Here at Kensmyth we allow 3 feet per Alpaca to eat from at any trough. This is to ensure that each Alpaca can access food. Some Alpaca literally eat to live and stay slim (as some humans do) and some (rather more of them) live to eat and guzzle greedily which can lead to less strong characters not getting enough.

Watching your Alpaca eat from troughs where there is plenty of room ensure you “know” your characters and can address the issue accordingly – fat Alpaca are more likely to have birthing issues due to lack of space for the cria to grow.

With a nearly 12 month gestation – no one should encourage overfeeding of a single quadruped that guzzles BUT as Autumn descends, Alpaca must be fed regularly as weight loss at this time of year is difficult to recoup.

Watch your Alpaca, Hay should be sweet smelling and readily accessed, time for ADE too.

Alpaca should have access to shelter at all times – shade for the Summer, shelter for the Winter.

Nearly September 2017 – Bring it on!

This is a wonderful story for another day but meantime…

Congratulations to our Muscovy and Alpaca lovers Jon and Julie – the smiles say it all and we look forward to seeing you soon at Kensmyth…

Building Kensmyth from scratch in 2012 was a nightmare of gloop and clay but “Take a look at us now” – the work we have put in over the past 5 and a half years is now a glorious Green focussed Alpaca farm with superb Alpaca imparting knowledge and wonder to all…

the car park by day with the Scots pine…

and by night…

and the wonder of the world on the Cotswold Skyline – a well fenced farm…

Yes – we work hard at Kensmyth…

sometimes when you see something for the last time, it reminds you of the circle of life. when we planted Scots Pine at Kensmyth in 2012 we had no idea how much pleasure each year they would give us. they were planted partially as a screen but more importantly because of the “yield” of cones which our Visitors enjoy. We give each year, to Groups who let small children paint spray them for Christmas decorations and they are used here for making animals (Alpaca you guessed) out of them.

Each year I watch their “fruit” grow and we teach children a little of the wonder of “Growing Green”…

Each year we see from the “catkin” look alikes to the cones which we pluck and store to dry and it gives us great pleasure to be able to “give” knowledge and wonder to small children and see them smile and learn at the same time. Bless – it is not just where your food comes from!

With the Autumnal feeling, soggy ground and fog, it feels more like September than August. Meantime we have had some amazing fun (albeit in jeans, hoodies and wellies) with our Alpaca Walkers…

It was back to reality with a hard thump when we got back from Dorset. A good friends Father had died suddenly so my lads will bear the coffin shortly, my Mother in law was rushed into hospital (still there) and my Father had a heart attack. They are still with us and getting better so some Happy Thoughts for them…

and whilst we were there we visited Lyme Regis which had a food fest on. considering we were there only two days and two nights it was pretty action packed I can tell you…

Well I was asked if I took any pictures of Beaminster – so here you are… stunning little village with so many old fashioned shops that I hope last. Butcher, Baker, even a French Patisserie – you name it. the beautiful colours reminded me a little of Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand and the blue sky was fab…

Well we have been around the countryside a little bit recently with the boys running the farm in our absence – thank you. An open invitation from many of our West Country friends is always an honour but we did actually haul ourselves the 5 hour journey (yes M4 traffic) down to Beaminster recently and during the course of our week end away -went to the Martin Clunes Buckham Fair.

Great day had by all with much to see and do for all – I have never seen so many dogs in one place – ever!

excellent stalls and food choices…

classic cars for the enthusiasts…

A big thank you to all the owners of the dogs who posed for me and especially to Frankie, Eddie, Cleo, Molly, Holly and Eddie – just a few of those I photographed!

Give you a clue I did NOT see an Afghan Hound or a Samoyed – how many of the Dog breeds can you get right?

I saw these recently and they made me laugh so much I had to share them with my readers…

shocking pink Bentley – wow, even a B on the Wheels…

and No I was in the Passenger seat not driving but take a look at these real beauties…

to be found in my Mother in Laws garden – marvellous!