tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50967647334272865392024-02-19T04:18:10.809+00:00Ashdale AlpacasAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-60096680200349249372014-02-03T22:47:00.000+00:002014-02-03T22:57:07.527+00:00We're movingDon't panic it's not far, our blog has been quiet for a while but is now moving to our new website and can be found <a href="http://www.ashdalealpacas.com/blog.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>. Simon will be doing most of the posts rather an Irene.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-2250602168108620762013-04-02T01:42:00.000+01:002013-04-02T01:42:02.916+01:00Cottage by the Sea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, we have had a fantastic holiday weekend. We had been invited to take our alpacas to River Cottage Spring Fair and although they are close to us it was still a lot of work but worth every minute of it. If you have ever visited River Cottage yourself then you will know that they have the friendliest and most efficient staff and associates. We had a ball, it was dry and the sun shone for both days although we were wearing alpaca knitwear to keep us warm. </div>
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Diamond, Petronella and Desdemona were really well behaved and people were amazed at how small they were when they put there hands into the fleeces. None of these little ones have a full fleece yet as Diamond is 11 months and Petronella and Desemona are only 8 months.</div>
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Petronella was brilliant with children and was quite happy to have all the attention.</div>
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Unfortunately we didn't take any photographs of our stall on the first day so the stock was heavily depleted by the time we remembered to get the camera out. Customers were really interested in hearing about alpaca fibre and were asking so many questions which we were happy to answer. I did fall in love though. A man thought that somebody as creative as me shouldn't really be spending time cooking and cleaning. See, I was besotted and smiled for the rest of the day.</div>
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We also managed to take a couple of chicken houses and kennel with a few chickens. These also drew the children over even though there were so many other things for them to see and do.</div>
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The curly haired god of the good life also made an unscheduled appearance to sign copies of his books.</div>
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This is another face that people may recognize as John Wright who gave talks over the two days on foraging and making your own beer. I saw him leaning over the bridge collecting plants for his talk and wanted to go in and listen as I love seeing him on TV but we were far too busy and Si just had to pop in with the camera to take this shot. He seems a lovely friendly man, he walked around for the two days constantly smiling and having his photograph taken with admirers, happy to chat and answer questions. He must have been exhausted at the end of it.</div>
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Above is Tim Maddams, one of the River Cottage chefs. This is another man who never seemed to stop all weekend, giving talks and demonstrations on cooking pigeon, from fully feathered to plate. The other subject he covered was wild rabbity feasts. The aromas coming out of the kitchen theatre were amazing and made our mouths water as we were right outside. </div>
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People were welcome to walk around the gardens of River Cottage and we picked up quite a few ideas ourselves. Garden staff were available to answer any questions that people had, this is only a small section.<br />
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This was a stall I was absolutely fascinated with, it was set up by Andrea Cunningham of <a href="http://www.jacdorwool.co.uk/" target="_blank">Jacdor</a> just click on the link to go to her website. She promotes wool from the Jurassic Coast and had beautiful cushions and rugs that she had woven herself, she even gave weaving demonstrations to children on the loom you can see. This is a new business and you can see what a lot of thought and work has gone into it. Her produce is so professional, presented well and of excellent quality.<br />
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A lovely friendly couple, James and Maggie, did a roaring trade in porridge, mueslis, bread mixes and grains that they grow on their farm. They were milling during the day and were selling breakfast to traders hours before the gates opened to visitors as people knew from previous years how good their food was.<br />
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There was also a variety of live music playing all day outside the soup kitchen, Dodo Bones played on both days and had a drumkit made of pans they had people humming along as they walked past.<br />
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We had such a great time that it didn't feel like work at all. Thank you to everybody at River Cottage for all the hard work that must have gone into making this such a great event.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-90027024987939312652013-02-28T01:03:00.003+00:002013-02-28T01:03:57.620+00:00Just for laughs<img src="http://i.imgur.com/2ycXEgZ.jpg" />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-63868094103420894082013-02-21T23:37:00.000+00:002013-02-21T23:37:23.776+00:00Leaving Home Ain't Easy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It was an early start for Si on Sunday, he had a special delivery to make to a lovely couple in Torquay. Yes Biffy & Junior have a new home. They had really fallen for Biffy after visiting our website and were truly hooked when they met him in real life last week. Since we wouldn't let him go on his own the obvious choice to go with him was Junior, they have been partners in crime for all their lives having always shared a paddock, they were just as pleased with Junior especially when they saw how relaxed they both are when being handled. We have been taking these two to agricultural shows as an attraction for some time so are used to plenty of attention which I have a feeling isn't going to end any time soon.</div>
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As you can see they settled in immediately and I'm sure they'll be spoilt rotten but it doesn't mean I didn't start missing as soon as Si left.<br />
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Not that we needed it but this was another confirmation that good customer service will always win through. It's all well and good having a huge number of animals to choose from, but if you don't listen to what a potential customer wants they will look elsewhere, an experience the boys' new owners unfortunately received from a breeder much closer to them.<br />
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The new owners felt reassured that we will always be just a phone call away to offer advise or just reassurance.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-4884860814805164132013-02-11T02:29:00.000+00:002013-02-11T02:29:05.199+00:00Knitta's Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
It has gone absolutely crazy here. Chickens laying, chicken house orders,chicken sales, alpaca sales, press releases, knitwear and another string to our bow, dyeing.</div>
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As proud members of Somerset Smallholders Association we have been working with Rural Focus for some time as they offer some brilliant free training courses in the South West. They helped us a lot when we started the chicken house business and as it has been building up really well they asked if we would be willing to be featured in one of their press releases. We agreed and they had already sent us a copy by email for approval after numerous telephone calls and a time was agreed for a photographer to come out on Thursday. We had already agreed for a couple of prospective clients to come out that day too, we had spoken to them previously and had email contact. It was an early start for us as Si had to find somewhere to put the chicken houses so that we wouldn't be wading through mud for the photographs which meant taking some apart and then rebuilding them on drier ground. The prospective clients came out at 9.30am and we went to see the two boys that they had expressed interest in. It did seem a bit unfair asking them to clean their wellingtons in the disinfectant before we then had to wade through mud to get to the paddocks. They loved Biffy and Junior and have agreed to take both of them together as they are great friends as they showed while we were with them by staying close together. </div>
