Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm

Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm updated their website address.

I'm sure I said somewhere that I'm not a fan of surprises. This one was a birthday surprise! It snowed on my birthday, just one of the many snowstorms to hit the farm this winter. We trudged through the snow to do the morning chores. My husband got to the alpaca barn first. There he found a new cria walking around outside in the snow and he was cold! 574 more words [ 544 more words ]
http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/a-birthday-surprise/

A Birthday Surprise I'm sure I said somewhere that I'm not a fan of surprises. This one was a birthday surprise! It snowed on my birthday, just one of the many snowstorms to hit the farm this winter. We trudged through the snow to do the morning chores. My husband got to the alpaca barn first. There he

Alpacas and the never ending winter - how do they cope? Since the two leggers on this farm are struggling with this winter which seems to be endless, you have to wonder what the animals think of it all. How do they survive? Here in Kansas we seemed to jump from summer to winter with very little fall in between. The gradual cooling that normally goes on in the fall did not happen. [ 637 more words ]
http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/alpacas-and-the-never-ending-winter/

Alpacas and the Never Ending Winter Alpacas and the never ending winter - how do they cope? Since the two leggers on this farm are struggling with this winter which seems to be endless, you have to wonder what the animals think of it all. How do they survive? Here in Kansas we seemed to jump from summer to winter with

One of the main purposes of Shetland Wool Week is to provide classes - knitting, spinning, weaving. Knitting in particular, is part of the life blood of Shetland. Most of the women of Shetland are experts in both Fair Isle and lace. Classes are in high demand and it's a matter of luck if you get the classes you want. I was interested in how to choose colors for a project. [ 266 more words ]
http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/shetland-wool-week-2018-classes/

Shetland Wool Week 2018 - Classes One of the main purposes of Shetland Wool Week is to provide classes - knitting, spinning, weaving. Knitting in particular, is part of the life blood of Shetland. Most of the women of Shetland are experts in both Fair Isle and lace. Classes are in high demand and it's a matter of luck if you

Lerwick The views from the guest house were beautiful. Some mornings it was sunny and the North Sea was calm. On other days it was rainy and blowing a gale but being able to see the sea from my window was such a treat. I grew up in Aberdeen which is a large fishing port and market town on the east coast of Scotland and later the center of the North Sea oil industry. [ 289 more words ]
http://willowbrook.stockmarketingpro.com/shetland-wool-week-2018-lerwick/

Shetland Wool Week 2018 - Lerwick Lerwick The views from the guest house were beautiful. Some mornings it was sunny and the North Sea was calm. On other days it was rainy and blowing a gale but being able to see the sea from my window was such a treat. I grew up in Aberdeen which is a large fishing port and

Knitters, especially Fair Isle knitters, will know what Shetland Wool Week is. For those that don't, it is a celebration of Shetland knitting and textiles, Shetland sheep and rural farming. There are classes, lectures, organized tours and exhibitions all over the islands. This was the ninth year of the event. I have two friends who have attended for several years and this year I decided to join them! [ 275 more words ]
http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/shetland-wool-week-2018/

Shetland Wool Week 2018 Knitters, especially Fair Isle knitters, will know what Shetland Wool Week is. For those that don't, it is a celebration of Shetland knitting and textiles, Shetland sheep and rural farming. There are classes, lectures, organized tours and exhibitions all over the islands. This was the ninth year of....

We're all bare and naked here! Not the two leggers of course.

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Shearing 2018

We have not taken our alpacas to any kind of events other than shows in the past. The other week we had a request from a local preschool that we could not refuse! The children had been learning about llamas and alpacas (good teacher!) and the teacher wondered if we could bring an alpaca to school for the children to see. [ 529 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/mary-alpaca-goes-school/

Mary the Alpaca Goes to School We have not taken our alpacas to any kind of events other than shows in the past. The other week we had a request from a local preschool that we could not refuse! The children had been learning about llamas and alpacas (good teacher!) and the teacher wondered if we could bring an alpaca to

I am not a fan of surprises, whether good or bad. I certainly don't like them in the early hours of the morning when my husband wakes me up to tell me that we have a new cria who had been abandoned by all the other alpacas. He could not tell who the dam was. When I got out to the barn the cria was still by herself with one or more alpacas occasionally coming to sniff her. [ 710 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/a-surprise-cria-mom/

A Surprise Cria – Mom Has No Milk. I am not a fan of surprises, whether good or bad. I certainly don't like them in the early hours of the morning when my husband wakes me up to tell me that we have a new cria who had been abandoned by all the other alpacas. He could not tell who the dam was.

