Farm Boys

I've been meaning to post all morning but have been to tied up watching congress not do anything. Well the bailout failed about 15 minutes ago so I can carry on with life I suppose. I wonder what it all means, if anything, to you and I?

We did go on the farm tour on Saturday. We got up early and drove Lolli down to her daughters house and dropped her off then headed back up the valley to start the tour. I did take pictures and got some really cute ones of the Alpacas but I forgot the camera at home so I'll post them later.

We got to the first farm which claimed to be a Christmas tree and bee keeping farm. My first impression was the Mr. Farmer didn't have indoor plumbing as personal grooming and clean clothes was clearly optional at this farm. We walked around the farm, around various piles of equipment(?) and just plain refuse scattered about the place. We did see three rabbits huddled in very small cages and two goats who lacked fresh water. At this point I was ready to bail but we soldiered on. We walked around for about 15 minutes looking for any interpretive signage, a barn perhaps or anything remotely resembling some sort of farm like, income generating enterprise. We finally did find a large outbuilding that we passed coming in the gate, this was their 'Farm Store'. Inside was a small refrigerated case holding five or six different packages of honey. All of them looked very professionally packaged but none of them had any indication they came from THIS farm. Aside from the honey there was ample space dedicated to Christmas ornaments and other 'crafts' that clearly weren't made anywhere near these parts. A hop, skip and a turn and we were back in the 'parking lot'

Off down the road, and as we made it to the main road we both smelt something smelling exactly like dog do. I quick stop by the side of the road and a shoe check determined it wasn't, as we thought, smeared on to the bottom of a shoe. Hmmm. We get back in the Jeep and on the road and sure enough the smell is stronger then ever. I look in the back seat and see that our faithful companion Bear has been sick in the corner. Poor boy. He wasn't even acting funny so it was a bit of a surprise. We pull over again and did our best to clean it up with a empty Starbucks cup and grass & plant material found by the side of the road. That done we roll down the windows and get back on the road.

Jay's driving and I don't even realise where he's going until he gets near the freeway and starts to head home. I ask him what he's doing and he says simpling enough "heading home". What? We're heading home with out seeing a real farm? I think not. Jay was concerned that the pup wasn't feeling well and that I was too much of a weenie to drive around in a funky smelling car. From the tail action I could see going on in the back sat I knew Bear was still ready to go. Even if he couldn't get out of the car at the farms.

So we set out for the Alpaca farm. This farm was much better with proper paddocks and animals who didn't seem to deserve refugee status. We walked around for a bit then went down near the Alpaca mommies paddock to see the two soon-to-be mommas. Here we met up with a charming, attractive lady who is Ms. Alpaca Farmer. She was very helpful and informative. She spent the rest of our visit there talking about the ins and outs and joys of Alpaca farming. I think she saw us as easy marks. As lovely as these animals are I just don't see anyone getting rich selling Alpaca wool for a living. My sense is that the only way you make Alpaca farming pay is to recruit new Alpaca farmers to the cause. We did learn quite a bit from her. First off I noticed and learned that there are only two 'A''s in Alpaca - not Alapaca which is how I was spelling it, so that's good. Also these poor creature gestate for 340 days.

340 DAYS! - and even at that it's sometimes +24 more days, give or take. Poor dears. The two pregnant dears in the paddock got a very heartfelt "I'm so sorry" from me. No wonder they were a bit testy. Testy is not a normal Alpaca trait from what I saw and learned. They are very curious animals and seem quite intelligent. They are very aware of whats going on with their group or herd and will look out for each other. The do seem to communicate with each other and with people with a throaty kind of lowing. a short lived sound that can be played flat or with a bit of a flip up of pitch at the end as if asking a question. Ms. Alpaca Farmer said they're quite friendly in the way a cat is. They'll come give you a sniff or a rub but only of their own volition. If you try and pet them they move away.

By this time Ms. Alpaca Farmer has sized up the two of us and clearly figured out that Jay is her real mark as he's the one gushing over the animals and talking in sweet near-to-be baby talk to them and telling them how pretty they were. I was off to the side looking at the human shoe sanitation station wondering why it was down here in the Mommy paddock and not at the entrance to the farm. Apparently the Alpaca's in the first three paddocks I wandered though are on their own when it comes any type of "Mad Alpaca" disease. This is what I'm thinking about when I hear Jay finally ask the question that's been playing on his mind for days. "Just how much is an Alpaca?" Ms. AF informs him that a good brooding mare(?) starts at $7,500.00 and can go anywhere up to $75,000.00 for good bloodlines. His monosyllabic response was a very telling "Oh"

We then went up to the farm house and looked at the display on shearing, carding and spinning of Alpaca wool. All very interesting, but it just reinforced my opinion that to make any money at Alpaca farming means becoming a slave either to the beast or a spinning wheel and loom.

All in all it was all very well displayed and educational, especially for Jay. I spent the rest of the afternoon at home scrubbing the back seat of the jeep while Jay plotted his next project, a bigger goat enclosure. Alpaca's taking a back seat in his mind for now, I'm sure.

My Jeep now smells like Pinesol and dog yak, and upper field has little stakes pounded into the ground all over the place. If he thinks I'm giving up half that field to goats he's got another thing coming.

I'll post the pictures when I get home tonight.