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Si and I had just said goodbye to the couple after agreeing on a time to deliver the two boys to their new home, not too far away. when Richard, the photographer arrived. He had Si posing with chickens, the houses and also getting Ashdale Exhibition to pose with him. Graham from Rural Focus also turned up and you can see him with Si trying to look casual leaning against the chicken house. Si at 6'5" is almost bent double in the doorway. I have to admit that Richard was amazing and some of the action shots he got were brilliant. I wanted his camera and being a Scouser was trying to work out a way to separate him from it.</div>
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I thought being a photographer would be quite a sedentary profession but he was marching around taking shots from all angles.</div>
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Si had to sit on a bucket which collapsed under him and Exhibition was so bored by this time that she just rested her head on his knee and went to sleep.</div>
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I have been quite busy myself with the knitting needles building stock for some exciting shows we have planned for the Summer</div>
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Although most knitwear customer love the natural blends that we use we have been asked on occasion for coloured garments so I have learnt a new skill - hand dyeing. The top balls were my first attempts, I started with the deep pink and got so hooked that I ended up doing 5 different colours on my first day. I have now also learnt how to do variegated by mixing 3 colours at once. I admit it doesn't look much until it is dried and then reballed. Next on the agenda is trying to dye some pastel shades for baby clothes.<br />
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So with all that has been going on here I think I have had the perfect excuse for lack of blogging.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-1299877500714904592013-01-31T00:27:00.000+00:002013-01-31T00:27:44.080+00:00Feed Me - Little Shop of Horrors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The title will be self-explanatory as the pics reveal the state of the alpacas and ground. Trying to pull our feet out of the mud is so tiring and making the chores take so much longer; on top of all that it has been blowing a gale too.</div>
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I managed to catch Biffy chewing on hay with his fleece being blown about. I love the way his topknot looks, it's as though he had put a parting in it. </div>
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Cooper was caught mid-stride. Why do they always go and kush in the muddiest part of the paddock? Just look at the state of his legs.</div>
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Diamond and Desdemona came in early for their dinner and I just couldn't refuse those little faces. It took so long to get them onto hard feed but alfalfa worked it's magic on them and they are first to the trough until Ms Humpreys sees them off.</div>
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Because the sun was shining Cherrybomb took the opportunity to roll in the mud. Here's hoping it falls off when it's completely dry.</div>
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Just in case you thought I was exaggerating about the mud here is the chase near the barn. The paddocks may look green but we have to wade through all of this to get to them.</div>
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The chickens have hardly been outside as they hate the wind, the farthest they seem to venture is the barn and then stay in there all day. I must admit to trying to find more chores to do in there myself.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-19103760414635634392013-01-28T22:33:00.000+00:002013-01-28T22:33:03.777+00:00And now for something completely different ............I'm not blogging about our alpacas tonight, they are an absolute disgrace with all the mud and I'm ashamed of them being seen in public.<br />
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On Xmas Day I got a surprise present of a book. It was one of those that you can't put down but also don't want to reach the end of, yes, I really enjoyed it that much.<br />
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It is the adventure of a couple who gave up their life in England and went off to Spain to breed alpacas. This is their story and although Xmas Day here was pretty miserable I could feel the heat of the Spanish sun as I immersed myself in their story.<br />
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It has raced up the ratings on Amazon and is now in the top ten animal and pet books already. It is full of joy, heartbreak and excitement. You will finish this and wish the couple all the luck in the world. At the side of this blog (and scroll down a bit) there is a link to Lorna's Life in Spain, she is the wife in the story. Her blog is a really witty tale of a Brit abroad so you will probably enjoy that too.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-14211910859475113412013-01-25T00:20:00.003+00:002013-01-25T00:20:47.667+00:00Baby, It's Cold Outside<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Even though it was still really cold today the sun was shining so we let the animals out to make the most of it. The rain on Tuesday morning cleared the snow, for about an hour and then the white stuff started to fall again, absolutely huge flakes of it.</div>
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The young chickens have a small area that was sheltered from the snow so they have all been trying to find something interesting to eat.</div>
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The older bantams weren't as lucky so Si had to clear an area for them. They don't seem to appreciate this view from our door though.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBHJb0i0VhLwwqDfhy7G3zPoVEEsqW8zgO3WMuewuomJ6qszt7e0Gblqn0ScDgHZ3r4j9dOmDVtvLpxsIaCeU5NT8xi2XrJ0qVdfwHIduCz1KOSX_WMy0gM3ezb-LZaasWoRVLAFm5EPz/s1600/240113+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBHJb0i0VhLwwqDfhy7G3zPoVEEsqW8zgO3WMuewuomJ6qszt7e0Gblqn0ScDgHZ3r4j9dOmDVtvLpxsIaCeU5NT8xi2XrJ0qVdfwHIduCz1KOSX_WMy0gM3ezb-LZaasWoRVLAFm5EPz/s320/240113+b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: blue;">Eringa Park Lionhear</span></i></b>t looking confused at just how far away everybody is from him, he has been used to being a lot closer to the other alpacas in the barn. He has also been able to find the mud that was buried.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FLaMgvabxTSM8rHRgYrlcyuQEji-BzfBUD6lnPjzl5E45SxF3OqvzwexlLtaqYlL-RJZXXgnZQjEoWZ-jAoWeVIkbw4r81vMqOLe227_78Q-CD941MOGJGZmS-bRhNlu14tuR7b6J45o/s1600/240113+c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FLaMgvabxTSM8rHRgYrlcyuQEji-BzfBUD6lnPjzl5E45SxF3OqvzwexlLtaqYlL-RJZXXgnZQjEoWZ-jAoWeVIkbw4r81vMqOLe227_78Q-CD941MOGJGZmS-bRhNlu14tuR7b6J45o/s320/240113+c.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Ashdale Cooper</i></b></span> hardly moved and just stood almost all day waiting to get back inside again. It's no fun walking around if you can't get to the grass.</div>
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We can't really complain too much about the weather as the snow hasn't been too deep and it does get cleared away pretty quickly with all the rain we get.</div>
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I have been reading an interesting article today about The Control of Internal Parasites in Ruminants, very informative. I have added a link to it <a href="http://eap.mcgill.ca/agrobio/ab370-04e.htm">here</a> if anybody is interested.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-48001843305243799952013-01-21T00:05:00.000+00:002013-01-21T00:05:27.436+00:00Long Time No See ...............................<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I thought I would get around to blogging again. The knitwear side of the business really took off and so the blog got put to one side, I was fed up with messing around trying to get photographs to upload and it was taking up valuable time. We sold so much through the summer and had taken so many orders that by the time they were finished the Xmas orders had started to come in. We sold our last items at 5pm on Xmas Eve.</div>
