not much more you can say about the Blood Moon this week except spectacular!

We are always remarkably proud of our cria year on year at Kensmyth and last years cria – 2020 born are no exception.. fine, dense, crimpy, long staple length – they got it!

Sometimes, especially in the low times and wet weather times, one needs to take stock of just how far you have come. Success is not necessarily achieved by a measure of something tangible but how you actually feel about it – we love it here and our passion shows in how we tend the land and keep the livestock!

      winter drive

how different in full grass below..

fond pictures of the farm in different seasons..

My Mum likes Jigsaws. Looking after my Dad is a full time job and as his carer and with Lockdown, she has little time to herself. However, she has mastered the simple 500 piece jigsaws now and I thought her Christmas 1000 smaller piece would keep her out of mischief for a while.. Nope! 

It is a great vegetable, often passed over for lack of understanding how to cook or the thought it only makes soup -very wrong. Butternut Squash is really good for you very tasty and if chopped and oven cooked with a chilli drizzle is fantastic any time. Far healthier than Doritos covered in cheese for example!

but it is hard on the outside and soft on the inside. Just like the Curly Coated Retriever – great if you can get past the tough skin and a bit like Wensleydale rams too. Here is my Curly Coat “holding” the Rams steady.. never underestimate a Ram.. or a Curly Coat..

I am often in awe of some of our livestock from sheer size. My Llama have grown somewhat and when in a small building with three weighing approx 350 kilos – its nice to know they love me!

As the freeze turns warmer and our thoughts (or should do) stray to booking shearing for the Alpaca and potential fly strike if it really does warm up (wet/cold/warm scenario) you have to smile ..

with the third rare Draught Colt due in May she is just starting to look pregnant.. Happy thoughts..

We have been breeding since 2007 and provide ongoing support to all our Clients whenever they want or need it. Not all take this up because many purchasers have livestock experience and/or do Husbandry courses with us prior to purchase but we are always at the end of the phone if necessary.. or to visit wherever possible.

All of our Alpaca are British Alpaca Society Registered for a reason – traceability, genetics, bloodlines and more importantly understanding how to avoid line breeding which causes genetic defects.

I am on a bit of a rant I suppose today because all too often I am seeing folk on Facebook seeking generic assistance because they bought “cheap ” and got what they literally paid for!

Registered Alpaca are registered with the Society for a reason, Alpaca breeders are registered with the Society for a reason – it costs us (the breeders) but it should save you (the clients) the later heartache when you find out the truth:

folk purchasing unregistered Alpaca cheaply buy from breeders who are unlikely/cannot provide you with genetic history, fibre history, colour history or conformation or temperament history..

folk purchasing Alpaca cheaply buy from breeders who are unlikely to be able to give you the breeding history of the Alpaca (males and females) and/or their  genetic history, fibre history, colour history or conformation or temperament history .. AND

those breeders are unlikely to give you the support you will need with your new purchases because they either do not have the experience to do so or simply sell their unregistered cheap Alpaca for a quick sale without the hassle of ongoing support.

Buying unregistered Alpaca is a bit like buying an air ticket to an unknown destination and hoping that when you arrive you have the right innoculations, right passport, can drive in that country and may or may not be able to find a hotel at all or one safe to stay in.

There are literally thousands of Alpaca in the UK today unregistered and there is NO traceability for these now and in the future – all too often they end up being neglected and abused because their purchasers lose interest without a dedicated breeder behind them to support them – buy with confidence from a breeder who registers their Alpaca and is a member of the British Alpaca Society and be confident that person cares about where their livestock is going if not.. Caveat Emptor .

you will get what you pay for.. literally

I love chillies and I love chilli jam – this one is the bees knees!

I saw this on Facebook somewhere and was reminded that whilst the News seeks to praise the Adults doing home schooling right now and that the Adults should not consider themselves “stupid”.. it is important to remember that when teaching the children they must not be made to feel “stupid” either.

All too often elder siblings can ridicule younger ones and vice versa when they all need to learn at their own pace.

just a thought.. happy teaching everyone!