May 10th

After a couple of intense work days at the Renaissance Faire site we are quite close to being ready. The weather is really delaying things- we had a lot of rain last week and the ground is very muddy. Work that normally would just zip right along using the tractor just can't be finished until it dries out some more. Not quite sure what we will do come the weekend since we are supposed to get even more rain tomorrow. I really don't want to wish for no rain....

So far on site we have made up two pens and cleared the ground inside the pens and also where our vending tent will go. The area that we are in was newly created for us. Up until a couple of months ago it was woods! There are many trees remaining and we are fortunate to be able to be in shade all day. The "floor" of the pens had to be stripped of vegetation. I used clippers to get what I couldn't pull. We just did not want to take a chance having the alpacas nibble on things they shouldn't. There wasn't time to get grass grown so Sue & Judy from Wildwood Alpacas brought over a trailer load of fresh pine mulch. We have spread that in both pens and in the area where the tent will be. Come fall we will probably seed that- may have to put some dirt down or clear away the mulch in order for the grass to grow but we will keep working at it.

Now our remaining chore is the obstacle course. We were able to put in the fence posts and a lot of the boards surrounding the course. We did have to leave one end open so that we could get the tractor in this weekend. There is a lot of vegetation in there that has to come out. It wouldn't be so bad except that there is a vine like plant that grows and it really catches you when you walk through it. I can't imagine the alpacas having to deal with that or the kids having to deal with the alpacas dealing with that!

The obstacles are going to have to wait until next week. Chuck has a lighter work schedule next week so even though it is last minute we should be able to set up on Friday with no trouble. I plan to bring the camera and take pictures of our set-up on the 19th. For pictures during the faire we will have to depend on others... Unfortunately they didn't have cameras back then so we would be totally out of character being seen with one!

Until the next time!

Sunday ~ May 7th ~ Paca Pooh ~ Gardening ~ Homesteads

After hearing from friends and acquaintances that paca pooh was the best thing going for gardens I have taken the plunge and filled my raised bed with a generous amount of it.

This past week I sold my first raw fleece to a friend who I gave a handful of carded fleece to last year. It was really only meant as a gesture of friendship when I did it- not a marketing move as it sort of turned out! When I delivered the fleece to her I was sent home with rhubarb, asparagus, spinach, 18 fresh brown eggs and four tomato plants! I think I have lots to learn from this fellow New Englander!

It was the first time I had visited her farm. We first met last year when she contacted me after the county fair asking about my angora rabbits... I loved my rabbits - had six of them - but after the alpacas arrived on the farm it became obvious to me that caring for just six rabbits was so much more labor intensive than the alpacas that I decided to let them go. "B" who was already a spinner was looking for her own little herd of bunnies. From there we attended a fiber festival together, had them over for dinner one night with some other friends and the friendship blossomed. Her hostess gift the night of the dinner was three jars of jam that she had made herself from her own strawberries and raspberries. I always wanted to be some like her when I grew up! :-D

Well, I have to tell you, I am even more impressed after finally making a visit. She and her husband "D" own two horses, five Nigerian Dwarf female goats, an Irish Wolfhound, a rescue dog, the rabbits, chickens, roosters (pretty but who needs them!?!). Plans are to add a couple of sheep and cashmere goats. Oh- almost forgot! They also have bees! Those didn't float my boat but I was very impressed when I heard how great they aided in pollination for her flowers and vegetables. "D" put in raised beds for her and she has all sorts of vegetables growing - started from seeds inside. She has strawberries, raspberries, blue berries, peaches, plums to name just a few. The yard is partitioned off into "rooms" which is very attractive and really adds interest. Something I do think I will work towards here. Which brings me back to paca pooh.

When we first moved to this house and property we built a tree house (of sorts) in the backyard for our grand kids, three of whom live next door. Since I was the "baby sitter" they were here almost every day and a tree house was something I always wanted for our kids but it had never happened. Well, turns out the kids didn't really want it so it was one of the first things to go when we started clearing the woods for our pastures. All these years the dismantled tree house has been in a pile, waiting to be recycled. I have been eyeing the ladder just knowing there was going to be a good use for it. Found it today - used that to make my raised bed in front of the barn.

I have seven sections that are now filled with paca pooh from the compost pile. I was thrilled (?) to see lots of worms in the pile and made sure to have some in each bucket full of pooh that I brought over. I topped each section off with dirt and planted my four tomato plants. I then covered those sections with discarded straw from the winter bedding and topped it off with a piece of five foot no climb put on it's side. I don't think the cats will sleep in there but why chance it...

So, the test is on. Will my tomatoes be as prolific as Dawn's mums? They are growing like crazy! I sure hope so. I have more raised beds planned and will use up as much paca pooh as I can. I will report the results as the summer goes on. It is really good to know that I can shovel straight from the source too. I remember now that another farm layers it right on their garden all through the winter, claiming in the spring it is just worked in and they are all set with great soil.

Until the next time!

May 1, 2006

Another month has passed! It hardly seems as though we have had time for another month to have gone by. That happens a lot with us alpaca farmers. I think spring passes quickly for us all. In most cases we are all busy with birthing, shearing and shows. For us, that all finished this past weekend.

Sue went down to Mada Vemi Alpacas in Axton Virginia this past weekend to help with their shearing. It was the first year shearing our own for both our farm and theirs. I think with a few more alpacas we would have this shearing thing down pat! Dawn did most of the shearing there and her husband Mark took a turn here and there. I used scissors on tough leg fiber, tails and top knots so that we could make the blades last longer. There was lots of help as the Montgomery family from Blackberry Ridge Livestock Ranch were there to help. Great weather, hard work and fantastic food made for a great day on Saturday. Have to say that we are all pretty happy that part of spring is over!

At Nottingham Hollow we don't have any other crias due this spring. Since we are pretty much running out of room that is probably a good thing! We are still trying to get the front acre and a half cleared and planted. Fencing will come next and then the shelter. Once we are able to move the greater half of the herd we will finally be able to get going on the grass out back. It would really be gorgeous out there if we could get some grown...

The next project is building pens and an obstacle course for the alpaca group at the Virginia Renaissance Faire. That is coming up quickly! We have two weeks to get the pens and obstacles completed. We followed up on an idea today and struck pay dirt. There is a lumber mill on our route to Lake Anna Winery (which is the location for the next five years for the faire). We stopped today and at first were disappointed to find that the pile of wood we saw from the road was actually wood that was routinely used and not scrap like we thought. We found out about a saw mill that wasn't very far away and made a trip there. We are going back on Thursday to get all that we need and can carry for our pens and fences. How does on spell relief? F-R-E-E- Wood! We have 'cheated' and purchased a garden arbor for one of the obstacles and deck corner posts to use instead of cones. Chuck is building the step-bridge-ramp thingie and a teeter-totter. We will finish things up with a straw bale or two for jumps.

Once the building is finished we will be ready for faire 2006! Nottingham Hollow is going for three out of the five weekends at this site and then a fourth weekend in the fall when the faire travels back to Roanoke. It is really loads of fun. Wonderful people are involved in this and we haven't met any we do not like. It is great.

Of course in the meanwhile I have a lot of work to do on the VAOBA Alpaca Expo which will be held in November. Too much work as a matter of fact! My board term is almost finished and since I am secretary I am really looking forward to that! I sort of wish that I hadn't volunteered when that position was open. I am finally learning to say "No thank you". It was only after being appointed to the Small Alpaca Farms of America board as treasurer and membership coordinator though.....

Until the next time!