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It is really cold here tonight and we have a blanket of snow that makes everything look clean and tidy in the paddocks. The poor animals have been closed in the barn for the past few days but they were allowed out this afternoon while we mucked out the barn.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_009Q_7PQZM1es7VZWk945jZ8yr7WEStS8h-TuDYXrZGGOXHk5H2WQ_ThA3JN8-vuENMEchIkF4MyKId5t1Ki3VHWnY2BGVHelMog__HRoVJGJPip6WXHuyGZo4cofYFQC4ppEMz4GxdT/s1600/200113a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_009Q_7PQZM1es7VZWk945jZ8yr7WEStS8h-TuDYXrZGGOXHk5H2WQ_ThA3JN8-vuENMEchIkF4MyKId5t1Ki3VHWnY2BGVHelMog__HRoVJGJPip6WXHuyGZo4cofYFQC4ppEMz4GxdT/s320/200113a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first thing that the girls decided to do when they were allowed out was to go roughly where their dustbath/mudbath is and roll in the snow.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">Eleanor Rigby charged and jumped around the paddock making the most of her freedom. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGAFiZ2KKc4fG-izwBsWRFUm5thewBy96Z_gM_TKgpgPLBYBQCWM9e8CtikSwvlcUZkyXEzGg4loEVNhoYXcRlNnX9dntH9RHbHum3go9sABjqoE70xXA76RhtcAdinvmZDAy-4LxMouJ/s1600/200113b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGAFiZ2KKc4fG-izwBsWRFUm5thewBy96Z_gM_TKgpgPLBYBQCWM9e8CtikSwvlcUZkyXEzGg4loEVNhoYXcRlNnX9dntH9RHbHum3go9sABjqoE70xXA76RhtcAdinvmZDAy-4LxMouJ/s320/200113b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cherrybomb had been pronking but looks as though she had had enough and was going back to the barn.</div>
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The boys are not enjoying being in the barn at all and whenever Si goes down to check on them they have a moan. The girls are normally quite happy in there as long as they have a good supply of sweet hay.</div>
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At the moment all the water is frozen but as we have gone through this before we now know to collect as much as possible before it freezes. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-62217365241070114422012-04-22T18:04:00.000+01:002012-04-22T18:04:04.126+01:00With A Little Help From Our Friends......................<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Is there really a drought going on our there? Are we the only ones having rain every day? Who makes the decision about droughts? Do they ever go outdoors, or at least look out of their window?</div>
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Yesterday we were feeling really fed up with the weather and the fact that Wellground Jemima was obviously fooling us again. It was gas and she was just fat so she was moved out of the birthing paddock to make way for the next due girls. We did have more chicks hatching so that was fun but we couldn't get the mower out to cut down the weeds as the grass was just too wet. The pekin pen is overrun with nettles so we keep losing the hens in the middle of it. </div>
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In the afternoon Si was tidying the barn as the forecast is no better for the rest of the week and we have the shearer booked for Thursday so room has to be made to take the whole herd in on Wednesday to keep them dry. I was very brave and decided that the paddock cleaning still had to be done so was walking up the chase towards the top when I saw a really clean alpaca. It took a while for it to sink in that we didn't have one that small and I shouted Si. He came running out of the barn thinking something terrible had happened and I just pointed. Jemima had given birth on day 370. The only thing Jemima does in a rush is get to the feeders. She is a great mum and dotes on all the cria that are born. Si went back down to collect a towel, teramycin and, of course, the camera. </div>
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<br />Not great photos, I admit but we were delighted with this new little girl. We haven't decided on a name yet but she wouldn't have been here at all if it hadn't been for all the advice I had from friends in US and Australia. We hadn't been able to get Jemima pregnant so she was flushed out, given antibiotics and mated on two consecutive days as well as being given Receptal.</div>
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We decided that we had to get them back down to the birthing paddock and when Si tried to pick up the cria poor Jemima thought he was kidnapping her baby and started to scream while chasing him all the way. She's not falling for that again and hasn't left her baby alone all day, we haven't even been able to weigh her but as she is quite lively and seems to be feeding well we are going to leave well alone for now. It is lovely having a baby in the paddock right outside our window, especially as she is from our own bred herdsire, Ashdale Cooper.</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-70216235054258787382012-04-15T01:20:00.000+01:002012-04-15T01:25:26.974+01:00Roll Out The Red Carpet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Saturday is disinfectant day. We normally start the day with paddock cleaning then sanitise all the feeders and drinkers before moving onto the chicken houses. We were expecting a World Champion Alpaca Breeder to visit us tomorrow bringing a special delivery but whilst still on the paddock cleaning the telephone rang. It was to check if it was ok to bring the visit forward a day. We weren't really dressed for visitors but were excited all the same.</div>
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If I say it was so that nobody missed the Grand Prix tomorrow morning then those in the know will be able to identify the visitor straight away.</div>
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A couple of hours later Alpaca Royalty arrived, our new Elite Australian Herdsire, <strong>Eringa Park Lionheart ET</strong>. I will tell you all more about him on the next blog. To prove just how regal he is he had the aforementioned World Champion Alpaca Breeder employed as a chauffeur for his journey. Most of us know him as Rob from Wellground Alpaca Stud, he had to come alone as Les does all the important jobs on their farm and had to stay behind. We hadn't even had time to put the red carpet out or hang the bunting.</div>
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It was so funny getting <strong>Lionheart</strong> up to his new paddock. He had to walk right up the chase past our girls. He really strutted his stuff as the girls ran to the fence to stare at him, they were dancing and jumping with excitement. I think Rob managed to get a video of it.</div>
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<strong>Lionheart</strong> settled in for a few hours and we decided to try him on one of our girls later this afternoon. Here he is with <strong>Ashdale Delilah</strong>. This mating should produce a cria with amazing genetics as <strong>Delilah's</strong> dam is <strong>Hemiccoyo Cricket of Cambridge</strong> which includes genetics from <strong>Hemmingway</strong>, <strong>Ruffo</strong> and and <strong>Fibre's Brutus</strong> and her sire is <strong>EP Cambridge Samson</strong> (a Supreme Champion himself) and includes more top Australian genetics from his sire <strong>EP Cambridge Peruvian Spartacus</strong>. <strong>Samson</strong> has sired more Supreme Champions himself and, in fact, sired one of our herdsires, <strong>Ashdale Cooper</strong>.</div>
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While we had a World Champion Breeder here we weren't going to miss the chance to show off the fleeces of our home bred girls. Rob was impressed with them so it has been well worth investing in the Elite Australian Genetics and we are definitely going to carry on the same route. These animals hold their value and are producing the finest fibre, which we are proud to display and sell at agricultural shows which generates even more interest in the alpaca industry.</div>
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<strong>Delilah</strong> is a maiden but <strong>Lionheart</strong> is so experienced that he jsut pushed her to the ground and got to work...<br />
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...and half an hour later <strong>Delilah</strong> is looking decidedly bored with the whole procedure but <strong>Lionheart</strong> looks as though he is having a good time.<br />
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All the while this was going on we also had a hatch of pekins and silkies taking place so we had been running back and forth to the incubator checking on progress. As I type this we have 20 out of their shells and are waiting on another 3 or 4 that are pipping. I hope they don't take much longer as the race starts in a few hours and it would be nice to be able to fit in a few hours sleep before then. If I manage to stay awake tomorrow evening I will try to get more pics of Lionheart and introduce him more fully.</div>
