Spinning 2018 fleece collection

At Little Valley farm we are getting ready for Alpaca shearing day so looking at what colours we should spin together. Should I keep our yarn knitting balls one colour or add colours to our fawn yarn ball. Here is a sample we spun which is 100% Alpaca fleece in fawn with black. Do you like? Hmmm should I do both or stick to one colour?

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Shearing day is 13th October, 2018 at Little Valley Farm, we will be shearing 14 alpaca's in white, fawn and one chocolate brown alpaca. We can't wait.  If you would like to help out and get some hands-on alpaca experience please contact us. 

We also have the train and shepherd's hut accommodation available for that week. 

Alpaca cuddle anyone?

Say hello to Majestic and Suki Oberon. They are the sweetest alpacas you will meet and they will come up to you to eat out of your hand. Their fleece is outstanding with lovely crimp and we look forward to shearing them in October and then spinning their fleece.  Its glorious!  

Both girls are pregnant and due early 2019 so we will have three different blood lines at Little Valley Farm. 

Book your farm stay with us at Little Valley Farm.  Couple farm stay for 4 adults so book online before Spring 2018 books out. Alpaca cuddles are free.  

www.littlevalleyfarm.com.au

Photo taken by Daniela 31st July 2018. You can see how dry the grass is here. We are so looking forward to some rain.  We have only received 2 mls for July. 

Bernie versus Beanie

Jack Frost is back and my 100% handmade Alpaca beanie now back on my head. It’s cold here but now my noggin Is toasty and warm. Bernie the sheep is wondering why I am wearing Alpaca..... Bernie mate, it’s a lot warmer than sheep and does not smell of lanolin like you, Matie!

This fleece was shorn from Allessandro back in 2016. Allessandro is light fawn alpaca with a chocolate kiss on his neck. He is a sweet little thing and our first born.  We love working with the alpaca fleece as its so clean, warm and easy to use without that lanolin smell and oily feel that sheep's wool has. 

You can always purchase fleece from Little Valley Farm either raw, spun or milled. Click on our website for online sales or simply send us an email. 

Meet Neve-Maria - a very special little alpaca

Meet our one year old, Neve now called Neve-Maria for a really good reason.  Her mother is feisty Bianca and the crankiest one of the lot but she is my favourite as she keeps everyone in-check!  Bianca is my second eldest alpaca and has given us the most wonderful and full-of-personality alpacas over the years.

Usually we have several cria's born at the same time but our mating schedule did not go accordingly to plan so Neve was solely brought up by her serious and stern mother.  We do find it so much better to have several cria's born around the same time, so they can buddy-up and get up to mischief together. 

The interesting thing about Neve is that she is a very shy, quite and non-pushy alpaca - nothing like her mother!  She has never pushed in or spat at feeding time and always kept to herself - a gentle little soul. 

On the saddest day of my life, when we received news a family member has passed, I was down at the feed shed and visibly upset. This little alpaca, Neve, walked straight up to me and put her face in my face.  She then allowed me to hug her. Alpacas are generally not affectionate creatures but are definitely inquisitive creatures and Neve was one never to be touched, so this was really quite out of character for Neve. 

Anyways, after this day, whenever she see's me, she comes up to me and kisses me, sometimes she will cush (sit down) in the paddock and hang out with us mere mortals. 

Here is one of my fav photos taken by guests, @arlie4cake of @mellybic hanging out with Neve.  Looks like it should be a famous alpaca sweater commercial.  

So if you have the chance to stay at the farm, you may also be able to take a photo or three of Neve-Maria my little angel. 

This post is lovingly dedicated to Maria-Adele, Naples, Italy, 2018. Bacci!

Photo by @arlie4cake featuring @Mellybic and Neve-Maria, the alpaca. 

Small Business Rebate 2018

Last year we applied for the Small Business Rebate for our alpaca farm.  It helped us set up some safety guide lines and have on-stock some PPE (Protective personal equipment), which we should have had from day one. 

Anyways, the rebate had us thinking about the alpaca pens set-up especially at shearing time when there are over 20+ alpacas lined up to be sheared, can be slightly chaotic especially for the couple of alpacas that are slightly nervous and flighty and the 5-6 people that are on-deck helping us out. 

We created five pens to sort and shuffle the alpacas in and out of the shearing bay. The rebate, had us thinking about the safety elements including gates and pens. 

I know its only a $500 rebate but it certainly helped out in the cost of the pens and gates.  

If you have an ABN you can apply for the $500 rebate back to small business owners who buy and install eligible safety items to address a safety problem in their workplace.

You can find out more on how to what to do to apply for Safe work NSW. Click here. 

Meet Sophia and Loren

Our beautiful girl, Sophia arrived at Little Valley Farm about over four years ago.  She was so pretty with her glamorous fluffy ears and long skinny legs. She was glam but over the years, she become goofy and oh so playful. She went from Sophia Loren to Lucille Ball! 

She was soo goofy in fact, we wondered what she would be like as a mother.  Well, our girl did not disappointed.  She produced a lovely little fella named Loren and then a second male, one year later. She is now feeding and caring for her new cria and loves being a mum. I do have to say, these animals are wonderful with their young and all day and night long you hear mum calling for her bub when they wonder to far. Its just simply lovely having little cria about. I think Sophia, would agree with me. 

Here is Sophia and her bub. 

Lilly and her bub born around the same time. So we have double trouble pronking about the farm. 

Contact Little Valley Farm for alpaca sales from wethers, females with cria-at-foot and pregnant females.  Training days on how to care and maintain alpaca's can be arranged. Simply email us your requiremnets and we will send you a quote.