tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4771432177982901082024-02-08T15:46:06.734+10:30Alpaca ChatterPerry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-68052454811899409722015-09-28T21:53:00.000+09:302015-09-28T21:53:59.143+09:30Soapbox time–light fawnsNon-alpaca readers, please feel free to move along, nothing to see here...<br />
<br />
Time to be a bit controversial, pull out the soapbox and have a bit of a rant.<br />
<br />
<b>Caveat:</b> Perry's personal opinion - not that of the Association and not necessarily shared by the rest of the tribe - they may agree but they're so sick of hearing me go on that they don't comment...<br />
<br />
So, with that warning, let's talk about light-fawn alpacas (I can hear the groans from here...). <br />
<br />
Now, we are, primarily, breeders of coloured animals: browns and fawns. We have a few nice blacks and some top whites but mostly, it's about the colours.<br />
<br />
I like light-fawn animals, that pale shade with maybe a hint of apricot is very attractive and something that I really like to see in the herd.<br />
<br />
I firmly believe that the show ring should reflect that...<br />
<br />
Here's what the rules say though:<br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>"An alpaca is to be shown in the appropriate colour class, when it is predominantly that colour. "</em><br />
<br />
No problem there, agree completely, but it's immediately contradicted by:<br />
<em><br /></em>
<em>"Animals with light fawn on the neck or backline should be entered and shown in the light fawn class."</em><br />
<br />
And that's where I part company with the rules. As a result of this our light fawn classes have become a showplace for b-grade whites. <br />
<br />
I'm terribly sorry, but if you have an animal with a pristine, snow-white fleece over 98% of its body and a tiny patch of fawn on the back of the neck, then what you have there is a, quite possibly very nice, colour-contaminated white, not a light-fawn. <br />
<br />
And yes, I know about 'true-white' phenotypes but the truth is that they are about as common as hens' teeth and the majority of white animals shown in white classes would fail that test. As far as I'm concerned there is a stronger case for creating a new 'off-white' or 'mostly white' class than there is for shunting colour-contaminated animals in with the light fawns. <br />
<br />
It's making a mockery of the colour classes, there have been many cases where the same animal is presented as light fawn in the ring and white in the fleece class. The public can't (with good reason) understand what they're seeing at shows and it's about time that we grew out of it and recognised light fawns for the unique class that they are rather than using the classification as a way to hoover up more ribbons for white animals that might not be able to cut it in their own class.<br />
<br />
There, rant over. Thank you for humouring me, I feel better now and promise not to mention it again.Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-36538536780485729902015-09-22T20:14:00.003+09:302015-09-22T20:14:49.060+09:30And so it begins...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECnjU_w4KpshzLP1VjKd-Gn-Fw3LBpia-4Q4MVTJbpMrqlHYXBTCcDd4agXnfD4Xd6Gke23SX40SNqkJ9CPxKK6hJzWlINvVPr8wYiK843SNsi9BVsyWricKoE5mutsZju4iF2j_SPXhN/s1600/shearing+begins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiECnjU_w4KpshzLP1VjKd-Gn-Fw3LBpia-4Q4MVTJbpMrqlHYXBTCcDd4agXnfD4Xd6Gke23SX40SNqkJ9CPxKK6hJzWlINvVPr8wYiK843SNsi9BVsyWricKoE5mutsZju4iF2j_SPXhN/s320/shearing+begins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Saturday saw the first shearing job of the season over at Strathalbyn. A
gentle start to the year with 41 animals at three farms.<br />
<br />
The way it’s looking it seems likely that we’ll clear 2000 head this year for
the first time at well over 100 properties in South Australia (and a handful in
NSW on the way back from a trip).<br />
<br />
I always have mixed feelings about shearing – it’s hard work and it takes us
away from the property where there’s so much to do but, on the other hand,
there’s no better way to get out and about, meeting owners and seeing a huge
range of animals and farming operations.Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-28257313803512529702014-10-07T08:46:00.000+10:302014-10-07T08:46:34.455+10:30What are these things with short necks?<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKUJEdTk0bGUePLT7grujRVIYw_8TRQe8VeIzl8_qv2rwaRw6sKMRQn5s_fEplUgOlMlhDX_YDpwQ1wnfmzqtHqc8-xlO6PIgXlBT9wp35W8CFzuE0o0OU5uPqS1RKKYIDjQp9snBOlAJA/s1600-h/IMG_20140929_064221_16.jpg"><img alt="IMG_20140929_064221_1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrMKFEbZcTna718q9xYCk2shuwXIuv4QTDLoXHxSITo17WH2aHeehaeITVfx2mlEjb7lHC0LCul6r_HjvUIjDXZgl9hveBvvSsvdXjKK7OvwUiX3umx1wN049kyXQ_9e8ySIVjOCjcaFc8/?imgmax=800" height="512" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="IMG_20140929_064221_1" width="590" /></a><br />
<em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Sorry, couldn’t help getting all artistic…</span></em></div>
<br />
And suddenly, we've got sheep. We never intended to have sheep, it just happened that way.<br />
<br />
A few months ago we sold a package of female alpacas to a couple that wanted to change away from the Wiltipolls that they currently kept on their property, As part of the deal we agreed to take four pregnant ewes in part exchange.<br />
<br />
It’s all part of our aim here to be as self sufficient as possible; while we’re certainly not eco-activists, we do care about knowing where our food comes from and how it’s raised.<br />
<br />
So now the first two have given birth and we have spring-loaded lambs bouncing around one of the home paddocks. They do, of course have their own, personal alpaca guard – woe betide the fox that tries anything, I wouldn’t argue with her.<br />
<br />
Got to admit that they are cute but I’m not going to get too attached – we have to remember what they’re here for.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qw3nTtJ0NNE46etuwu__RmrKhwauS4rAfmvlslTy2g02rz48Y1EaGwgghnupnOvkiPPwuTUsbcv4NuHt6imFr3M8dhCA-Qz3xYd5pb4zbWBHPgBlsZz24hB1_y3f5R0EoxsAaojuzdpV/s1600-h/sheep17.jpg"><img alt="sheep1" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-DDCulHUYMxnVRa7xo1lyygCIPYVjE-JXyyob1fBI6fFbMWSBV6NpvSwAy3lJi0yhl0_2CkiboocyrNS1QuzNeROdOYrdJuoEEupWHYfTpkSDpm4swEOkuk_1jijXDDgjhfLaAcWKsbF/?imgmax=800" height="351" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="sheep1" width="590" /></a>Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-22693034943591494272014-10-05T22:10:00.001+10:302014-10-05T22:10:00.700+10:30You want them halter trained by WHEN????<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--zl8j7buEmA/VDEuB1KxDuI/AAAAAAAAeXk/Js08sZQA_rM/s1600-h/juniors%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="juniors" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="juniors" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H2CG03DyRnG_pgdML7byYBgibrsk_2Sa6DdemPMn7mS_QVyKLVA84SMcLhBclUrc6UaFTuq2ibCKRshIwfngXujZR0h9GGld60-dpuHctX31i9RhkAkamthIry3g8YepjTh6c42Llf5U/?imgmax=800" width="590" height="314"></a></p> <p>We’re getting towards the tail end of the showing season here, just two more to go before shearing and mating starts in earnest.</p> <p>Tomorrow is Strathalbyn Show (it’s a public holiday weekend here). Strath is one of my favourites – it’s our closest for a start, only about 40 minutes from the farm gate. It’s a great, traditional, country agricultural show, a real family event with a well supported alpaca show.