What is an alpaca?

Wednesday Feb 4, 2009

February 4, 2009

The weather is warming up again…let’s hope Spring is on the way. The alpacas are getting anxious and already looking for grass out in the pastures. I don’t know if they are really eating anything or just pretending to graze while they stand out there for hours. They are a strange creature.
The alpaca’s fiber is starting to get really long and some have so much luster, they shine when the sun hits them. This is a fiber buyers dream. It also shows that our feeding program is working. I have to buy more hay again soon as our piles are dwindling and the growing season is too far off. Luckily I have a great local supplier for great hay.              
Here’s hoping you have a great weekend!!
Nancy

Alpacas

January 19, 2009

Well its another sunny winter day but it’s still cold and the wind is blowing. I listened to the weather forecast  for the next 5 days and starting tonight the low will be above 5 and the daily highs will be in the 20’s and 30’s. This is really great news for an alpaca. It means running in the snow and basking in the sun.

Yesterday I received the official national registration of little Jumanee. It’s impressive to see his fine Peruvian and Chilean heritage lined up on one page. And to look at him and watch him, you know he’s great breeding stock.  Here’s a picture of him in December on a sunny winter day with a jacket on. It’s so hard to get a photo of the dark black alpaca faces cause all you see is black.

Jumanee in a winter coat at 3 mos old

Hello from Merry Meadows Alpaca Ranch in Lester Prairie, MN

January 27, 2009

Hello,

This is the first entry in to our new blog here at Merry Meadows Ranch.  It’s cold here today but the sun is gleaming down on the bright white snow and really, the temperature it warmer today than it has been for several days. The alpacas have ventured outside to see what’s up but they quickly returned to the barn where the straw is thick and warm and the hay is fresh and sweet to eat. They are growing rapidly now. I hope the nasty cold weather we remain north of us for the remainder of this winter, it’s so hard for them to stay warm and healthy when it’s blustery outside.

We are preparing for the 2009 show season. I will be showing our maiden Makeena this year. She was in the showring once last year, she placed 5th but was also the youngest in her class. This year her fleece is filling in just beautifully again. She is a shimmery bay black and still has all the spunk she has as a baby. I will be breeding her in May of this year and can hardly wait to she what she produces next Spring.

I will also be showing my little dream boy, Jumanee. He will only be 7 months old in the first showring but wow is he beautiful!! I’m looking forward to training him soon. He has a lot of energy and he is growing like a weed. He’s tall, husky and his fleece is greasy, shiny and curly…just what I had hoped for.

baby Makeena peeking over mom

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