Let's hear it for the boys.

Camelot looks across the laneway to the girls paddock. Discovery and Darcy Spice behind him.

After two months, the boys had eaten the old tennis court out of grass, and we were able to bring them into one of the new paddocks. The whole herd were given ADE yesterday, which should be the last time this winter, we've had several bright days this week, though still a fierce cold wind in exposed places. The boys are getting very good on halters, and so we brought them back by road through the village.

Boys and mums reunion.

Excitement across the wires.

Conversing around the water-cooler.

The girls.

I hope those affected by the extreme snow are getting back in order over this weekend.

Phase 2 paddock division.

Sorry, boring title - After an enjoyable weekend at The Futurity, it's been back to the grindstone this weekend - we were 'fortunate' to have two days of rain at the end of the week, rather than the snow many have had - so we had a day of post-bashing yesterday, and have fenced 115metres of internal paddock and lane-way today - squelchy under-foot, but the tractor didn't make much mess, and wrapped-up against a bitter easterly wind, we've made good progress - the girls have enjoyed some lush grass, and the boys will be coming back when this is finished over the Easter 'holiday'. Meanwhile their halter training continues, with trips to a lush garden to graze. I have to return the digger this week, so I need to spend another couple of hours trenching with it after work this week (early finish - yeay!).

Man v. machine

Another phase of the paddock development was carried out this weekend  - with two sons and a partner available and willing for some grafting, (apparently here for Mothers Day) we had a load of fence posts to unload and set out, followed by laying a water main.

 

The herd had cleaned up after three weeks without rain (!), however yesterday and today rain and sleet have turned conditions back somewhat - at least we aren't showing at The Futurity. We will be there, with entries in the photography and craft sections - our way of supporting the event rather than pretensions of brilliance. I have entered a photo into the BAS National competition, however I thought the theme for the photography rather odd (connecting the alpaca with its South American roots), but I tried, with a bit of creative writing.

Halter training the boys is progressing - Darcy Spice (not one of the Spice Girls) was reluctant to begin with, but today clearly remembered that fresh grass lay at the end of the walk, and was first in line up the lane.

Next a photograph from the digger-drivers view-point, having dug a trench, seeing three men grafting and sweating to fill it in again with a little pipe at the bottom, while I dug furiously as they gradually caught up with me - such fun! ...but my hands and feet did get vey cold in that cab!

Looking foward to the Futurity and meeting up with friends old and new.

Making inroads

Removing the turf at the entrance to keep the levels constant at the gate.

I took a couple of days off the day job this week, borrowed a digger, and started building a turning space and hardstanding for the new field. With ice staying in the water buckets all day every day, I put on as many layers of clothes as I could while still being able to climb in and out of the cab for the occasional shovelling.

A great view from the cab - those beautiful beasts, that drive me to spend my spare time doing this (note, the shelters are still standing!).

The stone lorries couldn't turn into the field, so the stone was tipped at the entrance, and I dragged it in with the digger.

This was the first time I'd driven a digger, since the Lego one I got for my 30th birthday! I realised that operating a digger can represent a metaphor for some businesses and organizations: sometimes the left-hand doesn't know what the right-hand is doing, and sometimes the left-hand didn't even know what it was doing itself!

I'll be able to get a smaller stone lorry into the field for the final bit.

At times I wondered what I'd taken on, it seemed like the third runway for Heathrow Airport, but after three and a half days, I'm very satisfied with the progress and have broken the back of it - the weather has been ideal, and we can tidy up the landscaping with a small viewing area.

Meanwhile, halter training continued - Discovery is a natural, and Darcy Spice was happy to follow - when I say happy, he turned and spat to let me know he could spend sunday afternoon more usefully!

Mobile shelter launched (nearly)

Yesterday, the new, modular alpaca rain and sun shade was assembled in position. Since I made them, the herd have been spending nights in the barn for obvious reasons, and due to the soggy ground it would have been too difficult to get the shelter over the hill, however yesterdays sunshine and a reasonable weather forecast suggests there will be some drying out this week, and indeed the herd didn't even head back last night, being happy to sit on the grass again.

I fitted a temporary cross-bar across the frame, so I could pick up each module supported across my shoulders, and one at a time headed up the still-slippery hill, resembling a tortoise - as I reached the top, the northerly wind started pushing me, and I had the option of testing it as an alternative hang-glider, but resisted that temptation and scurried over before the wind made the decision for me!

For anyone who's interested, here is a summary of the construction - the essence of the design was to be light, moveable by one person, and not requiring level ground - it isn't waterproof, but provides shelter and shade, like a hedge, and is cheap. The batten cost £50, the ground anchors £15 and the windbreak £60 for a 65% woven poly-something-or-other shade from www.allplas.co.uk , plus a bit for bolts etc.

I used 50 x 25 batten, but you have to be selective which pieces you use as it can be knotty. A patio with square slabs is useful for setting out the main triangle. The main joints are bolted.

Each module is 1200mm wide, and the roof and rear wall are cross-braced for rigidity.

The fabric is tacked on rather like upholstery (as if I'd know!) and wrapped around the edges for strength:

These anchors came from a camping shop - they are quite a good length.

I had these pins made 400mm long for anchoring fencing, as the longest tent pegs I could find are 300mm which isn't long enough (though it depends on your soil - ours is clay).

The pins are skew-nailed across the frame.

I've used 2 dog anchors where the modules join each other, tied with baler twine(!), though you could use a long bolt.

As I said before, they are suited to sloping ground:

I'll let you know, when they are tested by the wind....fingers crossed....

Meanwhhile, the boys have moved to the old tennis court for weaning, with Darcys older brother Camelot as head-boy, and halter-training has begun:

"No feeling in my fingers, no feeling in my toes..."

With respect to Wet, Wet, Wet, I've changed the lyric, you'll have to sing it yourselves. Yesterday there was a very slight thaw, under the snow, so the squelch had returned, but today it's been sub-zero, so at least I could get about without sliding or making a mess - so I tinkered with one of the gates until my toes went numb.

Before that, the hard ground meant I could get a wheel-barrow to the top of the hill, and spread hardcore in a gateway, and that was after mucking-out the shelter and spreading the straw around the alotment - the sure way to get up a sweat on a cold day!

The alpacas spent a few hours looking for grass before returning to the shelters. Meanwhile, one of the pleasures of snow, is the way it can turn ordinary things into fabulous sculptures for a while, so for anyone who is still waiting for their sprinkling of snow (Barbara), here are some scenes from our garden:

Snow moustache anyone?

No words required.

Autumn Gold, with daughter Golden Delicious

Bramley

Bramley

Camelot - deep down, my fleece is white, as pure as the driven sn........