Archive for October 2012

Alpaca Farm Building

Alpacas are very easy to raise.  They are relatively small livestock (under 5 foot tall, average 150 pounds), have gentle personalities, tend to be healthy and less likely to spread parasites easily due to their helpful bathroom habits.  They are a joy to work with and relaxing just to be around, but there is always something that needs to be done around a farm our size, poop to be scooped, alpacas to be tended, and crias to watch playing.  We find, though, that the hardest part of the farm work is keeping up the farm and building projects.  Some of it we do ourselves, and some of it we find best to hire professionals.

September and October have been busy building months as we are getting ready for winter.  Sheds have been going up and we have added to our fencing.  One area has added a new pasture to the farm and the other has divided our largest pasture into three good sized pastures.  We and the alpacas are enjoying the results.

When we first bought our alpaca farm in 2006, there was no fencing and only one shed.  We walked the land and set out a plan of what we’d like it to look like when we finish with smaller pastures for rotating and ease of moving alpacas from one pasture to the next.  We have discovered that we are not good fence builders.  I have so much respect for those who can, but our fences tend to be wobbly and not as tight to the ground as we need them to be.  Luckily, we have worked with some wonderful fence builders to work towards our master plan.  We still put up the occasional small stretch of fence, but our main pastures have been built in a way that will last forever (or at least a very long time).  Each year we add a little more and can see the final design coming a little closer.

We also work with a wonderful builder, who built our Fiber Art Studio in the upper pasture (those of you who have taken felting or weaving classes know it well).  Since then he has also helped us with a number of sheds around the farm and worked with us as I try to ‘perfect’ the shed design to make them comfortable for the alpacas and work on the farm a little easier.  Each shed gets a little better.  Like the fences, we do occasionally build a small shed.  Whoever the builder, the alpacas always appreciate the sheds.

If you are planning or growing your farm, we invite you to come by and talk with us.  We enjoy sharing our experiences and what has worked for us, as well as what we might do differently if we were starting now.  Call for an appointment, we’d love to talk with you.

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Two New Alpaca Herdsires

Peruvian Maximus and Andean Silver

Peaceful Heart Alpacas is thrilled to welcome two new alpaca herdsires to the farm.  Both of these Champion boys bring incredible genetics and great backgrounds of color to add to our current two excellent white herdsires.  You can read about both of these alpacas on their new herdsire pages.

Rivanna Andean Silver is a gorgeous light silver gray with fabulous, fine fiber that is continuing to stay in the baby alpaca range as he ages.  Rivanna Peruvian Maximus is a beautiful true black male with dense crimpy fiber.  We cannot wait to see our first crias from these boys in 2013.  We invite you to read more about them and come by to meet them for yourself.  They are both open for outside breedings as are our white herdsires Peaceful Heart’s Lord Tennyson and FG Powergrid.  Through 2012, we are also able to offer breedings with visiting rosegray herdsire FWD Kubla Khan.

In honor of our expanded herdsire group, we are offering reduced breeding fees for all 2012 and 2013 breedings scheduled by December 31, 2012.  Through the end of the year, we will be offering individual breedings for $2,000, any two breedings for $3,500, and three or more breedings for $1,000 each.  Schedule your 2012 and 2013 breedings now to save.  Contact us to discuss your breeding options with our colorful group of  champion herdsires today.

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Congratulations to a New Alpaca Fiber Farm

Peruvian Omar

Congratulations to Renee Lubosch on the addition of a beautiful, true black male to her colorful alpaca fiber herd.  We are thrilled that Omar has found such a great home and that he will complete her ‘color wheel’ of boys.  We know she’ll love his sweet personality and working with his fiber.

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A New Alpaca Cria!

Peaceful Heart's White Owl & Peaceful Heart's Electric Snow (with Ima Joy looking on)

Our lovely Electric Snow gave birth to her second beautiful boy this morning.  It is a windy day up here, so we put them in the barn until he dried off and got settled into his routine.  He and Snow are out enjoying the sunshine and meeting the other alpacas this afternoon.

Peaceful Heart's Lord Tennyson

White Owl, our newest boy, is another Lord Tennyson son.  Like his full brother Timbuctoo and other half siblings, we named Owl for a Lord Tennyson poem, “The Owl”.   Owl has an incredibly bright white fleece that reminds us a lot of Lord Tennyson when he was first born.

Welcome to the Farm Parade

The other crias were all thrilled to meet Owl, but Electric Snow is keeping a close watch on him.  I think playing will have to wait a day or two.

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Congratulations to a Brand New Alpaca Farm

Effie Mae and Ephraim

Congratulations to the Otey family on the purchase of our Mamas and Playmates package.  The Oteys will be beginning their new alpaca farm with two beautiful proven mothers and their two male crias, as well as the boys’ pasture mate.

