the process several times.
We get one caught and haltered and start to lead him out to the where the woman owner was so we could do shots before bringing them here. I was helping, or at lest making an attempt at it and the plunger wouldn't depress, so I asked her to check it out for me. Well she took the syringe and pulled it back slightly and redirected it, right into the tip of my finger! It was totally an accident and all it really did was scratch my finger as I jerked it away. It bled a little but I've been vaccinated and wormed now! LOL! So we start loading them up, one at a time, alpacas are herd animals and they were being loaded into the back of a strange vehicle by strange people in the dark alone, they were a little freaked out. I expected that no matter how we did it that would be the case to some degree.
If you're keeping a tally as to the injuries, sharpen your pencil! So far it's just the current owner's back and my finger, but as we load one on the truck it's leg slips and kicks my mother in the leg, leaving an oblong plum shaped (and colored) bruise on her thigh. The husband was hit in the 'family jewels' area and doubled over in pain and in doing so wrenched his back. I found out later that it cost him a trip to the ER because of the pain. While in the pasture chasing another one down my mother's foot got stepped on, (I'm betting she's glad that she didn't have her flip flops on and was likely thinking "And I'm doing this, again, why???" I was able to get one against the fence and once they are caught they stopped fighting, but the others had just run by us and he thought he'd give it a go to be with his herdmates and I'd just stepped on a rock or in a divot or something and turned my ankle a bit so I let him go to prevent further injuries. My foot was also stepped on at some point, but was wearing boots, so it didn't' really even hurt, but a tally mark is a tally mark, right? Andrew managed to get kicked in the thigh somewhere along the way. I don't know how many of you know this, but alpacas and llamas do not have hooves, they have a soft pad and two toenails on their feet. It's not a hoof like a goat or horse, so it you get stepped on or kicked it's not say, pleasant, but it's not as painful as say a horse. I remember walking back into the pasture to halter another on and seeing my sister who I mentioned is NOT an animal person with her arms around an alpaca saying "I'm not the weakest link, I am not the weakest link!" I guess she'd let a few slip through her hands and was determined not to let it happen again! Hey, I'll give her an A for effort!
Ok, so we're getting them loaded and it's getting a tad crowded in the truck and as I'm in there with them unhaltering and handing out halters and leads and holding them back I got knocked around a bit, again it's nothing bad, just stressed animals. BUT on a good note, after we got a couple in there the rest were more willing to hop in to be with their buddies. Ahhh! They are finally all loaded and the tailgate is up and the cap is shut, latch is secured, or so we think.
So we get them all loaded and head back over to the house to warm up and chat for just a few minutes. Did I mention it was dark and cold that night? So we thaw inside, and decide that it's time to start home, head back out, this time I'm to drive my dads truck, after all it is my livestock now, I took a peek at the back of the truck and it looks a bit odd, I step closer and see one alpaca standing up. The others have relaxed and laid down, yea, I thought. I get closer and peek in and there is only one alpaca! The other four somehow manages to not only unlatch the gate but hop out of the truck and are now roaming around the neighborhood! Yup, dad must have known something like that would happen and that's why he stayed home...
Fortunately one of the boys is all white and one has a white face or we'd never have found them that night and fortunately the guest who was visiting had a HUGE Great Dane dog and these alpacas love big dogs and went right to him, she walked him into the pasture and they all followed! So I backed the truck over to the gate, again and we reload all the boys, only this time there was no stop at the gate for shots and the full moon was out which lit up the pasture better than before. This time they all loaded much faster. One was so eager to get back into the truck he literally leaped in so fast he bumped his head on the roof and ricocheted into my head which smacked the side of the truck, as I had no time to react or guard against it. Ouch! Needless to say we were extra diligent about the latch and tied it down, I did not need to be heading down the highway with alpacas leaping out of the back of my truck!
Finally we arrive home to the farm and mind you it's nearly 11 pm! I'm blessed (and I mean that honestly) with a barn that has lights, lots of lights! I was able to back the truck right up to the front of the barn and stood just to the side of the tailgate so they couldn't pull a Houdini and escape! We opened the back of the truck and let them listen, look, smell, hear and talk for a little while. Our llama Dakota was in the stall closest to the action and was very interested in all the goings on. His ears pricked forward and he started talking to them right away. Garlic, thought it was time to be fed again so he started stomping and nickering to me, the chickens who heard but could not see all the commotion started clucking and squawking and the goats woke up, yawned, stretched and jumped up on the door to see what was going on. After a bit of coaxing the boy that was last in and therefore closest to me was the first out. It just so happens he's also the one with neurological issues and when he jumped out he landed wrong and slipped in the isle and landed with a "kathud!" Realizing they could now get out the others started springing out of the back of the truck like fleas off a dog! One landed on top of the alpaca on the floor who was in the process of getting up and shook himself off like a person coming out of hypnosis, wondering what the heck just happened! It all happened in the matter of just a few seconds, but when I could I went over to him to see if he was ok and it seemed he was, but how can I tell really, he's got neurological issues.... I'm not sure what the tally for injuries is, but I know it was a lot and I'm so thankful they were not serious.
