Resurrection

Sand Hill Cranes, Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge, March 2015

We went to see the Sand Hill Cranes yesterday. What a remarkable thing. The fields full of dancing, talking birds never ceases to amaze me. And I still want to fly south with them....

Sand Hill Cranes in Monte Vista

I had an epiphany in the midst of my Grad school angst. While I realize now I will never have what it takes to be a full time shovel bum, I also realize that my passions to save the planet have remained the same. Through all of my work, I manage to tie in some form of environmentalism or sustainability, because that's who I am. That being said, I am planning on attending an archaeology field school for the summer, but this time on a day basis. There will be no living in a tent for this old woman. I have had enough of primitive off-grid living! I am an expert at hauling water and making do with next to nothing. Actually, for me to attend full time, R would have to quit one, if not two of his jobs and stay home with the kiddos, something we simply can't afford.

So while I whittle away at my classes, we try to dig ourselves out of our financial mess. We paid off the shed/tiny house with our tax refund, but still the dilemma of the county not allowing us to live in it, per county code. Okay, whatever. We have tried to sell the land, pulled back, decided to keep it. I work on my labyrinth and it ties to me to the land in ways I don't even understand. I am at a loss as to what to do, so I will do nothing.

I realized I don't want to give up any more animals, my llamas and my dreams of a farmstead. Why can't we make it work? We have not tried hard enough, not dedicated ourselves to the right cause, being torn between this and that and fantasies of negativity. The world may end. I may die tomorrow, but I want to keep my camelids, regardless of any outside thoughts on the matter. So, I have plans to acquire 3 adult, male alpacas in a rainbow of fiber colors. I want to make felt batting and quilt camelid comforters. Ha ha. No, sort of really. We shall see, we shall see.

I will resurrect the Green Desert Eco-Farm and put the Sanctuary to rest for a little while. Who wants to worship the Earth, besides me? My church of one. I affect change in only myself.

The farm will get a new life! And maybe I will too. We have put a bee hive starter kit on layaway at the local feed/hardware store. I am excited. We can get a colony from a local honey producer after we get our kit paid off. It is vitally important that more people try to keep bees for the Earth. And plant Milkweed for the Monarchs. I'd like to do both.

We also bought a new batch of chicks for the farmstead egg laying endeavor.

Chicks. Reds of some variety. Rhode Island, I'm thinking.

In the next month we will pick up the alpacas and get all of our camelids sheared. That should be fun. An event I have invited the public to attend. That may have been a bad decision, given my love hate relationship with people in general.

The wind is blowing, the weather has warmed and Spring is here. We are trying to get garden space created in this rental house. I am so tired of moving our raised beds around. I am so tired of moving, physically, but intellectually I may always be a nomad. We still need to find a bus to convert.

As usual there is too much to do and not enough time or hands, or money. But, it is what it is and today I live for today. I have started another juice fast. It has been a while and with the new season comes change. I will resurrect old farm dreams and my old strong, healthy self. And it will be good. Or good enough at least.

Llama shearing 2013

This past Monday we got our llamas sheared by two wonderful men from Albuquerque. $40/50 a head (depending on how hard they were to catch). Teeth and nails extra.

After we (mainly Richard) had caught and penned them, and tied them all up, the men hobbled the llamas and pulled them down to the ground.

Llamas in a line.

Turbo being led to shearing spot.

Patty hobbled and pulled down.

 

This is a great way to shear, and I've decided it far outdoes the chute method (the llama is held still in a llama chute, but legs are still free). This tie down method leaves little room for error. The animal is completely immobilized, which cuts down on chances of accidental cuts. This is the typical method used to shear alpacas. As you can see, it works great for llamas too.

Frosty getting sheared.

And they all got their nails done. Vader got his done by the shearers, but the rest were done by Richard. Only Frosty had to have his fighting teeth cut back, otherwise all teeth on all llamas looked good.

Vader gets a pedicure.

Vader getting sheared.

And when it was all said and done, two hours later, the llamas sure looked funny, but much cooler and I hope much happier. They didn't get too mad with the whole event. Only Frosty and Turbo filled their mouths with green, nasty, regurgitated goo. Fortunately they never had the opportunity to spit at anyone.

Overall the shearing was a huge success. I will never do it any other way. Turbo and Vader had years of gunk on their legs and necks from never being fully sheared. Now they are naked. We have a field full of naked llamas. I'd recommend these shearers to anyone (in the northern NM, southern CO area)!

Turbo, our guardian, doesn't look so formidable now, does he?

I have three large garbage bags (triple bagged) full of fiber. All of it is very dirty. The wind was so intense on shearing day, the guys did not blow out the fur with the blower, so the wool is full of hay and in some cases sticks (llamas love to roll on the ground, giving themselves dust baths). I'd like to sell it raw, if I could. The moths are so bad here, in the house and in the garage, I'm afraid the wool will get ruined if it hangs around too long. The wool I've been dragging around finally had to be thrown away. After two months of sitting in the garage here, it was infested with moths and larvae.

So, I've got raw, fresh off the animals, 100% llama wool for sale at $1 per oz. I think I have 30 pounds total from this shearing. I do have it divided by animal. We have brown mixed with silver, brown/black with some red undertones, brown and white mix, black, and brown...or some variety depending on the animal. Llama wool is hypoallergenic and extremely warm.  Let me know if you'd like some. Shipping is extra.