April Showers

Yesterday was the most beautiful spring day. It was 70 degrees, sunny and only the smallest of breezes. Rich mowed the lawn and worked out in the yard. It looks so greenly lush and beautiful at this time of  year. The daffodils are in full bloom and it stayed warm enough, long enough for the weeping cherry tree to burst into full bloom this year. The alpaca girls enjoyed the day as much as we did. They lolled and grazed in the pasture, enjoying the sunny day.

Firenze and Took sunbathing!

 

Rich and I decided to take Leezza and Mango for a little walk around the yard and ended up snapping pictures in front of the beautifully flowering weeping cherry tree merely for posterity's sake.

 

Rich held the girls while I snapped the picture.

 

Mango and Leezza look sooo skinny since they lost their winter fleece. On the evening after their shearing, Rich went out to check them and lock up the barn for the evening and all four of the girls were shivering. They weren't used to the cold nights without their fleece so he stacked up some straw in their barns for them to snuggle down in for the evening. The next morning there was clear evidence that they had burrowed into the straw the night before.

 

Today, typical of April in Ohio, it rained steadily all day. It was one of those gentle spring rains and overcast days that makes the green of the grass and wheat fields, and the pastels of the spring flowers really pop. It is also a prime day for snapping pictures so I took Callie outside a short while ago to snap a picture of her by the tree.

 

 

 

The rest of the week it's supposed to be more normal for April. Seventy degrees and partly sunny with only a slight chance of rain. But then again, Wednesday is the first of May. It's finally spring.







Earth Day/Shearing Day

Remember these beautiful, fluffy girls?

And these young ladies?

Well, today was shearing day. Rich and I loaded the girls into the used horse trailer that we purchased a couple of months ago. (that was another confidence building milestone for us) We hauled them up to Amy J's Homestead where we purchased them so that they could be shorn along with the 80 or so animals at their place. The process was pretty impressive and ran like clockwork.

There were four young men who travel across the USA in the spring shearing for a living. They clearly know their business.

Shearer, Jonathan Love, with Leezza. Waiting her turn.

They tip each animal on its side and quickly "hog tie" all four legs, stretching the animal pretty much straight out horizontally and begin working. First they shear the "blanket" or fleece that runs from the side across the back to the other side. With the help of Randi or Jana, we laid out the blanket onto a plastic painter's tarp as it came off the animal, slid it out of the way and "noodled" it. (more about this another time) Then the shearers proceeded to shear the legs, neck and underbelly and give them a trim on their topknots. All of this is considered "seconds" and went into a bag.

Leezza having her blanket fleece removed.

Took and Mango screeched loudly during the entire shearing process. Firenze gave her high pitched whine that lets us know that she is not pleased with whatever is going on at the time. Leezza was a real trouper. She calmly accepted the entire process without a peep. In fact she gazed trustfully into Jonathan's eyes as he held her head. When flipped on her side, I was cooing to her and she gave me the same trusting look. 

This is how they look now!

Took, Firenze, Mango and Leezza

Rich and I tried to take an active part in the process. He led animals in and helped me noodle a fleece. I noodled our fleeces and helped sweep and gather up the seconds for ours and other animals. When I changed this evening I had bruises on my knees and arms that I didn't even feel when they occurred! Needless to say, we are both exhausted and will sleep well tonight. Another learning experience for us.

Computer problems and April weather

It's been a few weeks since my last post and I do apologize to anyone who actually checks in on a regular basis. My laptop started acting weirdly and I tried every fix that I knew of, which admittedly isn't exactly high tech. Then I called a good friend in Florida and asked him what to do. Following his directions I didn't get any results. After this I took the stupid laptop in to school and asked our computer teacher to check it out. He found that it worked just fine after removing and reinserting the battery. I brought it home and...the problems were back! Luckily my old friend, John, from Florida was up here this week and he stopped out and made a few adjustments and today this darn thing is working fine as long as I keep it plugged in. From this, I deduced that the message that popped up last month about the battery being at the end of its life might be the real problem so I ordered a new battery. We'll see what happens when the battery arrives.

