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Thursday, March 27, 2014
WE had a great day with the Red Hat Ladies. They came to meet the alpacas and to observe us spinning and shearing. Despite the bad weather we were able to find dry alpacas and it didn't rain during their visit. What a fun day.
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Sunday, March 23, 2014
Shasta Land Trust had an fund raising event at the farm today. It was a beautiful day and I made lots of new friends.
Shasta Land Trust was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization dedicated to permanently conserving open space, wildlife habitat, and agricultural land.
We demonstrated shearing, spinning, weaving, they brought their lunches and watched the shearing and visited the alpacas in the fields. What a wonderful day.
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Saturday, March 8, 2014
The AAUW- Empowering women since 1881, presented the Women in Stem Conference for 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Girls at Shasta Collage. This is the 4th year we have participated and the first year we have been asked to be a presenter. Our topic was Animal Husbandry.
I'm not sure how well the presentation went but I know the alpacas were a hit. The goal of this conference is to encourage girls to continue their education beyond high school. We talked about the history of the alpacas as well as what it takes to raise and breed alpacas. We had an exercise where the girls were given EPD information (at a very simplified level) with a set of goals and asked to determine which male would best suit the female. The group of girls that attended these sessions asked specific and detailed questions.
Without a doubt the hit of the meeting was getting to met Magdalena and Lindbergh the alpacas. We had a great day!
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Friday, January 3, 2014
The girls dining on the leaves.
It was a beautiful sunny day in Redding so decided to tackle more leaves. This time down the drive way. I had a plan blow the leaves up against the pasture fence then pick them up. My "girls" got in on the act. They were pulling them through the fence and eating them, yum yum! No worries they are ok leaves. The dogs stood by to watch.
The dog stood by watching.
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Monday, December 9, 2013
12-6-13 Snow in Redding
I know snow is not unusual but it is unusual in Redding. I have a whole new respect for those of you that live in areas are cold and snowy all winter. I really don't enjoy hauling warm water or bucking hay in the snow. Fingers cold, feet cold, you know it's cold when you go into your walk-in box to warm up and it's at 33 degrees inside the box. There is a reason I live in California at 500 feet.
Who thought when we were 110+ this summer that the rain chains that looked so neat would freeze?
Frozen Rain Chain
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Friday, October 25, 2013
Fantine on Oxygen
Good and bad news. Had to take a Fantine to UC Davis (Vets School). A week ago last Thursday, Fantine was what I call "ADR" (ain't doing right). It happened the day I had the group from Endeavor out. In the morning Fantine moved out with the rest of the herd but as the morning went by she just started to fade. Thankfully Lin and Steve Murray were here helping with the event. We were all in agreement she wasn't right, took her temperature which was normal, she was eating but when we looked at her mouth and eyes she was VERY PALE.
I called Dr. Betsy, who was working at Gateway Animal Clinic that day. In fact when I called she was in with a patient. I told her I though we were going to lose Fantine. She finished up with her patient and was here in no time. After evaluating Fantine she called UC Davis and away we went.
I can tell you that was a long 3 hour drive. I was watching Fantine in the rear view mirror the whole way. Betsy said Fantine was critically anemic and would probably need a transfusion. Betsy warned when I got to Davis to wait for the vet students and carry Fantine in as her oxygen level was very low.
What a wonderful staff they have there. Dr Diane Rhodes was the vet that handled the case. She immediately put Fantine on oxygen and started an I-V drip with fluids while waiting for the blood work results. In route Betsy called to tell me the results of a fecal sample she had taken. Fantine was loaded with Trichostongyles probably Haemonchus (aka Barber Pole worm). UC Davis is culturing the eggs to verify the information.
The good news is that Fantine responded well to the transfusion and seems to be making a good recovery. She will have to be watched carefully until we determine her body is regenerating red blood cells. She got to come home last Tuesday.
The Friday after I took Fantine to Davis I began doing a Famacha screening on my whole herd to determining the extent of the infestation. The rest of the herd (70 animals) were wormed with Safeguard (wormer) three days in a row. What an ordeal. It will require continued testing as the haemonchus is very resistant
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Thursday, October 24, 2013
Doris has a variety of physical limitations and is in a wheel chair. In 2012 she came with her mom to the NAFD event. Her mom tells me she still talks about being here and has fond memories of that outing.