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<br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-10668592956236268122012-04-12T00:17:00.000+01:002012-04-12T00:25:11.866+01:00Being Just As Busy As A Bee Can Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Once again it has been a long time since the last blog but we haven't been sitting back doing nothing. A few weeks ago we attended The Game Fair which was a two day event and almost sold out of our knitwear so the needles and yarn are out every night trying to build up stock for the next show we are to attend in a few weeks time.</div>
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Si had a trip 'Oop North' over the weekend delivering two of our young boys. This sale had been on the cards for quite a long time and they have gone to live on a farm with other animals but they have actually been purchased by a knitting club. One of the members attended one of the shows where we had a stall last year and we spent quite a while talking about the alpaca yarn and she bought quite a large quantity of it to take home. A few more trips down here to see the farm and meet the animals and she was hooked. Si forgot to take the camera so no shots of their new home. Her closing words when she came back down to purchase the boys where 'We'll just take a couple of boys ..........for now'. I think she already realised that she was going to get hooked on keeping alpacas.</div>
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Now onto even more exciting things....................</div>
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We have bought Eringa Park Lionheart ET an Elite Herdsire from Wellground Alpaca Stud. I am so excited about this purchase as it means we can now offer our clients a choice of two absolutely fantastic studs which gives them another reason to purchase female alpacas from us. I hope we can live up to having Alpaca Royalty living amongst us.</div>
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<strong>Eringa Park Lionheart ET</strong></div>
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<strong>Ashdale Cooper</strong></div>
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Although Cooper only has one cria on the ground, born last year, it has an absolutely fantastic fleece and on the strength of this he has 6 outside matings booked already so he is going to be a very happy boy over the next couple of months. </div>
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Even more amazing news, and congratulations are due to Wellground Alpaca Stud, most of you will be aware that the World Alpaca Conference is taking place at the moment. Les and Rob Rawlins decided to enter two fleeces from their Elite Herd and took two prizes. Brown Champion for Wellground Lalique and 1st Senior White for their homebred Herdsire Wellground Close Encounter. This now makes them World Champions. We are particularly pleased for them as we have a daughter of Close Encounter, our very own Ashdale Exhibition, and her fleece shows excellent promise so we may well have to enter her fleece in a few shows this year. </div>
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Although the blog has been quiet we have been buzzing with excitement about the future and are making plans to take our business forward and help others to do the same.</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-83849132289185835822012-03-03T23:02:00.000+00:002012-03-03T23:02:17.655+00:00First Class ExhibitionWe've been really enjoying the good weather and so have all the animals. The grass is growing but, unfortunately, so are the weeds so we may have to start topping again soon.<br />
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Si has been carrying on with halter training last years cria and they are all coping well with their halters although Piper and Condor seem happy when it is over and they can get back to playing together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGinzyRjAGqC1kaofru3t0bkgwT7lZF5aLsXr0HDAJPjk2AfMFNwawgxli-r7FAGit5K-z-080LEd5XHQt4Pglk4PVnEXHX3HeaHYA3KYB5fH3y1U6mdD8HwCAHcRpQ9a9d-_XbOth_BA/s1600/010312_Piper_&_Condor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGinzyRjAGqC1kaofru3t0bkgwT7lZF5aLsXr0HDAJPjk2AfMFNwawgxli-r7FAGit5K-z-080LEd5XHQt4Pglk4PVnEXHX3HeaHYA3KYB5fH3y1U6mdD8HwCAHcRpQ9a9d-_XbOth_BA/s320/010312_Piper_&_Condor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here they are after halter practice yesterday before the mist came down.</div>
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Exhibition just showed total disdain when I tried to get a photo of her face. She is so pretty with a look of her Sire Wellground Close Encounter, she is out of EP Cambridge Larralluh one of our Australian Elite Imports. She will be mated to Ashdale Cooper when the weather is a bit warmer then that will be a bundle of great genetics in one package.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7LWKXkc3puKeAIQycrpdDOYauCrvFYFjRYdhX_pB5m4EhRDY5OVPpAWKUMLiRCAVdFPWvlrrX24YCJ8uUbIbLeNX-Ac28g5HlMcBZSaHRMPdZTN9xeJGnQQErENJghYIW4onlMxUQUdF/s1600/010312_Heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7LWKXkc3puKeAIQycrpdDOYauCrvFYFjRYdhX_pB5m4EhRDY5OVPpAWKUMLiRCAVdFPWvlrrX24YCJ8uUbIbLeNX-Ac28g5HlMcBZSaHRMPdZTN9xeJGnQQErENJghYIW4onlMxUQUdF/s320/010312_Heaven.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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No blog is complete without a snap of Heaven posing. She never gets fed up of having her photo taken.</div>
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I had a broken chicken that is now fixed. She had a compacted crop so she was moved into the house and fed mashed banana with yoghurt. We kept syringing oil down her throat and then massaging her crop until the food moved. She was quite happy here but she is like a new bird now.</div>
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Si has been busy building another chicken shed today ready for the silkies. They are at the half way stage of shedding their baby feathers so are looking really scruffy and we have a silkie that has gone broody so I have been sneaking pekin eggs under her as the incubators are full.</div>
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We have been getting more pictures of hens that have moved on to other homes. It's great fun seeing their new homes.</div>
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We were going to be moving the alpacas back out of a night but as the forecast had threatened more freezing weather later this week we decided they could have a reprieve. They love coming in around 5pm to their evening meal and fresh hay laid out for them.</div>
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It's the time of year when alpaca owners have muddy knees from crawling aroung checking for udders and then wondering if the females really are pregnant after all. Is she pregnant or just fat? Is that a cria moving or just gas? All good fun though and exciting.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-35286927256186045772012-02-12T23:59:00.001+00:002012-02-12T23:59:36.571+00:00Yes, Les. It has happened to me.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Todays title is directed at Les from Wellground Alpaca Stud. She said that I was in danger of turning into mad chicken woman and it has really happened. I don't feel bad about it though as I realise that most of our customers feel the same. I get sent photographs from customers showing me our girls in their new homes and yesterday a lady was kissing and stroking her new birds before they went into their box for the journey. There is no doubt that those pekins are going to be spoilt. She didn't laugh when I said that I give the chickens Ready Brek made with water during the cold weather to keep them warm. Her husband did, but that was only because she does the same. </div>
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It's not so bad with alpacas as we give ongoing support to anybody who buys from us so we get to see them on a regular basis. Actually what I am trying to do here is prepare myself for putting these two cute boys up for sale, Condor and Piper are great friends and I would really like them to stay together. They will be up on our website tomorrow when I update the sales list. They are both halter trained and walk quite happily side by side.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQMj3kU3c_DbD4P67MYuFee1mc6HWupa07sNgi3h0CakrxXeUHaLVS_RQ5ys9bz-mLe1gyO7Z2JlmzX_mgpgD4ci2YxBoJ5LtDuW8zuOBjYBHB9g6ZJrDZceAh9QiI1ehMZjiRYfVjUJL/s1600/P1020237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQMj3kU3c_DbD4P67MYuFee1mc6HWupa07sNgi3h0CakrxXeUHaLVS_RQ5ys9bz-mLe1gyO7Z2JlmzX_mgpgD4ci2YxBoJ5LtDuW8zuOBjYBHB9g6ZJrDZceAh9QiI1ehMZjiRYfVjUJL/s320/P1020237.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ashdale Condor</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73XYj12LiVf1tTFHWj85c7T1fg06Rf2xUs8rMjVFe4ol7ZnWYOvfvSyqJh3RfQjv3KIUxgx1EUX7-dQCX880gycjoW_tbYme3nZVmAG0A9bi2MFLXMneBs7_r00hlY5SI0cuehiJfIk0z/s1600/P1020240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg73XYj12LiVf1tTFHWj85c7T1fg06Rf2xUs8rMjVFe4ol7ZnWYOvfvSyqJh3RfQjv3KIUxgx1EUX7-dQCX880gycjoW_tbYme3nZVmAG0A9bi2MFLXMneBs7_r00hlY5SI0cuehiJfIk0z/s320/P1020240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ashdale Piper</div>
