Alpaca Farmgirl

This Thanksgiving, I find myself grateful that I have found my niche in life. An unlikely farmer, I adore raising alpacas on our ten acre farm. A former pychologist, I am so happy to be home now raising my four children. After years of struggling, I am thankful that my DH, the Artist, is now the toast of France with his sculpture.

As the economy sputters, our investments peacefully eat grass in the fields gestating next year's cria crop and growing our fleece harvest. After being told by countless teachers that I talk too much, I have finally found my voice on my blog Alpaca Farmgirl.

I am grateful for my farm and for each new life created here. I am happy that my children can learn about the circle of life and the value of a hard day's work in our backyard. I am grateful that I still have a good connection with my tween, and that her brother and sisters have outgrown sippy cups but still need me to cut their meat.

This Thansgiving, I am thankful that I have found my bliss. Every day I get to do what I love: Raise my babies, raise my alpacas, and write about it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Join me on my journey at www.alpacafarmgirl.com

Saturday morning, while I was at an alpaca show, Judy decided to have her cria. Early in the morning. When it was very cold. When our farm manager, Jeremy, arrived, he found this little guy with purple ears and his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. The baby was almost lifeless.

Jeremy is not the type of to allow a cria to die on his watch, so he blow dried him and got him warmed up. The baby began to show more life. As he warmed him, the cria would sometimes give in to his weakness and his head would droop. “HECK no.” Jeremy told him and brought him around again. The first day he was bottle fed goat colostrum (alpacas almost never have extra colostrum to freeze). This is his mom’s first experience with having a cria to nurse and she took some convincing.  But by Sunday afternoon, the little guy was up and nursing.

Born weighing only 9 and 1/2 pounds (12 lbs. and under is considered at risk), we really didn’t expect this cria to be doing so well. Today he is at 10 and 1/2 lbs, and he’s running around, healthy as can be! The kids and I have come up with some possible names for him. We have a poll on Alpaca Farmgirl where you can vote for which name you think we should choose. Vote here.

Once a month Alpaca Farmgirl will feature an interview with an interesting Alpaca Farmgirl. Visit this site to read about a variety of inspirational women in the alpaca industry.This month our interview is with alpaca breeder Cindy Lavan who lives in Bowdoin, Maine. Cindy and her husband, Tim, have been raising alpacas for 15 years. They have two sons who have grown up with their alpacas. As a Southern girl, I am in awe of a woman so tough that she could raise livestock in Maine! Cindy and her family do almost all the farm work. In this interview we will learn what it’s like to care for alpacas through Maine winters, how she and Tim have invested for their sons’ financial futures through alpacas, her thoughts on how the economy will affect the alpaca industry, the large role alpaca fiber plays on their farm, and more!

Q. Whose idea was it to raise alpacas, you or Tim? And how did you hear about them?

A. It was actually Tim’s idea initially. He was reading an article in the USA Today newspaper during lunch and brought home the article. I was taking graduate classes and working at a local university. I was consumed with finals and work so he contacted AOBA (the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association) to learn more. Remember this was before the Internet so we had to talk to people over the phone. We never really saw the alpacas themselves in person for quite some time. This was while we were working in Washington, D.C. and lived on Capitol Hill. Not really the perfect habitat for these lovely creatures. While D.C. is a great place to live, it’s not where we wanted to raise a family, let alone run a farm and business.

Q. A few years ago when my twins were young and I was struggling, I asked you, “How do I do all the farm chores, watch the kids, and keep the house all at the same time?” You told me to “Forget the house.” That advice has saved my sanity many days. Any other shortcuts or advice on “the daily stuff” that you can share with us?

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The end of daylight savings time signals the beginning of the best season on our farm. In LA (Lower Alabama) we really only have two seasons, Summer, and not Summer.

Summer involves watching the alpacas carefully for signs of heat stress. It is super humid and kinda hot down here. If the alpacas show signs of being too hot, we will take the proper precautions. But we spend five or more long, hot months watching them closely from 7am until 8pm or later. And if we find what we’re looking for, it’s not good.

During the not Summer, we watch the alpacas carefully as well. For babies. If they show signs of having a baby, we will prepare for the arrival (run get the camera and a towel). We will spend seven or more happy months watching them closely from 7am until 5pm. (Notice I get 3 hours off here!) And if we find what we’re looking for, a cria, it’s more than good.

So when daylight savings time is over, I know it’s almost time for the fun to begin. Our first cria of the season is due on Monday, November 10. Stay tuned…

Read more like this at Alpaca Farmgirl!