Farm life!

[tygab]

Well, yesterday we had our first two alpacas arrive to our farm. We've had alps since 2005 but at other places since we didn't then have a place ourselves. Got the place last year, put the fences in this year... and our first arrivals yesterday. Soon we'll have all our boys here (and girls will be at a nearby bigger farm with full timers). Right now they are hanging out in the barn, I think they didn't sleep much last night with the new surroundings. I can hardly believe it.

And to top it off, our (wild) turkeys are strutting around in front of the chicken run. There is definitely some interspecies communication going on. It's pretty cool to watch and imagine what they are communicating to each other.

If it weren't so soggy out I'd get some pictures. Soon, though!

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

How neat....

I love living in the country on our farm...
Wildlife intermixing with farm animals everyday to some extent......
Some days the deer are running along the sheep pasture. Others the wild geese are calling and ours will answer.
When we were going through our lambing season it was a little nervous because the hawks and eagles would fly over head, never swooping down, just flying, but I was nervous for the little lambs...
Chickens run around the yard, then hearing the wild grouse or pheasants.
Frogs and other wildlife making noise in the swamp and creeks running through the property....
It's never dull or boring around here~~unless you ask the kids.."They're ALWAYS bored!!!" I tell them "Go explore, take an adventure. You have 40+ acres to run around on..." They just look at me like I am crazy or something...

 

[FFChick]

Wow, Alpacas! We have some farms around here that have them. I still can't figure out why they cost so much. I know you can sell the flease. I see people offering to sell a female for $15K., come on now. That is a lot sweaters to sell to get that money back.

They do have those cute faces but I'm still trying figure the cost issue.

 

[tygab]

Yes, they are expensive. $15k is pretty common going price for decent quality breeding females in prime of life. Some are worth a lot more. Some males are worth a WAY lot more - think six digits. The issue is that there aren't really enough quality breeding females to go around, at least today. Over time that will change, and the average will come down some, but the high end will always command a premium. Some people will always want to buy the very high end, and the quality, over time, will disproportionately concentrate in those herds.

But, by that same token if you're less selective on criteria for females (older/no show history/no famous ancestory/herd dispersals, etc), you can find some for much less. If you're just wanting some pet boys for a home fiber operation, those are pretty easy to find for about the price of a pedigreed dog. I have had 8 boys born in a row...

 

[Daycare Mom]

Yes, they are expensive. $15k is pretty common going price for decent quality breeding females in prime of life. Some are worth a lot more. Some males are worth a WAY lot more - think six digits.

Holy Moly! I knew they were alot, but I had no idea they were that much!

I guess I will cross that off my list of critters to have!​

 

[tygab]

why not have some boys? They need loving homes too!

 

[ams3651]

Quote:
my sister and I always explored the woods and fields. we would pack a picnic and when cousins were visiting we would work on our "swimming hole" damning up the creek. Im glad my kids like the outdoors, would much rather be out than playing video games.

 

[buc]

Quote:
I have lived in my current place in the wide open spaces of Kansas for some 17 years now and rare is the day that I don't just love it . I was raising ringneck pheasents for a few years and in the first year when the chics got to mating age a wild ringneck showed up and made a heck of a lot of noice. He would get on top of the run netting and display for the other rooster and the hens. He would walk all around the pens attempting to find his way in.

 

[tygab]

yes, that's one of the things we love about this home. We don't have a lot of acreage but it is up against town land which has an extensive trail system thru the woods. There are also quiet roads to walk/run/bike on, and lots of farm stands. I hope it stays this way...

 

[Florida chick]

My parents live on Boynton in Pepperell! Small world.