While the trees are finally showing their fall colors it is time to make winter preparations on the farm. We had a wet year here in Kansas and we still have some green grass which is unusual for this time of year. The alpacas are certainly making good use of it. They are also enjoying the cold nights. The frosty mornings bring icy water buckets and troughs so top of the list of winter jobs is looking out the heated water buckets and trough heaters. [ 441 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/winter-preparations-alpaca-farm/

Winter preparations on the alpaca farm. While the trees are finally showing their fall colors it is time to make winter preparations on the farm. We had a wet year here in Kansas and we still have some green grass which is unusual for this time of year. The alpacas are certainly making good use of it. They are also enjoying

I want to extend a big 'thank you' to Shaina Scott of Yumi Yarns for selecting my alpaca yarn for her Sindri Cowl Knitting Kit. Shaina is a talented young designer who has long been a fan of my alpaca product. Check out her designs on Facebook and at www.yumiyarns,com.

The 25th annual North Country Fiber Fair was held in Watertown, South Dakota on September 23 and 24. This fair is a real celebration of fiber! I first heard about it from another alpaca farmer who attended one year. While it was not particularly suited to her product it sounded as if my yarn and roving would fit well. I first tried it four years ago and have been returning every year since. [ 436 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/north/

North Country Fiber Fair – September 23 – 24 Visit the post for more.

Alpacas find dealing with heat and humidity in summer challenging. We have found they can learn to adapt if we give them some support. It goes without saying that they need to be sheared before the summer heat ramps up. Here in Kansas we shear in April. If you have a very dense animal you can give them a belly shear later in the summer too. [ 530 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/alpacas-dealing-with-heat-and-humidity/

Alpacas – Dealing with Heat and Humidity Alpacas find dealing with heat and humidity in summer challenging. We have found they can learn to adapt if we give them some support. It goes without saying that they need to be sheared before the summer heat ramps up. Here in Kansas we shear in April. If you have a very dense animal you

Fiber Tuesday is usually my favorite day of the month when I get to meet up with my creative fiber friends. This month it was tinged with sadness. We were saying farewell to the Wool Shed. What is the Wool Shed? It is my friend Carol Ann's studio which her husband built for her. Carol Ann is first and foremost a felter who creates beautiful hats. [ 518 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/fiber-tuesday-farewell-to-the-wool-shed/

Fiber Tuesday – Farewell to the Wool Shed Fiber Tuesday is usually my favorite day of the month when I get to meet up with my creative fiber friends. This month it was tinged with sadness. We were saying farewell to the Wool Shed. What is the Wool Shed? It is my friend Carol Ann's studio which her husband built for her. Carol

Fiber "U" is all about fiber and promoting the Fiber Arts. Two days of classes from spinning to weaving, from dying to lace making, from crochet to felting. In between classes there is shopping to be done at the various vendor booths. This is the eighth year of the event and many attendees will have been at every one! The show is superbly organized. [ 374 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/fiber-u-july-15-16/

Fiber “U”, July 15 and 16 Fiber "U" is all about fiber and promoting the Fiber Arts. Two days of classes from spinning to weaving, from dying to lace making, from crochet to felting. In between classes there is shopping to be done at the various vendor booths. This is the eighth year of the event and many attendees will have

There are an increasing number of fiber mills available offering to process your alpaca fleece. How do you go about choosing a fiber mill for your alpaca fiber? There are many things to take into consideration. The first thing I would consider is the end product. Can you see the quality of the yarn or roving that the mill produces? If you do not have samples from friends or other people who have used the mill, then getting recommendations from other alpaca breeders would be useful. [ 807 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/choosing-fiber-mill-alpaca/

Choosing a Fiber Mill for your Alpaca There are an increasing number of fiber mills available offering to process your alpaca fleece. How do you go about choosing a fiber mill for your alpaca fiber? There are many things to take into consideration. The first thing I would consider is the end product. Can you see the quality of the yarn…

The Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival was fun! It was a new venue this year with everything under one roof. It reminded me of an alpaca show with sheep dog demonstrations and show classes going on in the same area as the vendors. The classes were held just off the arena and very handy for participants to come shopping afterwards. The fleece show had a large number of entries this year and the judge did open judging where she explained how she judged each fleece. [ 633 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/iowa-sheep-wool-festival/

Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival The Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival was fun! It was a new venue this year with everything under one roof. It reminded me of an alpaca show with sheep dog demonstrations and show classes going on in the same area as the vendors. The classes were held just off the arena and very handy for

Next weekend, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th June, Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm will have a vendor booth at the Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival. We have been at the festival for the past four years and it is always great fun. This year it is in a new venue at the Hansen AG Learning Center in Ames, Iowa. Besides shopping for your favorite yarn or roving, there are lots of sheepy things going on as well as many classes and demonstrations. [ 314 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/visit-alpacas-willowbrook-iowa-sheep-wool-festival/

Visit Alpacas at Willowbrook at Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival Next weekend, Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th June, Alpacas at Willowbrook Farm  will have a vendor booth at the Iowa Sheep and Wool Festival.  We have been at the festival for the past four years and it is always great fun. This year it is in a new venue at the Hansen AG Learning

In another post I outlined the reasons why sorting and grading alpaca fiber is beneficial. Since shearing our alpacas, I have spent many hours in the fleece room sorting my fiber and getting it ready for the mill. To do this you need some basic tools. Apart from a skirting table you will need large bins with a plastic bag,( I use plastic pop up bins often used for gathering leaves) for each grade. [ 634 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/sorting-and-grading-alpaca-fiber-part-two/

Sorting and Grading Alpaca Fiber Part Two In another post I outlined the reasons why sorting and grading alpaca fiber is beneficial. Since shearing our alpacas, I have spent many hours in the fleece room sorting my fiber and getting it ready for the mill. To do this you need some basic tools. Apart from a skirting table  you will need large

Yesterday was Fiber Tuesday - my monthly day off the farm with my fiber friends! It was a beautiful day and we were able to sit on the deck for lunch and 'show and tell'. This is always the interesting part of the meeting where you get to see the projects that people have been working on and come away with ideas you might want to try. [ 514 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/fiber-tuesday-where-alpaca-meets-shetland/

Fiber Tuesday, Where Alpaca Meets Shetland. Yesterday was Fiber Tuesday - my monthly day off the farm with my fiber friends! It was a beautiful day and we were able to sit on the deck  for lunch and 'show and tell'. This is always the interesting part of the meeting where you get to see the projects that people have been

Fiber, (alpaca or wool) hot water, soap and agitation. Put these all together and you can create felt. Felting is an almost magical process turning raw fiber or roving into hats, gloves, scarves, shawls or almost anything you can imagine. While I have dabbled in hat and scarf making, I would not consider myself a felter! I do know some wonderfully creative people who are. [ 679 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/felting-a-magical-process-overland-park-arboretum/

Felting – A Magical Process at Overland Park Arboretum Fiber, (alpaca or wool) hot water, soap and agitation. Put these all together and you can create felt. Felting is an almost magical process turning raw fiber or roving into hats, gloves, scarves, shawls or almost anything you can imagine. While I have dabbled in hat and scarf making, I would not con...

Alpacas - the golden oldies. Come visit them!

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/alpacas-golden-oldies/

Alpacas – the ‘golden oldies’. I read recently that the oldest sheep recorded in the Guinness Book of Records was 28 years and 51 weeks old! That made me think about my older alpacas - my 'golden oldies'. My oldest female is Princess Leia (I wonder who she was named after?). She will be 19 in a couple of days.

It may not be officially winter but the cold weather with it's freezing blasts has certainly arrived. After the long stretch of above average temperatures it is certainly a shock to the system to be dealing with below freezing days and super cold nights. How do alpacas deal with winter? In my experience they handle winters in Kansas pretty well although big changes in weather are more difficult for them than a gradual cooling. [ 387 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/alpacas-in-winter/

Alpacas in Winter It may not be officially winter but the cold weather with  it's freezing blasts has certainly arrived. After the long stretch of above average temperatures it is certainly a shock to the system to be dealing with below freezing days and super cold nights. How do alpacas deal with winter? In my exper...

