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| Hmmm paddock condition! |
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| Frog spawn |
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| Enjoying a cuddle |
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| A natural alpaca handler Alistair - that's a big smile! |
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| Sue, Don, Alistair and Charlotte all enjoying the pacas |
BEGINNERS COURSE
What a lovely group of people we had today on our Alpacas for Beginners Course, I just know that they're all going to love keeping alpacas. We were so lucky with the weather again, just a brief shower before they arrived, Peter and I had hastily got the weanling females in to play with this afternoon, but actually we needn't have worried 'cos there was a good drying breeze and the sun came out. All seemed to enjoy the course hugely and went home full of enthusiasm (or in Alistairs's case at least converted!) - which means I achieved what I set out to do, which makes me happy:) Big blunder and momentary panic, was to leave the cottage pie unattended in the oven whilst doing the farm walk with everyone, came back to a charred potato crust, thank heavens Greg and John (Masterchef) weren't on the course - blimey could you imagine that?! Scraped off the black bits and everyone was very polite and ate it... so I think I got away with it!!
VISITORS AND HALTER TRAINING
We had a visit today from a group of 22, year 10 students from the South Downs College. They were all very attentive, as were the alpacas, the weanling boys were proper little show-offs and gave a wonderful display of "boys" behaving badly with lots of orgling and frisky laddish behaviour, the students thought it was really funny, which it was - I have a feeling there may be a few little videos appearing on youtube soon. We had some great feedback from them ... hopefully some of them will be inspired to become alpaca breeders for the future.
Spring is continuing to slowly emerge, we have frogspawn in the pond, in fact I can hear frogs or toads outside now and we have leaves on the elder bushes. The grass has grown a tiny bit in the last week, certainly greener, though most of our fields look a bit sad, we desperately need some rain, everything is so dry, but at least the pacas are lovely and clean.
The fencing has been finished and the hedges trimmed back so the boundary looks very tidy. Peter has harrowed the big field that we've been using since december, we have loads of moss which gets pulled up with the harrows which makes room for new grass - now it looks completely trashed, but it will recover quite quickly and be lovely after a couple of months rest. The birds love all the moss for their nests. If we have just a bit of rain we can roll the fields and get some fertiliser on them.
The halter training is going fairly well, just a couple of slow learners who are taking a bit longer, I have discovered that chatting to people on the phone whilst moving very slowly across a field with the reluctant ones on the end of the lead works rather well ... they walk back beautifully after listening to all that gobbledygook....
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| Showing teeth |
Spring is continuing to slowly emerge, we have frogspawn in the pond, in fact I can hear frogs or toads outside now and we have leaves on the elder bushes. The grass has grown a tiny bit in the last week, certainly greener, though most of our fields look a bit sad, we desperately need some rain, everything is so dry, but at least the pacas are lovely and clean.
The fencing has been finished and the hedges trimmed back so the boundary looks very tidy. Peter has harrowed the big field that we've been using since december, we have loads of moss which gets pulled up with the harrows which makes room for new grass - now it looks completely trashed, but it will recover quite quickly and be lovely after a couple of months rest. The birds love all the moss for their nests. If we have just a bit of rain we can roll the fields and get some fertiliser on them.
The halter training is going fairly well, just a couple of slow learners who are taking a bit longer, I have discovered that chatting to people on the phone whilst moving very slowly across a field with the reluctant ones on the end of the lead works rather well ... they walk back beautifully after listening to all that gobbledygook....
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| The boys penned up ready for halter training |
FENCING
What's been going on here then, well half term stuff which was fun, lots of lovely walks, Rebecca and I try and do a different one every day, which we did, we had one beach walk on a very sunny day, but which was absolutely freezing and we just had to go and have coffee and a cake to warm up (any excuse!). We've been halter training ready for the Futurity ... we've added 3 more to our show team, and they of course are the ones who are not so great on the halter. Top knots were trimmed yesterday which reminds me I must deal with the fleece I was wearing which now looks like a fluff magnet. It's been so lovely and dry that they're all looking very smart, hmm probably shouldn't have said that..