</p> <p>This year we’re taking a team mostly made up of juniors on their first outing. So, less than 24 hours away and guess how many have had a halter on before?</p> <p>And there’s a suri to do… We like a challenge.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-15145250826044419712014-09-29T11:39:00.000+09:302014-09-29T11:39:47.792+09:30Compost, compost everywhere<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFcJGHtXlpq40HWNHCDDvPZjJaVWUHKldvh9EVr1CqI_F2zBy-KQ-KtAqpSoYv6EC31M-GRAi8uBj8nke808hLKz9jhGf3dSxPZQ85plFitb8JMrPPhi6VTLNCuknSI18qS-e5n6_AbMN/s1600-h/WP_20140830_001%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="WP_20140830_001" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0GWXiWfgihA/VAW-7vZwgqI/AAAAAAAAeUk/RixnJVVGPL0/WP_20140830_001_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="263" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="WP_20140830_001" width="464" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOaovq-hhUW6v62u4xmoHeBei_WzxYEiVATlsP3SPjQNhsYcOxKq1OnEACh7hyphenhyphenfJWoU7F9KH7qhJC5eR75QmJc1brOvh9vv8yeHE5-zCLWjMe2m5BjTG0u1G_z4oAK7GIky7E6OYXJLM5/s1600-h/WP_20140823_001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img align="right" alt="WP_20140823_001" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid1gvRZzY5W7fA5dg2vrmb3Tvl4O0jVzUeV361hV5I2TlEI4Q0nGdVO3DAy8zhXFLvQcEwel5HZSWmOIX8BWpx9-zEUyCTfa9UNZ_60VnE1NuFInfhziyEqW8gyzvdNDsn9YYCcx9r8NCd/?imgmax=800" height="341" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="WP_20140823_001" width="174" /></a><br />
<br />
I’ve had enough of organic fertaliser…<br />
<br />
Look, I know it’s great for the land; I know it’s environmentally friendly and will result in sufficient good karma to reduce the chances of me being reincarnated as a sea slug or reality tv contestant but I’m fed up of eating, breathing and wearing the stuff.<br />
<br />
Three tonnes of <a href="http://www.neutrog.com.au/100-organic-range-2/" target="_blank">Neutrog Rapid-Riser</a> and a week or so later and I can say that it was probably worth all the hard, smelly work.<br />
<br />
But what I want to know, what I really want to know is why my younger, fitter son gets to run the slasher from the big tractor with the comfy, air-conditioned cab while I get the spreader and the 50 year old, bone-shaking MF135?<br />
<br />
Maybe the good karma isn't working immediately...Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-42224316266808863042014-09-25T07:19:00.000+09:302014-10-06T08:21:52.520+10:30Composite and Production ClassesAn interesting development as we move ever closer to recognition as a 'proper' emerging agricultural industry is the growth of Production or Composite classes at shows.<br />
We had our first go at the Royal Adelaide Show this year. I'd call it a success, we put in three animals, got two firsts and a second and took home the overall trophy and broad ribbon for the event.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwVnl1RkOIb7kCVWWadCApfOl4WWTxkjKKZWXm_MbQQjhQMYzJhWng5P5dpB0p15IAcnBxm-Fv_g8qOrrsHSIeRjlPa2S137Odtvgiv3rOh3I5iUU7neCRPNqrEqM__QTb5QfG6q37bdM/s1600-h/commpedal%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="commpedal" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT4x0aq3SVo2CjTZw9yJbZNRXtzL4G85yykmGeDJ7iB0jaMEI-NbxlRGx6huHWMCGLjWXUR8PNij7k2Ch8xcoT2yngA7KiMc9ip0BvcW-Esc7ol06fiNjbKBlCL9y0_GLi1aC1Uxugoil6/?imgmax=800" height="438" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="commpedal" width="404" /></a> <br />
So, for anyone unfamiliar, how does it work?<br />
Well, judging is a three stage process. Stage one is just like normal halter classes (though, in this case, there was no separation by colour, just by age and gender), the animals presented are judged on the same overall criteria as a normal show and points are awarded. Stage two sees the animals being shorn, the fleeces skirted and presented to the judge as a fleece exhibit.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nglAd6T9LMO8tySU2V692HX3SJzlYQ3MzL-TtP7G2BUigpFh7MmKFWsfuEW88_AIgbWLIcIfY0hsgSNPNxaqAS0T1b7M5FlOBEraWAC2_I_GO_wtDvqCZZH5-bUFK7AZfdpVz5LGCK8m/s1600-h/comp2%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SONY DSC" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K5aod5r6YM4/VCKbkQfM0eI/AAAAAAAAeWg/i2GvVZ6fcdM/comp2_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="382" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="SONY DSC" width="590" /></a> <br />
In the final stage the animal is judged without fleece on with the points being awarded for conformation and structure.<br />
Personally, I really like these classes for three reasons: first is that it concentrates on the commercial side of things, something that I want to see encouraged. Second and, more selfishly, it allows recognition of some animals that we would not enter in the main event; in this case a top girl with a damaged ear from an injury (perfectly within the rules to enter I know, but not a good look) and an ex-champion white male that has developed a small fawn spot. The third and probably most important reason is that, at a public show like the Royal, it is such a draw card - the visitors love it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipBbDlK7zS04IrIFq-dRglFhI9TfX9cLbRRtfBkZWQazAwxHlIS9jjQinj7cNgiqNIAoiJrbvVtUuwY-28Q8NrqbzvW2CNLe3iifZ8sXGgqDeSMxvK5hi_fSJKdOtItTgoTGAe213ViY4X/s1600-h/comp1%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SONY DSC" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--sPxNNypYFs/VCKboPDoBGI/AAAAAAAAeWw/Bfs-KtQSPTM/comp1_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="404" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="SONY DSC" width="590" /></a>Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-29658510449872395332014-09-23T19:29:00.001+09:302014-09-24T13:15:52.949+09:30A new sideline?We’re heading towards the end of the show season: a fairly quiet one by our standards but still a few things to be excited about – more about that in a later post.<br />
But here’s something I wasn’t expecting to win – Champion photo at the Nationals!<br />
<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eAYR6pExEMc/VCFEZeHupSI/AAAAAAAAeVw/Vou-c2WFaF8/s1600-h/suris%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SONY DSC" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDjf-rMaCcmpG2d1p6146f_F5ZAs7MvvgfHDjZJb1HjQ2iJHAH3Rmjt59O-XMdTyQg1l1qnj0bVusz7cIt6e-cKaiXN3v2DQNfjwZHZb63avHQjwk5IHGUIecXy4a3Wx7EzRtpXeKy5U55/?imgmax=800" height="183" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SONY DSC" width="590" /></a><br />
It loses a bit shrunk down to blog size…<br />
It wasn’t a planned photograph, just one of those ‘Kodak Moments’ and a few minutes in Photoshop.<br />
What I really wasn’t prepared for though have been the offers to buy prints. Maybe there’s something in this?<br />
