Couldn't wait any longer

Caramel

It's been along time since I have blogged, not because there hasn't been anything happening, far from it.  We decided to have a craft stall at the British Futurity which meant we need some more stock and I can only knit so much.  So I enlisted the help of our local Knit & Chat group who have produced some lovely knitwear.  I wasn't expecting to sell a lot as a craft stall selling Alpaca yarns and knitwear at an Alpaca show full of people with lots of Alpacas, their own yarns and knitwear probably wasn't the best idea but we were going to go anyway and it gave us a chance to meet and chat to friends old and new. The NEC was definitely the best venue so far for the Futurity and we have been to all of them so far.  There was lots more general public than before and we did sell a fair amount of yarn and some knitwear.  I had taken our Llama walking leaflets and Holiday Cottage information as well so you never know we may get a booking or two from it.

I also brought a Drum Carder or rather Liz Brooks and I brought a Drum Carder, we had a Louet Carder which we found a little rough with the Alpaca fleece so we have made an investment in a Classic Carder.  I happened to mention to a customer that we were selling our Louet Carder and she took our details, emailed the day after the show and has now purchased it.  So one sale already.

Summer

There seemed to be a lot of interested people talking about owning Alpacas and although we are not in the Midlands one couple did say they would come and see us when they are ready to start selecting their animals.  We will have to wait and see.

Since we have been back we have got stuck into the usual round of husbandry,  The West Webburn Watchers group have had their monthly meeting, they do make me laugh as they line up waiting to take their turn on the scales, I am pleased to report that they are all fine and have come through the winter having not lost any condition.

It is that time of the year when you get to wondering which of the females has held their pregnancies through the winter.  We have been putting off running them past the male as it is too early to start matings, any way today we couldn't wait any longer, it was a beautiful day and we needed to move the main female herd onto fresh grass which meant it would not be so easy to run them past Caliban (it was his turn).  So decision made, pens erected, females in yard, show team split out and returned to their paddock.  I have had my doubts about a few of the younger girls so with fingers crossed we put each female into the pen with Caliban, he really thought his luck was in.  Poor boy, nine females, five really spit offs, four running around pen trying to get under, over or through the hurdles, so we are hope full that all nine are pregnant including our Champion Black female who has been very difficult to get pregnant, she was one who I was doubtful about, she didn't spit but she would sit either so fingers crossed.

So the females have got lots of fresh Grass, Caliban is back in his Paddock not at all pleased about his afternoon out.

I thought I would share a couple of pictures of the Grandsons extreme reading for Book Week at School.

Charlie and Caramel

Josh on the Digger