At the weekend we had to move everyone to be ready for the fencing which started yesterday, a lot of our fencing is very wobbly, most of the boundary fence is over 40 years old and whilst the alpacas are very gentle on it, we felt that it should now be replaced, rather than propped up yet again, we can't run to the same oak posts and 3 rails, but at least the new fence will be secure and easy to maintain, but sadly not very pretty, actually I don't like it at all between you and me, but I'll get used to it, have to!
At the weekend we had to move everyone to be ready for the fencing which started yesterday, a lot of our fencing is very wobbly, most of the boundary fence is over 40 years old and whilst the alpacas are very gentle on it, we felt that it should now be replaced, rather than propped up yet again, we can't run to the same oak posts and 3 rails, but at least the new fence will be secure and easy to maintain, but sadly not very pretty, actually I don't like it at all between you and me, but I'll get used to it, have to!
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| Old fence down in no time |
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| I rather like the fields naked |
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| Horse field in a bit of a state - the pacas don't allow all this growth to poke through their fences, they eat it, so we'll be rotating them with the horse from now on. |
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| Hedge trimmer works wonders in just minutes |
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| Rebecca with Bliss, not in the show team but one of her favourites |
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| Jazz on the beach |
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| I know - not pictures of alpacas - but Spring is on the Way - Yey!! |
ICY COLD
Saturday morning we woke to minus 8 degrees and a forecast of snow coming in by late afternoon, and this was the day of our BAS Alpaca Evaluation Seminar with Liz Barlow .. heating was turned right up in The Den so everyone would be cosy, unfortunately we hadn't bargained for the water supply freezing so there was much cursing and last minute defrosting of pipes with a blow heater, which worked as far as the downstairs loo, so at least our visitors didn't have to keep running up to the house. Liz gave us a brilliant day and everyone thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt lots. We finished in good time and they all made it home safely before the snow really got going. I love snow, being big kid, so was hugely disappointed when we got rain, especially when I heard how much of the white stuff was about not far from us. Oh well, I'm sure there's enough time left to get some yet.
The next day it thawed and the mud was just awful, everyone looked a bedraggled mess and it was far too grey, damp and miserable to do anything more than was absolutely necessary, so I spent much of day watching telly in front of the log burner - haven't done that for ages and it was just what I needed.
Once again we are gripped by the icy temperatures, I really don't mind 'cos it's dry and the muds frozen. As long as I can keep busy enough to stay warm and I have all the right layers on - years ago when I worked with horses, I used to get horrendous black chilblains on my hands, feet and legs - very attractive - doctor told me to get an office job!
Halter training can only be done in the dry weather or my hands just freeze up and I just hate that ... today I spent half an hour or so leading our Futurity show team of 4 weanling boys up our little woodland path. I had stored up a bit of warmth from my dog walk and feed rounds, which lasted just about enough time to get 2 lots of 2 led up to the top of the path and back. They loved it actually, especially Bobby Dazzler and Baylee, who was on the halter for just the second time, and has been a dream to train. Bobby decided that rather than go through the gap cut into a fallen tree trunk that he rather fancied climbing over it instead ... he even did it again so I could take his picture to show you.
The next day it thawed and the mud was just awful, everyone looked a bedraggled mess and it was far too grey, damp and miserable to do anything more than was absolutely necessary, so I spent much of day watching telly in front of the log burner - haven't done that for ages and it was just what I needed.
Once again we are gripped by the icy temperatures, I really don't mind 'cos it's dry and the muds frozen. As long as I can keep busy enough to stay warm and I have all the right layers on - years ago when I worked with horses, I used to get horrendous black chilblains on my hands, feet and legs - very attractive - doctor told me to get an office job!
