Last week saw the return of the annual Cumbrian ragwort pull after a two year absence due to Covid. This is an ancient ceremony that has been depicted in cave paintings going back to the Middle Bronze Age. The pull is supervised by Master Pullers and conducted by Junior Pullers. Junior Pullers are shadowed by… Read more »

Well, its over halfway through the year and I am sure for a lot of us the birthing season is well underway with its joys and heartaches (well it certainly is here).  I thought it may be interesting to share a bit of a welfare update with you all. We have had the usual complaints… Read more »

It always seems like everything alpaca seems to happen in the months of May and June. We now try to keep the diary as clear as possible in those months. The busy time kicks off with the start of birthing, then it’s time to start the matings, mid May is shearing time and June is time… Read more »

Clara Bouton – 22 June 2022 This time of year can definitely be described as ‘chaotic’. We are taking in the last few bookings for summer, which will leave us booked up until September, the birthing season has well and truly begun, with 13 beautiful cria on the ground (so far!), and we are back… Read more »

Spring is my most favourite time of the year. The weather typically gets better, the grass is growing, the garden is coming alive but the most exciting thing of all, is that new life will be appearing on the farm! Not only is our peahen sitting on eggs but we have been blessed with the… Read more »

Judith Newman, 24th May 2022 When I started out with alpacas, I was keen to learn as much as possible about them both to ensure that I was able to look after them properly but also just because it was great to meet like minded people and talk alpaca for hours on end. I joined… Read more »

This week I saw something I’d never seen before. I went out at 9pm to do the last check of the birthing paddock and caught some movement at the edge of the wood. First thought was rabbits – about the same size – but as I kept watching whatever it was wasn’t moving like a… Read more »

A Tangled Tale One of our beautiful girls, Chamonix, started labour the other day. Known for her easy births and big strong cria who are trying to stand almost immediately we were just overwhelmed with the typical birthing excitement. We quickly noticed something wasn’t right, she is normally a very quick birther from when we… Read more »

The power of the internet amazes me! A few weeks ago, an alpaca contact messaged me a picture she had spotted on Pinterest – an alpaca playing the bassoon. Those that know me well, will know that I have two passions in my life (family excepted of course) alpacas and playing the bassoon. A quick google… Read more »

A Fishy Tale When I first met Liz at the Royal College of Art, I was finishing my master’s degree, which happened to involve a revolutionary hi-fi project with a ground-breaking transcription turntable unit (remember, this was 1972!) and a very unusual pair of transparent horn loaded loudspeakers.    Only reason I mention this is that… Read more »