Hey! I've just noticed, this is my 100th blog posting.Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-21875433888427446472014-08-26T18:51:00.001+09:302014-08-26T18:51:59.291+09:30Sometimes I wonder what we’re farming<p>It’s a very Australian problem…</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-E_yJ1AEPyvY/U_xRqjv7pBI/AAAAAAAAeUA/CzDXx0u9U9k/s1600-h/farmingkangaroos%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="SONY DSC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="SONY DSC" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtVy2lammFjPMRxnCnIqI8BibcWxKGXVi1LRiRt5_GxtK10gm4Rd5gmen2ikEmhTdnsz4TLhYlSANmkj8QctRkKDYg0_Gl4bm0jpv-WUZnxNdnMsU67bzMA49tEzhxEdhMO1kXDnKKMIW/?imgmax=800" width="398" height="484"></a></p> <p>One of the things that we’re quite proud of here is the preservation of native habitat. We have quite a large area of scrub and native woodland on the property; home to a range of wildlife that we’re generally very happy to share with,</p> <p>But they’re beginning to take advantage. The kangaroo population is getting out of control, they know a good thing when they see it! </p> <p>They’re eating us out of house and home (or, at least, paddock and pasture) and they take fences as personal insults that have to be dismantled with extreme prejudice.</p> <p>Kanga-burgers anyone? </p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-63219205401821991312014-04-26T11:08:00.001+09:302014-04-26T11:08:18.776+09:30Colin’s last stand<p>Primarily, we’re huacaya breeders. We specialise in colours ranging from mid-fawn through to dark brown and that was originally meant to be it. But these things rarely turn out as planned and one of our excursions into the unknown has been our suri experiment. We now have nearly 50 of them on the property and they’ve been good to us. It was a suri that gave us our first interstate broad ribbon and last year we landed the Grand Champion suri trophy at the Royal Adelaide Show. </p> <p>At the centre of our suri herd has been Arequipa Colin, a dark brown stud male that we purchased, on a whim, at auction.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyc3RMg6YAHOaSp8eKpoWFaXGmKU6D28nrNRoWeezQ2xvSQvvq3fcQG8xpZfLTNJtR7VZLnksWsUera1l4bQoN-kOgFbuVYG7GyN0a4GxDYIcQg22Wtp7UqUjO3DTi-gsKOfHYeR4T5zYn/s1600-h/colin%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="SONY DSC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SONY DSC" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tNF7QalGCTU3hc5A9QfDDlF2RHdekyRnVYQLTR2EFLlIe2vHA056YgmqxvbkfLIgBSmK3YfY7p7Yuup436c7NJKUZdgRnFHz9dfdp56kvcmKf2K2UuELzYd-cFVarbCSNq4MJNem1Ez8/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="374"></a> </p> <p>Colin has done us proud but, sadly, we lost him last year to a bite from a brown snake. </p> <p>A few weeks before that however he’d been less than popular. He escaped from his paddock and followed a group of girls back from matings into their paddock. We found him a couple of hours later, looking exhausted, covered in spit but with an evil, satisfied glint in his eye. That left us with a problem, there were nearly 50 girls (nearly all huacaya) in that area, most had been mated either that weekend or within the last month, some to outside males. We couldn’t possibly flush them all and we had no idea who, if any, he had mated with. We just had to wait and see and hope for the best.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9GJ0xHGoGfk/U1sN_PWNX6I/AAAAAAAAePE/YvEPLqFj22I/s1600-h/colinsrevenge%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="SONY DSC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="SONY DSC" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSH8DgIAViWpH2D1gi85WDiesFl-SuRuiF5JZdxJe6XRNde0pagG_OkyNPhZUX9WSiccKv1G6NPfgS7D3EDPkxehhLkR9XGSqjocBTVqF7lmpQgZ5sO0zZddcIWW6SCNK27wlG1T85J8a/?imgmax=800" width="504" height="212"></a></p> <p>We now have six first-cross suris to sell off as pets – so that was 6 successful matings inside two hours – annoying, but impressive.</p> <p>Thanks Colin.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-12436575269686969222013-04-14T13:27:00.001+09:302013-04-14T13:27:05.227+09:30How lucky can you get?<p>So, there we were, a quiet Sunday morning (ok, maybe not that quiet) of matings, Most of the stud boys are waiting their turn in the shearing shed, three are out working in the yards and Colin the suri (who doesn’t play well with the other boys is round the back in the old sheep pens). </p> <p>I’m just going to get another of the boys out when there are a series of cracks that sound like gunfire. James shouts ‘Get out of the shed… Run!’ So I do.. The gunshots have now turned into something that sounds more like an explosion as a 25 metre pine tree starts to fall toward us from the road outside.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d8PQfk44Vrw/UWoo8bqWSQI/AAAAAAAATz0/JX4mkL_flvA/s1600-h/DSC04426%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04426" border="0" alt="DSC04426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUN4E7TbKvU8ziaukhlFAT5EzBDuLq_EOpVv3OGHu2k5kgAM5YxAs0fXWUftv7Jgz4lS7MR3VP7vNd23pltqMsP1TQ4cTpf60ul-RuU2CLqcjWtSL3rUNeUj3iLKAtQfHi4qPMMD63UAp/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="312"></a></p> <p>It takes out one of the few new fences we have, crushes some of the pens and just misses Colin, who is currently a fairly stressed alpaca…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJ2_z-1MOm-o1AJYreNDjZ3x5ARYDJA4TzndvSUQy0IgaJCs7QTGPX_2M7B9V9MDUAI2ztC6R-roSnUoo1ULCEH4ossA1LrCDiNDnueBHa4_M6u-06wvL01REG3BzCJkJyIu5LcHwS4Lx/s1600-h/DSC04427%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04427" border="0" alt="DSC04427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYP02lPHsl2lrgz-wEg261BtRTjlHyore0fSJZujYLrN_kfxtHo7QvfB2zY6A5lRusRz3_6dhDXyazhS3thcjJTqGrl5jOGhGwOB-KLUs17VKFiyAQCGo-SPnhk0C3epkHMVDFW_hrH6O/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="288"></a></p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUL6S_kEdklY_FcBUw4fF0v-Q6kIBw2-WPELhNuluv5-ah5m4mjgs7NczUXWgWETF8ggkJLlK6bA0sbZw2sLlR4sSJCoz5WrclUf3vtuKZXx2fdt8PnPKUcoy7bMshjcr0wZ1tau595jwQ/s1600-h/DSC04429%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; margin: 0px 25px 0px 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04429" border="0" alt="DSC04429" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuRBZubXZURhv0kgGis-JjxJ-xjpVOe0bWtOE456UWZDVjt1GYLUK9wFZmjIpFJ4OiapAwMh6Ii-I9_AqSy5j9j8H1ybEUKGhuIULQXqtu2SCtKOl9OwzvyTOVSDnurB4PSIwC6gVKWQa1/?imgmax=800" width="187" height="244"></a></p> <p>Thankfully, it just misses the shed and there are no injuries. Turns out that the tree has been eaten all the way through by borer beetle and its centre was largely sawdust.</p> <p>As the tree was on the roadside, hopefully the council are going to come to the party to help with the damage and the clear-up.</p> <p>At the moment I’m more concerned about the trees closer to the house. I think we’ll have to have them all inspected fairly quickly…</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-34227948345392892512013-04-10T20:50:00.001+09:302013-04-10T20:50:37.817+09:30Uses for a quad bike #127<p>The birthing station…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3th___boKZ7t2l1M61ldjgC8w6rswarOY36In7qiI9Se6WyGwDGkuoAznn4GHnQLyTm-OxW_OmuMD-iFSNXHWSVieT7ygFiHLfhyEkIdRNdW2zKFn1JFN3JLzdawxmnrxcRVOWBD0Ep7e/s1600-h/2013-01-18%25252013.19.12%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="2013-01-18 13.19.12" border="0" alt="2013-01-18 13.19.12" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9-FldipcHkwHDp8PU1Ho0nAHoEPr08Ph-HxasLZ-2lWibnumyiK6QU8e6ifROGkkaQ_daZ1oN2XpVslJS5V7HvlKgeRU3mPg6vkTJ4X2QINEeDdQReMEwAW8Y1ZXQsMMWS7c-3MeT7kYJ/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184"></a> </p> <p>Problem solved.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-15454425857705839632013-03-29T13:50:00.001+10:302013-04-10T20:15:43.413+09:30Sydney RoyalSomething a bit different for this one…<br />
Here I am, home alone, thinking of all the things that I should really be doing rather than sitting here typing words into this blog. Why home alone? It’s Sydney Royal Easter Show time, we’ve got babies due, we couldn’t get a farm-sitter and I either drew the short straw or the long one, I’m not sure which yet.<br />
