OUR SMALL HERD

Our original four boys came from Ardo Alpacas in Aberdeenshire. We are not alpaca breeders and have our boys purely as pets. Our experience is that you don't need to be a breeder and that a 'batchelor herd' can give much pleasure to the owner. We have 5 acres including our big garden and grazing for the boys, 15 miles north of Inverness, Scotland. I spin, knit, felt and crochet with the fleece from the boys.

Clicking!!

Just a reminder that clicking on (most) of the photos will show them greatly enlarged.

Tuesday 11 May 2010

Visit to Zanzibah Alpacas.

We didn't expect that during May we would be driving through blowing snow along the Moray Firth getting to Zanzibah Alpacas, or repeating this on the way home!  The car journeys were the bad parts of the day, the good part was the bit in the middle when we spent time with Jayne and all her animals.  We had a great time meeting all her girls and boys, young and old, and a variety of other beasties of whom Noah would have been proud!  This shows Jayne and I leaning on the farm gate, as you do, with her girls on the left of the picture and the boys on the right.
The suitably dressed 'dynamic duo' with Duke (facing away) and his young pals.
Here are all the girls lined up for inspection by the boys in the opposite field!
All the girls are queueing to have a word in my ear, led by Minstrel.  Jayne has such a mix of lovely fancy coloured Alpacas as this photo shows.  They were all very well behaved but Jayne and I begged in vain for a cuddle from Minstrel, normally her party trick.  Apart from looking at all the animals in this lovely countryside of rolling hills, we spent time on the electric spinning wheel, looking at all the lovely things Jayne has made and discussing uses for fleece (as well as eating lovely soup and cake and drinking tea!)  The wind was a bit raw for the time of year and the sleet and hail showers didn't help, but it just made for a memorable day.
 
And finally...................Norris!  What a cracker he is and not at all phased by being in the midst of tall boy Alpacas.  A great day, see you soon at this end for a return visit, Jayne - and thanks once again!

3 comments:

  1. Oh..dear....what a lovely day ! The pictures say it all. Lets hope the weather sorts itself out for haymaking !!..and shearing....Im glad you enjoyed yourself...nearly as much as me !!.....Jayne

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  2. Glad you enjoyed your outing. What a great mix of colours in the alpacas. Too bad about the weather! Apparently these are the 'cold Saints days' in France, and according to the locals things should get better after 15th. Sadly, our cucumber has fallen foul of the chill here.

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  3. Hi Joyce, Yes a really cold spell here, deep frost yesterday morning, hope the apple blossom isn't affected. All the new tatties have frost 'burn', but they'll be OK. You'll need to get more cucumbers in now and hope for sun! We put a comment on your Versailles blog! Hope you are both well. Take care Shirley & Robbie

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