Kentucky Farming, Alpaca Style

Summer to Fall....

2010-11-26T07:47:00.000-08:00

Hey! was it really nearly 4 months ago that I last entered a blog?! What a difference a day or even a month can make! We have new changes on the farm since August and I'd like to share that our farm is now under new management with a new structure. The end of September we hired Jason Fishel of Wheelrim Alpaca Ranch to oversee our herd in the role of Herd Manager. Jason is doing a fine job for us! We also hired Charles Burton to oversee the physical needs of the farm under the role of Pasture Manager. Things are looking up for Eagle Bend!
As we head into the cold months of winter, we are anticipating several events. December 3, 4, 5 we will be participating in Hometown Christmas with the Historic Burlington Business Association. Look for alpacas in the town square and find our kiosk inside the old courthouse near the Gingerbread House contest. The farm store will be open the entire weekend, so it will be a good time to shop for those unique Christmas gifts made from alpaca!
December 11th is the date of Eagle Bend's Annual Christmas Party. An invitation only event, we will be hosting 50+ people for an evening of comraderie. On December 14th, the Northern KY Arachne Society (spinning group) will meet at the shop to spin, exchange hand-spun items, and enjoy some refreshments! Before long, 2011 will arrive with a new schedule of events, so stay tuned! Our best holiday wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year go to all of you who read this post!

Eggs!

2010-08-08T07:58:00.000-07:00

I am dedicating this particular blog post to my good friend and partner in crime, Nancy Swartzel. Nancy is the proprietor of Graves Inn Bed & Breakfast here in Burlington, KY. She is the biggest fan of my chickens and their eggs. These photos are for her!

Dog Days of Summer

2010-08-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

It is nearing mid-August and soon fall will be here. This particular summer has been challenging for all of us. The high heat and humidity have presented difficulties for both the alpacas and our farm hands who had to endure the weather to get their work completed. The early rains stifled harvesting our hay when it was at its prime, and our vegetable garden went by the way side. We'll be lucky to get a few tomatoes for the dinner table. Even the chickens complained by lowering their egg production and despite two fans running constantly in the hen house, they still sat on their perches with wings spread and beaks open, panting in the heat. Yet our spring/summer birthing season blessed us with 11 new female crias ... each one quite beautiful and each one bringing its own little personality to the alpaca herd. We find ourselves now waiting for the imminent arrival of two August babies (crias) and a whole bunch of new fall ones!

September will usher in our most busy season with our presence at the Alpaca Gala (http://www.alpacagala.com/) on the 11th, and then our celebration of National Alpaca Farm Days on September 25-26. The farm will be open to the public this last weekend of September for educational and fun activities for those interested in alpacas. See us this coming Wednesday, August 11th at the Wild Wednesday program at the Kenton County Park in Independence.

2010-08-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Wow! Eagle Bend's first spinning class was very successful, graduating five very adept spinners! Our participants caught on very quickly and each one left with a skein of their very own hand-spun yarn. We had lots of good conversation, and of course, food. I'm very proud of the attendees. Next class offered will be Saturday, August 14th.

2010-07-30T09:45:00.000-07:00

July 30, 2010 Summer !

In looking at my blog, which I haven't done in a very long time, I realized that my last posting was in the winter. Somehow I missed spring, and now it is mid-summer and the weather has been an unkind now as it was in the winter. The hottest June ever recorded, and the most humid, it has carried into July. This type of weather is very hard on heavy fleeced alpacas, and we have had our share of issues with heat stress. Yet despite these challenges, we have had a healthy crop of spring/summer crias that are all thriving and best of all, are all female! I will post a few photos for your enjoyment.

New attitude!

2010-02-24T14:22:00.001-08:00

Just so you know and can appreciate this, I am working on a new attitude to offset my winter doldrums. We just returned from a cruise to the Bahamas where weather was also cold and wet (ugh!) and let me tell you, home and my bed with the electric blanket never looked so good! Cruise ships do not come equipped with electric blankets, but husbands are a good second to this.
At home, birthing season for our alpacas has arrived. Sooner than I had wished, but these girls were purchased already bred so the choice of birthing time was not mine. Nonetheless, I find myself excited with anticipation and my trips to the barn to observe for cria movement have been very rewarding. I am looking for births of two next week, and hopefully crias will arrive before we leave on Friday for our first show of the season!
Last Sunday I had the ultimate pleasure of spending the entire day with some of my alpaca "girl" friends. Led by Lindy Huber, the group engaged in felting hats from alpaca fiber. Hey! that was hard work! but in the end, we all looked marvelous in our felted hats which actually were worthy of wearing to the KY Derby! (well, I'm exaggerating) Lindy posted our photo on her blog and we look ravishing.

Can you believe it?! More snow!

2010-02-09T08:12:00.000-08:00

Another commentary on winter snow.....

So you can see that I'm getting a little bored and have a case of cabin fever, but that's okay, right?! I would guess we have another 4 inches of snow on top of what was already in place. This is a heavier, packed snow - the kind that makes great snowmen! I think we are going to pick up our four year old grandson and bring him over. The snow will be deeper than his boots are tall, but he can enjoy some fun until he gets too cold. Brownies are baking in the oven - hot coffee is perking and I am set.

On the farm, it seems that things happen when the roads are bad. But our vet made it out without problem to look at one of our female alpacas who had an eye injury. It appears that she will be fine, but it is a mystery how she could have smacked her head hard enough to cause such bad trauma. She is a docile, sweet natured girl and stood calmly while the vet investigated the injury. Thankfully she will be fine.

In the hen house, the chickens were overjoyed when I showed up with leftovers from last night's dinner - macaroni-and-cheese and green beans! They wasted no time in devouring the whole bowl of scraps. They had very graciously filled their nests with a total of a dozen eggs since yesterday's gathering. They are so thoughtful.

Now let me see if I can upload a photo for this post.

More Snow Predicted - Yikes!

2010-02-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

February 8, 2010

It is another freezing cold day. At least the sun is shining, but tomorrow another 1 to 3 inches is predicted. I do like the snow, but I don't like the cold temperatures that is required to have snow. Hmmm. Lots of distractions around me today - can't even focus enough to write down my thoughts. They aren't all that profound today anyway.......

February and snow!

2010-02-06T09:08:00.000-08:00

Waking to the beauty of a fresh snowfall is at least some compensation for winter weather. It is difficult to do outside chores when the weather is cold, the winds are brisk, and it is either raining or snowing. Animal care must be done no matter what the outside conditions, today being no exception. I am thankful for my hard-working husband who loves being outside with the alpacas and actually seems unbothered by the cold. I, myself, hate cold weather. I managed to run outside long enough to snap some photos of the snow before it became riddled with footprints and dirty slush from vehicles coming and going. My chickens are not interested in coming out of the hen house to inspect the gifts of mother nature, so I'll leave them to being inside today. Alpacas are just venturing out of the barn to inspect the snow. It will be a nice day to sit by the fireside, make a pot of soup, and work on inside chores.