In 2013 Doris received some money from a relative. When her mom asks her how she would like to spend it. She remembered her trip to the alpacas and wanted to share that experience with her friends. Her mom, Marna, called to see if it was possible to bring a group of 35-50 challenged young adults to the ranch. She was looking into what the cost would be and if Doris could afford it. I explained it would certainly be possible and I would not charge for the event. Doris was delighted.
On October 24th the students and staff for Autistic Endeavors visited the ranch. Most of the student’s field trips are to indoor activities. So this outdoor activity was a real treat and we had beautiful weather for it. We opened our pastures to allow everyone to roam among the alpacas. We provided pellets for them to feed the alpacas. A great time was had by all.
Doris with SisQ
Autistic Endevor's Event
The joy of feeding an alpaca.
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Saturday, October 19, 2013
Amelia, 1ST Place
What a great show and fun time I had at Gold Country Gathering alpaca show. Well maybe I had such a good time because it's probably one of the best showing I've had. I took the same 6 alpacas that went to AlpacaMania, Fantine, Amelia, Gypsy, Terra, Cora Lee, and Cosette. We took 2 Reserve Color Champion, 4 First Places, 1 Third and a 4th Place. Some of the animals we competed against were the same as last weekend but there were many new farms represented. I'm so proud of my girls. I also entered the fleece show and we did great there also. Amelia is the only one that did both shows,she got a 1st Place in fleece also.
Amelia is a suri alpaca, who's fiber hangs in small pencil bundles that hang like dreadlocks. Amelia is the first suri I've ever shown. While I think she's beautiful doesn't mean she stacks up well to others. She held her own in both shows. Trying to prepare a suri fiber for show is really different than huacaya's fleece. Didn't really know what I was doing. Actually< I just pulled out vegetation and any short pieces and she did great.
OK so it is Halloween so I have Eeyore's Ears on in the show ring, it's allowed.
Cosette 3rd Place GCG
Gypsy, 1ST and Reserve Color Champ
Terra 1st
Saturday Night Cook Off
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Saturday, October 12, 2013
Amelia
I just have to say I always enjoy the Alpacamania show in Central Point Oregon. It's always fun to reconnect with people you haven't seen for a while. It's even better when you go into the show ring and get good placement.
I believe the alpacas I took to Mania this year are the best I've ever taken. There were 6 in all. Amelia (suri) took First Place in Fleece and Halter. Terra,Gypsy and Cora Lee also got First Places in the halter class but I did not enter their fleeces. Cosette took a third in both Halter and Fleece. Some how I failed to get a picture of her in her class.
Amelia's fleece is the first suri I ever enter into the fleece show. Didn't have a clue on how to skirt it so just took out the vegetation and what looked like it might be short pieces. Couldn't figure how to organize it. It all just sort of sits there I couldn't tell shoulder from hip or topline from belly???
Cora Lee
Terra and Fantine (Showed by Lin Murray)
Gypsy
Gypsy and Terra waiting their turn.
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Saturday, October 5, 2013
Alpaca Fleece's for sale
This is the seventh year we have had a booth at Lambtown in Dixon, CA. It's interesting to observe the cycle of interest in the attendees. Several years ago when the economy first took a down turn you saw people getting back to the basic like knitting and crocheting. The following year the people were looking for rovings the year after that they wanted fleece and this year they were back looking for yarn. I wonder if the cycle is cyclical?
Well we didn't bring any yarn this year so miss out on those sales but still did a respectable business in fleeces and rovings. Guess we better bring yarn for next year.
One of the most rewarding thing that happened is we had two people come by with projects they had made from the fiber they had gotten from us last year. I'm a little slow on the uptake so didn't think until the second person show up to take a picture. The shawl was made from our variegated rovings spun into lace weight knitted into a shawl then entered into the Monterey County Fair and took First Place.
Alpaca Fiber, and rovings
Our Booth
First Place shawl
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