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.

Sunday, 14 September 2014

An Indian summer?

We've certainly had gorgeous weather all of this week, misty in the mornings then when it clears mid morning and the sun comes out - phew!  The Grumpy Gardener had consigned his shorts to the clothes cupboard during the last two weeks of August which were particularly cold thinking that that was the end of summer.  However, this week the shorts are back out and being worn again!  The boys have spent the best part of the week just lazing about whilst the humans refresh their water troughs three times daily!  Fidget loves to lie in the longer grass at the edge of the paddock.
Faro on the left with his shadow, Wee Eck!  We've noticed that Eck will often follow one particular boy around for some time.  Faro isn't bothered at all by this and gets on fine with Eck but others, like Fergus and Fidget do not like being followed around and having their space invaded so there will always be groaning and spitting!
Faro again with Fergus lying in the long grass at the edge of the paddock.  The boys have been on their Verm-X granules all this week and not all of them enjoy the taste.  Gully tips his bowl over to try and get rid of them.  Others like Fergus don't bother - if it's in their bowl it must be food - end of story!  Faro is still depositing 'dumplings' so clearly the pro-biotic didn't change anything but he is still eating well.
With the misty mornings then the sunshine, come the midgies and other flying beasties which Gully (left) and Fyta do not like at all.  They go running into the field shelter when the beasties are around and one day this week they spent most of the day just lying in the doorway.  Relief comes when the sun goes down.
Rufus joins them in the shelter, he is also none too fond of flying and biting thingies!
Gaucho smiles, "I'm not bovvered am I?"
Wall Germander looking great at this time of year.  We cut it right back after flowering and the following year it grows back again, more colourful than some heathers.
And finally...........last year we had no apples or plums.  This year lots of plums, apples and other soft fruit so plenty of jam made with spare in the freezer.

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2 comments:

  1. Judi B14 September 2014 at 19:15

    Those boys are looking good! Great that your weather has picked up...pity if the Grumpy Gardener can't sport his shorts in September! If I remember our many trips to Scotland, those bitie things should soon depart shouldn't they?! We've had success with Marigold Spray which you can even use round eyes and delicate bits...perhaps your Grumpy Gardener could plant some next year to keep your boys bite free! We bought ours but it's expensive and only water based so should be easy to make, we'll try next year.

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  2. Apple Vale Alpacas14 September 2014 at 20:12

    I had to put half a dozen props under our plum branches, they were so heavily laden. I wonder if Diatomaceous Earth would have any effect on midges? I sprinkled some in the rolling pits yesterday, and the herd loved it -it's said to be good against mites, I'll post a blog if I have time.

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