Bluebells




We took Pixie Lott, our VW camper van out today and had a picnic in a National Trust parkland full of new born lambs playing in the sunshine. On our travels we came across a stunning bluebell wood - at their best now despite being so dry, the pictures just don't do it justice.



Seems like we might get some rain at the end of this week, we certainly need some as the ground is so dry and cracked. Peter topped our front field this morning, first time out with the topper (his favourite toy!). The paddock had been rested for a few weeks, so the grass was quite long in places, looks lovely and tidy now, and he went round the patch of bluebells and daffodils as per instructed!

He's been spot spraying the weeds too, not a nice job as the knapsack wrecks your shoulders. Although it's safe to put the alpacas back on after a week, we don't normally have to as we have enough paddocks to leave them another couple of weeks. At this time of year we rotate fields frequently, that way the alpacas get all the lovely fresh new grass and we can top them regularly which keeps the grass in tiptop condition.

Hand shearing





My interview last Sunday on BBC Radio Solent's programme - The Good Life .. went well and can be heard again on their website if you wish to listen.

Rebecca and I went to Devon on Tuesday and enjoyed the lovely weather on some of the beaches on the South and North Coast and had fun with our friends Chas & Rachel from Classical MileEnd Alpacas, a bus-mans holiday, but always good to have the opportunity to
talk 'alpacas' for hours on end!

I decided today to shear our Llama "Yerba" by hand, actually went very well only one small blister and a slightly aching arm, he stood very patiently whilst I reduced the two years worth of very heavy fleece by a huge amount and then he spent the rest of the day in the sun, whilst everyone else sought the shade..... looking somewhat chopped but feeling cool & smug! I will however leave everyone else for the Shearers to do properly!


News

Just could do with a few more hours in the day, and days in the week .... but all good fun! Had one of our Introduction to Alpaca Courses today, very well attended by 18 keen students, who all listened very attentively as I burbled on.. at length! The new projector worked really well and hopefully by the time we come to do our next course in August our new lecture room will be finished.

Along with Chas & Rachel from Classical MileEnd Alpacas we have made the difficult decision to sell CME Tulaco Centurion. We wish his new owners, Houghton Hall Alpacas, the very best of luck with him - he certainly did a great job for us and we look forward to seeing crias from our Snowmass boys over his progeny.

We've had to change the date of our Open Day to the 14th August, which will soon come around... there'll be lots of Snowmass cria running about by then.

Tomorrow I'm off to the studios of BBC Radio Solent to be interviewed on our lives with alpacas, I confess I'm rather nervous, but hopefully won't turn into a complete stuttering wreck....

Spring Show

Back from the SWAG Spring Show ... good fun, great company, and lovely warm weather. Bonaventure our Beige Junior Female was placed 5th and Bonami went into the ring with 28 other Junior Fawn Males and was placed 4th - I was happy with that and with the Judge, Cathy Lloyd's comments. I'm hoping their fleeces will hold up for the Nationals and the South of England. We really need more shows in the winter when they all look their best.




Spring in the air


Glorious weather - 21 degrees and wall to wall sunshine for last couple of days... pacas are feeling it, they're climbing into the water troughs for a cool down.... I gave the girls a new field today ... they went bonkers, charging about and rubbing themselves on the holly bush, and jumping for joy .... I dashed in to get my camera, but the battery was flat.

The swallows are back so its officially Spring. All the daffodils we planted down the drive have come up, so that was well worth the effort .

Thought I'd get Boris the Morris out for a drive, poor chap's been in his garage all winter. Covered in paw prints - how did a cat get even get in there? We always have to jump start him the first time and then he's fine all summer, but today he was stubborn, apparently something to do with the starter motor thingy .. Peter said he'd fix it for me. I have to say poor Boris is in a rather sorry state, I think he's now beyond shabby chic and just plain shabby!

Off to the Spring show this weekend, not sure how many I'll take but Bonaventure and Bonami, who are now both covered in moss will be going and probably another couple to keep them company.

By the way - does anyone know what this tree is - really pretty blossom ?


Karin Mueller Course





We had a brillient training day with Karin Mueller, Camelid Vet from Cambridge University on care of the pregnant female, birthing and care of the newborn cria. Here are some of the pictures of us all practising on dead lambs and birthing 'boxes' .....