Weekly practice walking on the lead. 

We have been practicing walking the girls each weekend. Once we get them harnessed up, Mango and Leezza really enjoy walking around the yard. Leezza is such a diva and really loves posing for pictures. Mango never balks at walking on the lead and trots happily along where ever we lead her. 

Took and Firenze in their little condo.

Took and Firenze have adjusted so well to condo living. So well that Firenze's little digestive problem has cleared up completely. Both mamas seem to be filling out very well and their pregnancies have been very healthy so far. Occasionally they will lay near the fence and the younger girls will lay close by on the other side but most often the mamas are laying near their little home.

Leezza basking in the sun.

We have had more cloudy, rainy, windy  days lately than sunny days. When a sunny day comes along you can find the girls lounging around in the pasture just enjoying life. On the rainier days they stay inside their homes looking outside longingly. The grass is finally starting to green up and the girls really prefer fresh grass over the hay.

Pressley will be over later today to work with the girls so I will do another post later this evening. When I have more pictures to post.

Loading the Girls for a Ride

We separated mama Took and her baby, Mango, six days ago and fully expected to hear screeching on Took's part and wailing from Mango because she couldn't nurse occasionally. Took was isolated on the shed side with Firenze;  and Mango and Leezza were on the barn side to provide a little more room for running and pronking. Now that the weather is getting nicer the young ones romp in the pasture every evening. Rich and I have been visiting the pasture frequently and observing from the windows and the girls have adjusted remarkably well. Took even seemed relieved not to have to look after Mango any more. Most of the time when Mango is standing by the fence gazing at her mama, Took is laying serenely in the shed or pasture chewing contentedly. Mango hasn't been pacing along the fence or showing any obsessive behavior that might be associated with stress from forced weaning. I think we got lucky and the separation was timed perfectly.

Checking out mama across the fence.

Took in her new condo!

This afternoon my "saintly" brother-in-law, Danny, came over to lend a hand in our first attempt at loading the girls into the trailer in preparation for shearing time. We plan on taking them over to

Amy J's Homestead Alpacas where we purchased them to be shorn along with their herd on April 22. Rich wanted to be sure that we could load them into the trailer. The plan was to halter them all first and put them on leads and Danny and I would hold them while Rich would backed up the truck to the gate and opened it into the pasture. It went like clockwork. Rich loaded "Queen" Firenze into the trailer first; our reasoning being that since she is the leader the others would willingly follow. They did follow but with some coaxing. Took was next and seemed reluctant to enter. I hopped up into the trailer and gave a tug and she followed. Danny brought Leezza along and she leaped up - no problem! Mango was a bit more reluctant so I gave Rich the lead and got out and gave her a pat on the rump and she jumped in. 

We returned Firenze and Took to their side of the pasture and both settled down to nibbling the stubby grass. Rich and Danny took Leezza and Mango on a "show ring lap" around the yard and outbuildings for practice just like we saw at the alpaca show in Columbus a few weeks ago. Then when they were returned to their pasture they romped around enjoying their freedom. (Of course, I didn't have the camera!)

The whole practice exercise was a terrific confidence builder for all three humans involved!

Weaning Mango

This morning, with the help of two brothers-in-law, we managed to corral Mango and hold her steady long enough to trim the longest of her toenails. She does not like to be held down and have her leg lifted. She jerked, kicked and bounced me around something terrible. She tried to kush her back end and leap her front end with Rich holding on for dear life; but we did it.

After a short rest (for the handlers and Mango) Rich and I went back out to the barn to do the dirty work of separating the younger girls from the older. Mango is still nursing a couple of times a day and we were afraid that she might be taking nutrition away from Took's growing baby. Mango seemed to be getting bigger and bigger and Took wasn't. We were prepared for screeching and whining on the part of Took and Mango. Didn't happen! Took seemed unconcerned that her baby was on the other side of the fence. At first Mango walked up and down the fence a few times but within 15 minutes or so, she was nibbling at the short grass in the pasture.