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We have been topping up the alpacas with alfalfa mixed with their concentrate during the cold weather but we had two of this years babies refusing to eat hard feed. One of ours, Bonnie, and one belonging to a client. I got advice from Rosemary of Westhill Alpacas and it worked on the little boy that doesn't belong to us but Bonnie stubbornly refused to give in and I was getting really worried about her as there isn't much nourishment in the grass at this time of year. They are getting fed twice a day in the barn and she would just stand there while all the others tucked in. We resorted to holding the two refuseniks back when we let all of the others out in the hope that they would eat once they were hungry. Bonnie would just stand there looking at us but the little boy got his first taste of alfalfa and was addicted. He now gets as aggressive as a baby can when the food is put out and is first with his nose in the feeder. Bonnie finally gave in this morning eating so daintily, it seemed to take an age but the alpaca crack got her too and this evening she couldn't wait for their dinner to be put out. I now have two babies pushing the bigger animals out of the way to get to the troughs. </div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-79258111612384212052012-02-03T01:19:00.000+00:002012-02-03T01:19:26.639+00:00Never work with children or animals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We're suffering from the big freeze here but as it has only just hit us and should be over by the weekend we can't complain too much. We have been having such fun lately. On Saturday we had visitors that we had looked forward to meeting for quite some time. A lovely couple who have had previous experience with alpacas and want to build a new herd. Really looking forward to their repeat visits. They came over at pretty short notice as the weather had been so wet that we were all checking that there wouldn't be any rain. Si and I still looked as though we had been having a mud fest and the alpacas had joined in but it stayed dry while they were here although there was still a chilly wind. It was good enough that we could walk around the paddocks and show off the alpacas. </div>
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Paddock cleaning is now hard work as the poo is frozen to the ground and we have to hit it to loosen it first. We must look quite a sight bashing the ground as we walk around. Still, we can still look on the bright side and think that the paddocks are being disinfected while we sleep.</div>
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The chicken side of the business is going from strength to strength with chicks in brooders, eggs in incubators but it was probably a mistake to put a breeding trio under the bedroom window. The silkie cockerel does like the sound of his own voice before first light and for such a little fluffy bundle of cuteness he has a really loud mating call. Chicken kiev anybody? No? Ok, I suppose I can just move them.</div>
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Country Smallholding had been in touch too. They wanted to know if they could send a photographer to take some shots of chickens for their mag. This morning he arrived and he wanted chickens on their own, with pigs, with goats and then some with alpacas. We resorted to bribery and scattered corn for the chickens but the pigs just kept showing their backsides and we were dashing around them but trying to avoid shadows from the barn and fencing. That's the problem with this time of year, the sun is so low in the sky that it creates long shadows. </div>
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The photographer was particularly taken with the sebright cockerel but trying to keep him on his own was nigh on impossible. The man has the patience of a saint and it was a fun distraction from chores for us. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytTTpogtVL0_kWOx1qtDA_gH_rpbIxexJy1Y1QDkw3tDu_PvyCOy1gw_Equbm8MiWyaE2JYrdnBUa0NlUIhMt-Y9AByD2qziRVaPO4ChE-oX9So10Ps5WiP_E2dZubiMrNpzfyAb1LBax/s1600/P1020216.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytTTpogtVL0_kWOx1qtDA_gH_rpbIxexJy1Y1QDkw3tDu_PvyCOy1gw_Equbm8MiWyaE2JYrdnBUa0NlUIhMt-Y9AByD2qziRVaPO4ChE-oX9So10Ps5WiP_E2dZubiMrNpzfyAb1LBax/s320/P1020216.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We then all walked around so he could take some close up shots of the alpacas. Heaven was true to form and ran over as soon as she saw the camera, it didn't matter that there was a stranger behind it. Whichever weaning he tried to get in shot Heaven was always in the way.</div>
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Having fun had to be paid for so the afternoon was spent cleaning out all of the hen houses and putting in fresh wood shaving topped with lots of straw. That should keep all the chickens warm of a night.<br />
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The other day one of the hens had laid an egg on the ground and Tilly had picked it up thinking that it was a ball. She walked around with it in her mouth for about half an hour, occasionally putting it down and kicking it to make it roll. She then picked it up with a bit too much enthusiasm and broke it, well, she has now discovered what an egg is and loved it. Today the hens were all out free ranging but Tilly then started barking from one of the hen houses. She never troubles the hens and they play quite happily around her so I went to investigate. She was barking because a hen had laid an egg in one of the nesting boxes and she wanted it but couldn't reach.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-12327915091035392672012-01-24T23:47:00.001+00:002012-01-24T23:47:30.488+00:00Oh Dear, What Can The Matter Be?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I must apologise for the lack of blogging. It has been a really busy time for us and as it was the first Xmas and New Year without Dad, I more or less just wanted to ignore them. The year ended on an absolutely terrible note when we found Nata, one of our really old Chilean girls out of sorts on Boxing Day. She was eating out of our hands but just wanted to sit in the field shelter on her own, but her daughter stood guard with her all day. We called out the vet and he thought she had a slight infection so gave her antibiotics. She didn't really improve and then on 28th she just seemed so tired and I sat with her in the shelter just stroking her. The vet was called again and the hard decision to euthenase her was made as we think she was over 20 and she was having difficulty holding up her head by this time. PM showed nothing so we have all made the decision that it was probably just old age. I was definitely glad to see the back of last year.</div>
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This year has started really well apart from the mud. It was such a gift after last winter, in fact we were even out pottering on Xmas day without coats it was so warm and sunny here. The grass hasn't stopped growing and we had stocked up on extra hay in case the alpacas had to rely on it if it snowed and they were all stuck in the barn. We have been struggling walking up the hill as the mud seems to envelop our feet and it takes quite an effort to pull them back out again. Poor Si even had to resort to carrying the hay to the paddocks because the surface was too soft to take wheels.</div>
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The hybrids come into the barn for their daily dust baths as they have completely destroyed the grass in their pens although we do now have a Beechwood Blue that is going to be having a bath and blow dry tomorrow, we don't know what she was doing today but we couldn't believe our eyes when she was queuing up to go to bed tonight. She was completely caked in mud from head to foot.<br />
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We have also had a lovely email from Stuart Sutton, you may remember he came out a few weeks ago to take some photographs for a book. Stuart is a freelance photographer and has worked for quite a few authors. The top 2 photographs below, along with 1 or 2 others, are going to be published in 'Keeping Chickens' by David Squire in the Spring. You can tell that Stuart is professional, he even managed to get the chickens to pose for him.<br />
