Hay! A whole load went that way.

When I was a kid my grandfather would use this line to try and amuse us. It only worked once or twice but it stuck in my head. He had a resort in the Lake of the Ozark area of Missouri. Highway 5 ran past the property and it wasn’t unusual to see loads of hay go by in the summer while we were visiting. Not being a farm kid, it was always interesting but I never gave it much thought. That is until now.

Last week we cut hay. There is not a lot of planning to this event. I call the guy who is cutting and baling  to get on his list and then we wait. Where I end up on his list and the weather play a big part in when we get the hay cut. This year the weather has been very unusual. Everything from wildlife to crops are out of sync with the calendar. Hay season started 3 weeks earlier than it usually does. To make things even more interesting, the month of May was extremely dry.

Our tentative date to cut hay was the first part of June. We waited, praying for rain so the hay would not burn up in the pastures. Of course, all the places where the hay was cut and waiting to be baled they were praying for no rain. The “no rain” group was winning out; until the last week of the month. We received 2” of rain over several days that week. You could almost hear the grass sucking up the moisture. Just that small amount would help as we continued to wait our turn.

June 5 the tractors arrived and started to cut. We had 4 days of clear skies, sunshine, lower temperatures and 0% chance of rain. This was going to be a good week for haying. I called the hay crew and let them know we were baling on Thursday and they should plan on a long day. The crew arrived and consisted of 5 young guys from 13-21 years of age, and myself, a 120 pound, upper 50s, grey-haired shepherd. All the crew has to do is to keep up with me. Sound fair enough?

My weakness is having limited lifting strength over my shoulders; hence I became a stacker. The crew did keep up and we put away 1330 square bales in 12 hours. It was a long, hard day but no injuries or break downs. Lots of sore muscles but they will work out with more chores. The harvest was more than acceptable and we are set for another year of winter feed for the livestock.

It is a great feeling to see the hay barn full and to smell fresh hay. The freshly cut pastures look green and perfect. It’s now time to sit back on the deck with that glass of wine that has been waiting for me. Life on the ranch is good!

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May They Continue

I attended my first fiber show of the 2012 season. Before I started raising alpacas, I didn’t realize how much fiber is produced in the United States. Quite a bit of it comes from small farms. Attending the show were owners of sheep, goats, rabbits, llamas and alpacas. The sheep market alone has many varieties. Owners come to fairs all across the nation to display and sell their wool. It can be bought in raw form, (right from shearing) roving (carded and ready to spin) or yarn. It can be natural or dyed. There is no limit to the colors and choices.

In this environment you will discover crafts and arts, that some may think have passed away, but are very much alive. Spinners are in abundance; using both the drop spindle and the spinning wheel. Tatting, lace making, embroidery, weaving, knitting and crocheting are all still perpetuated by those who love the craft and love creating beautiful pieces of art from scratch. The crafters cover many generations with ages in the single digit to those in their nineties. There are no age, gender or color barriers with this group.

Alpaca fiber is called “the fiber of the gods”. It is told that the harvested alpaca fiber of the finest quality could only be worn by the Incan royalty. Alpaca is stronger than mohair, finer than cashmere, smoother than silk, softer than cotton. It has the ability to provide great warmth without the weight of wool. It has no lanolin which helps it to stay clean and provides and alternative for those who are allergic to wool. Over 22 natural colors are created by the alpacas, and because it is a natural fiber, it can also be dyed.

Natural Colors

I have the pleasure of raising a herd of alpacas, and each year we harvest this wonderful fiber. I send most of our fiber to a mini-mill in Kansas for processing. I like using the mill because I get my own fiber back. Part of our fiber is made into yarns and part into roving. I try to get an assortment of both for my customers and of course myself. Quality is always my priority. I want the person who uses my alpaca fiber to be pleased and return for more.

Missouri Alpaca Herd

At the fiber fair I bring in my selections to compliment all the other fiber being shown and sold. I usually take my spinning wheel or crochet to work with while I am there. I love, not only meeting other fiber artists, but learning new things from them. What a wealth of knowledge is out there. I get to talk with so many interesting people. I am pleasantly surprised when I find someone who spins or knits, though they don’t look the part. I met a man knitting socks once. I shouldn’t pre-judge but I just didn’t expect it.

