A mixed bag of farm maintenance, etc..........

Hi everyone. Today has been a mixed bag but out of it, I have managed to lop back some of the intrusive, low hanging branches which pose a danger for the Alpaca's eyes. We have also been hard at work on removing the Ragwort as it seems to be sprouting up overnight in just about all of the paddocks!!

I mentioned in an earlier blog that we have more than our fair share of rabbits but it appears that some of them are suffering with myxomatosis and will have to be despatched as this is a nasty disease!

Sheila paid a visit today to a couple who are farmers of a rare breed of goats and was particularly interested in their approach to processing/spinning their fleece. We have a considerable amount of Alpaca fibre from this years shearing back in June and she is keen to harness her newly learnt skills of spinning and then subsequently, knitting! She is looking forward to the Fibre day clinic later next month in Droxford where we will be able to acquire more knowledge of the spinning/processing side of the business.

Now that our birthing programme has been completed this year (apart from the possible re-mating) it means that we can spend a bit more time doing some marketing work which includes of course, catching up with some of our fellow breeders including Rob & Les Rawlins at Wellground Alpaca Stud, who have been so helpful to us whilst developing our business. (Hope you don't mind us inviting ourselves Rob!). We have also promised to visit our new friends, Karl & Lisa in Leicester who are creating their new business, Willowbank Alpacas. We look forward to seeing their farm.

Finally, we gave our Miss Moneypenny her first Dectomax jab yesterday but despite the pain that she probably endured, she still wanted to be "fussed" over afterwards and did not show any signs of "disgust" in having been "stabbed" with a nasty needle!!

Well, I am signing off now to conduct the feed run but will be back again soon.