Halter training can only be done in the dry weather or my hands just freeze up and I just hate that ... today I spent half an hour or so leading our Futurity show team of 4 weanling boys up our little woodland path. I had stored up a bit of warmth from my dog walk and feed rounds, which lasted just about enough time to get 2 lots of 2 led up to the top of the path and back. They loved it actually, especially Bobby Dazzler and Baylee, who was on the halter for just the second time, and has been a dream to train. Bobby decided that rather than go through the gap cut into a fallen tree trunk that he rather fancied climbing over it instead ... he even did it again so I could take his picture to show you.
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| Baylee & Eros |
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| The Sorcerer |
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| Bobby Dazzler |
AN ODE TO A TREE
Well, the deed is done, the beautiful beech tree at the top of our farm has been felled. For maybe 150 years it has grown and become part of the landscape, overlooking our farm and the valley. In just two days it has been reduced to a stump. It was diseased, had to come down, but as you can probably tell, I feel sad and rather guilty about ending it's life, especially in such a brutal manner. Had it not been so close to a road we would have left it to nature. Now there is just a huge void where it stood. The buzzards who have always used it as their lookout perch will have to find another high place - I hope they don't go too far away. Amazing to think of everything that this tree has witnessed.
I was hoping to be able to make a picnic table, with seats, in a very rustic kind of fashion, but apparently the wood will quickly rot away - heck, I'm still going to do it ... I'll put cuprinol on it! This event has led me to reading poems and Odes to trees and I have added a couple here. Now I need to blow my nose and have a stiff drink!
An Ode to a Tree
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
~ Joyce Kilmer, "Trees," 1914 ~
Some hours later .... not believing this state of mind to be healthy, I phoned our neighbours to invite them for a spur of the moment 'toast' to the tree, to celebrate it's long life, with a glass of red, round the bonfire that the tree surgeons had left burning away in the darkness, they readily accepted.. of course, we know our neighbours well - they're a good bunch... even brought the crisps and nibbles with them. Negotiating styles and climbing fences in pitch black not a problem, working our way through the debris of tree felling perhaps a little more tricky, but fun was had by all and we finished up the evening sharing a very lovely chinese meal. Good old tree!! Bless her!
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| Before |
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| During |
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| End of day one |
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| Gone |
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| View of the farm from the top of the tree - I wasn't holding the camera! |
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
~ Joyce Kilmer, "Trees," 1914 ~
Think Like a Tree
by Karen I. Shragg
Soak up the sun
Affirm life's magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling.
Affirm life's magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling.
Some hours later .... not believing this state of mind to be healthy, I phoned our neighbours to invite them for a spur of the moment 'toast' to the tree, to celebrate it's long life, with a glass of red, round the bonfire that the tree surgeons had left burning away in the darkness, they readily accepted.. of course, we know our neighbours well - they're a good bunch... even brought the crisps and nibbles with them. Negotiating styles and climbing fences in pitch black not a problem, working our way through the debris of tree felling perhaps a little more tricky, but fun was had by all and we finished up the evening sharing a very lovely chinese meal. Good old tree!! Bless her!
WINTER PROJECTS
I'm totally knackered today as I've overdone it with the jungle bashing ... so I am really rather relieved to have a wet day to take a break from it and rest my poor bruised hands and aching shoulders. Our boundary is mostly a strip of woodland, nearly all deciduous stuff, some really lovely specimen trees such as cedar and scots pine, some beautiful old beech, horse chestnut, both white and my favourite pink ones, limes, cherry, elder, field maple and sycamour and something called a wayfarers tree which is evergreen, plus a few mystery ones which I haven't identified yet.
Last winter we cleared the ivy and thinned out the small stuff along the North side. For the last couple of weeks we've been clearing the ivy and thinning the woods on the East and South sides. It's really hard work, great on a cold day, and I have to say hugely satisfying seeing the result of our efforts. It's fun discovering bits of our land for the first time!