So, all being well, this blog will last all weekend, updating as we go along.<br />
<h2>
<strong>Thursday 28th March</strong> </h2>
<strong>7pm </strong>Home from the day-job and time to get ready for the troops to leave. Loads to do, collecting all the show support kit, gathering together the show team, running repairs on the trailer (why do we leave these things to the last moment?)<br />
<strong>8:15pm</strong> The quad dies at about the furthest possible point from the house and sheds and has to be towed back.<br />
<strong>9:15pm</strong> Quick break for something to eat then back to preparation – we’re bound to have forgotten something, but it looks like we’re ready.<br />
<strong>Midnight</strong> That will do, time for bed<br />
<h2>
Good Friday, 29th March</h2>
<strong>3:15am</strong> 3:15? Really???? That’s no time for an alarm to go off in a civilised country!<br />Load the team up; boys in the trailer, girls in the van itself, do the last minute jobs we forgot or ran out of time for and…<br />
<strong>4:20am</strong> The team hits the road. Google maps says that it will be just under 15 hours of travelling (without stops) and 1375km, that’s about 854 miles in old money. And to think how I used to whinge, back in the old country, about the 550 miles drive for holidays in Southwest France. Me? I’m going back to bed.<br />
<strong>7:20am</strong> Phone call from Sarah – Road closure on the Mallee Highway “we need a new route and we’re not convinced about what the SatNav is offering” Google to the rescue again, but it’s going to add another hour and 100km to the Journey. Stuff it, I’m going back to bed again.<br />
<strong>Later…</strong> (No, I’m not going to admit what time I got up) Morning farm stuff, bottle feed to do, water to check, quick patrol of the paddocks (not so quick without the quad though). Blog.. Self indulgence time. There are two things I actually like about being left behind for shows, first, no-one tells me to turn the volume down – currently listening to the current ‘Of Monsters and Men’ CD at a level that has the dog hiding in another room and the other indulgence is food – I love cooking and I can try things that I wouldn’t normally risk with the family. This evening will be short-rib of beef slow cooked for 8 hours with a red wine and juniper jus and pureed root veg.<br />
<strong>12:40pm</strong> Text message from the travellers – ‘Just coming in to Balranald’ What? They must have back-tracked to get back onto the original route – that’s cost them 2 hours – According to James it took them 4.5 hours just to get out of the State.They won’t make the 8pm show deadline now. Be lucky to get there for 9. For a large part of the journey they only saw 5 other vehicles – two of them were a police car and the speeder that it had pulled.<br />
<div align="center">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVt_prCsWZeahiAanmTux4-6yc7bAiQh0S5bgnVY-0GGWe-muBtDyhbRIvz7oNJ1KJ7-RqBq__gHq5e0d17OzGS3G_A05s-pyWRXt20e7VoGudAFMvFkepnLi54_glO6O7fAqFSJNCbs0/s1600-h/main%252520road%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img alt="main road" border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bn7vAjIoWn13iAip_v9-v1doVd1zCq30U74tLf2jCZ8bsqyXAjbHRJ8c4fg6wBNMSyy5MGwkP58zP2AXKxTOgxEfG7qmLBhiu7_3Y0AAeIYxr4xlAvqfHcb2dkZaXIjFZ_kCuwvVpysW/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="main road" width="554" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>The main road back to Balranald – at least it’s sealed</em></span></div>
<strong>6pm</strong> and they’ve reached Wagga – 4.5 hours or thereabout to go but at least they’re through the Hay Plain. Always feels like you’ve broken the back of the journey once you’ve crossed the plain. For those of you who read this blog in Europe, let me take a moment to explain a bit about the Hay Plain. It’s big and it’s plain – that’s it really. About one person for every 5 sq km, but as most of them live in the town of Hay, it’s pretty empty out there. Crossing it on a previous trip I stopped and took this picture (a 180 degree panorama) because I was so excited to see a tree…<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nMNY2IhFOqSLm7Z5ODxLkbwBPDW-78PuoXKaTXqxmGgYaWse6qrrAAgsO6pyseWRiaI4bYP_h9t4Oash9YX1LBbiupZYD96nXCXPM1p8cRRKmU0kL72LiOUGY99lfQSrg0XL_pexn-uh/s1600-h/HayPlain1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="SONY DSC" border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwu5qV_RygidrMkepa6mvtYDTBGglXD4r7mBMmj0Fsc9-qinb7dSROhXe3M4CndrMDhbZuAlptmUNpKqOAkjL3QphwrkbLaizW7mt3hwqkz35pwkHSdFu_AkDGfzslE-VO3bkI5_hwywYm/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="SONY DSC" width="574" /></a><br />
It’s only a bit over 200km across but boring doesn’t come close… BBC radio podcasts and audiobooks help to maintain sanity.<br />
Meanwhile, back at mission control I’m being a good little house husband, domestic stuff and a bit of fishing. Yes, we’ve been here since October, there’s lots of water and it’s been driving me mad that I’ve not had time to drop a hook into any of the dams.So, this evening, I made time and can confirm that we have fish – I didn’t manage to land anything so can’t say what they are, but I can, at least, now imagine the one that got away.<br />
<strong>8pm</strong> They’ve made Yass – now the difficult stuff starts as it gets dark. It’s looking like an 11pm arrival – I hope someone is there to let them in to showground, turns out that they could not have booked in until tomorrow morning anyway – should have double-checked.<br />
<strong>11:30pm</strong> The good news is that they have arrived at the Showground, the bad news is that security won’t let them in. Looks like they might have to sleep in the van – bearable for people but getting a bit much for the animals. I feel a letter coming on…<br />
<h2>
Saturday 30th March</h2>
<strong>00:40am</strong> Someone has relented and let them in. I look forward to hearing what form the negotiations took.<br />
<strong>7am</strong> Looks like they had to wake the convenor up to get in, that’s not good. But they’re sorted now and getting ready for the judging to start tomorrow.<br />
A bit about Sydney Royal for those that don’t know it. Pretty much everyone would agree that this is the country’s second most prestigious show. After the Nationals, a ribbon from Sydney is the greatest accolade you can get. Classes are big and competition is tough, it’s the first really big show of the year and it gives some idea of how the show year is going to pan out. Unusually, it’s a show where you get to stay in the pavilion, each row of pens has a large plywood box at the end. It’s these boxes that are your home for the next 5 nights.<br />
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<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eMjdtIrZ_Gk/UVZntPdIAUI/AAAAAAAATzE/xYGeTqm7ir0/s1600-h/pens%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img alt="pens" border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVFkImM5TjB93tXarI1ploSqnZiMlhxX9ZDLXhEcbI74ABuatvzLH8it9zkHVw944JBDE9NhOU65xfdEJR2ISmQIlT6p6abxs3vVCoothGylGFIalQsNrwTe6o-0xv1KU9LIsASD4Cpni5/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="pens" width="554" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>5-Star Accommodation</em></span></div>
<strong>Midday</strong> And, just in case I forgot why we decided to leave me behind to mind the farm…<br />
