Our Newest Additions

Okay, they're really our daughter's additions to the flock, but it's all one big flock anyway.  Two weekends ago SuperSuris had the first major alpaca sale in the Spokane area in as long as anyone could remember.  It was a great time, rain notwithstanding, and approximately 15 animals were sold - a great first go.  Two of those animals, a white suri by the name of Luna and her female cria, were bought by our daughter as a set.

Luna comes from famous lineage and her fiber is pure white and has great density and lock.  Her baby, who we've been calling Cinnamon Roll until our daughter gets around to giving her a proper name, is a feisty fawn-colored female with truly stupendous fiber.  I cannot wait to spin up some of what that little girl has growin'.

Luna and her baby will stay at SuperSuris for the time being as we continue to work towards our own little piece of heaven in the country.  Sadly, my unemployment has moved that out a bit, but we continue to try and get there.  In the mean time we continue to work at SuperSuris every weekend, so if you're in the area come on out and see us anytime!

Summer is Blooming

Yes yes, I know the typical season for blooms is spring, but we've had such a weird, wet, and cold spring that everything seems to be blooming again, as evidenced by this photo.

The farm is not just beautiful right now - it's absolutely resplendent.  The animals are waking up after a long cold spring, there are babies being born, there is shearing and mucking to do, spring cleaning, gardens to plant, pastures to reseed and water - and all of it simultaneously back-breaking and enjoyable.  The animals are happy for the care and attention and we're happy to give it.

And we have babies galore right now.  The first living being I have ever witness born aside from my own children was a little white male alpaca born on my birthday of all days.  He has a little brown spot on this head, like an odd little toupee, which will help us identify him later on in the sea of black yearlings that we're bound to have.  Many others have been born, as well as one little brown and white male who has the distinction of being the first living being I have delivered/caught, ever!  He was stuck in his momma a bit and I had to do a little pulling and shifting to get him out.  And what a gorgeous boy he is too.  We have our eye on him as he matures, though with his mixed coloring he will likely have limited utility as a herdsire.  I still love his fiber though.

So summer is breaking, the days are getting warmer, and we're getting busier.  Now that I have a surplus of time on my hands, I hope to keep y'all up to date on farm doings here - more often than I have.  Happy almost-summer, everyone.

What the . . . ?

Well, what could have broken me out of my stupor and finally gotten me to update this blog?  Well, honestly, that's the crushing unemployment that did that, but a contributing factor was the following story posted on CNN today:

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/06/23/does-4-h-desensitize-kids-to-killing/?hpt=hp_c2

Not long ago CNN ran an Eatocracy article where a prominent chef extolled the virtues of purchasing meats from 4H programs rather than big factory slaughterhouses, etc.  I read this article with raised eyebrows, totally agreeing with the author yet waiting for the hateful comments to start flooding in.  So many arrived, in fact, that CNN ran ANOTHER article (linked above) just discussing the comments.

Rather than supply my own comments on CNN.com (where I'm quite sure they would be lost in the flood), I've added them here.  Yes, part of 4H concerns the raising and eventual slaughter of animals for food.  However, are they less humane (wrong word, but it's what people say) than the factory slaughterhouses?  I think not.  I have seen many 4H cows raised in grassy pastures out behind kids' homes, pampered and groomed, and even loved.  Those same cows went on to make hamburger and steak for those kids' families and others who purchased them.  How is that as bad as putting hundreds of cows in paddocks covered in literal feet of excrement before shuffling them off to their deaths.  I think not.

I understand that a great number of people think that killing and eating animals is wrong.  I can't blame them for their opinion and I won't try.  However, I personally see no issue in raising one's own meat supply, treating that animal with care and sensitivity and, yes, eventually killing and eating that animal.

Please, don't vilify a program that has helped literally millions of kids learn about their world and their food supply.  You might as well get angry at the boy scouts for teaching kids to trample into the forest - never mind their proven history of helping to bring up responsible, caring adults who contribute to society.

Thus endeth the rant.