Shearing Day- Just Getting There Is an Adventure!

Since alpacas only get sheared once a year and we got our four alpacas back in November, this was our First Shearing Day. We brought our alpacas to J and J Alpacas, which is the farm we bought them from, in order to get their new haircuts. This was also the first time we transported the alpacas ourselves.

From the start, the alpacas knew this day was going to be different. Why, you might ask? Because I locked them in the stall at feeding time so it would be easier to catch them. I then haltered them and we began the process of loading them in the trailer. All four of them fit perfectly in a two horse trailer. It was great!

I think Tulip has a crush on Huxley so she was pretty sad he was locked up.

The boys knew something was going to happen and they were humming (yes, alpacas hum) their displeasure.

Getting Huxley loaded into the trailer

Blaze wasn't so happy about the trailer. Granite (the kitten) however, was eager to go for a ride.

All my 'pacas in the trailer! Huxley is peeking out the side door.

Once we closed up the doors, the girls wanted to make sure their buddies were safe before starting our drive.

Grazing Goats

I often talk about how "helpful" my goats are when I am trying to get things done. Well, this time they actually did help us out by doing what they do best-eating! We had some poison ivy and weeds near our garden so we brought the goats over to munch it away and they did! 

Tulip also enjoyed some of the grass while we had her out.

Wetherby enjoyed sampling the trees.

Thanks for eating up the poison ivy!

Sale Away

I had a garage sale last weekend. I am not big into garage sales myself nor am I overly fond of having one but since we moved to the farm, I have held a garage sale. We have the perfect setup for it. We hold the sale in the shop which means we don't need to relocate our cars from the garage. I also figure the money will help pay for some of my farm expenses! Anyway, we held our sale during our city's city-wide sales and many people remarked how our sale was the most exciting since we had alpacas (of course, they usually said llamas so we educated them about alpacas!) and goats and chickens. We also had several offers to purchase the kittens and puppy, who made regular appearances in the shop. Of course, we didn't sell them though!

Pepper also made regular appearances. His favorite trick was to take a nap among the stuffed animals and scare people as they looked at the toys.

Smoky claimed this stroller as her own, until someone bought it and took it away. Smoky was really hoping to use it for her kittens and was bitter when it was sold.

'Paca Pool Party!

Did you know alpacas like water? Well, they do, especially when the weather gets warm and they haven't been sheared yet. (Soon! Soon they will be sheared!) Meanwhile, I have been spraying them with a hose when the temperature climbs too high. I also got them a little pool, since they like cooling off in the mud. So far, Tobi is the only one who has used the pool. And then, he only fits his front half in!

Tobi was thrilled to try out the pool while Huxley just yawned and waited for me to spray hi with the hose.

Silly Tobi only lays down with his front half in the pool. Hmm...maybe he just can't see well enough to get the back half in!

I was hoping that giving the alpacas a pool would keep them out off their water trough but no, they still play in that too!

Be Fruitful and Multiply

Now, before you read too much into this post's title, we just bought some fruit trees and planted them the other day. That's all. 

My oldest daughter is trying to be like her daddy by following him in her little tractor.

Zooming up the hill.

Miska also liked helping plant the trees. She figured she could help dig. Too bad Jon was trying to put the dirt back in the hole, not out of it!

Then Miska helped pick up the tree. She was just on the wrong side.

Wait! That dirt should stay in the ground! I will stop that evil shovel!

A nice, comfortable spot to sit!

Alpaca Hoof Trimming is Child's Play

My kids are not normal. They have experienced things most other kids have not or will not experience in their lives. This affects their play time. The other day, I noticed my three year old was playing with my alpaca stuffed animal. She had scissors and was carefully trimming its hooves.

Then big sister joined in and laid on the alpaca. Occasionally, she began to flail. Alas, they have learned far too well about how our alpaca hoof trimming goes. Many people have requested that we video our hoof trimming but it is difficult to do since it takes both of us to do it. Here is a good representation though, as acted out by our adorable girls.

Chickie Freedom

We have been trying to introduce the chicks to the hens and this is the result. One day, as I was painting fences, my husband was in charge of keeping an eye on 9 hens, 15 chicks, 2 cats, 2 kittens, a goat, a puppy, and two preschool girls that were all running around free! 

There is a lot going on in this picture! Chicks and kittens and cats running everywhere. Two girls on a ladder. And you don't even see the puppy or the goat that are behind me!

Lacey is checking out the new chicks.

Mewpithicus is smaller than some of the chicks!

Lacey asks, "What kind of chick are you?!" 

Miska is becoming a good poultry guardian dog already!

Trailing Behind

My husband is an amazing guy. A couple weekends ago, after we drove to get a puppy several hours away, the next day he drove a couple hours away to buy us a horse trailer (for hauling alpacas). I had been planning on going with but the girls really didn't want to go on another drive. They preferred to stay home and play with their new puppy. Weird, huh?

Anyway, on the way home, a tire blew on the trailer. So he proceeded to put the spare tire on, only to find that the spare was the wrong one and didn't fit. And on a Sunday night, no tire stores were open. He was able to get permission to park the trailer on a nearby farmhouse driveway and drove home, an hour and a half away. 

He then returned the next night (round trip of three hours!) with a new tire, replaced it, filled all the other tires with air, and drove back home. Such a good man! 

The girls thought the horse trailer was a great new toy. They also think we now need a pony to go with it!

Meeting Miska

Miska has met a lot of new people and critters in the first week she has been on our farm. 

Miska and Granite are good friends.

Of course, the girls love their fluffy buddy. (I LOVE Miska's "smile"!)

Bella wins the wrestling matches for now but that will change when Miska gets bigger, I'm sure!

Chickens are kind of scary, apparently.

The alpacas don't really want to get too close to the puppy.

Chicks aren't as scary as the big hens!