So, the next time you wrap up in your favorite shawl or scarf, put on that special hat, or pull out your afghan or lap throw, consider the hands that may create it. Nestled away in your city, town and neighborhood are extraordinary people, living a simpler life in an over technological world. I am so thankful for them and their skills and to be a part of this community. May they continue to pass on their art and our heritage.

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Removing the Wool

I haven’t posted lately because we have been busy with one of the main events at our ranch, shearing. It all begins in January when we contact our shearer, Eddie, to get on his schedule. Eddie is from Australia but now lives in Oregon. He is a professional shearer of sheep, alpaca and llama. To qualify his status, I will let you know that he can shear an alpaca, on average, in 5 minutes. No joking! It takes a well-organized crew to keep up with him.

To put together that crew we rely on volunteers. I believe we have the best group of volunteers in the whole USA. I may be prejudice but I don’t think so. These people are amazing. I do all the prep work in advance. When they show up I assign them a task and they spend their time focused and efficient. Some have been coming for a few years and some are brand new to the process, but they all do a spectacular job. We could not manage without them.

My prep work consists of preparing shearing bags for each alpaca, making sure all the supplies are on hand (brooms, paper towels, spit socks, sanitizer, floor mats, knee pads), and prepare the food to feed everyone when we are done shearing. I find it is important to feed the help so they feel appreciated and want to come back again. My goal is to make this a pleasant experience for everyone involved. We do tend to have a good time, with lots of joking and laughter during the work.

Shearing is work. If you are out of shape you will definitely know it by the end of the day. It doesn’t take long for those muscles to tighten up and start to ache. We always have pain relievers on hand for those who may be feeling the pain before we finish. I do try and match assigned tasks to those with limitations. Our youngest volunteer was around 13 and our oldest at 77. If someone wants to help, I can find them a job to do. I remind everyone that a good week of yard work before shearing will help to get those muscles ready. I take my own advice and make sure I get some weeding and pruning done in March. Even so, I have my own share of aches and can sympathize with the group. Age does creep up on you when you aren’t looking.

Most important we watch for the safety of the alpacas. Our shearer takes great care in his work and very seldom do we have a nick or cut. Shearing is necessary for the comfort and health of the alpacas. They are wearing a huge coat of wool and need it removed before the warm weather begins. You can feel that warmth in their fiber as it is shorn off. On a warm day after shearing you can see their smiles as they lay out in the pasture. Even though they may not like the immediate process, they find it all worthwhile afterwards.

Now that the shearing is finished I can slip into a slower pace and enjoy the fruit of the harvest. Each fleece will get handled by me to prepare it for the mill. I love sinking my hands into this luscious fiber and examining the results of our breeding program. Each bag is my personal visit with that alpaca. Memories of their pranks, their particular personality, the joy of seeing them with their first cria (baby), or patiently waiting for them to come of age so we can see their offspring, all work their way through my mind. It reminds me of why I am raising these special animals. If you look for me, check the fiber room first.

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Surreal

I live in a beautiful place; 80 acres of rolling pastures surrounded

A Beautiful View

by Mark Twain National Forest. Occasionally you will hear road noise, especially when the weather is nice and the motor cyclists are out cruising, but mostly it is the sounds of nature filling the air. Birds of all species, coyotes, tree frogs and bull frogs and a full assortment of singing insects serenade us. The trees are mostly oak but hickory, redbud, walnut, cedars and native pines are mixed among them. The sky is expansive and usually a gorgeous blue or filled with white clouds.

When we get visitors at the ranch, the first thing we hear is “what a great view you have”. They just stand and look over the place and remark

“how peaceful” it is. Normally this is how our ranch is; until an A10 jet screams by overhead. Then we hear, “what was that?!”.

A10 Warthog

Our ranch sits only 3 miles, as the crow flies, to an Air Force practice range. It is not uncommon for A10 Warthog jets, C130 Hercules cargo planes, military Apache helicopters or even the Stealth bomber to fly over our ranch. (Sure hope this isn’t a Homeland Security Secret) This has been going on since we have lived here and we hardly notice them. It is just part of our environment and we have learned to tune the noise out. The livestock and pets don’t even flinch when they buzz by, except when they fly really low.

