Playing Catch Up

Hi Folks,

Well we survived the high winds from last week, even if we did loose sleep wondering which way round we would be facing in the mornings, but all is well and we are still securely in place.

My week off came and went as if I had not even been off from work. The job list looks like it's not even taken a dent. Lisa really has got her work cut out on the farm but we are both determined to make a success of the business, that the hard work involved is part of the excitement in developing the business into a successful thriving Alpaca Farm. We are pleased to say that things are really working for us at the moment and potential sales of alpacas look set on the horizon.

Our top herdsire "Wellground Relentless" that we brought earlier in the year is really turning out to be a top buy, his presence in the paddocks is really noticeable and has been commented on by visitors to the farm. "Relentless" has the most amazing fleece and a fantastic pedigree to back it up. We are hoping that "Relentless" will be ready to work in the early part of 2011 and we are very keen to see his off-spring on the ground in 2012, there will be more information about "Relentless" on our website very soon, I am just finalising the pages that are hidden at the moment.

We have been selling eggs like they are going out of fashion and the egg side of things just goes from strength to strength, which is all very eggciting!!. We have also had our first batch of yarn back from the mill albeit a small batch this time round as we wanted to see what we can produce, and we are very excited indeed, this will be past onto our knitter so that we can have some garments knitted up....we cant wait to see the finished product.

Well that's all for tonight, back soon.

Windy Times....Rocking Caravan!

Hi Folks,

Well what a week off I'm having. Not only has my work phone not stopped ringing, the weather is horrendous. I'm so glad I finally managed to secure the caravan down, we are convinced that with this wind pounding against the caravan it would have certainly moved. Listening to the wind buffeting us about is not for the faint hearted. Lisa and I sit here and then just look at each other as the wind takes hold again and we secretly think I hope this wind stops soon. My philosophy behind it all is that if the field shelters are still standing then we should be OK.......fingers crossed!

Well that's enough about the weather. We have been bottle feeding one of our cria's for the last few weeks after it became apparent that he was just not getting enough from his mum, Lisa had been keeping an eye on him when feeding from his mum and noticed that he just didn't seem to be getting anything, so we decided that bottle feeding was the best solution. Well we are pleased to say that he his now looking more content and plays more with the other cria's causing mayhem in the paddocks.

We have now managed to organise our barns to allow us to bring all the alpacas in through bad weather and over the winter. Jayne we certainly have mud now so the nice green grass pictures are well and truly gone until next year! with the barns setup for the alpacas its given us the piece of mind knowing that all the alpacas can be tucked and allowed to dry out. A collection of hay and straw filled our gaps so we are now set for the winter.

Well that's all for now, we have another sleepless night ahead, as we listen to the wind rattling the caravan........

Boy's Will Be Boy's

Hi Folks,

Another week passes and I have finally managed to get a week off from my full time job. The job list for this following week has grown beyond belief. Well Saturday started of with an early start with Lisa's dad farm sitting for us we had to take a trip down south to drop off "Wellground Killawasi's Keepsake" back to his owners Roger and Pauline at Pipley Court Alpacas. We were made very welcome on our arrival, with cakes and coffee flowing. A look around the farm and at the alpacas was all very exciting but that excitement was to end as it was time for us to start heading home.

We couldn't drive home without calling into see Rob and Les at Wellground Alpacas, after all it is on the way home and I knew Rob would have given me grief if he knew that we had driven by without stopping. So this was a flying visit, which was started with Rob showing me his potential new toy......."The Run Away Tractor" I think you need allot more practice on the tractor.......if I was you Rob, keep the role hoop up and wear your crash helmet!

I have finally managed to anchor the caravan down to the ground now with some 4' spikes knocked into the ground and metal rope securing the caravan to the spikes.......that should do it.....well this week will soon show if it works, as the TV has given out severe weather warnings with gales and rain throughout the week, great!

Well with the caravan secured and the sun shinning, although it was cold, I couldn't resist getting the camera out and catching a couple of pictures of the babies play fighting.

These two are always up to mischief, they just cant walk a couple of feet without having a dig at each other, its all completely Innocent play but they are little sods, if you turn your back they are off back up to the barns to cause havoc while you are letting the rest of the gang out into the paddocks, if they were kids they would have "Asbo's" issued to them by now.

Flicker our unexpected foal is really growing into a big girl now, she has now been weaned of her mum and has been as good as gold about it. Flicker was born on the 1st May 2010 and has really settled into her new surrounding, even if she thinks she might be an alpaca as that is what she sees the most of.

Well that's all for tonight, batten down those hatches!

Hot & Cold.......

