Gardens, Alpacas, Fiber

It has been a strange, warm, spring.  The garden is in and growing.  I must say it is way ahead of schedule and it looks like mid-June.  The animals are nicely sheared and though we have had some heat it is not really bothering them since they were sheared in April.  The pastures are nice and green and the last one has been opened up to the alpacas.  They are like little kids in a new toy store.  I really love these days of fresh cut grass, gentle breezes and fresh new growth.  However, I am acutely aware of the time I have before Alpaca & Nature Day-Camp sessions begin.  I have much to do, including getting all this alpaca fiber to the mills.  Tomorrow and every day will be very busy, but I stop from time to time and inhale the clean country air and get ready to delve in to the farm chores.

Spring Time on the Farm

It has been the strangest spring with record breaking highs and a lot of rain.  We are happy to have spring here, but wonder what this weather will do for us in future.  Putting those thoughts aside we are enjoying the beautiful days.  We have limed, fertilized, aerated, and seeded three pastures and now we have two more to go, but they will have to wait until we can move the alpacas off them.  We are now seeing the green . . . yes, the beautiful tender green!  The alpacas are going to be so happy when we can move them onto these beautiful, rich pastures.
We have shearing coming up on April 6.  We are working getting ready for the event.  For some reason the herd has found all the leaves, sticks and general junk they can roll in.  I guess they don't understand how much time it takes me to clean their fleeces.
Halter training is in full swing.  Dancing Paws was led up on the deck and visited with Annie our indoor cat.  There is not a lot of leading done in the winter, so spring is a great time to get everyone back into walking with us.  Alexi, the cria, is doing exceptional in this area.  He is a delight.  The two weanlings are a bit more hesitant, but two are doing pretty well on the lead.

Alexi seemed to have discovered the joy of loping yesterday after the chute was opened after being closed for several weeks.  I truly think loping is a dance of joy.

Eddie looking out.

Maverick caught in the bucket.