Author Archives: kestlealpacas

I am looking at these two boys. Little boys a year ago, big boys today. They have grown really well. These are inseparable friends Helium and Trelawney. They are alpacas. They behave like alpacas. Same curious, calm, and gentle like any other in the herd. However, the lives of these two will soon have toContinue reading “Looking back at the past year”

Yes. Dora the explorer. As little as one month old this girl was leading the group in the routine walks up and down the farm. This white ball of fleece was the first cria born of 2022. Good pedigree? She is daughter of Ameera. I am sad to say Dora didn’t get her mum’s prettyContinue reading “White like snow, little Dora”

Tough skin, thick fibre, strong personalities. These are the older girls. Comercial value is not great, but for a small breeder like us, their job is fundamental. Our nannies are specially good at keeping predators and other nuisances away. They are particularly protective and territorial. In winter it is a group of only three. TheyContinue reading “The group of nannies”

The days are as short as cold. And -OMG- don’t I like these days coming back home and stick to the fireplace, looking at the girls just from the window, every time I pop into the frozen kitchen to boil the kettle. I love winter. But I find I’m most unproductive at this time ofContinue reading “Absolutely nothing to say”

We have this pile of offcuts and pieces of wood that may have had an use at some point in the past. We need to get rid of all that we never use and it’s just taking space. The wood is waste from works… but hold on! This piece looks useful, I could do somethingContinue reading “Reuse, recycle… reuse!”

Grace and the Boy We have looked for good quality studs for all of our matings in the past. Sometimes we have been a bit disappointed with the result. Sometimes not as impressed as we planned. Sometimes satisfied that it was worth the invested time and effort. Well, with these two I’m well pleased. TheyContinue reading “Aramis and His Naughty Crias. Part 2”

We need to start this story from the beginning, so let me take you a few years back. When we started our adventure with the alpacas, we acquired a couple of groups. A few came first as pets, all males to be later castrated. Then we brought a few more, the owner had their planningContinue reading “Aramis and His Naughty Crias. Part 1”

It’s been raining for quite a few days in a row. Into the barn: some rain coming all day. A bit of sunshine: out off the barn. Coat for the little one. Maybe he can do without today. Out of the barn. Some more rain, back in for the night… Actually, the animals do likeContinue reading “Soft rain of Autumn”