It's been a few hours now and all four of the girls are grazing on their own sides of the fence and don't even seem to be the least bit curious about what's going on across the pasture. We will keep observing until sundown when it's time for them to settle in for the night.

Herd Health Day

After his trip to Amy J's Homestead for training the other day, Rich decided that today was going to be our herd health day. He had herded the girls into the barn before Pressley arrived and we were ready for toenail trimming and Mango's CDT booster shot. Easier said than done. The three of us held Firenze first and while she didn't exactly like having Pressley hold her while Rich lifted a foot to check and clip overgrown toenails, she didn't fight us. The job was relatively easy.

Leezza was the next one to be caught and she was really calm while her nails were checked and trimmed. Rich held Leezza while Pressley lifted each foot and I trimmed.

Took was next on the list. Catching her was relatively easy but lifting those feet was another story. She has had this proceedure done many time before, but for some reason she wanted no part of it this time. We managed to get her fore feet trimmed but she kept kushing every time we tried to lift a rear foot. Ever had a pregnant 175 lb. alpaca sit down on your foot and refuse to budge? That's what she insisted on doing and we had to give up on her back feet. Rich and I will try again later this week when she forgets this experience.

Mango wanted no part of the nail clipping and really fought us, leaping and dodging around, even as Rich held her head and neck. We gave up since we had the shot to administer  and deemed that a more important procedure. We harnessed up she and Leezza and took them for a walk around the pasture and outside and around the woodshop. Both young girls were led easily around the yard and back into the pasture where Mango got her shot. Rich held her, Pressley separated the fleece and I injected the medication.

 

 

 

After this traumatic session, Pressley got a sweet little snuggle from Mango before Rich tried again to cut her nails. At that point she was through and took off with the lead still hooked up. We captured her, removed the lead and let her go. She was mouth breathing at this point and too stressed for any more training. We left them alone. Later in the evening Rich went out to check the girls and every one of them came rushing in for the sweet feed treat that he offered. Trauma forgotten.

 

Alpaca Show

Rich and I went down to Columbus last night and had a family pizza night with my brother, his wife, my nephew, daughter, Amy, and son-in-law, Steve and assorted grandkids and others. This morning we spent several hours at the Best of the US Alpaca Show at the state fairgrounds. It was a great learning experience and gave us the opportunity to meet and talk with several other alpaca breeders from the state. One of the most impressive sights was to see dozens of alpacas lined up to walk into the show ring.

I took this, not very clear, picture of the beautiful black huacayas in the ring with my cell phone camera. The next time I will remember to bring my good camera!

Rich and I met Joy Mitchell of M-R Alpacas in Wakeman, Ohio which is not far from us. She gave us some important information to consider when we reach the point where we will be selecting sires for breading with our girls. She also kindly put together a packet of four of their very handsome sires for us to consider. Joy answered many of my questions concerning fiber processing and showed us some adorable stuffed animals with felted alpaca costumes. I feel certain that we will be calling on her in the future.

Closer to home we met Patrick Cassese from Glengary Farm Alpacas in Plymouth, Ohio. He and Robin couldn't have been kinder as they patiently answered our questions. Robin and I made a connection since she had substituted in the past at the school where I teach. We both know many of the same teachers well.  They invited us over to visit and we will do so in the near future. They have some beautiful animals.

I had an extended conversation with fiber artist and dyer, Louise Goebel, of Renaissance Farms in McArthur, Ohio which is very near where we spend a family reunion weekend every October. She was a great source of information about processing and dying fibers.  I have already visited her website and we will definitely pay her a visit when we are down in the southern part of the state in
the fall.

The other day, Rich spent a morning at AmyJs Homestead Alpacas where we purchased our girls. Joseph gave him a crash course in toenail clipping and administering shots. The folks at Amy Js have been wonderful and patient mentors to us. Shearing day is scheduled for mid-April and we will transport our girls over there for shearing. We have learned so much from them and look forward to continuing the association.

All-in-all this has been a very productive weekend. Tomorrow when Pressley comes over we will be attempting to trim Took and Mango's toenails for the first time. Look for the report on that endeavor later.