After we got them all settled in, grained, hayed, watered and placed the handful of poop where I wanted them to go to the bathroom, yes, I really had to do that. It works too, it's a communal dung pile and makes for some pretty easy clean up! We left them alone for the night and headed into the house to tell Ron all about it and the crazy time we'd had that evening. He did like he usually does, listened, smiled and shook his head. Thinking all the while I'm as crazy as a loon and he's glad he's the banker. Computers don't kick or spit!
Last Saturday we had a 'get together' at my parents home and it usually involves too much food and too much fun, but like my father-in-law says, "too much is just right!" You know the kind of gathering that involves food, family, fun, cousins, crazy aunt Twistie, etc, well that makes for an all day event type thing (especially when you have to work around two families farm chores, milking schedules and 4-H meetings), but I was also supposed to pick up the alpacas...
The afternoon was winding down and it was getting late in the afternoon, as you know the sun is setting earlier and earlier... Well, I decided it was time to go get them and head home. My dad was graciously allowed me to use his truck (which has a cap) to transport my farm animals. I really need a trailer... I've got a tonneau cover for the bed of my truck, but that wouldn't work, hog panels, tarps and ratchet straps, mmmm nope! Not a chance! I got ready to go and asked who was going to tag along on this adventure, my sister who's always ready for a gathering of people and/or party jumped at the chance - mind you this is the sister that IS NOT a farmer or animal person really unless it's a petting zoo... My other sister had gone home or I think she'd have come if just to laugh at the whole crazy situation; my dad scoffed, hmm, maybe he had an idea as to the calamity this would become.... So I asked mom, saying to her well you went with me when I was getting Strawberry bred, and helped me wrangle the pigs back onto the truck at the fair, so you have to come! What do you know, she did! She changed her shoes, flip flops are not proper farm footwear, are they mom? and got in the truck. He he he! Off we went. Ok so I had Jen, my sister, call for directions, I felt like I could get back there no problem, but cell reception is sporadic at best out there and did I mention it was getting dark? I'd only been there one other time and came in from an entirely different direction, I was not interested in being lost.
So we arrive at the house and the owners are out in the pasture with the alpacas, mom drives the truck over to where the gates opens and the boys (alpacas) are... shall we say ....energetically bouncing around the pasture, they smelled a rat! It was most likely me and the multi species oders from my farm off my barn shoes, I don't think our farm smells bad at all, but occasionally I've gotten a whiff of my barn shoes and whew! but I digress. Seeing as one owner has seriously messed up her back to the point of needing surgery she would not be able to wrangle any of the freaked out boys. Her husband, my sister, mother, children, and children of the guests they had were all in the pasture, just past dusk trying to catch the alpacas. Now would be a good time to mention that they live WAY out off the beaten path and there are NO streetlights or many lights at all really. The pasture area was, well, large enough for all 5 alpacas so it was not easy convincing them to stand still and let us strange people walk up to them and put a halter on and be led out, they just were not comfortable with that. So we made a wall of people and cornered them, all together and eased the pressure off them and they settled down a bit. We went in for one of them and managed to get one, but the others scattered, so we had to repeat the process several times.
We get one caught and haltered and start to lead him out to the where the woman owner was so we could do shots before bringing them here. I was helping, or at lest making an attempt at it and the plunger wouldn't depress, so I asked her to check it out for me. Well she took the syringe and pulled it back slightly and redirected it, right into the tip of my finger! It was totally an accident and all it really did was scratch my finger as I jerked it away. It bled a little but I've been vaccinated and wormed now! LOL! So we start loading them up, one at a time, alpacas are herd animals and they were being loaded into the back of a strange vehicle by strange people in the dark alone, they were a little freaked out. I expected that no matter how we did it that would be the case to some degree.
If you're keeping a tally as to the injuries, sharpen your pencil! So far it's just the current owner's back and my finger, but as we load one on the truck it's leg slips and kicks my mother in the leg, leaving an oblong plum shaped (and colored) bruise on her thigh. The husband was hit in the 'family jewels' area and doubled over in pain and in doing so wrenched his back. I found out later that it cost him a trip to the ER because of the pain. While in the pasture chasing another one down my mother's foot got stepped on, (I'm betting she's glad that she didn't have her flip flops on and was likely thinking "And I'm doing this, again, why???" I was able to get one against the fence and once they are caught they stopped fighting, but the others had just run by us and he thought he'd give it a go to be with his herdmates and I'd just stepped on a rock or in a divot or something and turned my ankle a bit so I let him go to prevent further injuries. My foot was also stepped on at some point, but was wearing boots, so it didn't' really even hurt, but a tally mark is a tally mark, right? Andrew managed to get kicked in the thigh somewhere along the way. I don't know how many of you know this, but alpacas and llamas do not have hooves, they have a soft pad and two toenails on their feet. It's not a hoof like a goat or horse, so it you get stepped on or kicked it's not say, pleasant, but it's not as painful as say a horse. I remember walking back into the pasture to halter another on and seeing my sister who I mentioned is NOT an animal person with her arms around an alpaca saying "I'm not the weakest link, I am not the weakest link!" I guess she'd let a few slip through her hands and was determined not to let it happen again! Hey, I'll give her an A for effort!