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Whereas, I had to resort to bribery and get out the bucket of corn to get the pekins that have just gone up for sale to allow me to photograph them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_PNBSgFJdZD8Ju8mjAFJAOKqNfQT35d4M6mz9tAAeHf3dkxl0x3zpTys6EgodL4A6bc0nd_BZ_y-kJel7jJkxI8LEVd4qV7ZxHUqfwgLC6jU58nYvZuT4wL1xVJ9HKsR9k-p8DGySLky/s1600/P1020206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_PNBSgFJdZD8Ju8mjAFJAOKqNfQT35d4M6mz9tAAeHf3dkxl0x3zpTys6EgodL4A6bc0nd_BZ_y-kJel7jJkxI8LEVd4qV7ZxHUqfwgLC6jU58nYvZuT4wL1xVJ9HKsR9k-p8DGySLky/s320/P1020206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-5957500544170002012011-12-10T23:00:00.001+00:002011-12-10T23:35:27.829+00:00Oh, What A Day<br />
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I could do without these shorter days, it doesn't even work getting up earlier because you have to wait for it to get light enough to do the outside chores. We have had a couple of days of gales, you know the type ........and they called the wind b*!!*?%s, anything but Maria really. Nothing like Jayne and Debbie have had but we're obviously not as tough down here. It's back to normal today with only a light shower and quite pleasant to be outside if you can disregard the mud. It is cold enough for the grass to have stopped growing but we have a huge store of hay in the barn so all the alpacas are quite happy. Must admit to being a bit late putting the fresh hay out yesterday because we are very muddy so it is taking a long time to walk around. Feet keep sticking in the mud or having to walk really slowly to stop myself from falling over. Poor Wilhelmina gave me a fright, I though she had a graze down her face but it turned out to be mud on her nose that had dried. She doesn't look happy at me turning up late with supper.</div>
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We've had a lovely day, we had visitors who are thinking about starting an alpaca business and they turned up to see our farm. Obviously the first thing that happens when visitors arrive is that the ketle goes on for coffee, we were allowed a little time to talk but the temptation was too much for the children and they wanted to get down and dirty with the animals. They had come well prepared with well scrubbed wellington boots. We took full advantage of their children, their son topped up the hay while their daughter fed them alpaca nuts. Jemima and Chance were obviously the first to come forward to be fed by hand.</div>
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The wife was really taken by the knitwear as she is a knitter herself and was particularly interested in pursuing that side of the business. We then brought one of this years cria out to show what to look for in a fleece and I must admit even we were taken by the crimp and density. When we identified him we realised that he wasn't even ours. He belongs to a client and was the first cria from our own home-bred stud male, Ashdale Cooper. We are consoling ourselves with the fact that we have sold a fantastic male so that should make our clients really happy and that should be the aim of any business. With the genetics in him we shouldn't really have been surprised. Coopers father is EP Cambridge Samson, who resides at Wellground Alpaca Stud, and was Supreme Champion at one of the largest alpaca shows in the UK. We are so glad we used him as we have more of our girls pregnant by Cooper and we now know that we are going to produce some fantastic cria this year. The investment in great stud animals has really begun to show.</div>
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We came back in and Si started to go through the fleece statistics that we had got back from the States last month and obviously the kettle went back on. I thought that the hens were being a bit restless but we couldn't figure out why. Si then suddenly spotted a fox and ran out. The fox ran along the hedge, he had bitten one hen, bantams had flown up onto the barn roof. Once Si came in I noticed that the alpacas in the bottom paddock had all congregated at the fence so off he went out again. Mr Fox was back but that was soon remedied by putting two of the younger boys down there to stand guard. We could see everytime the fox came close as the alpacas stopped eating and stared at him as though to say 'Come on then if you think you're 'ard enough'. The alpacas won and the fox hasn't been seen again, hens are back happily roaming around the paddocks with their own fluffy security.</div>
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The best news is that our visitors today bought a hat for the daughter and the son got yarn so that he can learn to knit and make his own so if they do decide to opt for a change of lifestyle we will have a new young knitter in our midst.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-85857124576896024702011-12-01T23:56:00.001+00:002011-12-02T00:24:48.652+00:00Click, Click, Click, Click, Click<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
We have only just sat down to relax and I have just remembered that I should do another blog because I promised somebody this morning I would put a picture of our pigs on. We put out clean straw right across their pen in readiness for the snaps but then more important things cropped up.</div>
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We have had a visit from a photographer who wanted pictures of a selection of our chickens for a book. When we checked out the author later on Amazon it turns out he has written quite a few books about chicken care and they look so good that we have ordered a couple ourselves. Once the photographer had seen the alpacas he was completely enamoured with their gentle faces so his camera came out again. I was so jealous when he showed me the pictures he had taken, they were very much superior to anything I could have taken and he seemed to have taken hundreds of shots in less than an hour. I think we will be having another visit from him.</div>
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We then had a few people arriving to buy chickens so by the time we got back to the pigs they had buried the straw and look as though they had been having a great time. I think there was a small patch of their clean dry straw carpet left in the far corner but they will probably deal with that tomorrow morning before we spread more out. Don't know if these qualify for Rob's muddiest animal contest because I think that only applies to alpacas.</div>
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Talking of contests, Rosemary has set a challenge to alpaca bloggers to decorate their field shelters so that is something else to plan.</div>
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The weather doesn't seem to know what to do at the moment. One minute the sun is shining and we are out working in tee shirts, the next minute the rain seems to be flying across the paddocks sideways. </div>
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The postman arrived with the Vitamin A,D and E that we had ordered. We like to give all the alpacas a dose monthly from September to March and although they are not due their next injections for another 10 days we had started to worry as we only had enough left in the medicine cupboard to do 2-3 of them. We also had a delivery from Mole Valley with another lorry load of timber for Si to build another chicken shed. We have some girls ready to go outside and some week olds to move into the larger brooder.</div>
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It is getting so busy around here but also getting to be a lot more fun which I have been particularly glad about today as it is my dad's birthday, 1st one since he died, so my sister and I have been consoling each other by text, facebook and phone today. That's another 1st over and done with.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-76325950873929465062011-11-29T14:00:00.001+00:002011-11-29T14:21:39.630+00:00Beware - Crime Prevention CampaignThis seems the fastest way to get this information out there.<br />
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I have just had a telephone call from a woman claiming to be from the Crime Prevention Campaign telling me that I agreed to support them back in September and my artwork for an ad is on it's way to us. She then asked for our postcode. This was ringing no bells with me and she then told me that I had agreed to pay £99 for 12 months advertising. Once I told her that I do everything by email and I would have to check she then hung up the phone. Her number was withheld. Think this was a scam so putting the information out in case they are targetting alpaca breeders.<br />
