It looks like a wet snow out there, I imagine Alpacas like the drier snow so they can roll in it and not get wet.
I know they appreciate the cold weather, it was such a hot year.
We are redoing the Furbelow farm alpacas website so it should be done soon.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
more rain!
It rained all night. What a mucky mess it will be out there. At least I got the hay unloaded, and covered up very well.
I added a bunch of new photos. I think you can see them all here
I added a bunch of new photos. I think you can see them all here
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
RAIN blah!
what a bummer the rain is! I bet the ducks are loving this rain!
IT was raining at 1130PM what I got up and I was thinking what is outside getting wet that should NOT be. I couldn't think of anything, until I got up at 1AM and realized all my NEW HAY was outside getting wet! ONly 6 bales are really wet I bet, as they were on top. But I should have unloaded it yesterday.
Now I need to unload it this morning before more rain moves in.
SO much to do and so little time it always seems that there is to do what you need and want to do!
IT was raining at 1130PM what I got up and I was thinking what is outside getting wet that should NOT be. I couldn't think of anything, until I got up at 1AM and realized all my NEW HAY was outside getting wet! ONly 6 bales are really wet I bet, as they were on top. But I should have unloaded it yesterday.
Now I need to unload it this morning before more rain moves in.
SO much to do and so little time it always seems that there is to do what you need and want to do!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Green Green Green 2nd cutting Orchard Grass
Today I had to go get some hay. I ended up somewhere in Caroline County. I loaded up 20 bales or so on the truck, without a trailer.
This hay was so green, that it may be not only safe but ideal for human consumption. The alpacas love it. I should have gotten every last bale they had, but I always like to try the hay from someone new before I get a pile of it.
These hay bales are a whopping 60-65 pounds, most of them. I hope it lasts 14-28 days,
as I have some old round bales left still.
Alpaca should eat mostly hay and grass and very little grain despite the fact that they love some grain. We are not eating the alpaca so it is not like feeding grain to cattle you plan on eating. And cattle that is grass fed is better anyways!
This hay was so green, that it may be not only safe but ideal for human consumption. The alpacas love it. I should have gotten every last bale they had, but I always like to try the hay from someone new before I get a pile of it.
These hay bales are a whopping 60-65 pounds, most of them. I hope it lasts 14-28 days,
as I have some old round bales left still.
Alpaca should eat mostly hay and grass and very little grain despite the fact that they love some grain. We are not eating the alpaca so it is not like feeding grain to cattle you plan on eating. And cattle that is grass fed is better anyways!
Isn't love grand and without limit?
Before sunrise today, Of course the roosters were crowing but, Angel jumped the fence or something unknown and went over to see her old sexy friend Misha.
Well lucky for us Angel wasn't able to get into the Big Boy Alpaca pen or she may have gotten what she was looking for, from 6 big boy alpacas. Angel spit at Logan on the 23rd which means Misha failed to get her pregnant last time he was with her.
Anyways Angel was over there by the Big Boy Alpaca fence flipping her tail, filling the air with fragrant girl alpaca pheromones or something, because as dark as it was, Misha just followed his nose and was over by Angel trying to get over the 5 foot 2x4 no climb fence. Misha was jumping up on the fence nibbling on Angels ear, who was saying come on big boy, but Misha could do nothing but oogle and hold off the other big boy alpacas claiming Angel for himself.
Too bad for Misha as he would have proved himself if Angel was with cria but she isn't. And it looks like Angel is going to run around the stable a few times with COMET AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN SETTLE HER.
Well lucky for us Angel wasn't able to get into the Big Boy Alpaca pen or she may have gotten what she was looking for, from 6 big boy alpacas. Angel spit at Logan on the 23rd which means Misha failed to get her pregnant last time he was with her.
