New Hay Stacked in the Barn

We moved 60 bales of hay from the drive down the hill to the barn.  It was cold and a lot of work.  Our son helped us which really reduced the amount of time it took.  Thanks, Isaac, for all the help!  The alpacas are happy for the beautiful fresh hay!

Major Winter Storm

I went to the barn and slipped all over the place.  We had barely had any ice, but just enough to make it difficult to walk in the corrals.  I think I have everything ready for the storm, but maybe I have forgotten something.  they are forecasting a blizzard and up to 21" of snow.  Winds up to 40 mph will cause major drifts and serious wind chills.  I have hay in the barn, straw and grain in the barn.  I wonder if the faucets will freeze up in those temps making it difficult to water the animals.  I worry about my fingers freezing . . . it is so different when you are the sole person to care for this wonderful herd.  Some how, I will do it, but I know I will have little energy for anything else.  I will keep you posted.Publish Post

Out of the winter Funk

The sun is shining and the temps are rising.  Nothing can raise my spirits more!  We have  just returned from the MOPACA show in Kansas City, where we had 12 inches of snow while we were there, but that was last weekend and this is a new day.
The show was slow with the huge snowfall, but it was a great time to get back in touch with a lot of great breeders.  Our Delilah got a Fourth place ribbon, we would have liked better, but are happy she ribboned.  Freja, unfortunately did not place.  Freja was in a very tough  class and I am not disappointed in her.  She was a good girl in her first show ring.  We did have iquieries about her after she left the ring.
I was the Fiber Arts Judge.  It was my first judging experience and I really loved the experience.  I knew I was more than qualified, so I felt like I did a nice job.  There were some very beautiful items.  I was so impressed by the skill exhibited.  Mopaca is such a nice show, well run, nice venue, and resonable fees.

NASTY Weather

It is NASTY outside!  I think we must have had at least 5 inches of snow, but it was just above freezing so it is drippie, wet, cold and tiring.  I thought the alpacas had stayed in the barn all day.  Although the beans let me know that they had spent a lot of time in the barn, their fleece was sopping wet, so I know they spent some time outside.  That is not a problem for the older animals, as their fleece is long and the wetness does not reach down to the skin.  It is little Frederica and Hippolytte that Imost worry about.  The cria fleec is not as dense and not as long as the the rest of them.  I took a towel and tried to dry their fleece.  I am not sure it helped much, but it made me feel good.

Frederica

I walked down the long drive to get the mail.  It had been in the box for several hours.  A  small hole in the seam of the box had let the moisture in  the box, ugh.  I was thankful the newspaper was in a plastic sleeve.  Now I am warm and cozy in front of a fire, the alpacas are in a clean shed or barn with fresh hay and buckets of heated water.  It continues to look like a blizzard outside and I am so happy I have already been to the barn.

Time to relax,

Alpaca Lady

Another Snowy Day

The snow is falling and it very pretty, but I am tiring of winter.  I must admit snow beats just gray, dreary days, but I am longing to find the bulbs blooming and warm sunshine for my alpacas to sun bath in. 
My son, home from school because of the bad roads, helped me out in the barn.  I had expected mile high piles of beans, but instead just found a couple of small piles.  A blessing on a snowy day.  Perhaps the alpacas will realize the snow is just fluffy and will meander out of the barn so tonight will be a repeat of this morning.  I am not holding my breath on that one!
     Taking  a good look at the herd, I noticed we have some very long nails.  As soon as the weather improves and Richard is home to help me I will be trimming nails.  If you have never trimmed nails, you really don't realize how some alpacas are very compliant, but there a a few alpacas that are a real challenge.  Trimming nails has to be done to keep the herd healthy.
     The middle of winter is a great time to start making serious lists, so when better weather arrieves you have a game plan.  We planned our vegtable gardens a couple years ago.  Last night Richard and I planned for our new blueberries and rasberries.  This will be exciting to get some more fresh berries on the farm.  We have strawberries and wild blackberries already growing on Sycamore Creek Farm.  My daughter, for Christmas,  gave me some seeds from Thomas Jefferson's home.  so we will be planting nutmeg, artichokes, alpine strawberries  for the first time this year.
Time to get to work,
Alpaca Lady

The Grey that follows the SNOW

It has been beautiful and snowy, albiet it freesing,  but now we have muddy, cool days that  often have no sun.  the alpacas seem to notice this as much as I do.  We all have to work together tokeep each other up.

Thoughts about Winter

Winter comes with a long list of problems. In the barn there are frozen poop piles, chilled animals, frozen water and much more feed. For me there are all the extra clothes and fingers so cold they hurt. Despite it all, I love being in the barn in the winter. Often the animals are so happy to see me that they pronk and leap around like a group of playful kids.

This is Eddie. Edie is our gelding. He is happy in the winter because he has a very dense coat and is not over heated like he is in the summer. Eddie has very nice fiber that has given us blue and purple ribbons.