Gryffyndor

Sharyn and Effie Mae were both born on our farm and are two of our sweetest girls.  Both are a little shy, but Sharyn especially loves to eat grain right out of your hand.  Their sons Gryffyndor (Sharyn and silver gray Gryffyn’s son) and Ephraim (Effie Mae and fawn Arch Angel’s son) are a beautiful bay black and a dark fawn with lovely fleeces.  They will be joined by Sir Galahad, the lovely white son of Sugar Cookie and Lord Tennyson.  Look for these boys in the show ring soon.

Ephraim and Sir Galahad (both born on June 25)

The Otey family will be choosing their farm name and moving their new herd onto their farm soon.  We’re looking forward to working with them as they get started on their alpaca adventure.

Sharyn

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Two new alpaca crias

Sundance's Butch Cassidy

Thursday, October 4 was a busy, busy day.  We still are expecting several alpaca crias this month, so we check our fall pregnant girls pasture regularly.  Alpacas give birth very quickly (usually just 15-20 minutes from start to finish) and with very little to no warning, so occasionally we will find a surprise cria in the pasture that was born between checks.

Thursday, two mamas decided that delivering while we weren’t looking was a great idea.  Unfortunately, the mamas both decided that one of the crias was theirs, ignoring the other little guy.  We arrived to two upset moms, and two confused crias.  It took a bit of sorting, but we got the crias with their mamas and  into separate rooms to keep an eye on them.  Both got their nursing established and are doing well now.  We’re keeping coats on these newest farm members due to our cold and wet weather, but they are having a great time running around with Elise and Arthur.

Klarice and Cassidy

Our lovely Klarice, who joined our farm in January, gave birth to a beautiful beige and fawn boy.  His sire is VAF Golden Heritage’s Sundance Kid, so we have named him Sundance’s Butch Cassidy.  Cassidy is full of energy, and has lots of soft fleece in tightly bundled curls.  He is predominately beige, but we love the fawn spot that runs from the top of his head, down his neck and spills down his spine.  I’m already looking forward to his first shearing next spring.

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First cria for a new farm

The Black Pearl was born on our farm and will celebrate her third birthday this week.  She now belongs to Sharon Wilson, though we are happy to have Pearl, her fellow farm mate Ashley and now Pearl’s cria, agisting on our farm until their new alpaca farm is ready for them to move home.  Pearl gave birth to an incredible rosegray, brown and white male, another beautful cria from our former silver gray, herdsire FG Gryffyn, who is now standing stud at Majestic View Alpacas.

The Black Pearl and her new cria

We hope you can visit soon to see the new crias and enjoy the mountain fall weather and colors.

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Beautiful Reversible Alpaca Coats

Purple and Fawn, Available in size Medium

We now have our Alpaca Coats in stock in all sizes from Small to Extra Large.  These incredibly soft, hooded, alpaca jackets are reversible with two pockets and 5 buttons on each side.  The fineness of alpaca fiber makes these beautiful coats lightweight and comfortable to wear while being very warm and stylish.

Charcoal and Burgandy, Available in Small

Purple and Gray, Available in Large and Extra Large

These are the last coats we will be getting in stock before Christmas, so if you’ve been dreaming about an alpaca coat now is the time to come by the farm or order online.

Red and Black, Available in Size Large

Two Shades of Blue, Available in Medium & Extra Large

These lovely alpaca jackets are tailored in Peru by a fair trade certified group from which we get many of our alpaca products.  Their costs and the prices they charge us have gone up dramatically.  Since so many people have told us that are hoping for a Chrismas coat, we have decided not to raise our prices until after the first of the year.  So, now is the time to take advantage of these great prices and get your dream coat.

Brown and Green, Available in Small and Large

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New Alpaca Slippers

{Updated Nov 2016} On Sale. We have a great selection of alpaca slippers, available in the store and online.  Now reduced 20%.  These beautiful slippers are hand crafted with alpaca fleece on one side and alpaca fabric on the other. They are wonderfully warm and soft.  You choose whether to wear them with either the alpaca fleece or alpaca fabric next to your feet.  A removable insert provides extra padding in the alpaca slipper.

Alpaca Slippers MediumThe slippers are made in Peru by a fair trade certified company, and are hand washable.  We have them in sizes from extra small to extra large, which will fit everyone from children’s large/ladies size 3 to men’s size 12 1/2.  All of the slippers are lined with a dark alpaca fabric, and come in a great variety of fleece colors.  You select your slippers, choose your size and then look through the pictured slippers to pick your favorite one.

Alpaca Slippers Reversed

We invite you to come by the store and try on a pair if you’re in the area.  We also ship alpaca slippers all over the country, so take a look at them online and pick out a pair for yourself.  They make great gifts!

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