Alpacas in Their New Pen

Below are a couple of pictures of the alpacas in the pen I built yesterday. It is connected to the big pen, but separated by a gate. I put them in it for an hour and a half and they ate at least half of the grass. I will be putting them back in it again today so I can work on their big pen; there are a few fence posts that could benefit from being straightened out and some wire tightened up.

It is also time to clean out the hay and straw (and poop) that has been accumulating in there all winter. As I did some raking yesterday, I uncovered a small asparagus patch in the pen; I wasn't thinking when I put that pen there, was I? Any way, I will be moving the asparagus plants over to a garden bed and mulching it with straw and alpaca pellets. I should have an awesome crop of asparagus next year!

Can you see our Blue Heeler in the picture on the left? He was making sure no one escaped. :)

Have a great day!

I Should Be Gardening

It is a beautiful day today! I should be gardening, but instead I am adding on to the alpaca pen. With the sun so high, they have very little shade. We have an area between their pen and the front lawn that is completely shaded and has a lot of grass. I am extending their pen into that area so they can enjoy the shade and green grass. Perhaps the grass in the rest of the pen will grow a little if they are preoccupied with the new area.

I have the area marked off, and the rebar lined up where it needs to be. After some iced tea and a bit of a break from the heat I will be going out with hammer in hand to pound in the rebar. Alpacas are not too hard on fences, so rebar does work instead of wooden posts. It is also a less permanent solution and can be moved if need be. I removed the rebar from the area I had the alpacas in last year and am reusing it, so expenses are cut down as well.

To use rebar for a fence, the best thing to do is start with seven foot lengths. Try to sink the posts into the ground at least 18", then tie the page wire to the rebar posts with haywire. I find fencing pliers to work great for twisting and bending the wire, as well as cutting it. I think I would be lost without them; I would have to carry several different tools with me if I didn't have them.

I will add a photo or two when they are in their new area. I had best not sit too long or I may not want to go out again. It is getting to the warmest part of the day; I am glad I have a shaded area to work in.

Have a great day!

Alpacas

Living on an acreage has given us the opportunity to raise alpacas. They are an easy to care for livestock that eat much less than our horses do. Our herd of nine alpacas will go through a round bale of hay per month during the winter, while our two horses will eat the same amount in less than two weeks.

We have owned this herd since June of 2011, and I have no regrets. It will soon be time to shear them so I can begin to make yarn and other items from their fleece. I am a crafty person by nature and I can't wait to begin creating rugs, blankets, mitts and socks from the fleece. It will be a learning experience I can hardly wait to get started on. I belong to Paca This on Facebook and fellow members are very helpful when it comes to needing assistance or information regarding these beautiful animals.

Why alpacas you ask? I am less intimidated by an alpaca (which weigh about the same as I do) than by cattle (which are MUCH heavier). The fact the animals do not have to be slaughtered to get a financial return appeals to me the most. I grew up on a farm that raised cattle and I was always afraid of them. They were so much bigger than I was, and much more aggressive when the calves came along. A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be home when one of our alpacas gave birth, and the mother didn't chase me or try to hurt me when I had to move the cria (baby) to a better spot. (Why she had it in the dirt is beyond me!)

Below is a picture of our herd today. They saw me at the fence and came running; they were expecting some handfuls of green grass or perhaps a bucket of oats. They know when I am at the fence there is usually a little treat waiting for them.

The cria on the far right was born on April 19; the one next to her was born February 4. When we bought the herd of seven, we were told none of the females were pregnant, so the cria were a nice little surprise. The littler one is a female, while the other is a male. We do not know the genetic line of the sires, so we will be selling them as pets/fiber animals only. That is, if we can part with their cuteness. 

Alpacas are also great for lowering blood pressure. They are a quiet animal and make soft humming sounds when eating and wandering about. I like to sit and watch them move about the pen; I will even go inside the pen and sit in a lawn chair. They don't take long to come over and visit me, as they are very curious. It is very relaxing and I don't have to worry about getting hurt.

One of the nicest things about raising alpacas is they are perfect for acreage living. Anywhere from five to eight may be pastured on an acre of grass. They are great lawnmowers and do not destroy the roots of the grass like other animals do. They nip the grass off above the ground level so there is some left to continue growing. It is advisable to rotate them in the pasture to keep them from over-grazing, which they will do if there is a shortage of grass. They also have soft padded feet which are much easier on the soil than the hooves of cows and horses.

If you have any questions about alpacas, please do not hesitate to ask in the comment section. I will do my best to answer, and if I am unable to I will refer you to someone who can. We are still in the learning stages of this industry; an industry I am very happy to be a part of.

Have a great day! 

Welcome to Acreage Living in Alberta

Welcome to Acreage Living in Alberta!

What is an acreage?

An acreage is a parcel of land that can range from one to several acres. Our current rented acreage allows us use of almost 30 acres, most of which is trees and a ravine. We are able to harvest several hay bales each year, which provides food for our horses and alpacas throughout the winter.

I have built raised garden beds which provide us with fresh produce throughout the summer, and a surplus which is preserved for winter use. We are also fortunate enough to have two rows of saskatoon trees which we thoroughly enjoy. Some years the harvest is plentiful and other years we have only enough for fresh eating, but either way we feel blessed to have them so accessible.

I have started this blog to cover the many aspects of triumphs and challenges we as acreage dwellers face. We are planning on buying our own in the future, and living where we do now has helped me figure out what I want when we do take the plunge. Join me as I document the interesting and sometimes not-so-interesting events that happen, and please feel free to share your acreage living experiences as well.

All proceeds from this blog will be used for helping us achieve our goal of owning our own acreage in the future. Please come back often to see photos, learn about different aspects of rural living and try the recipes I will be posting from time to time. Thank you for your support! :)