<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QX3NeEtQXcA/UVZLVcFDs4I/AAAAAAAATys/fIRbLteJuEA/s1600-h/Beatricw%252520cria%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="Beatricw cria" border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvC1INO4QplZgdkDaJWEOsNduYUCERe6tMDNY0BXmDNrjN5EQGd_eZ9iL3r-U4FUBiivBI2w6BMOfvfnz0zO4EyO-yRkybF3vuBsoSjpUr3JHvjR7OSG_Pj8pzJzfFfWqt-Jtteto9SCKk/?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="Beatricw cria" width="554" /></a><br />To Beatrice and Puck, a solid black boy – now that could be an exciting mix.<br />
And the quad works again – I’m not one of nature’s natural mechanics – I do computers, not engines, so I’m feeling pretty smug at the moment.<br />
Now it’s spit-offs and matings time… What fun!<br />
<h2>
Sunday 31st March</h2>
4:30pm A quiet start, we only sent one Junior so that’s the only activity today. Belalie is a pretty special mid/dark fawn girl. It’s a big tough class and she gets a second. No one goes looking for a second, but it’s actually a good result – it’s her third outing and her third second place to a Softfoot animal with very similar genetics who then goes on to win a broad ribbon. It’s quite possible that she’s currently one of the top three in the country in her class. Apparently it was a line call with the judges taking a long time to make the decision between the two of them – the Softfoot animal then went on to win res junior champ.<br />
Back at home it’s all boring stuff – I’ve had to be content with spending most of the day wiring in the loft. <br />
<br />Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-88775537019254895842012-11-30T20:56:00.001+10:302012-11-30T20:56:14.630+10:30And then there were sheep…<p>So, there we are, we’ve got the shed nicely set up for alpacas, we’ve got a workflow that, while not perfect, is getting better and we’re well past the halfway mark.</p> <p>Then we get a call – “Is it OK to shear 400 merinos in your shed next week?”</p> <p>Seems that there has been a long-standing arrangement with the previous owner where they rented out the shed to a local sheep farmer. </p> <p>OK, not too much of a problem and with the bills we’re getting just to get the plumbing working, every dollar is welcome.</p> <p>So.. out comes the table again. Let me pause here a moment gentle reader to talk about the space under the shed where I have to go to take out the bolts…</p> <p>Like all shearing sheds, it’s built on legs with a crawl space underneath. A crawl space filled with  20 years of sheep …., at least half of South Australia’s venomous spider population, a possum and a snake or two (I’ve not met one under there yet – but they’re there, I’m sure that they’re there). Let’s put it this way, it’s not my happy place.</p> <p>Anyway it’s done and we have sheep shearing going on</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-n8btiW4RtSI/ULiJtdXi8QI/AAAAAAAATww/FnWtFwGogaQ/s1600-h/DSC04261%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04261" border="0" alt="DSC04261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMPSIyWnGVjKcbsb4ORpHoy37q4y5eZ6XQQtCfcvLyd6jB1vxY4T9CNCY2tEqjKyfjwU968mJa36XvyWMqrJ4nBKZFBlDeR2g2_4mczuMj8gdomU4YLXa9q-3ynqycaidSGBqiDXIVC49/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="373" /></a></p> <p>There is a plus side. In one corner of the shed there is an old (read very old) wool press. It looks lethal and would certainly like nothing more than to chomp down one or two of my fingers. I’d assumed that it was not serviceable and only really fit for scrap but, apparently they use it every year and, while undoubtedly something that would make a safety inspector need to go and lay down in darkened room, it still works perfectly. So, part of the charge for the use of the shed is a quick course in how the thing works.</p> <p>That happens tomorrow. If I have any fingers left, I’ll tell you about it.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-86777399648353010662012-11-28T20:33:00.001+10:302012-11-28T20:33:16.690+10:30Settling in and shearing<p>One of the great things about the new place is that it has a shearing shed. For the last 5 years we’ve been shearing in the open or under canvas. </p> <p>Of course, nothing is simple so one of the first challenges is to convert the existing two-stand sheep operation for alpacas</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FbmC1Ok4WQI/ULXhBzzc0bI/AAAAAAAATvE/VeXk3Y4-76k/s1600-h/DSC041827.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04182" border="0" alt="DSC04182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqhp72zvz9rrFBOkNrxXsbxpy_Lyu3mF3a5v2enWwGQvKStrXrakO3wl3Y9UPbVwznkSfufaPi2HT4nlpniKePW8wNNXeS9BDSQmlHhwaSDAuDOXlKFgnTf_DFsCxWRy3S4uJo5KqNphRb/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="165" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPdOeVb8aciWNWiwPQAu67FX2bRriypakIcjVy-waUUYpovny05FH7TOGP4S1vK1Nzxu3NPf-jQHyHmR9kpPH_S6imwDxw4nx5mRXfBuJLWtz_YpdSprkCGeZ1gbbZflR3GvJ7CLr4idy/s1600-h/P91309124.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P9130912" border="0" alt="P9130912" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EWltCDyfMGc/ULXhHJa2YhI/AAAAAAAATvc/ppM4g3ax0yk/P9130912_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="244" height="164" /></a></p> <p>We’d have liked to have used the existing shearing plant, but we’ll save that for next year – rigid bar fittings may be fine for sheep but are no good for ‘pacas. So this year we’re sticking to our electric handpieces.</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYPsogfwH0-S7LYl5KbPfrFss2Q2hf5YsCvOvnokGW1qacMDhPV-GT0w3b3EIYvNaI-NlGM14uYckFmVTls5Fmm4pH04dunH_8-bWjOYhPkoTZ7sPOGiQbMQIvDC-o-F3b2ZjjKASUGM8/s1600-h/shearingshedblog4.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="shearingshedblog" border="0" alt="shearingshedblog" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6wKcWRDBPxsN7htukv1IuTUnG2aEBEtGPftMm_6Z_MIWqpO4ik3RPCjGHzXZLIhxrHFA99odv1ZOmDvA80giB4kb92DcIEg_1H4dGZI3dS68oNUZup2bADposytg5QqWfsydq6k30A4bx/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="290" /></a> <br /><em><font size="1">Table bolted to the floor and ready to go</font></em></p> <p>Come the first morning for shearing and another great step forward – runways. We’ve never had proper runways before, we’ve always had to lead the animals into pens a few at a time or use the old maternity paddock with its catching area. Things are now on a much bigger scale with the main girl’s paddock nearly a kilometre away. Possibly taking photos while riding the quad is not something to recommend…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_nmwe27XTzk/ULXhOdB-djI/AAAAAAAATv0/8Zdt2xfQHQY/s1600-h/2012-11-24%25252008.29.47%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2012-11-24 08.29.47" border="0" alt="2012-11-24 08.29.47" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhysnGgIJRI-VCt2putMoeGUqOlUyTl0CGCKTvqvLEfggFPP-tCZycnbdFsZDQYeRKvespVAFEE4dMcc-6pxOMJ_CTBGYp1QC83Hg_RNw23UwFlDEQ_XSxYc3Q5TbRG0pQw5Wfrgwm_9gK/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="416" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>They soon learn what the runways are for..</em></font></p> <p>I’d like to be able to say that we got through them all on the first weekend but there was a lot to learn with the new setup and we barely averaged 4 per hour in the first session, but we’re getting there.