Friday, November 19, 2010

BRRRR!!

Today was officially cold enough that I broke out my winter farm coat, hat and gloves. I'll wait a bit on the snow pants. It actually isn't that cold out (our thermometer is showing an outside temp of 42*), but the wind is very bitter. And today the sun is not shining (we have a heavy cloud cover), which makes it feel a lot colder.

I don't like this time of year. I don't like the sunless cold dreary days. We've been blessed with a warm and sunny fall, I knew these days were coming. The sky just looks grey, no sun shining, and the trees look a dreary brown color.

The dams and cria area:



The maiden girls area:



In the spring and summer I spent a lot of time outside with the alpacas. I'll go out just to watch the cria, and the chores get done without thinking too much of it.

This time of year you are much more likely to find me spinning yarn in front of the fireplace. Now that is a nice way to spend time! (see all my fiber bins laying about, our living room often is taken over by alpaca fiber):



One of the things I do like about having the farm, is that it forces me to go outside on these dreary days. While it can be hard to motivate myself to get out there, once I am, I really enjoy it. The fresh air, the activity, always raises my spirits. I come inside refreshed.

2 comments:

Lou Harmon said...

Does the cold weather help make their coats thicker?

oak haven alpacas said...

I've heard that the cold weather helps them grow longer staple length. Though I would be curious the average length of an alpaca's staple length in a cold climate (Michigan) vs warm (Florida for example). I do know that when we've had warmer than usual temps, their fiber doesn't grow as long. I have heard people in warm climates say they don't like leg fiber and such as it keeps the alpacas too warm.

Ours love to sleep outside in this weather. In the hot summer, they lay in the barn in front of fans. I've found some of them laying outside in the winter, inches of snow covering their backs.

Cara

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