For most people this is a surreal experience; a peaceful setting in the National Forest with jets, gun fire and bombs exploding in the distance. Last week we had 10 – yes, I said 10 – C130s flying in a random formation over the ranch for about an hour. Now that was a new experience for us and we enjoyed watching them. Not sure what it was all about but loved the show. One couple was thrilled to see the jets zoom by. They had wanted to get to the Air Force range for some time and never made it. Here, when visiting, they were able to see them for several passes.

A10 Warthog

C130 Hercules

Apache Helicopter

Stealth Bomber

The aircrafts don’t fly every day, so if you come for a visit we cannot guarantee an air show. We can guarantee a beautiful view and a visit to our alpaca herd, where you can relax to their humming. So why not take a road trip and leave your worries behind.

Alpaca Herd

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In Like a Lion

I heard on the radio that Missouri has set a record for the number of warm days in March. It has been unseasonably warm this month. March not only came in like a lion, with high winds, but also ferociously with high temperatures. By the end of the month we are to see temps in the high 80s!

As the usual migration of birds began, I knew that spring was on its way. The Canadian geese could be seen flying overhead in their massive V formations; the robins were back looking for worms in the lawns; the finches, both yellow and purple were at the feeder; the martins were gathering in their martin houses and of course the blue birds had begun nesting. The Juncos were still hanging around so I knew winter wasn’t officially over; not before they leave anyway.

Redbud tree in bloom

One good rain and the trees started to bud. In Missouri the first to bloom are the redbud trees. Seeing their reddish-purple flowers dot the woods is a sure sign spring is here. Time to get those gardens tilled and shrubs pruned in anticipation of warmer days. We don’t put in the vegetables until after the dogwood blooms. March is famous for another frost or even a mild snow. Many an anxious gardener has had to replant after a freeze killed off their precious starts.

Apple Blossoms

Busy doing the normal chores, I noticed the fruit trees starting to bloom. Now I was getting concerned; one year we lost the fruit crop because of that March freeze I just mentioned. I was hoping that would not be the case again this year. Next appeared the lilacs in bloom; what a wonderful fragrance those flowers send out through the air. I love to walk by those bushes.

Dogwood in Bloom

Nothing seemed really odd until the dogwood began to bloom. Wait! This is March. The dogwoods aren’t supposed to bloom until mid-April. I am really confused. The blooming dogwoods are my trigger to put the garden in. Do I plant or do I wait? This is not right! I started to poll various “old timers” around me. No, they could not remember the dogwood blooms coming this early in the year. Sure seems odd. The box turtles are out and about also and we usually don’t see them until May.

You have to know something about these “old timers”; nothing really fazes them. They have been around long enough to have seen many odd things. They might consult the Old Farmers’ Almanac but they will probably wait to plant at the regular time, the end of April. Never can trust what the weather may do. So, like them, I will wait and hope the summer doesn’t get too hot and take its toll on my crops.

Praying for cooler weather as I enjoy the coloring of my world.

Lilacs

Dogwood-Missouri State Tree

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Our Dog Saga

Our Dog Saga

I wasn’t going to blog about this but the story just keeps getting bigger as the days go by. So I will try to keep it brief.

On January 20, our 2 ½ year old Labrador Retriever was hit by a delivery truck in our drive. I rushed him, Dodge, to the vet. His leg was broken in two places and he had a broken pelvis. The damage was too severe for surgery and we had to have him put down. I have been raising Labradors since 1980 and this is the first one to be hit by a vehicle. It was especially hard since he was so young.

Dodge 2009 - 2011

After grieving for the weekend, I came to the conclusion that I could continue to grieve or do something positive. I contacted our local animal shelter to find a dog that needed a home and give it one. Dodge was also a rescued dog; from the experience of his adoption I learned that large black dogs are very hard to place. For that reason, and for my love of the Labradors, I sought a black lab or lab mix.