</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzS7eTcWJrrrg9Q3KDOiqzl9y1so00ZpoOu7Io3-w_nOxsveXSWHPQZBtlK3eFeHQ1uv-mNTbXWWAz-RufgmOJx4nZwT8DfUeZMg07YsogOhDgb5F2s2ogq8l4_2DJuyDXFrT6YoeK0Ng0/s1600-h/2012-11-24%25252016.34.15%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2012-11-24 16.34.15" border="0" alt="2012-11-24 16.34.15" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhheOfvYPmIuTRlCffecJSGcOOuwQjzRRHHtT5B6rsYbhHmPw6RXlPuHLqaZbQ2d8F_-w5bs5DYj-HnPk0H-l9C2hIC72cnMjv1EMyDiioMbqP831G5yEfkmqkLtFOek0oxPNKcjPmiZwcS/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-2nW6fxZUSCo/ULXhXJRj9aI/AAAAAAAATwU/6c_ML3ikjiU/s1600-h/2012-11-24%25252016.34.24%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2012-11-24 16.34.24" border="0" alt="2012-11-24 16.34.24" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-8-PrG14hPdiM7vas8KiMZaHqTD7qOcWeZYd7IZTvD4l_8YHVipN9l0wbMYgAedoRF3CX08mRHzLpv6AONIGrmZ_qUCqvq9QCk8x7dT9TcDtSpiStUXUzfnVGg07itZ7xLCYmhmb9a_X/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="184" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>Having friends to help makes a big difference – so does a well stocked drinks fridge</em></font></p> <p>35 degrees wasn’t big help either, but we’re most of the way through now.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-31495068490384095142012-10-11T22:20:00.001+10:302012-10-11T22:24:00.436+10:30Well… We made it.<p>Hard to believe that the move was a week ago. It goes without saying that it was a couple of days of unmitigated hell and that we’re still living out of boxes (and will probably continue to do so for months).</p> <p>But we’re here and ready to start our new life.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-V6C5p8wZNd0/UHayWZvpCtI/AAAAAAAATug/rY7z8fpMMKk/s1600-h/2012-10-03%25252014.10.30%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2012-10-03 14.10.30" border="0" alt="2012-10-03 14.10.30" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Iv6AEobCbxI/UHayYW0bUaI/AAAAAAAATuk/XiWp6uq8n3g/2012-10-03%25252014.10.30_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="416" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>One of the first loads leaves Meadows</em></font></p> <p>But there is no way that we could have done it on our own so indulge me a moment while I acknowledge a few people from the alpaca industry who helped to make this possible:</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUTc3XdOjYSS13qDDMBnD7D4leLBLn2kSoKCEwRS3SwavEQ21Np6MHJAVlefThFRj99ZKm7gEe7Nm1XAfBoDx2pA6g2374QlN_Lvp4DsVthpc4Ylnu45n9hh3B18k19Lwe4JtIcazcw84_/s1600-h/temp_move1%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="temp_move1" border="0" alt="temp_move1" align="left" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NyJSRMdMDFCisBDOKF-RPylsVO5IiQoCudGqr2OfjMdA654aTclsw1_PynM1skQ79IdkTMsHVaTQ7doNjoN8y_pe6OPMJtVLWCapWxYtKsFgCenW3l7oRIVVklEZQw0xjNWruSeQgzyy/?imgmax=800" width="244" height="182" /></a>Rosalie Brinkworth from Andean Gold Alpacas who put so much into helping us to get packed and organised.</p> <p>Susan Haese from Yaringa Alpacas who helped move animals and arrived with a home cooked meal on Thursday night</p> <p>Fred & Bernadette Duncker from Glenvois Alpaca who helped with animals</p> <p>And last, but by no mean least, Chris Williams from Ambersun. Chris helped us move tonnes of plants and equipment, he sorted out our water and he gave us a roof over our heads and hot showers on our first night. Most of all, it was Chris who probably kept us sane..</p> <p>As for the Alpacas… They could not be happier</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WmogzceV5ts/UHaydMRk2lI/AAAAAAAATuo/ReKs7dPtV7w/s1600-h/temp_move2%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="temp_move2" border="0" alt="temp_move2" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBugfg4d1nfE_z8CWhFHJLMJFmhqm5nv3iM-yzJxIp69usvfN8KXLO2ToB0Hleh-XXSa4jkUD-1ClD44J4CDederZz_k50ATwB-R9f86U_jvV1pmOV9_56XP4_2gtGkRcPN2AMYECzKjUH/?imgmax=800" width="554" height="277" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>Heading off into the sunset to explore their huge new home</em></font></p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-76930751573148452912012-10-02T09:18:00.001+09:302012-10-02T19:25:51.407+09:3060% done with 80% to go…At least, that’s what it feels like.<br />
We don’t actually exchange formally until Thursday, but, as the new place is empty, we have a ‘licence to occupy’ which means that we’ve spent the last 3 days (a long weekend here in South Australia) starting the move.<br />
We’ve never moved farm before. It’s a bit more complex than moving house isn’t it? All that equipment, the workshop, the tools etc. Strangely, the alpacas are turning out to be the easy part; that’s one of the great things about this business – a real sense of community, everyone mucks in to help.<br />
Vet inspection today, a bit nervous about that. We’re part of the <a href="http://www.alpaca.asn.au/pub/AAA/qa/intro.shtml" target="_blank">Q-Alpaca</a> program, a national bio-security scheme. As the new place has been used for cattle and sheep in the recent past the inspection has to be thorough (and probably expensive).<br />
Anyway, here’s a sneak preview<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcsIv3YMl0CohB_VOLvNEa-pdj-fHa40vq8nZsoh6EPsx0slnkPzkQTgcZCG2Dzbrx03VnFMXVuGRoEKq9Rcp25Stg0NTzQIspVufngItoxgANawiQ2A24cnPoLyf0reX23R4AJkln-_QY/s1600-h/2012-10-01%25252014.18.27.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-01 14.18.27" border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWRfB1KTaQenQPkJHSMV78gD6_w3OMAKCc341Ol58jIAzn9hRuN7_uA_zJM-fBJCO50FvwgcWEhMcf9DyDgj0QdWVdqZqiL8vo6eaWm8cJK5wBlRQKau0DWeaVqPUS8EEDqAqsa1jrkmkp/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="2012-10-01 14.18.27" width="554" /></a> <br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>The top dam. One of four large wet areas and home to yabbies and marron</em></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtXt16fPuCL8TJuasiQyVx6bKFVRzRuDPyjVeCfUpKjiD-sFlSsWJfxGbr3K4T4IoSCja0pZ6WO7d7sGAYmTZ1kvmtCB26Pm0rRT7qGufRpo0BA-iC_lkiH14zUE9X6jSDmybSHQ77XdsZ/s1600-h/2012-10-01%25252014.16.38.jpg"><img alt="2012-10-01 14.16.38" border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc5ndR697awJfKGO4xU6aDHERgCg4Ejj2uNVRwT9z2NYMZj3WewzebagYutdOaPdHRW9GfgyonHXgSLB0LR4lX6fZFJM0BHg7SPf-l7dEplhvHzTqcDh_-V4Pb1UWSRrMQrr8-lEV-x758/?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: inline;" title="2012-10-01 14.16.38" width="554" /></a> <br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>Really looking forward to seeing alpacas grazing over those hills</em></span><br />
So, land? 10 out of 10.<br />