Anyways Angel was over there by the Big Boy Alpaca fence flipping her tail, filling the air with fragrant girl alpaca pheromones or something, because as dark as it was, Misha just followed his nose and was over by Angel trying to get over the 5 foot 2x4 no climb fence. Misha was jumping up on the fence nibbling on Angels ear, who was saying come on big boy, but Misha could do nothing but oogle and hold off the other big boy alpacas claiming Angel for himself.
Too bad for Misha as he would have proved himself if Angel was with cria but she isn't. And it looks like Angel is going to run around the stable a few times with COMET AND HOPEFULLY HE CAN SETTLE HER.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Finally a black baby girl alpaca
At last another black female cria! Tipper finally dropped her sometime today. Ginger said to watch her today. I didn't even notice how fat she was looking.
I guess Logan is the PROUD DADDY!
I looked out there earlier and saw the cria but it didn't dawn on me what had happened,
DOH! Anyways I snapped a few photos and will upload them to the main furbelow farms alpaca website at http://www.furbelowfarms.com. It looks like we need to add some new pages, we used to have a new additions page but I don't see it anymore.
Ginger has so many pages on the website and has done a fantastic job on it. She never ceases to amaze me with all the things she does!
I guess Logan is the PROUD DADDY!
I looked out there earlier and saw the cria but it didn't dawn on me what had happened,
DOH! Anyways I snapped a few photos and will upload them to the main furbelow farms alpaca website at http://www.furbelowfarms.com. It looks like we need to add some new pages, we used to have a new additions page but I don't see it anymore.
Ginger has so many pages on the website and has done a fantastic job on it. She never ceases to amaze me with all the things she does!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
won't you look at where weve been
We've been very busy. We have had several new additions this year and are hoping for a few more before year end. I think this year I am going to be an alpaca for halloween, that way all I have to do is go to the door and hum for carrots.
When I come back in my next life I think I want to be a goat, wont you look at those Cashmere Bucks!
I'm a little slow this morning, but I am back after being lost in the woods, I think they had to cut down 257 trees to finally find me and get me out!
When I come back in my next life I think I want to be a goat, wont you look at those Cashmere Bucks!
I'm a little slow this morning, but I am back after being lost in the woods, I think they had to cut down 257 trees to finally find me and get me out!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Alpacas and snow snow snow everywhere
Well we are buried in a few inches of snow out in Goochland County Virginia this morning at Furbelow farms. I snapped a few snowy alpaca photos. I will up load them later to Furbelow Alpaca and Cashmere goat farm main site.
Since Alpaca have a split hoof and 4 legs, it is like 8 wheel drive. They run up and down the hill and play and roll in the snow. Alpaca, at least our alpacas love the snow. They don't get to see too much snow out here in Goochland VA.
But we are high on a plateau, the highest point east of Charlottsville Virginia for 30 to 40 miles or so.
The weather at Our Virginia Alpaca Farm is unique. If you watch the news and see on the map where they show Louisa VA, you will notice the temperature is always different in Louisa Virginia than in the surrounding areas.
Since Alpaca have a split hoof and 4 legs, it is like 8 wheel drive. They run up and down the hill and play and roll in the snow. Alpaca, at least our alpacas love the snow. They don't get to see too much snow out here in Goochland VA.
But we are high on a plateau, the highest point east of Charlottsville Virginia for 30 to 40 miles or so.
The weather at Our Virginia Alpaca Farm is unique. If you watch the news and see on the map where they show Louisa VA, you will notice the temperature is always different in Louisa Virginia than in the surrounding areas.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Alpaca love cold weather
All the Alpaca seem to be happy out there in the cold. As long as they have a nice heated water bucket, which prevents their water from freezing in the cold weather. Alpaca seem to be like camels and drink is spurts. Sometimes the alpaca drink a large amount of water and at other times they seem to hardly drink much at all.
I am certain they consume less water in the winter than they do in the summer time as I am the one who fills their water buckets.
In the mornings when it is very cold the alpacas often have frost on the top of their fur.
