Fall Farm Routines
Herd health day takes on new meaning in cold weather. We’re not quite there yet; today was brisk, but not freezing. A light pair of fingerless gloves was all that was needed to keep hands warm while giving shots. For those of you not familiar with alpaca husbandry, alpacas require … Read More
The calm before the storm
The last few days have been such a gift…mild, calm and dry. We’ve managed to get quite a lot done from our “get ready for winter” list, but Hurricane Sandy has thrown in a few extra chores. While northern VT is not predicted to bear the brunt of this storm, … Read More
Happy Spring!
The first day of spring and it feels more like summer! This stretch of warm weather is so unusual for northern Vermont. We are generally sitting in a sea of snow and mud at this time of year. But most of the snow is gone, the roads are nowhere near … Read More
March madness…on the farm
After the craziness of fall alpaca shows and fiber festivals, we always have big plans for all the “free” time we’ll have during the winter. Well, March is here, the first spring show is in just three weeks, then shearing starts start soon after. And all those big plans for … Read More
Routine husbandry
We have a number of husbandry tasks that are done on a regular basis. Today we took advantage of the relatively mild weather and weighed and body scored our 2011 crias and weanlings. We weigh young alpacas more often than adults as a way to keep track of their growth. … Read More
Mild weather chores
The forecast for tomorrow and Friday is sunny and 30’s. Perfect weather for skirting alpaca fiber in the barn. The south facing window warms the space up nicely when the weather is above freezing. I still have a fair amount of fiber to skirt and move before alpaca shearing starts … Read More
Chillin’ in the Snow
Visitors to Snowshoe Farm often ask how the alpacas handle winter. As you can see, at least on days when there’s not a cold wind blowing, the alpacas are quite comfortable. Unless the weather is very windy or it’s snowing or raining hard, our alpacas generally are free to come … Read More
Alpaca Husbandry in Winter
Those of us who farm in colder climates have to work around some challenges posed by the cold, ice and snow. One challenge is to stay warm while working outside, especially if you can’t wear heavy gloves for the task at hand. Another is to find good days for using … Read More
Merry Christmas!
We woke to a winter wonderland this morning! A definite improvement over this week’s ice and mud. It looks like we’re having a white Christmas after all. We at Snowshoe Farm wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012!