Domestic Goddess Wanted !!

 

 

I fear that I might be turning into a domestic goddess .... with my new purchase !  This is something that I have wanted for quite some time and apparently alpacas are 'too posh to poop '

 

With an ever growing herd, I have decided to invest in a paddock hoover, its a good excuse to do the hoovering.  I'm not so excited about the other kind of hoovering, but we have to multi-task up here.  Having said that, I have been very busy tidying up as I have visitors this week.  My friend Irma and her daughter Kim are visiting for a little holiday.  Its about 2 years since they last visited and it will be a very nice few days.  We might even get the hoover out and do a field spring clean as I have willing volunteers.

 

Little and often thats the way, I have started to block some of my wood.  It will then be split into logs and eventually stacked in the wood shed.  After this is done there is another load in the boys field waiting to be chopped. 

 

Last weekend when I was collecting my hayrings and hurdles, I must confess I managed to resist the lovely little pygmy goats....but I did see a lovely little foal who had been rescued.  Its a sad tale, the mother had died through neglect and the SSPCA were involved, the people have fostered her and she was only a day old.  Thank goodness for kind people who have the dedication to give her a good start in life especially after such tragic circumstances.  She is called Bella and was having her bottle when I arrived.  Hopefully this will be a happy ending and Bella can enjoy a lovely life.

 

Why do some people cause such misery and suffering on animals .... its beyond me !

 

 

I've Been Out Shopping !!

 

 

I have had an exciting day !  I have been out shopping, a little bit of retail therapy, the kind that probably isn't most peoples idea of retail therapy .....

 

My shopping needed the trailer, but I did manage to resist the temptation of being carried away.  Having said that, I came home with a full trailer, lots more than I thought I was going for !! These are just some of the gorgeous Pygmy goats I had the pleasure of meeting today, the babies in the first photo are only a week old and my cat is probably the same size....cute just isn't the word.....the mothers and the babies are all very friendly and make wonderful pets.  Most people know that I already have a Pygmy goat, called Lambsy !  He is 13 years old now, it would be fare to say he is mellowing with age.

 

Haggis and Dougal tuck into the last bale in their field, I'm hoping this is going to be the last bale of the year for them.  Its been a long winter and the grass is very slow, most of my fields are brown, with very little sign of any nice new green grass.

 

I said I had a full trailer ..... I have had a very fruitful day, two hay rings, two troughs a load of sheep hurdles and .....we were nearly full !!

 

How cute are these ..... and so friendly, they make wonderful pets for people with smallholdings, there is normally a waiting list and I can see why .....

 

Back home safe and sound after my little trip out, this little trailer is very handy, I have wanted this trailer renovated for years and it was finally done last summer, it has mesh sides which clip on, so its extra handy, my Dad has made an excellent job of the 'new look' trailer.....before I went out, I debated which trailer to take ... mind you at this rate its just as well I only took the little one ..... I only went for two hay rings and ended up with extras !

 

I think I shall be busy tomorrow ..... emptying it.

 

 

Boys Night Out !!

 

 

We have had a lovely sunny day here today for a nice change !  It has been a nice change from being battered by gales, thankfully we survived.

 

As it has been such a nice day, I have decided to leave the big boys out, this is the first night this year for them to be left out overnight.... its a lovely calm evening and its about time that the weather was picking up.  The alpacas were wondering tonight if they we coming in for bed, but I managed to persuade them otherwise.  All the alpacas have nice fleeces to keep them warm at the moment, its only a couple of months until they will be sheared.

 

Just another little job on the 'to do list' ..... I got a lovely load of logs last week, which will need to be cut and chopped for the fire for next winter ...

 

The youngsters are doing fine, starting to grow up nicely, we caused quite a stir when we were out for a little walk the other day.

 

A view from the house looking across the fields, the girls are down eating the haylage and the babies are in the distance, I only have 6 bales of haylage left and the grass is no-where to be seen, hopefully if the weather stays warm and sunny it will spring into life. 

 

I'm keeping a close eye out for my summer friends ... the Swallows, they are late this year.  Last year the first ones arrived with us on the 13th April ..... then I know that summer is well and truly on its way !

 

On a summery note, its only 12 weeks until the first Zanzibah babies are due to arrive !  This will be an exciting year as we are looking forward to hopefully four of Wellground Stravinsky babies, as this will be his very first progeny  here.... I'm really quite excited to see how last years plans, turn to reality .... like most of us with babies due, its a mixture of excitement and worry all at the same time.

 

Its lovely to see other breeders new babies arriving already, but we shall have to wait a little longer I'm afraid !!

 

 

Now you see it ... Now you Don't !!

 

 

The task last week .... this is about half way, 7 loads Monday, 6 loads Tuesday and 8 loads Wednesday !  So that was 21 loads ...@ 5 ton ... I'll let you do the maths ! 

 

This is the finished look ... the area will need a little tidy up another day.

 

Onto the next job, I had a Willow tree in the garden that need to be moved as it was growing too big where it was. I have planted it in the field where the girls are .... hopefully it will grow and be happy there. We just about managed to get Ruby through the garden gate with an inch or two either side !

 

The horses are tucking onto their haylage ..... we have snow again today, we are down to 9 bales !!  When will we get Spring.  Last year the Swallows arrived on the 13th of April ... at this rate they'll need their winter woolies.

 

The 'Bigin' enjoying some sun .... if you look closely ... you can see him smiling !!

 

Ah .. the babies .... Zirdar, Zazu and Zanto in the distance ... well it is an alpaca blog after all !!

 

 

Spring Cleaning & Weaning

 

 

After the horribly cold weather, we have been lucky to have sunny but cold wintry days and bitterly cold nights.  I have managed to get some chores done.  At this time of year there are loads !  The first job was to muck out the piggies ..... this was done with the help of Ruby (little red tractor)  I mucked these out direct into the muck-spreader and managed to spread this load the same day which was a good job.  The next day was the turn of the horses side of the barn, it was time to crank up the bigger tractor, I like this tractor and we are a team !!  Its great to have one that now starts well, after seven years we have eventually sorted out what the starting problem was with this tractor.... and what a difference it makes to the task....its been a real pain over the years but this is now a distant memory. 

 

The following day, the task was the other side of the barn where the alpacas live....it has also been spring cleaned, the muck pile was huge and growing by the day. 

 

The next task on the list was to get the babies weaned, I have been extra late this year weaning the babies, due to other issues.  The babies were approaching 8 months old, most of the mothers had self weaned them, there was only one still feeding.  Little Zodo .... the plan was to get the barn cleaned then re arrange the pens and to get the babies in with the other younger boys, these are all under the age of 2 this is where the babies will stay until they are much older.

 

 

On Sunday evening we were prepared to do the weaning deed.   I managed to separate them quite easily and the task was done with very little chaos.  There was a little bit of humming but I was very surprised just how happy the babies were.  They can see their mothers on the other side of the pens, so its really not that traumatic.

 

Some of the babies out in the field with the other boys.  It has only taken a couple of days for the babies to be happy and settle in their new field.

 

This is yesterdays task .... spreading the huge pile of muck out onto the fields which will be set aside to make hay ..... I have managed to do 7 loads yesterday and I think I've got the same again to do .... hopefully by the end of the day .... the job will be done ....I'm guessing I've got about 15 load to clear the pile, the muck spreader holds approx 5 ton so by my estimate, that's about 75 ton .... that's a big pile !

 

Then I'm having a .......... day off  !!