I know they prefer the cold weather to the hot weather. They have told me!
I know they hate to get their hair cut and I am not looking forward to this, this year except for the fact that we could use some more alpaca fiber to work with.
I have 2 alpaca hats now. They don't seem to mind I am wearing their fiber on my head. At least they haven't said anything. I know they are slightly overweight, or so the vet says. But the Alpacas swear they are starving to death, but the vet says I am feeding them too much. Go Figure! I would prefer that they be a little fatter in the winter time as I think this will help them stay warmer.
But after wearing alpaca hats, gloves and socks for a while now I know how warm their fiber is.
And some of them already have pretty thick coats.
They often don't have the sense to come in out of the rain, so I guess they don't mind the rain. And I know from wearing my alpaca hat that alpaca fiber repels water. When it is a heavy down pour they go into the barn and run in sheds.
I am already looking forward to the spring and the warmer weather but I know they aren't.
Popular belief is that you must shear your Huacya Alpacas every year and we do. But I often wonder what they did on their own when they were in the wild before they were domesticated.
I know the cashmere goats run themselves against trees and eventually shed all the cashmere off and leave it blowing in the wind. Or stuck to the trees or bushes. In any event if you don't get the cashmere off the goats they take care of it themselves. So somehow they are fine without any help from us in the fiber thinning department.
I do have a new alpaca male that I rescued, who was living with a few calves. I don't think he was sheared last year so it looks like he has two years worth of fiber on him. The man that sold him to me called him an alpacer. So if anyone is looking for one alpacer or doesn't know what an alpacer is, I have one. An alpacer is an alpaca that hasn't been sheered I guess!
I am certain they consume less water in the winter than they do in the summer time as I am the one who fills their water buckets.
In the mornings when it is very cold the alpacas often have frost on the top of their fur.
I know they prefer the cold weather to the hot weather. They have told me!
I know they hate to get their hair cut and I am not looking forward to this, this year except for the fact that we could use some more alpaca fiber to work with.
I have 2 alpaca hats now. They don't seem to mind I am wearing their fiber on my head. At least they haven't said anything. I know they are slightly overweight, or so the vet says. But the Alpacas swear they are starving to death, but the vet says I am feeding them too much. Go Figure! I would prefer that they be a little fatter in the winter time as I think this will help them stay warmer.
But after wearing alpaca hats, gloves and socks for a while now I know how warm their fiber is.
And some of them already have pretty thick coats.
They often don't have the sense to come in out of the rain, so I guess they don't mind the rain. And I know from wearing my alpaca hat that alpaca fiber repels water. When it is a heavy down pour they go into the barn and run in sheds.
I am already looking forward to the spring and the warmer weather but I know they aren't.
Popular belief is that you must shear your Huacya Alpacas every year and we do. But I often wonder what they did on their own when they were in the wild before they were domesticated.
I know the cashmere goats run themselves against trees and eventually shed all the cashmere off and leave it blowing in the wind. Or stuck to the trees or bushes. In any event if you don't get the cashmere off the goats they take care of it themselves. So somehow they are fine without any help from us in the fiber thinning department.
I do have a new alpaca male that I rescued, who was living with a few calves. I don't think he was sheared last year so it looks like he has two years worth of fiber on him. The man that sold him to me called him an alpacer. So if anyone is looking for one alpacer or doesn't know what an alpacer is, I have one. An alpacer is an alpaca that hasn't been sheered I guess!
Monday, January 26, 2009
New 1 Female and 2 Male Alpaca cria @ furbelow farms in Goochland Virginia
Last year after Alpaca Cria Stella Blues was born to us, we had a loss,
Hot Fudge Sundae miscarried a beautiful female Alpaca that was still born, The vet came and was unable to get the cria out it was all stuck and twisted inside somehow. We donated the dead cria to Terri at Fireweed Alpacas in Goochland VA, for her neonatal clinics which she holds on a regular basis.
