With the Beast from the East of last year still fresh in our minds, beautiful snow drifts and the bluest skies I ever did see, quite a contrast to the October sunset beauty this week … no disappointment or disillusion can effect beauty!

That time again ahead of Winter to gradually weigh the whole herd, especially the Cria. We wean at 6 months or half adult bodyweight whichever is the sooner and when appropriate. As our Alpaca are the larger heavier kind it means heavier cria weights before weaning – makes sense!

it is sooooo important to weigh each Alpaca and each cria at the outset so you can see if any are losing weight – never rely on body scoring alone. And… although obvious… always weigh when dry!

Happy to say no adult here weighs less than the one shown at 98.8kg and shes a lighweight compared to our  heaviest at 131kg.

Cria weights with no one due for weaning just yet and all well, happy and had their 2nd ADE of this winter – marvellous.

Winter is coming – be prepared for it.

sometimes when you get older you don’t always check things to be as they first appear and I had a hilariously funny experience recently. We are always sourcing good sheep for our flock and on a visit to see some recently I asked to go to the bathroom.

I was politely shown the cloakroom (literally had coats hanging) and saw a lovely coloured doorstop so I thought as I sat down. yes, this is me on the throne and yes – you can imagine my surprise when the doorstop MOVED!!

yes – you guessed it, no doorstop this one but a Tortoise in from the cold rather than hibernating no less. Quickest visit to the bathroom I had I can tell you but he was kind of cute!

I am on the warpath again for those TV adverts who are making money on packaging wonky carrots and selling them as if a new brand – rather than looking at the fact that wonky means not perfect or genuinely not perfect and how they should be giving them away for next to nothing or free – grrr

my version of the wonky carrot on my farm…

I love to see the cria play at dusk and sunset, to see the dawn sun rise and to walk in the thick fog, not so keen on the soakings recently but that’s farming life for you!

Well its that time of year again and I am pleased to say that I wont be having orange and pink stained hands this year – not only because I have chosen different colours – but because the new Mole Valley store is now selling spray on Ram colours – yeah

no more mixing up colours in a bucket and plastering on for me!

they probably have been selling them previously but the store here was Countrywide who did not !

yup – im totally serious, hubby is still growing enourmous tomatoes for chutney… and its October and their outside!

A horse, a horse, My kingdom for a horse… stunning scenes in Autumn

its amazing how some people simply cannot see the wood for the trees – an old saying perhaps but so true.

Cant see a good thing when its right in front of their eyes and the alternative could be so much worse, still never mind, got me looking at the wood a bit closer though LOL… can you see the Dinasoar and the Ant and the Woodpecker and the Chick in these?

I am always out early and late but I love this time of year, farming is often long hours but the scenery is always stunning…