House and shedding? That’s another story…Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-29731530952216486812012-09-25T08:53:00.001+09:302012-09-25T08:53:08.104+09:30Moving on…<p>There comes a time when you have to decide just how committed to something you actually are. To put your money where your mouth is, to grasp the nettle and to fearlessly use any number of other tired business clichés.</p> <p>For a long time now I’ve been preaching the gospel about an emerging alpaca industry in Australia; about maturing from a niche market, selling high-value collectables and pets, into a viable and sustainable agricultural business. </p> <p>While saying this though, we’ve been the picture of the established small alpaca business. A little over 100 animals; overstocked, small plot of land; concentration on shows and small volume sales and only a side interest in ‘the product’.</p> <p>On October 4th, the game changes. We’ve sold the farm and have brought ‘Red Bank Springs’, a much larger property, currently running sheep and cattle in Hindmarsh Valley. </p> <p>It’s going to take a fair few years to build up what we would consider to be a commercial herd, but we’re up for the challenge.</p> <p>Of course, moving at the same time as trying to organise the National Show an Sale is probably not such a good idea… </p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-83317518423317805882012-05-30T19:44:00.001+09:302012-05-30T19:44:08.533+09:30Cricket fans<p>We couldn’t resist snapping this one…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUn_xd0FMbmBXfHnjmRTWB2KJSe01yOjlaQYhnsAF8SJJFdQhWCUCmMdJy2ESL5DazxybfANBbED87dqhhi-4u-oV9iE7kg9W-B79ePQQpdB6TImxX42lvf0hAvUR-Pyjb77kGPB8vQ8L/s1600-h/WP_000096%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="WP_000096" border="0" alt="WP_000096" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WrLAym8OmyA/T8Xy7rHbOOI/AAAAAAAAOQY/xwe1npxNeV0/WP_000096_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="404" height="304" /></a> </p> <p>Schnuffles is one very sick boy, we thought we’d lost him at the weekend when a visitor told us we had a dead cria in the paddock. But he’s a fighter and, while he’s far from healthy, he’s hanging on in there and seems to be enjoying a few days inside in the warm.</p> <p>Gandhi, of course is the perfect pooch and has taken well to his new role as babysitter.</p> <p>They both seem to love sport and children’s shows on the TV.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-20783964091538784232012-05-07T21:57:00.001+09:302012-05-07T21:57:10.591+09:30I’ve often wondered why so many farmers have missing fingers…<p> </p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJL5LadOGusG064MJ7BaYdiPI-9Rp357pL7uCSo-6Dj1y9gfvIMpo9df4d-buFPWRD5pUYIthIrpGH6wP-IgDUN3wUtGDdq4Xz96-HxKHRiJkPd73xRB6CPXSkUhvOV9iYHmPmKkAhQhrj/s1600-h/WP_000061%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="WP_000061" border="0" alt="WP_000061" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwM3v0GC3mqHrufc8xRLoIr4H4nJkOeYxn6O1HRVd62n6Rrz3vpVaok2wsMa4EUr-S3u9RFsYofZVM0izjUHbMYV6QAAx8bU3cMKhsg9x5lniB8qqWt8RuDw19fNn0ku7HLin1AklN3OM/?imgmax=800" width="304" height="254" /></a> </p> <p>It wasn’t until after I’d finished the job that I started to think about how, maybe, this could have been done in a safer way…</p> <p>Some figures from Safework Australia:</p> <p>27 accidents per year for each 1000 agricultural workers – multiply that up and, according to Safework, there are more than a dozen reportable work accidents in the sector <em>per day</em></p> <p>It’s a dangerous business we’re in.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-64889731691478353112012-04-07T20:09:00.001+09:302012-04-07T20:09:53.538+09:30Busy busy busy<p>Just a quick entry to let folks know why things are so quiet here…</p> <p>Team Prados is convening the 2012 National Show and Sale – A huge job that leaves little time for things like updating this little blog.</p> <p>That doesn’t mean that we’re completely off the air though.</p> <p>Keep up with us on <a href="http://national2012.blogspot.com.au/">the National Show Blog</a> and at the <a href="http://nationalshow.com.au">national website</a></p> <p>Hopefully the Alpaca Chatter blog will be back online in October</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-76340568441876092892011-11-28T22:28:00.001+10:302011-11-28T22:28:39.785+10:30An important day for the local Alpaca Industry<p>Today, I finally feel justified in using the ‘i’ word (industry, that is).</p> <p>At about 4 o’clock this afternoon, Sarah delivered the first 6 bales of alpaca fleece from our growers’ cluster group here in South Australia to the wool broker.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2grHWT_Mbf-GFHQGkqZR-RLs4MB52M2DwXYJQQj1VsD9Lr9IC3t1-tKH91TjjXrXk3cYPUAE_9S7uNMduNLwsQ6TNyYNqDowM7aFgzmPTujJ_lhM97kQgOGnN1HIR8Bb5lxMvrUx8ya9/s1600-h/bailsblog%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="bailsblog" border="0" alt="bailsblog" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-MzMk0pbFOPg8wLGIWqvfJOmP4Mk_mx7C_OvN_OczkN8vaXgotXLigf4CeG1UbRR4-YMl0feDZNF-kvw7bI20mg_Ydjh3Elccjs-Nrlgwk2YbBrb4pVCGTrrLVhjRgPFdqUn8p1pVfLU/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="373" /></a> </p> <p>Just under 590 kg of skirted and classed fleece ready for core testing and market on 15th December.</p> <p>Watch this space for news on the auction when it happens. </p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-91058601224303650892011-11-27T21:25:00.001+10:302011-11-27T21:25:46.270+10:30Look out, there are Llamas!<p>(with apologies to <a href="http://www.montypython.net/scripts/llamas.php" target="_blank">Monty Python</a>)</p> <p>This year the shearing operation has hit the road. James picked up a portable table from a breeder who left the industry. I say portable, what that actually means is liftable by two people with lots of grunting and groaning.</p> <p>Anyway, today we get a new challenge, a nice small farm not far from us – nine alpacas and two llamas. We’ve never shorn a llama before, we’ve never even handled a llama before.</p> <p>We spoke to a number of other shearers, got some tips and went for it.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3IAUYHM9D0BZgr3qrYS-v8ED8Xu2oIvMBMbLucds24VGggE9UIdK7srVkZqW8YYTrZpQ5XS5PMeEapRKib5fryplmLhy3Q0ym0Z6ebotQrYK-SVvO9nvDosHmIBLj0MR-4ubUt0QtT_bP/s1600-h/P36957501%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="P36957501" border="0" alt="P36957501" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_R9B4tNpN5XXS8U9R0Cek2oKUPEy1biIS598o6xS0EzyzmZrGjZQ2R7b6Z8GZKTWfQ0Ln5DFBIM5HyE7ep3U0VmDysE1D5IZOpQOLWLAsmymRMoVudkURA_oycFU7UAC9_3QSQY0TbPq/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="304" /></a> </p> <p>So, we now know that you can shear a llama on an alpaca table – but it’s a tight fit.</p> <p>We also know that it takes five strong men to get a full-grown llama to somewhere that he doesn’t want to be…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Ihjmk0Cm7qzAh45wI6CaUSqQg652fNc9Ah2asZe9yH1DrD0SnaiT4_2iE0y_YdGEvB2EsJL1_5_-2UXAdFQLyKTnnhd0-i9lJVjNviryuvGiXBsI1bcj0dYDNvlH88ISeCuIEnTtnLXS/s1600-h/P36958304%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="P36958304" border="0" alt="P36958304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO308Hwm5S41towg85RCABQPMEKmOShnP1nhEqPHr6fAsen1CJNJmKyYpTvNGdZbEybrwF69B6FdCkV1aq7-lF_IUDrbYdil7AxbSulkCpWmqO_3iDHh7Y7SIRv5w1nuIBfp9eeB4NcxaM/?imgmax=800" width="418" height="293" /></a> </p> <p>But I’m sure that they felt a lot better for it afterwards.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-3117750715258229142011-11-16T22:44:00.001+10:302011-11-16T22:44:45.541+10:30Our best show - ever!<p>Still catching up on the news…</p> <p>Back to October. Strathalbyn Show – A reasonable sized country show, well supported by South Australian breeders, just under 200 animals.</p> <p>We took a small team along, including two animals making their show debut. Another first for us, light fawn and white rather than our usual darker colours. Eau Sauvage is one of James’s, a really nice boy with an ultra-fine fleece (13-point-something average micron), he was just over the minimum 6 months so he’s just starting off and Spock, he’s an adult that we’re about to certify; we’ve not shown him before because he has a tiny bit of colour contamination on his head, but he’s just getting better and better so it had to be worth a try.</p> <p>First up was James with Eau Sauvage.