After that we had an additional 2 males, one was a complicate birth for Bliss. Tipper put out a rose grey, Casey (still looks silver grey). Tipper stands as the most easy birthing female alpaca we have. She never needs any help. She goes in the barn and comes out with an Alpaca cria. The rest of them seem spoiled and prefer our help.
We will soon add pictures of the new males Charlie, a bay black or true black alpaca and the grey looking Casey who looks just like his dam Tipper. It sure looks like Casey, after his first shearing, will be a rose grey like his next oldest sister, Maggie
Logan is our main Herd Sire and Logan is the Sire for the 2 new alpaca boys. Logan is re bred to most of the girls for next years alpaca cria (baby alpaca). Logan is NOW available for the very first time for breeding's on a very limited basis. With several cria on the ground now, he continues to pass on his dense fleece and curly, very crimpy fiber to his offspring.
Misha finally had his way with Sunset Pearl This is a white to white breeding. Pearl is 1/2 Acoyyo. Pearls sire is a full imported Accoyo, Peruvian Don Juan, who took 1st place at the 2004 AOBA Fiber to Fashion Show when he was over 10. At almost 10 years old herself, she has very crimpy fiber that she inherited from her sire. Pearl continues to be one of our best producers. Too bad for Misha, She always gets pregnant on her first breeding!
We also picked up a beautiful very promising Buck from Green Fence Farm . His name is Moose, He is out of the Green Fence Farms prize stud, 2003 Virginia Fair Champion, Telleman. See a picture of this buck "moose" at the bottom of the page. Moose's kid looks just like his daddy and hopefully he has had his way with Suzy, Cinderealla and our "Moose" girl. We look forward to having 5 or so new Cashmere Goat kids in the spring. Please Contact Ginger for New Kid information and to reserve your kid now!
Hot Fudge Sundae miscarried a beautiful female Alpaca that was still born, The vet came and was unable to get the cria out it was all stuck and twisted inside somehow. We donated the dead cria to Terri at Fireweed Alpacas in Goochland VA, for her neonatal clinics which she holds on a regular basis.
After that we had an additional 2 males, one was a complicate birth for Bliss. Tipper put out a rose grey, Casey (still looks silver grey). Tipper stands as the most easy birthing female alpaca we have. She never needs any help. She goes in the barn and comes out with an Alpaca cria. The rest of them seem spoiled and prefer our help.
We will soon add pictures of the new males Charlie, a bay black or true black alpaca and the grey looking Casey who looks just like his dam Tipper. It sure looks like Casey, after his first shearing, will be a rose grey like his next oldest sister, Maggie
Logan is our main Herd Sire and Logan is the Sire for the 2 new alpaca boys. Logan is re bred to most of the girls for next years alpaca cria (baby alpaca). Logan is NOW available for the very first time for breeding's on a very limited basis. With several cria on the ground now, he continues to pass on his dense fleece and curly, very crimpy fiber to his offspring.
Misha finally had his way with Sunset Pearl This is a white to white breeding. Pearl is 1/2 Acoyyo. Pearls sire is a full imported Accoyo, Peruvian Don Juan, who took 1st place at the 2004 AOBA Fiber to Fashion Show when he was over 10. At almost 10 years old herself, she has very crimpy fiber that she inherited from her sire. Pearl continues to be one of our best producers. Too bad for Misha, She always gets pregnant on her first breeding!
We also picked up a beautiful very promising Buck from Green Fence Farm . His name is Moose, He is out of the Green Fence Farms prize stud, 2003 Virginia Fair Champion, Telleman. See a picture of this buck "moose" at the bottom of the page. Moose's kid looks just like his daddy and hopefully he has had his way with Suzy, Cinderealla and our "Moose" girl. We look forward to having 5 or so new Cashmere Goat kids in the spring. Please Contact Ginger for New Kid information and to reserve your kid now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