Ok, so we're getting them loaded and it's getting a tad crowded in the truck and as I'm in there with them unhaltering and handing out halters and leads and holding them back I got knocked around a bit, again it's nothing bad, just stressed animals. BUT on a good note, after we got a couple in there the rest were more willing to hop in to be with their buddies. Ahhh! They are finally all loaded and the tailgate is up and the cap is shut, latch is secured, or so we think.
So we get them all loaded and head back over to the house to warm up and chat for just a few minutes. Did I mention it was dark and cold that night? So we thaw inside, and decide that it's time to start home, head back out, this time I'm to drive my dads truck, after all it is my livestock now, I took a peek at the back of the truck and it looks a bit odd, I step closer and see one alpaca standing up. The others have relaxed and laid down, yea, I thought. I get closer and peek in and there is only one alpaca! The other four somehow manages to not only unlatch the gate but hop out of the truck and are now roaming around the neighborhood! Yup, dad must have known something like that would happen and that's why he stayed home...
Fortunately one of the boys is all white and one has a white face or we'd never have found them that night and fortunately the guest who was visiting had a HUGE Great Dane dog and these alpacas love big dogs and went right to him, she walked him into the pasture and they all followed! So I backed the truck over to the gate, again and we reload all the boys, only this time there was no stop at the gate for shots and the full moon was out which lit up the pasture better than before. This time they all loaded much faster. One was so eager to get back into the truck he literally leaped in so fast he bumped his head on the roof and ricocheted into my head which smacked the side of the truck, as I had no time to react or guard against it. Ouch! Needless to say we were extra diligent about the latch and tied it down, I did not need to be heading down the highway with alpacas leaping out of the back of my truck!
Finally we arrive home to the farm and mind you it's nearly 11 pm! I'm blessed (and I mean that honestly) with a barn that has lights, lots of lights! I was able to back the truck right up to the front of the barn and stood just to the side of the tailgate so they couldn't pull a Houdini and escape! We opened the back of the truck and let them listen, look, smell, hear and talk for a little while. Our llama Dakota was in the stall closest to the action and was very interested in all the goings on. His ears pricked forward and he started talking to them right away. Garlic, thought it was time to be fed again so he started stomping and nickering to me, the chickens who heard but could not see all the commotion started clucking and squawking and the goats woke up, yawned, stretched and jumped up on the door to see what was going on. After a bit of coaxing the boy that was last in and therefore closest to me was the first out. It just so happens he's also the one with neurological issues and when he jumped out he landed wrong and slipped in the isle and landed with a "kathud!" Realizing they could now get out the others started springing out of the back of the truck like fleas off a dog! One landed on top of the alpaca on the floor who was in the process of getting up and shook himself off like a person coming out of hypnosis, wondering what the heck just happened! It all happened in the matter of just a few seconds, but when I could I went over to him to see if he was ok and it seemed he was, but how can I tell really, he's got neurological issues.... I'm not sure what the tally for injuries is, but I know it was a lot and I'm so thankful they were not serious.
After we got them all settled in, grained, hayed, watered and placed the handful of poop where I wanted them to go to the bathroom, yes, I really had to do that. It works too, it's a communal dung pile and makes for some pretty easy clean up! We left them alone for the night and headed into the house to tell Ron all about it and the crazy time we'd had that evening. He did like he usually does, listened, smiled and shook his head. Thinking all the while I'm as crazy as a loon and he's glad he's the banker. Computers don't kick or spit!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
It was a close race, but the winner is.....
I'm so pleased that you had fun with this and so many of you participated, thank you! I'm pleased to announce that the winner, and rightly so if you know us is......
RAMSEY!
Again, thanks for all the suggestions and votes!
RAMSEY!
Again, thanks for all the suggestions and votes!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
It's time to vote!
Thank you to everybody who entered, there were some very creative names! I've narrowed it to my two favorites and now it's up to you! You may enter more than once! The two names I've selected are....
Ramsey and Spartacus!
I've got my favorite, what's yours?
Ramsey and Spartacus!
I've got my favorite, what's yours?
Monday, October 25, 2010
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