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN9bknwheNvKjBjbIM9gMTZPhyphenhyphenj5xuI7Qgog5LMa8iDNSVS-hQNrqGU0XIQxvyTyZbxSbJNuOBT_5xEWq2gs36S10WYKjOKxrHBjheZHy0lBkRmrWV4RSVUBM_7_FGIdEZeP-JM0GUYWLU/s1600-h/EauSauvage%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px" title="EauSauvage" border="0" alt="EauSauvage" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbYz5Oxvzdql3W8wfNkhqH1VkOD7JTzv_tN6bbJ0k2KW_cQvK-zv7C2xRCt4_MAmnOzlC6p0A8QoIfrRNPKwgXYEZdDIW-9zpWor1Yg0wHQDK-cagtUEb_0SWiZw24KZoXNHdVxe7QQqj/?imgmax=800" width="204" height="364" /></a> </p> <p>He takes Junior light fawn male and then goes on to win junior male champion.</p> <p>Later Sarah takes in Spock…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuPPR4zhkoIGZMUn3iCdblMv_4-fLuhrGVVzsXaVCyN7_AKmgRM7JAto1iedt2ZJOqhYBu0TX2V34hmSm2K0Lq_6pTdmJafW3M1CyIpNu4FjNzkBEijIkip-kJpQYwbsjNEKVXC_rGgBD6/s1600-h/Spock%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="Spock" border="0" alt="Spock" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c3UzC1hFRNc/TsOpM5EkCcI/AAAAAAAAODg/mzXjXqckxLI/Spock_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="463" /></a> </p> <p>He does the same – Adult white male, then champion adult male.</p> <p>At this stage I seem to lose the ability to take photos…</p> <p>Before we know which way is up it’s the grand champion line-up. Eau Sauvage, Spock and the intermediate champion male are called forward and, after 5 of the most nerve wracking minutes of my life, the big ribbon goes (drum roll) to Eau Sauvage…</p> <p>Nearly a month later and we still can’t quite believe it – two champions and our first Grand Champion. </p> <p>We opened a very nice bottle that evening…</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-84611962945612325322011-11-13T20:10:00.001+10:302011-11-13T20:10:08.902+10:30Hills Garden & Environment Expo<p>We heard about this event quite by accident a couple of months ago. We’d missed the deadline for trade stand entries by then but the organisers cut us some slack and let us join in.</p> <p>The expo is an annual event held in the small country town of Uraidla in the Adelaide Hills, not that far from our farm – it gets about 5000 visitors and is themed around sustainable living – something that fits right in with what we’re trying to achieve here.</p> <p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbf1ThLiJIsrq5RT95jr1oQ-eOYjEnxqv-OhbfH9Ad4K8jfvO0RK28J9gv7thKFhusi1i4UTOFpN1aYIUGzatJ2JLyc2D-xeYewTAhro8xJbA1LdIDNZfmclnExurZyVZUmvDVQ-q-_Ub/s1600-h/uraidla%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="uraidla" border="0" alt="uraidla" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-C4xIPKhHm1s/Tr-Qbzlu--I/AAAAAAAAN9o/CBtq8cfvv_0/uraidla_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="237" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>Our stand before the gates opened and the crowds came in</em></font></p> <p>We took five animals, two suris, two shorn huacayas and Bond – the professional crowd-pleaser. With us went a range of products along with the carder and spinning wheel – my public spinning debut!</p> <p>Bond went out on a lead to mingle with his public every couple of hours and was definitely one of the stars of the show – I couldn’t even begin to estimate how many photos he must have been in.</p> <p>But, for me, one of the nicest moments of the day came near the end when a young girl (sadly, I didn’t think to ask her name) came over to us and proudly showed off her arm.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppIO3ddmI1llhejJWKw1VHM8rSjBwuzRx3MAkaoDpQn-R_4dfxXo_4z5yFWL0YqXtS159sGRlbYSH19y9z45wogyTiJVph1wOOSmXWUEcHsg5dRlSYmzvmWbFR-K7chsOzLoaeVzgfO6k/s1600-h/facepaint%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="facepaint" border="0" alt="facepaint" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MkFCBW5dzLc/Tr-QdxZ-ogI/AAAAAAAAN94/wfyN0xy53Pw/facepaint_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="404" height="189" /></a></p> <p>She’d been to the face-painting tent and asked them to paint alpacas on her. </p> <p>All-in-all, a great way to spend a Sunday – I reckon we’ll be back again next year.</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-477143217798290108.post-4625984973773362092011-11-12T14:10:00.001+10:302011-11-12T14:10:33.672+10:30Counting eggs–before they hatch<p>I’ve been lax with my blogging again – so much to post, so little time to prod the muse…</p> <p>So here’s one to start with and to try to help get back into the habit.</p> <p>Worms.</p> <p>One of the problems that we have to live with. We do a reasonable job of keeping on top of the wretched things but, every so often, they strike back. We’ve lost two young animals over the last year, both members of the show team and both victims of a strain of Ivermectin resistant Stongyles.</p> <p>Added to this, we’ve been having an issue with diagnosis, not with our vet who is excellent, but with the path lab who lost samples at least twice and, on one occasion, sent back results that were clearly wrong – probably mixed up with another sample.</p> <p>So, as the old saying goes, if you want a job done properly, do it yourself.</p> <p>We now do our own routine testing. Here’s the setup…</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLVWz8GuZQgWd7wkC9z2wQX6-3hN0qMMy8X4mo02WbK4wFSxhRyP7tcbtNDConvUxcznv7eDfp2LwrtZYxdB_e1PFrEyUgQC6mtzZfrC7rUYLNrhZzXDt6GAIV6hYtVOQ63i3xcP_NPs9q/s1600-h/FECLab%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="SONY DSC" border="0" alt="SONY DSC" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU4oT45YXXFMAthRytF_VVl80vTiYWxnd2tcDdmbogHYFhXpfwJwXEBtYFbgeuYcoK96hoKA3xxyDIC8MsFD8Fhzol5CwxGnCKRmGj9HikPdf2oahJYPa72sz2T2WW8vhMmnKQFDcVt9h-/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="321" /></a></p> <p>After a lot of reading on the subject and borrowing a kit from Ambersun (thanks guys…) to try out, we decided to source our own.</p> <p>The microscope came from AmScope in the USA (via their EBay store) <a href="http://www.amscope.com/Trinocular.html">http://www.amscope.com/Trinocular.html</a> - a nice bit of kit at a very good price. Getting it through eBay meant that the camera was included allowing it to be linked to the laptop in the picture – very useful when the old eyes are getting bit tired.</p> <p>The egg counting kit came from Chalex, again in the US <a href="http://www.vetslides.com/EPGfecalkit.html">http://www.vetslides.com/EPGfecalkit.html</a> Easy to use and simple to follow instructions.</p> <p>All we added to this were a couple of extra bits from Chinese ebay stores – a set of digital jewellers scales (about $15) and a calibration slide so that I could measure things – a benefit of this is being able to use the kit to do very basic fleece testing.</p> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3fA9sIiBp2g78HF-YvxQFZOA9Cmxfd1dDHs7fu_M-pqnml8agEVwGm2IE3vm11798Wsav66JYKdvE63VvWkSwZINi5nsYI7oXkqUTvAKRqmhUMeLpBfoQVfRT-P9FDTSJqWA4y1xw3dR/s1600-h/fec240911angel_1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="fec240911angel_1" border="0" alt="fec240911angel_1" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOq-8rYOjdksQa8rLUCZ3-7ZJtBDuOaGXIue5V7KJz6ZVqHhTMYFmdULInkKpnrfXReFzFcVPUHzFYzhhBcmSLn5mJcHkb4BN31ifcYhZg_1Zhdq8G4wbAyB-Uko7No-I7KFCBkdbpXqEf/?imgmax=800" width="404" height="201" /></a> <br /><font size="1"><em>A Stongyles egg from one of our girls captured with our testing kit</em></font></p> <p>And that’s really all there is to it (apart from the lingering smell in the house after a testing session).</p> Perry Wheelerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05758771655332772701noreply@blogger.com0