// BLOG
November on the Farm
November 9, 2009
The highlight event in November was a visit by Toni Cotton DVM. We suspect the main reason for her coming was to check up and make sure that we were taking good care of her “Celebration” –one of our new purchases in September. Toni’s depth of knowledge, advice, and practical know-how is overwhelming. Her evaluation, comments, recommendations covered everything from nutrition, management, medical treatments and vaccinations, breeding program, etc. was extensive. A month later, Becky says, her head is still spinning from all the advice and knowledge imparted. Once again, we are fortunate to have made another good friend in the alpaca community. We continue to be impressed by the depth of knowledge, friendliness and cooperation of this group.
Quiet October
October 9, 2009
October was a somewhat quiet month spent finishing the installation of automatic waters (we elected to use Frank Industries waterers), repairing some of the construction damage to roads and runs on the farm, starting to clear additional acreage for future past pastures, studying potential locations for additional barns, and in general getting ready for winter.
We also took our fleece up to MorningStar mill to have it processed. Becky decided to have it made into rug yarn. She’s anxious to get to her loom and start turning out alpaca rugs!
Alpaca Jack’s Auction
September 20, 2009
The big event in September was attending The Private Auction sale at Alpaca Jack’s in Findley, Ohio. As usual, the pre-auction seminars were educational, and the food, drink, and ambience created by our hosts Jack and Marion Donaldson made for very pleasurable day.
Although we had no intention of buying any more animals after our spree at last year’s auction the animals offered such superior genetics and the prices were so good that we couldn’t resist improving our herd even more. Thus Jack’s Kingpin, Tony’s Celebration, as well as Ascot, Amelia, and Beatrice were added to The Alpacas of Spring Acres’ herd. Many of you undoubtedly know of Kingpin’s and Celebration’s many championships.
We now have two champion herd-sires: Kingpin and Princeton. We also have several other potential champion herd-sires but they are still too young to be offered: Aerosmith and Dundee. We plan to use all of them extensively in our breeding program. They will also be made available to other breeders, provided the dams are judged to be good “receivers” of our superior herd-sires’ genes!
Following the TPC, we entered Chase, ¬¬¬¬Celebration, Jacinda______ in the 1st All Suri National Alpaca Sweepstakes show, which was also held in Findlay, Ohio. Chase and Celebration both won a Blue Ribbon, while Jacinda took a 2nd Place.
New Residents
September 14, 2009
Welcome Jemma!! –the first cria to be born on our farm! We prepared for months and months for this first birth, attending cria-care classes, medical lectures, neonatal classes, learned how to assist with difficult births, prepared field kits of appropriate equipment, etc, etc. So what did mom Jetta do? She waited until the one time when everyone was briefly away from the farm, and then she dropped the kid and went on grazing in the field with baby in tow (barely able to stand but sticking with momma!)
And then there came the latest additions to our farm. Becky and Jaime were sent off on a simple mission to deliver four water samples to the Holmes Laboratory in Millersburg, Ohio for Camelid drinking water analyses. They returned six hours later with these three “critters”! I think they are little dogs!They are brother and sisters and inseparable, so I guess we’ll have to keep them Any suggestions for names?
Needless to say, their arrival aroused a great deal of interest in our curious alpacas:
As well as the kittens –who may be somewhat horrified with their new roommates.
(But not our 10 year old tomcat Kiki. He’s just been around too long to let anything as trivial as three new dogs bother him!)
Suri Network Symposium
August 14, 2009
Becky and Al attended the Suri Network Summer Symposium in Estes Park. It was a very enjoyable and educational meeting. It certainly brought us up to date on where the organization is and the direction in which it is headed. The future of the Suri Alpaca industry in the US certainly has a bright future with the leaders and visionaries in evidence at that meeting. We would certainly encourage other Suri alpaca owners to try to attend the meeting next year.
Beside, Estes Park is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park so you could go a few days earlier and get in some hiking and sightseeing in the beautiful Rockies..