Hi All,

Well its been a while since my last blog as I have been away for a week at the International Fire Training Centre up north at Tees Side, this was some training for my work as with having an airfield I needed to gain a qualification to be able to operate it properly. This was quite an intense week of training, not only in the classroom but dealing with live fires on the fire ground. I am pleased to say that I passed the exam and I am know a qualified "Low Category Supervisor of Aerodromes" which basically means that I am now in charge of the Fire Crew and know the legal requirement to operate an operational airfield as set by the CAA (civil aviation authority) anyway that's enough of that, your probably not interested anyway!

That's me bending down to the fire at one of the many simulations we did, you can see on the right what would be an engine fire and undercarriage fire, with the props of the plane showing through the flames.

Well Lisa did a fantastic job looking after the farm and all of the gang, Lily was helping too or hindering, depends on how you interpret it. It was nice to get back home and see the family and the alpacas. We awoke this morning to a chilly start but a typical crisp winters day, I couldn't resist getting the camera out to take a couple of pictures of some of the gang in the winter sunshine (I say winter as it certainly reminded me of winter this morning)

Coco was not impressed with the cold weather and thought it might be warmer on his feet, if he stood in the feed trough...... he didn't stop there long as he was soon pushed out the way by the others when the food went down.

Well its back to work in the morning, so that's all for now as I really ought to help Lisa with the animals or else it might be me outside in the barns tonight!

Take care folks.

Lazy Days

Hi Folks

Just a short one tonight, but I couldn't resist this picture of some of our herd enjoying another sunny day in October lazing around.


Barry came down a couple of days ago helping with the ever growing poo picking duties, Lily has really taken a shine to him and it looks like i have lost my cap from work, which seems to have found a new owner. I'm not sure what the conversation was here but it certainly looks like they are both putting the worlds to right.


The new four Australians have settled in very well, it's like they have always been here. Still no muddy puddles for Kazuo yet Debbie!

Well that's all for tonight as I am desperately trying to get the website up to date, as this just seems to be taking forever to get it how I want it.

Take care all.

Four More Australians

Hi All,

Well what a hectic weekend we have had. Saturday was an early start as myself and Collin headed off up north to Barnacre Alpacas to pick up four more Australian to add to the WillowBank Herd.

What a journey this was, just over 4 hours to get to Debbie & Paul at Barnacre but it was a welcome sight to see the alpacas in the paddocks when we arrived quickly followed by bacon sandwiches and coffee, thanks guys I certainly needed that.

We had a quick look at some of the knitwear Debbie has been creating which was outstanding, you certainly have something good going on there Debbie, keep it up. A look at the studs in the paddocks confirmed that what we had just purchased was going to make an impression within the WillowBank Herd, Wellground Legend of Spartacus and EP Cambridge Gianmarco's Masterpiece looked amazing even if they were a little wet.

It was then time to get the four loaded into the trailer as we had a long journey back home and I wanted to make sure we were back before it got dark so as we could keep an eye on them to make sure they settled in OK. I think i saw a tear in Debbie's eye as the rear door was closed, don't worry Debbie they will be well looked after and I will get Kazuo to send a postcard.

We finally got home and let the alpacas out into there own paddock to allow them to settle in, a well deserved stretch of the legs for all involved.

Today has been a lovely day with crisp sunshine for most of the day so an ideal time to get the camera out to take some photo's of the new arrivals.

The above picture is Cambridge Ginny a solid white female sired by Wellground Legend of Spartacus, with further genetics from EP Cambridge Peruvian Spartacus, EP Cambridge Giselle and Jolimont Commissario. Ginny's dam Yuralee Katia of Cambridge comes with genetics from Jolimont Manfredo and Jolimont Conquistador.

This is Cambridge Kazuo a solid white male sired by EP Cambridge Gianmarco's Masterpiece with further genetics from Jolimont Gianmarco and Jolimont Encantador Kazuo's dam Laalgarths Alice of Cambridge comes with genetics from EP Cambridge Stormcat and NWA Ltd Ruffo.


Ginny and her mum Yuralee Katia of Cambridge, enjoying the grass but Ginny heard me coming so was trying to pose for the camera

All four standing for the camera, from left to right is Ginny, Katia, Kazuo and Alice, oh and not forgetting Wellground Relentless our stud male in the background. We are so pleased that we have been fortunate to have these fabulous genetics here now at WillowBank Alpaca Stud, bring on 2011.

Well that's all for now, back soon.

New Arrivals!!

Hi Guys,

As you can see from the time of this post it's a late one and a short one. A trip up north brings in return four more alpacas with amazing genetics and exciting times ahead to our herd here at WillowBank, thanks to Barnacre Alpacas.

Pictures and more information to follow shortly at a more reasonable time, so come back real soon.

That's all for now, I really need my bed, eight hours travelling is enough for anyone.