Great Alpaca Weekend

We had a great weekend at the Indiana Alpaca Show. Seven animals seemed like a lot to take but we decided to give it a try. It was busy but fun. We started off with the highlight of the weekend. Our girl that we co-own with Avalon Alpaca Farm took the Black Female Color Championship. We were so excitied and so pleased with the comments from the judge about her. Maya is a great girl and this was her first show
We came home with four other placements in four other classes so all except two of our animals placed at this very large show.
I think one of the values of going to the shows is the amount you learn while you are showing and looking at other animals. It is these experiences that really help you learn how to evaluate the animals you have in your herd.
In a couple of weeks we are on to the Michigan Show so look for us there.

Good Night Sweet Paca

Each night before I go to bed I make a trip out to check the alpaca. The boys are hunkered in their barn and chewing their cud. They tolerate my nightly invasion into their barn but hardly acknowledge that I am there. I tell them a quick good night and am off to the girls barn. When I reach the girls barn everyone is settled as well, that is all except "Sweet Baby James". He has decided at the early age of four months that he will not spend his life sleeping or chewing cud. He has much to see and even more to do. Part of his passion is trying to get other alpacas to play with him. He runs from alpaca to alpaca pushing and prodding each one to see if they will pay attention. Tonight he finally got Sienna Rose. She couldn't stand one more poke so off she went to join the chase. Around the pasture they pronk trying to pass each other, cutting curves like a race car on a fast track. They continue their run into the barn disturbing, if only for a moment, the quiet with their race. Before you know it they have rounded the barn and are back outside to start again. But before you know it, it's over. Sienna has stopped and decided little James is a pain. She really just wants to chew her cud. James, takes notice for only a minute. There are other Alpacas to bug and who knows which one will take him on next. For now he is still the fastest alpaca in the barn

A Winter Night Paca Party

It has been really cold here. The alpacas have been hanging out in the barn trying to stay out of the wind as much as they can. The cold really doesn't bother them but the wind they hate. Anyway a week or so ago we got a break from the wind and the cold. I went out to do my night check on the alpacas expecting them to be all settled in for the night. Much to my surprise there was a party going on. Every one of the alpacas was out pronking around the pasture in a line. The babies pronk and then run as fast as they can to stay ahead of the group. This went on for 20 min. They had the best time appreciating every minute of the evening. I watched them for the longest time and then had to head into bed since I had work in the morning. I hated to miss all the fun they were having.

As I was walking in I couldn't help thinking about summer and all the warm nights ahead when I can stand out there and watch the paca parties. I felt better about making it through the winter after sharing in the fun but... I can't wait until summer

Sitting in the Barn

It is cold here.... cold and windy. It may seem strange when I tell you that I am an compulsive barn sitter. I love to sit in my barn and watch the alpacas. I learn so much about how they interact with each other (Who is being a bully and who spending their time away from the herd). Animal interactions just fascinate me. The cria are learning to be independent and moving further and further away from their mothers (much to the mothers dismay). Sweet Baby James who is now 2 months old loves to explore away from his mom. He drives her crazy and she is constantly looking for him.
Mikayla who is now a yearling, sees me sitting in the barn and wants to come over and put her nose up to mime. I think she is trying to figure out how what I am doing is going to benefit her. She has piercing eyes which beg to be noticed. She is a proud girl just like her mother.
Sitting in the barn I can't help but get up and touch some fiber. I am so excited about what I am seeing with this new group of cria's. Crimpy and dense to say the least.
Eventually time passes and I realize that my hands are starting to get numb and I make one last check of the gates to make sure they are locked and get ready to head inside. Tomorrow night will come soon enough and I again will have my time to sit in the barn. I CAN'T WAIT

Rambling

Today was a day to work with the crias. Shooter got his first experience with a halter. He did very well wearing it around the pen. Once he relised it was not going to slow down his ability to eat he could have cared less. He stood in the cria pen and ate kibble like a big guy. In the last two weeks all of the cria have discovered grain but do not want to go into the cria pen where they can free feed. They want to sneek it out of their mother bucket during feeding time And although the mothers put up with them eating some you know that they feel cheated that they have to share.
Melody who does not have a cria has been letting Shooter know her food bucket is off limits but for some reason he thinks hers has something special in it. So he continues with his persistance to get just a mouth full or so.
Speaking of food.... I just heard that Dr Evans is coming out with a new food through Buckyee. I am interested to hear all about it. I may have to give it a try and see how the alpacas like it.

Ready for Winter

We have been trying to get ready for winter with the Alpacas. One of the projects that we have been planning for is putting in automatic waters. They arrived here about a month ago but the guy who was going to put them in has been very busy. We have called him every couple of days explaining to him how we are carrying water now that the hose is frozen. It took a number of calls before he finally put us to the top of his list. On Tuesday he began the process of putting them in. We are so excited. This will make winter so much easier and I think it will be great for the Alpacas having fresh water when they drink.

The cria's are growing so fast and are so independent. Shooting Star has decided that he no longer wants to be treated like a little alpaca. He is far to old for that and has declared his independence. His way of doing that is taking charge of the other little boys in the group and making sure that they are following his lead. Most of the time that means playing when he says play. Ok, its not too hard to get them to go along but the mothers are not wild about the idea that these boys are old enough to go out on their own.

Welcome to Our Blog

Welcome! I've set up this blog as a place to talk about our life with alpacas. We have been working with them for two years now and what a great experience it has been. I often find myself after the chores are done just standing and staring at the alpacas as they hang out in the field. They are such peaceful animals.

As we grow our alpaca herd we want to share our experiences, what we learn and all of the joys of being a part of this business of raising alpacas.

Our joy today was watching the girls head out to the pasture with four cria born this year by their sides. The crias were so excited to be out in the cold grass that they played chasing each other for the longest time. As soon as one would want to stop another would come up and softly tug at his/her leg and off they would go again. Who can run the fastest was the name of the game today. It was funny to see that the fastest one turned out to be a little brown boy who was just born two weeks ago. Talk about a proud little guy. As we enjoyed watching them run his mother did not see the enjoyment in watching her boy venture farther and farther away from her. You have to keep an eye on those little ones every min. :)