caught in a Spiders web….

So nice to be mentioned in the Siddington News, amongst all the others,  for our support for their Grow and Show 2017 event – looking forward to the next one.

It is so nice when local Businesses can support their villages. Some actually realise they have an asset!

Meantime – spooky goings on and skies at Kensmyth, Clay Meadow

Remember to look after your pets for the week end and weeks ahead of bonfires and fireworks. if you do not have good fencing, do not be surprised if Alpaca jump out if frightened.

the skies are preparing to be S P O O K Y

Alpaca are not all world beating fleece producers. Anyone who thinks this or is led to believe this should try to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – they will have more success there.

So if you think you are going to spend a few thousand pounds, take a few years and have a world beating herd – that makes you fortunes annually then get a life right now because you will not.

At Kensmyth, we have taken since our first cria born in 2007 and worked exceptionally hard on our genetic depth to breed consistent fleece, confirmation and size Alpaca.

Glad to see – Kensmyth has it all – as these photos of our older Foundation females show – still producing fleeces with Micron below 19 themselves

and we don’t doctor our photos to make them look good – they really are this good!

It takes years of hard work, commitment, dedication, genetics and financial outlay to develop a herd that continues year on year to produce Alpaca with Fleece quantities and statistics that everyone wants to buy.

if your original foundation herd females are rubbish, they can only “improve” but will never produce world beating stock.

Remember that – you get what you pay for in all things  – including Alpaca

I refer to the ultra whiteness of the “one Alpaca” on Doc Martin from my last blog. Alpaca do not come in that persil white unless washed – which you do not do – and/or very, very young. The normal routine colour is “off white” due to ground conditions.

However, some are just muck magnets LOL – seeing the real thing is believing!

I didn’t finish working until really late last night and put the TV on to see Doc Martin – something I didn’t even realise had started up again!

Imagine my surprise during this episode to see ONE Alpaca on its own and the “owner” saying that “she was in season so likely to be aggressive”

First and foremost Alpaca should never be kept singly – they are a herd animal

Secondly, they are induced ovulators which means they only ovulate by the act of copulation – they do NOT have seasons like horses, dogs, cattle etc.

Finally, the ridiculous noises that they appeared to make the Alpaca do on that program have not come from any Alpaca I have ever heard.

At least they were genuinely promoted as valuable!

Some blogs maybe should be forgotten about and not repeated – especially in view of new life. In this case, we have a new beautiful hefty 40kg dog whom we have now had 18 months. However, sadly just a short while ago was the 2 year mark of losing our beloved Flat Coated Retriever here at Kensmyth, Clay Meadow. Most of you know she had a nasal tumour and was put to sleep before she was 8 years old.

She was a beautiful dog and where there is love in the world, there is always pain. not just loss but at growing up and change. just look at the size of the boys now…

Everything changes in time. What amazes me is the most beautiful photo of her here was how the fields were when we got here to Clay Meadow… one forgets

and the saddest is that all the dogs in the photos also have died – God bless them all

I have heard the “same old same old” bewailing from farming friends this week of the ground conditions and the weather. I cannot deny I have been soaked to the skin most days but that is farming for real – but take a look at my office! I would not swop farming Alpaca for the world…

we are always crazy busy but we were delighted to have received an invitation to the Community and Friendship Launche in the presence of His Excellency The High Commissioner of Australia at the Cirencester Church recently for the Abbey 900. It was a beautiful evening, having donned my “glad rags” swopping smelly Alpaca clothing for some perfumed numbers and I saw a great many people there that I recognised and knew. It was great to catch up with so many friends we have made over the years we have been here at Clay Meadow in the Cotswolds. So many Businesses and Clubs and Groups there too.

Words cannot describe the beauty of the Church, the music played and the moving speeches…

The concept of Abby 900 is a continued joint Country development of community and friendship – long may it continue…

sometimes you just take the most weird photos and then they come out perfectly! Back to Nature here but I am sure it is not intended – my home grown tomatoes indoors growing better Nettles…

and a Ladybird flying a long way from home in nearly November…