Linus was a black lab mix whose owner had died and he was now at the shelter. He had been chained up most of his life, as far as they knew, and needed to be socialized. He is probably about 3 years old. After a visit with him at the shelter, I decided to take him home on a trial basis and see how he worked out. He was very timid but I knew we could give him the attention he needed and was sure he would adjust to ranch life.

Our first experience was that he was uncomfortable in the house and did not understand stairs. Stairs could be an issue because our dog pen was off the downstairs door. Deciding not to press the issue with him, I would walk him out the front door, around the house, to the pen. First adjustment made.

Second adjustment was the house issue. If I let him out to “do his business” he would not come back to me or come into the house. I wanted to let him be who he was and not make him into the dog I thought he should be, so I put a blanket down for him on the front porch with food and water by it. The first night we did get him to sleep in the house but the second night he slept on the porch. Second adjustment made.

The third day together was great. I have an office at the ranch and Linus stayed with me in the office. I took breaks to give him attention and let him know this was his home. We went to the barn together and he watched as I fed the alpacas then returned with me to the office. He went to feed the cows and again returned to the office. He didn’t chase the alpacas, cows or the cats. We had it made; or so we thought. That evening he again slept on the front porch.

Day 4 I tried to get Linus to come to me in the morning but he was still too timid. I put out his food and let him eat while I dressed for the day. It was just dawn when I went to the office and even when I called him he didn’t come. I headed to the alpaca barn; still no Linus. After chores I checked and he had eaten his food. We drove around the ranch with our gator but there was no sign of him. By noon I notified the shelter that he was missing. They were pretty sure he would come back on his own.

A week later Linus still had not returned and the shelter crew decided a “dog hunt” was called for. I joined them and we drove and called and dropped off flyers. No sign of Linus. After several hours we decided to stop the hunt and resume again later. The next day, Sunday, I got a call that Linus had been spotted. The crew was out again and we spread out in the area he had been seen. After several more hours Linus was found! He was a little thinner, very tired and very smelly. A bath was a must. He was so exhausted he slept well in the house that night.

Linus' Story

This story is still continuing and we take it one day at a time. Linus is still with us on the ranch and is on a leash on in the pen when he is not in the office or house with me.  He still doesn’t do stairs but he is not allowed to run free yet. I may start a blog section just for him.

I don’t think this story is anywhere near ending.

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Nothing Happening

Sometimes I feel that people, in general, think that nothing really happens on the ranch. Let me be the first to tell you, that is not the case.

Yesterday began as any other day; feed the pets and let them out, have some coffee, Bible study, check overnight emails, dress for the day. I then headed to the barn for normal chores. Everything was going as it should. Just as I was finishing up with the alpacas my husband arrived at the barn to take the gator. He had decided to take some heifers to the cattle auction this morning. And by the way, we captured another skunk in the live trap.

Yes, just a “nothing happening” day on the ranch.

After checking all my gates, doors and lights, I left the barn to help with the loading of the heifers. I short hike from one barn to the other. Two were already in the trailer so the job was half done – or was it? One of the two in the trailer was a bull and not a heifer. I climbed to the other side of the trailer, opened the front door to let the bull out; being sure to get out of his way. Closing the door, we were ready to continue. Number 2 was now in and the mid panel closed. Number 3 made it into the chute. Number 4 was left with another bull by her side so we kept them circling until she made her way into the chute. Open the gates and they were in the trailer. Off to the auction they went.

Just a “nothing happening” day on the ranch.

Remember that skunk? Off we head to the alpaca barn to get the caged skunk loaded into the truck to re-locate her/him. I had been doing some research since my last skunk blog and I found that the skunk will face its enemy first and if that doesn’t work it will turn to spray. SLOWLY I inched my way toward the cage with the tarp between us. When the skunk started to turn I stopped until it faced me again. A few more steps; stop and wait. Now I was close enough to cover the cage and I DIDN’T GET SPRAYED!! Skunk was loaded in the back of the pickup and we were off to the re-location site. Another mission accomplished.

Just a “nothing happening” day on the ranch.