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Just checked internet and it definitely looks like a scam as there are lots of messages from people who have had the same call. My advice is just hang up on them.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-66788328386572605332011-11-27T23:28:00.001+00:002011-11-27T23:52:10.808+00:00The Things You Do For LoveThe title will mean nothing until the last photo. The weather has been absolutely beautiful which means the grass is still growing. The alpacas are all well but we have had to take a few of the cria away from their mums which means we've had the hearbreaking cries but no doubt they will settle down over the next couple of days. The mum's aren't bothered as they have been put into new paddocks with lush, fresh grass.<br />
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Wilhelmina has taken to wearing more of the hay than she is eating. "Does my bum look big in this?"</div>
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This is the latest addition to our farm. Another female pygmy goat who has finally been named tonight. Let me introduce Bella. She seems to be settling in nicely but isn't much bigger than the hybrid hens and seems quite happy sharing food with them.</div>
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This is her in a quiet moment. She has worn out Cherub and Sweetheart who were asleep inside their shed.</div>
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It's tiring having a new baby around. Belle is asleep inside the shed and Cherub and Sweetheart were so tired that they were asleep standing up leaning against the door and jamb for support.</div>
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This explains the blog title. My daughter needed a photo of somebody dressed in South American attire dancing with an alpaca so we had to mock this up and I had just managed to get out of it before two separate couples turned up. Her friend went from Liverpool to Manchester with a pink feather boa so that she could try to get a woman to wave it out of a steam train window to photograph. There are over 100 things along these lines that they need for a worldwide scavenger hunt. Doesn't it give us all hope for the future knowing our students are spending their time so productively?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-45819657956223349312011-11-25T23:29:00.001+00:002011-11-25T23:43:40.691+00:00The Yolk's On Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We just seem to be surrounded with so much cuteness at the moment. We have day old hybrid chicks which I can't resist holding and stroking as well as the silkies and pekins. Si is going to be busy building another chicken shed this weekend and more pens so that we can move some of the pullets outside and these chicks can then go in the large brooder.</div>
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We have also been getting orders for our eggs but letting the chickens free range is making it difficult to collect them all. There are only a few using the next boxes so we are having to search the barn and under the caravan for the rest. I made a bit of a boo boo the other day and put three eggs into my jacket pocket and then forgot about them, unfortunately my mobile phone was also in there. I came in and lazily threw my jacket over the back of a chair. broke two of the eggs and then had to try to wipe yolk and slimy albumen from around the buttons but luckily it still works even though it still smells a bit eggy.<br />
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My Bonny is getting prettier by the day. Ms Humphreys does make beautiful babies. She has the most amazingly expressive eyes. Bonnie doesn't make much of an effort to eat hard feed and just stands back to watch everybody else fight it out for prime position but she does push in as we are putting out fresh hay.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-47894516576914706292011-11-15T22:08:00.001+00:002011-11-15T22:27:12.257+00:00Love is Blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have been having a lot of fun the past week even though it has been one our busiest times since we set up our farm. We have had a few couples coming to see the alpacas and wanting to learn how we started out and finding it amusing that we actually know all of their names. One of the husbands asked me if I knew the names of all of the chickens. The new chicken business has been really busy and we have had a lot of really nice people turning up to buy from us. Today we had a telephone call from a lady who wanted to bring her daughter to buy a couple of chickens but she was worried that she would be a bit late by the time she collected her from school and drove here. We told her that she would still be made welcome so when they turned up Emily, the daughter, was delighted that she would be able to choose her own chickens. We told her that the ones with the reddest combs were the ones most likely to be laying soonest. She had visited the website and saw that we had blue chickens and wanted to know if the bluest ones would be ready to lay first. They are actually grey but do have a bluish sheen. What started out as a purchase of a couple of hens ended up with a sale of four because she couldn't make up her mind. Never surround an 8 year old girl with animals and expect her to choose quickly. She wanted to know everything she could learn from us about chickens so I think she will look after them really well although her mum did tell her she wasn't allowed to have them in her bedroom after seeing some of the young bantams we are keeping warm in the caravan.</div>
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The point of lay chickens just wander around all day but have a habit of trying to nag us into giving them their afternoon corn early. I was late the other day and they trooped up the drive to shame me into going out. A lady telephoned today about chickens and while we were chatting she could hear them all in the background and I then confessed that I was laying straw around the doors to their sheds so that they could dry their feet on the way in. It was only later that I thought that maybe we are spoiling them somewhat.<br />
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It is very rare that I can get a shot of any of the younger alpacas on their own so took full advantage of Delilah watching me paddock clean. I got the feeling that she was just waiting for me to clean that area so that she would use it as soon as my back was turned. Two of the wethers (Biffy and Timothy) that are up for sale are in the background.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-14150311855295202122011-11-04T00:11:00.000+00:002011-11-04T00:11:42.533+00:00Flash, Bang, Wallop, What A Picture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I thought it was about time I did another blog even though I have decided I am not keen on Google blogger since they altered it earlier in the year. Everytime I log onto it the new posting screen has changed and I can only comment on others' blogs intermittently.</div>
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Anyway, since the last blog we have won 7 more rosettes at the GWR Fleece show and we also had a stall selling our knitwear which went really well. We have been carrying on with improving things around here and I even said words to Si that I never thought would come out of my mouth 'What are you going to build next?' He has built a large chicken shed for our hybrid layers and all the new pens for them.</div>
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All of the pregnant girls that are up for sale have been given their preventative medications, toe nails cut and body scored so they are all ready for winter. I tried to take some photographs to put on alpacaseller but they had all been rolling in the mud so it looks as though we have a herd of grey alpacas. They are slightly on the heavy side at the moment but it will help to keep them warmer during the colder weather and the weight will gradually come off over winter when they are eating mainly hay.</div>
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After being treated they were put onto clean pasture and Ms Humphreys couldn't wait to start eating the fresh lush grass. Her head was down grazing the second she was through the gate.</div>
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Next through was Larralluh one of our Elite Australian girls who we are putting up for sale as soon as we can get a picture of her looking clean. She has given us some beautiful female cria and we sold her first born a few months ago.<br />
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It took an age to get a snap of Temple as everytime I raised the camera she turned away from me but in the end the attraction of fresh grass got the better of her and I quickly snapped her.<br />
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The girls soon gathered together again making the most of the good weather to graze, those of you with really good eyesight will spot some of the pekins in the background sharing the paddock.<br />
