I can feel the warmth again. The days don’t end in a frantic chase to catch a glimpse of light before it escapes. The miserable look of the wet fleeces evolves into a show of colour coasts of healthier aspect. The males play wrestling necks. The females eat eagerly to fill their bellies and theContinue reading “In the wake of winter”
Author Archives: kestlealpacas
Gabbro
Avoiding pictures at all costs, the first load of attention this year goes to one of our 2025 offspring: Gabbro. Displaying an elusive personality, this boy is quite a calm alpaca. He has joined the colour trend in our herd. I’m still unsure about what colour to pronounce. The first shearing should be an interestinglyContinue reading “Gabbro”
Christmas outing
They may not guess what’s happening today. The young ones are going to see Santa in school. Brownie (Extravaganza) is keeping everyone behind in case we’re coming to feed. However, we’re coming for the young ones to go and see Santa in school. The youngsters went to see Santa. Charlotte tried for a bit, butContinue reading “Christmas outing”
Wet
Honestly. They do have a shelter. However, they chose not to use it. These in the picture are Raspberry and Quechua. They are so interested in the girls they won’t take cover in the shed when it’s raining. The gate for the girls field is some 20m away, with no direct sight into it. ButContinue reading “Wet”
AY, AY, AYMARA
This is one below is a female I’m watching close with hope. Aymara is a yearling growing very nicely. She has the pretty features of her dam’s lineage and a really fine fleece. Can not wait to see her fully fleeced before the summer. Here still, too wet. With sunny spells. And 99% humidity inContinue reading “AY, AY, AYMARA”
Rotate
After left with one less field, we have been juggling to keep boys and girls in a safe distance in the different paddocks. Curiosity is so strong, though. Here are the girls and youngsters trying to get to see the boys: We’re still able to rotate the animals to let the paddocks recover and haveContinue reading “Rotate”
Proud, my boys
Yes, yes. Still. I need a poll or something to give them names. However, that doesn’t diminish my feeling of pride when I look at this boys. Displaying the breeding variety, back to front in the picture, their sires: Lane House Emperor’s Quest, Kestle Trelawney, and Lane House Montezuma.
Babies
We did have a few crias born during the summer. Some dams left the farm before they birthed, and one didn’t deliver. So we went down to fantastic four! For a change, numbers have also turned around. Instead of the one single male born we are used to, we have a single female. And coloursContinue reading “Babies”
Not yet, not in this weather!
Yes, it is summer. But it is a British summer. It is raining, with sunny spells at times. You are sitting here, rained and shivering, trying to work out what just happened. While half in panic that you have chosen a drizzly day to be born, the sun touches my shoulder with its heat throughContinue reading “Not yet, not in this weather!”
When you’re not looking
I was tired of waiting, so a cria decided to be born now that I wasn’t looking. I never met Aramis’ dad, but I know his dam, and his sisters. Aramis’ temperament is not from his dam. Grace’s personality, or alpacality if you want, comes from Aramis. Aramis had it, Grace has it, and herContinue reading “When you’re not looking”