Two days earlier we had agreed to foster a dog from the local shelter. It was time to take her out and acclimate her to the ranch property. After a short walk, on and off the leash, we were ready for a coffee break. Time to run monthly reports and do the mail.

I am sure glad nothing happens on the ranch.

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Skunked

We have a nice little office in our alpaca barn. It has a raised floor and a small heater in it; it works really well for storing the feed and supplies and is a good place to warm up when the barn temperature is below freezing. I guess, under the raised floor it is pretty nice too; at least that is what the skunks think.

For the third time, in so many years, we have had skunks take up residence under our barn office. The idea of having them there doesn’t bother me but when something agitates them and they spray …YUK! The whole office permeates of their deadly perfume. It takes days to air it out.

Last year we successfully live trapped a pair of skunks and relocated them to distant woods. I didn’t realize they stayed in pairs until last year. We thought we had blocked off their access to the office basement but we were mistaken. There was just enough space to create a nice little tunnel in this fall.

As it worked last year, we again set the trap to capture our new residents. Canned dog food works really well to lure them into the trap. Of course the first night was cold and they didn’t take the bait. Last night was warmer and we again successfully trapped one. It did rain all morning, so the skunk was not only unhappy about being trapped but soaked as well.

One down. One to go?

Now I have had people tell me lots of things about how a skunk won’t spray if … none have proven to be true. Not only will the skunk spray, and spray often, but the spray is oil based and seems to travel through the air and get into everything. Right now my nose is burning with that lovely perfume of theirs. Everything I am wearing will head to the washer and me to the shower to tone down the odor.

If the same is true as last year, I still have one more skunk to trap this week. Wish me luck!!

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Unexpected Events

1997 - 2012

On the ranch there are always unexpected things happening. Sometimes you can figure out why or what happened and at other times they take you completely by surprise. Saturday we had one of those events.

My day started out as usual with normal barn clean-up and feeding. It was a beautiful day and everything was as normal. After all the cleaning is done I carry hay outside for the alpacas to graze on. The ladies all crowded around as I came into their pen, each trying to get a bite as I walked by. Ebony, our herd matriarch, was the first in line. They followed me out, as usual, and I left them munching away.

Around noon I headed back to the barn for hay replenishment. I was heading to town to run some errands and wouldn’t be back until dinner time. The lady alpacas were still outside so I took the hay down to them and they came around to eat. I headed back to the barn to feed the boys. As I passed by the lady’s pen I noticed Ebony was lying near the door and looked uncomfortable. I went in to check and she looked like she might have eaten too much and had a stomach ache. A few of her pen mates noticed her too and acted a little odd around her.

Knowing I had to run my errands, I made sure she was not blocking the door and was resting fairly comfortably. I would check on her as soon as I returned. There really wasn’t much to do but wait and see how she would be later in the afternoon.

I made it back to the ranch and headed to the barn late afternoon. Ebony was still near the door and in a cush position. Usually that is a good sign for an alpaca. The pen mates were picking on her a little so I decided to move her to private area in the barn. She wouldn’t get up and walk; not a good sign. I managed to get her moved and made her as comfortable as possible. After cleaning up the stalls, I noticed she was taking a turn for the worse.

Ebony was over 14 years old and had been having difficulty putting her weight on the last year or so. We had taken her out of the breeding program, because of that, and just let her graze and enjoy her herd life. We had already decided not to take any extreme measures if she were to fail in health. That may sound cruel, but on the ranch you have to make some difficult but wise decisions. I made Ebony as comfortable as I could and put some extra straw around her for bedding and warmth and I sat with her, stroking her neck and assuring her everything would be all right. She always was a good alpaca and easy to handle. It was my pleasure to spend this time with her. I stayed with her until dark.

In the morning on arriving at the barn I found Ebony had gone and was sure she was now grazing in lush, green pastures. It wasn’t that we lost her that surprised me; it was how quickly things turned from good to bad. My vet has told me that by the time you know something is wrong with an alpaca it is usually too late. They seldom show their pain or sickness. I don’t think I will ever get used to losing one of these lovely creatures. I am grateful for the wonderful memories each of them gives me.

Ebony, I will miss you.

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