Monday, June 24, 2019
updates
I have been so busy that I have neglected posting anything to my blog for months now. As a single female farmer of ARI registered alpacas and a breeder of AKC Champion German Shepherds, it has been exceptionally difficult with the weird weather we have had. My pastures have grass growing like weeds, but I can't mow due to all the rain we have had. Every time I think about mowing, the rains start up again. I know my animals are all tired of being locked in the barn or their kennels, but I can't let them out because they will sink six inches into mud, and cleaning dogs with that kind of mess, is not something I have time to do.
As it is taking more and more time for me to do things--whoever gave the name "Golden Years" to people getting up in age was obviously a young person. So, to make my life as a single female farmer a bit easier, I decided that I would sell off my female Alpacas and only keep males. This will eliminate the costs associated with birthing, as well as having to keep female alpacas separate from male alpacas . I will miss seeing the bouncing crias, but not the extra stress, work, and expense of raising them, and maintaining healthy moms.
So, my males can still be used as herdsires for other farms' females, and I can transport them in my new Ford Transit Van, to other farms, but after my last two girls are sold, I won't have to deal with that extra work/expense anymore. My males will give me enough fiber to keep me busy for the year, making products to sell at the Farm Market as well as other sites.