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.

Friday 25 June 2010

Lassies - but not the Camelid kind!




When a car and trailer pulled up at the entrance to our field adjoining the paddocks last weekend, the boys really got a shock when two different  girls jumped out and ran the length of the field before hiding in the bottom corner!  This is the boys' reaction when the trailer was opened.

A long range shot of our two guests, Freda (L) and Lola (R) who are 20 months old Highland heifers.  Our near neighbour Colin has put them in the field to keep them away from his bull, for a while.  Freda and Lola are quite shy staying in the bottom part of the field but venturing up to the paddock fence line now and again.  Our boys have seen 'Heilan Coos' before belonging to our neighbour, but I doubt that Freda & Lola have ever seen Alpacas before!  They look at each other through the fence quite a lot, but they still getting used to each other.  We'll get more close up shots of these lovely girls in due course.
 
We also had Anne & Duncan as visitors and Anne is seen stroking Fergus's bonnet a couple of days before the boys were sheared.  Gaucho is lying in front of Fergus with Faro to the left and Fyta in the rear.  We've had Gaucho for almost a year and during that time he has always had a heavy fringe which gave him a piercing look which was a cross between frowning and scowling
Now look at him after being sheared and fringe trimmed - what a poppet eh?!  We had a visit from James Dixon and assistant John mid week and they did a great job of shearing the boys.   We also visited Karen & Dave at Beauly to shear their 3 boys and John McKenzie at Dingwall to shear his 4 boys.  All the animals were the better of being relieved of their fleece as the weather recently has been hot and humid.

6 comments:

  1. A poppet indeed...looking good Gaucho!

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  2. Looking Good !...nice hair doo !!......Jayne

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  3. Hi Barbara & Jayne, Don't they look different once sheared? It's hard to tell the white guys apart - even the animals looked surprised when they see each other after first being sheared. Have a good weekend. Shirley & Robbie

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  4. I had to chuckle at how skinny they look without their fleece. I bet they were in 7th heaven when the girls arrived! Something new to gaze at! Do you sell the fleece? ...debbie

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  5. What excitement with the new arrivals. Love the 'new look' - it's a bit 'bambi'! Aaaah..

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  6. Hi Debbie, Yes, they do look 'sleek' with their coats off. I tend to use most of the fleece myself for spinning, knitting and felting and don't advertise it for sale. I'm happy to give some away though.
    Hi Joyce, Everyone remarks at the difference when they've been sheared, but it's true that there is a big 'Aaaaaah' factor involved. Regards both. Shirley & Robbie

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