Ivy, bramble and saplings have done their own thing for decades and so we are now doing battle to try and get it all under control before we are taken over like Sleeping Beauties castle. Peter does the big stuff with the chainsaw and I hack wildly at everything else with my machete thing, loppers and handsaw. I'm a bit of an expert now at chopping down saplings with my machete - it's just a matter of bending them and slashing through the bend, cuts through like butter if you get it just right, very satisfying. Not so good is the way stuff flicks back and whips you round the face or legs, and yesterday I suffered the indignity of falling over backwards when something stubborn suddenly gave way, I don't thin anyone saw me fortunately.
We had an Arborist come and survey the trees, sadly our biggest and most beautiful beech has to be felled urgently as it's diseased, apparently could come down anytime and is close to a road. Monday is the scheduled day for the tree surgeons to take it down, I'll miss all the excitement as I'm studying paca poo under microscopes all day .... shame, I really wanted to be there and I was hoping to get them to take pictures of our farm from the top of the tree before they cut it down as it looks out over all of it. At least we'll have plenty of firewood for a few years.
Last winter we cleared the ivy and thinned out the small stuff along the North side. For the last couple of weeks we've been clearing the ivy and thinning the woods on the East and South sides. It's really hard work, great on a cold day, and I have to say hugely satisfying seeing the result of our efforts. It's fun discovering bits of our land for the first time!
Ivy, bramble and saplings have done their own thing for decades and so we are now doing battle to try and get it all under control before we are taken over like Sleeping Beauties castle. Peter does the big stuff with the chainsaw and I hack wildly at everything else with my machete thing, loppers and handsaw. I'm a bit of an expert now at chopping down saplings with my machete - it's just a matter of bending them and slashing through the bend, cuts through like butter if you get it just right, very satisfying. Not so good is the way stuff flicks back and whips you round the face or legs, and yesterday I suffered the indignity of falling over backwards when something stubborn suddenly gave way, I don't thin anyone saw me fortunately.
We had an Arborist come and survey the trees, sadly our biggest and most beautiful beech has to be felled urgently as it's diseased, apparently could come down anytime and is close to a road. Monday is the scheduled day for the tree surgeons to take it down, I'll miss all the excitement as I'm studying paca poo under microscopes all day .... shame, I really wanted to be there and I was hoping to get them to take pictures of our farm from the top of the tree before they cut it down as it looks out over all of it. At least we'll have plenty of firewood for a few years.
SEMINARS AT MEON VALLEY ALPACAS
Now that we're all back to normal routines, may I please draw your attention to some really excellent seminars we have coming up over the next few weeks. Open to all. Please contact me info@mvalpacas.co.uk to get booked on these days, they really they are too good an opportunity to miss. There's something for everyone, from the very new to the very experienced. Gain knowledge and a deeper understanding. The seminars are not expensive, especially when you consider the amount we all spend on our alpacas.
(I did have one query today from someone wanting to know if the Alpaca Evaluation and the Breeders Seminar overlapped - this is the response from Nick Harrington-Smith who is a lecturer for both days.)
Saturday 4th February 2012 "Alpaca Evaluation" with Liz Barlow
We have one of our British Judge Liz Barlow coming to Meon Valley Alpacas to give the new one day British Alpaca Society (BAS) Alpaca Evaluation for Breeders Course. Limited to just 12 places, this is a fabulous days education, not to be missed, all classroom based, so we will be cosy in the training room whatever the weather's doing outside - lunch and refreshments included. Please get in touch to find out more and book your place soon. £60 per person plus vat and including lunch.
Saturday 3rd March 2012 "An Introduction to Alpacas" with Karen & Peter Oglesby
Alpaca management how to look after alpacas day to day and routine husbandry to keep them healthy. We cover vaccinations, worming, toenail trimming, teeth care, nutrition and feeding, shearing, biosecurity, breeding. Learning takes place in the lecture room and on our farm with the alpacas.
Financial considerations whether keeping a couple as field pets or when starting up an alpaca business.
Handling systems - a look around Meon Valley Alpacas to see how we run our herd, discussing fencing, catch areas, shelters, field maintenance, farm set-up and equipment etc.