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We did this years cria last of all and Halo's baby literally charged across the paddock to catch up with his mum. Probably to complain about having his injections.<br />
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While all this was going on Heaven spotted the camera and even though she was in another paddock she left her mum to come across to have her photograph taken. She just stood there waiting for me to point it at her, she is such a poser.<br />
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The weather has taken a turn for the worse today and we have had trouble keeping the biosecurity mats in place, Si pinned them down with tent pegs so that they stay on the drive. As we have customers arriving to buy chickens and clients to see the alpacas we have to make sure that any vehicles that arrive have their wheels disenfected and then we also have the footmats so that people are free to walk around. The wind has been so strong that the anti-bacterial hand washes have also been bouncing around the place. The chickens haven't seemed to mind the weather and everytime I have been out to do any chores they have all been rushing over thinking that it is time for their teatime treat of corn. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-24944882168922466092011-09-24T23:54:00.000+01:002011-09-24T23:54:39.674+01:00Where were you while we were getting high?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have spent the day outside doing construction work which also meant spending hours inhaling creosote. I have to admit to loving the smell of it. I really think that we should have put rubber gloves on as my hands had to be scrubbed so much to get off the brown stain that the skin is now peeling off.</div>
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We had a few of the boys castrated in the past couple of weeks. I did warn our vet that I may not be much help as I would probably get queezy if I had to watch. By the time we had got the boys ready in the catch pen I was fine. In fact, we laughed and joked all the way through it and she was almost cutting my hair at the same time I had my head so close to where the action was. Just a quick couple of slices and pop. The boys didn't seem to be bothered by it at all and as soon as they had been 'done' they went straight back to grazing. It was fascinating.</div>
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Si stayed up at the head end handing out sympathietic whispers while Tess and I just made jokes about men we had dated and why couldn't we have done the same operation on them. She had done the same to two ponies earlier in the day and I thought that she had drawn the short straw but apparently the female vets all volunteer to do this procedure.</div>
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Our hen enclosure is becoming heavily populated and there is a serious possibility that they may become something of an addiction. Even Tilly will sit and watch them for hours. Tilly and I were walking down to the barn the other day and one of the Sebrights had paid the pigs a visit and decided to cross the drive as we approached. Tilly just sat there and watched her walk back to the paddock. She didn't even ask her why the hen crossed the road.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5096764733427286539.post-37932624565945685302011-08-25T23:37:00.000+01:002011-08-25T23:45:14.042+01:00Save All Your Kisses For Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We had an exciting day yesterday. I was watching Neema out of the window for any change in her behaviour as she was due to birth the other day even though her stomach looked really small. I could see her back end bulging and it looked as though she was straining, although she didn't attempt to go to the poo pile. She had been straining for about 20 minutes and it was completely unproductive so I telephoned Head Office (Wellground Alpaca Stud) to ask Rob and Les how long I should wait before I phoned the vet. I suddenly realised that the screeching noise I could hear was her and not the pigs as I first thought. They advised I did it straight away and while she was still on her way a nose appeared, and then slightly more of the head. I really wished we lived closer to a vet as the wait seemed interminable with Neema letting out more screams. I had no choice but to delve into the birthing kit get out the lube and the long glove. Head pushed back in and, cupping the toes, I got the feet out. I phoned Les again while I was leaving Neema to do a bit of the work herself, even Les heard her scream as she pushed out the body. It would probably have helped if she had been willing to stand but she just stayed on the ground pushing and screeching. </div>
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I had just picked up the phone again to cancel the vet, after checking and drying off the cria, when she turned up and laughingly accused me of spoiling her fun. She does love alpacas and ended up just watching him for a while. We thought Neema might have rejected him after all the trauma but she has turned out to be an absolutely super mum.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjGUZaVTsJGp25WEpz6Tgo4NirBGC3icll3fDk9hEGOsAtzqi_Sja4QSjDl9jvTmarakgx74cdKyZrvM5aW67lIH6JKumG-qirMAUdmIqdZKw5iRaAMWpbUj7SZle3QioakT7TTJLHjsS/s1600/250811+Black+baby+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXjGUZaVTsJGp25WEpz6Tgo4NirBGC3icll3fDk9hEGOsAtzqi_Sja4QSjDl9jvTmarakgx74cdKyZrvM5aW67lIH6JKumG-qirMAUdmIqdZKw5iRaAMWpbUj7SZle3QioakT7TTJLHjsS/s320/250811+Black+baby+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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A couple of minutes after being born and, no, I hadn't done the paddock cleaning that morning.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7vJX1fTUXhpx0O7_KG0Ctbn-ug169HOK0TJiQMGMYWqIrfrexAhPdH7Ct3wTmezpL7sQO_y9m4vVDLJxURiJ_K8BAjxMH0GiUtyZxhG69A_aovyrapUwKfYEaUlX1fZ3wdoju5fbTNVX/s1600/250811+Black+baby+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP7vJX1fTUXhpx0O7_KG0Ctbn-ug169HOK0TJiQMGMYWqIrfrexAhPdH7Ct3wTmezpL7sQO_y9m4vVDLJxURiJ_K8BAjxMH0GiUtyZxhG69A_aovyrapUwKfYEaUlX1fZ3wdoju5fbTNVX/s320/250811+Black+baby+5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here he is a couple of hours after being born.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBI1h2tYK8kZA5U_9-mKeC8DJq69Un5JFKmKJpwPsML5XQgBPnqKHL_ufuT1OPGN0BGC3m7RJoAWfvoogeCrJSPYPXlo2LjVJzOXocNqc8mYPjLMLjADjvb55nDdnPQp6o-cpNn08QKqJ/s1600/250811+White+baby+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBI1h2tYK8kZA5U_9-mKeC8DJq69Un5JFKmKJpwPsML5XQgBPnqKHL_ufuT1OPGN0BGC3m7RJoAWfvoogeCrJSPYPXlo2LjVJzOXocNqc8mYPjLMLjADjvb55nDdnPQp6o-cpNn08QKqJ/s320/250811+White+baby+1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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While I worked up a sweat 3 generations of top Australian Genetic casually watched. Halo had so much hay in her mouth that she looks as though she has an abscess. Our clients baby boy sprawled next to his mum wondering what all the fuss was about.</div>
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As soon as Si gets back from the office he changes out of his suit and gets out with the animals. He loves having females queueing up to greet him with kisses when he gets home, all he gets from me is a list of jobs that need doing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_oYUVCWlZbpn0CfLX4rUoTzNlitUy2nTgIvOP9_zDBEeQr_HeLR0H2_ul_blalGukJNjC5wKnNw4R5qREbSIWDhVT3_ddjYGdHUVpVPhcV98Ln_BVwyLv8v59dB8IWCQAy5rDnXTEm1/s1600/250811+Kissing+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_oYUVCWlZbpn0CfLX4rUoTzNlitUy2nTgIvOP9_zDBEeQr_HeLR0H2_ul_blalGukJNjC5wKnNw4R5qREbSIWDhVT3_ddjYGdHUVpVPhcV98Ln_BVwyLv8v59dB8IWCQAy5rDnXTEm1/s320/250811+Kissing+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Chance is always the first in line</div>
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Exhibition next with Bonnie waiting her turn in the background</div>
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and then Delilah</div>
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It would appear that East Devon Planning Dept. are appreciating that alpacas are proving to be a sustainable business and have granted two farms permanent planning permission to build their dream homes on their own land within the past month. People are loving living with these gentle animals. The top quality fleeces are still being sold in premium products despite there being a recession on. We can hardly keep up with demand for our knitwear at the moment which is why it doesn't make it to the shop on our website.</div>
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We haven't come up with a name for the new baby yet and are really struggling to come up with something with a music connection. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16387633480008368523noreply@blogger.com1