For those of us who are worn out by this Presidential election or upset about the result here are some pictures of alpacas to ease your stress. Alpacas are calm peaceful animals and just being in their presence brings a feeling of calm. They all have different personalities and even their disagreements are fun to watch! Spend time with some alpacas and I guarantee you will feel better. [ 891 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/alpacas-antidote-election-blues/

Alpacas: the antidote for election blues! For those of us who are worn out by this Presidential election or upset about the result here are some pictures of alpacas to ease your stress. Alpacas are calm peaceful animals and just being in their presence brings a feeling of calm. They all have different personalities and even their disagreeme...

We have lost two alpacas within the space of a week, both of them in their teens. The first was a fourteen year old female, Sushi. She appeared well at morning feeding time and again later when checking water. Just before lunchtime we found her dead. There was no obvious cause of death. Sushi was a character! She loved neck rubs, most of the time, but could spit at the drop of a hat if she felt like it. [ 271 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/dealing-loss-alpacas/

Dealing with the loss of alpacas. We have lost two alpacas within the space of a week, both of them in their teens. The first was a fourteen year old female, Sushi. She appeared well at morning feeding time and again later when checking water. Just before lunchtime we found

I love when my alpaca fiber comes back from the mill. It really is 'Christmas in August'! I use Shepherd's Mill in Phillipsburg, Kansas and have done for many years now. Sally Brandon and her team do a great job. When I first started to process my alpaca fiber, I chose to have 100% alpaca yarn and roving. After all, alpaca fiber is wonderful to work with on its' own. [ 543 more words ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/blending-alpaca-fibers/

Blending alpaca with other fibers I love when my alpaca fiber comes back from the mill. It really is 'Christmas in August'! I use Shepherd's Mill  in Phillipsburg, Kansas and have done for many years now. Sally Brandon and her team do a great job. When I first started to process my alpaca fiber, I chose to have 100% alpaca

You've made the decision to send your alpaca fiber to a mill for processing. Now what? How do you prepare it for the mill? Carefully unroll your noodled fleece on the skirting table. Now you are ready to skirt the fleece. This simply means removing pieces of fleece that don't belong with the rest. Start by going round the edges of the fleece. [ 389 more words. ]

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/preparing-alpaca-fiber-for-the-mill/

Preparing alpaca fiber for the mill. You've made the decision to send your alpaca fiber to a mill for processing. Now what? How do you prepare it for the mill? Carefully unroll your noodled fleece on the skirting table. Now you are ready  to skirt the fleece. This simply means removing pieces of fleece that don't belong with the rest.…

Fleece Shows

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/fleece-shows/

Fleece Shows The AOA National Fleece Show is taking place this coming weekend, July 21 to 24, in Arlington, Virginia. Volunteering at a fleece show and the National Show in particular, is a wonderful learning experience. You get to hear first hand how the judge evaluates each fleece. In my experience, judges are...

Summer in Kansas is hot and humid. Winter is cold. When choosing breeding dates for alpacas, we have to consider the weather. The ideal spring time frame for delivery is April and May and for fall, October and November. Outside these parameters you have to deal with heat or cold in late pregnancy.

http://www.alpacasatwillowbrook.com/heat-alpacas-late-pregnancy-2/

Heat and alpacas in late pregnancy Summer in Kansas is hot and humid. Winter is cold. When choosing breeding dates for alpacas, we have to consider the weather. The ideal spring time frame for delivery is April and May and for fall, October and November. Outside these parameters you have to deal with heat or cold in late pregnancy. T...

This is going to be a busy week getting ready to go to the MOPACA show on Friday. I will have a vendor booth and my husband is showing the animals. Lots to do!

Waiting for the vet to come and check on the progress of an eye issue. We don't usually mess around with eyes. We learned over the years with our horses that eye problems can get serious very quickly and we'd much rather be safe than sorry. We've had so much wind recently I'm surprised more of the alpacas are not having issues. I'm so looking forward to spring!

I love Fall on the farm - beautiful colors, comfortable temperatures and happy animals! It's hard to think we need to be getting ready for winter which is just aroud the corner.

Some of the girls enjoying the evening sunshine yesterday.