Fleece and conformation - what to look for when buying an alpaca. Alpaca assessments- a practical session with hands-on look and feel of the differences in conformation and fleece.
Viewing of Meon Valley Sale alpacas.
The course fee of £40 per person £60 per couple which includes lunch and refreshments. The day starts at 10 am and finishes around 4 pm.Courses fill quickly, so please check for availability and request a booking form. We're also happy to give courses tailor made to suit your requirments... perhaps on halter training, identifying fleece characteristics and how to skirt a fleece, or preparation for a show, etc. If you would like a private course then please contact us to arrange a date. Cost for a half day £100 per family.
(I did have one query today from someone wanting to know if the Alpaca Evaluation and the Breeders Seminar overlapped - this is the response from Nick Harrington-Smith who is a lecturer for both days.)
"There may be some overlap but that is always the case. The BAS one day course is designed to give a basic understanding of those traits that are of importance in a breeding programme, however it is probably more pertinent to say that its main objective is to make people start thinking about the why’s and wherefores’ in respect of fleece characteristics.
The breeder’s day will cover some of this by necessity, but will focus heavily on issues that are of importance and that can be readily influenced by careful and informed breeding decision-making.
Both courses will only give brief oversight in to trait evaluation and can be but a start in any learning process. Alpaca breeding is complex, understanding fleece even more so, therefore repetition is both necessary and useful, and will always prove beneficial. All the BAS tutors will tell you that we learn something every time we give a course."
Saturday 4th February 2012 "Alpaca Evaluation" with Liz Barlow
We have one of our British Judge Liz Barlow coming to Meon Valley Alpacas to give the new one day British Alpaca Society (BAS) Alpaca Evaluation for Breeders Course. Limited to just 12 places, this is a fabulous days education, not to be missed, all classroom based, so we will be cosy in the training room whatever the weather's doing outside - lunch and refreshments included. Please get in touch to find out more and book your place soon. £60 per person plus vat and including lunch.
Saturday 3rd March 2012 "An Introduction to Alpacas" with Karen & Peter Oglesby
Alpaca management how to look after alpacas day to day and routine husbandry to keep them healthy. We cover vaccinations, worming, toenail trimming, teeth care, nutrition and feeding, shearing, biosecurity, breeding. Learning takes place in the lecture room and on our farm with the alpacas.
Financial considerations whether keeping a couple as field pets or when starting up an alpaca business.
Handling systems - a look around Meon Valley Alpacas to see how we run our herd, discussing fencing, catch areas, shelters, field maintenance, farm set-up and equipment etc.
Fleece and conformation - what to look for when buying an alpaca. Alpaca assessments- a practical session with hands-on look and feel of the differences in conformation and fleece.
Viewing of Meon Valley Sale alpacas.
The course fee of £40 per person £60 per couple which includes lunch and refreshments. The day starts at 10 am and finishes around 4 pm.Courses fill quickly, so please check for availability and request a booking form. We're also happy to give courses tailor made to suit your requirments... perhaps on halter training, identifying fleece characteristics and how to skirt a fleece, or preparation for a show, etc. If you would like a private course then please contact us to arrange a date. Cost for a half day £100 per family.
Saturday 10th March 2012 "Training your alpaca for Shows" with Jay Holland
This is a one day course taken by Judge and Qualified Camelidynamics Alpaca Trainer Jay Holland. Training Alpacas for Showing and Show Etiquette. very much a hands-on with the alpacas and will be fun and fascinating. £60 plus vat per person including lunch.
Wednesday 28 March 2012 "Breeders Seminar" with Nick Harrington-Smith
We are hosting a one day Seminar for the Southern Alpaca Group which is top be given by International Judge Nick Harrington Smith which is designed to help better understand how to select and breed successfully for the bloodstock market and the fibre industry. Gain an insight into the importance and relationship of those traits most important to all markets. £60 per person including lunch.
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