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The
Year That Was...... 2009 was a year filled with laughter and tears, birth
and death, new additions and some leaving for new homes, lots of challenges and change, and after two years of drought LOTS
and LOTS of rain! At the beginning of the year Elke was awarded a Agri-Tourism grant, and the monies were used to improve
and expand parking, for the construction of a wonderful access and viewing ramp at the llama barn leading to a large
deck which is our new outdoor classroom. Spring brought the birth of corridale and jacob lambs and our second annual
Open Farm Day in april. Our first llama of 2009 was born in spring, a beautiful girl out of Sunrunner and we named
her La Bella Luna. In May Christopher Robin and Spain left for their new home and job as sheep guards to a small shetland
sheep flock. During the summer months a wonderful 8 year old llama named Zephyr came to join us when he lost his lifetime
companion llama of 22 years and his owner asked if we could give him a home. Zephyr is beautiful, sweet and smart and
we are so proud to be able to give him a home. In August Lady Chieftain delivered a male cria and it was a joy in the
evenings to see TC (too cute) Geronimo cushed between his mother and his sister Penelope. Ted was show superintendent
of the llama show at Mountain State Fair, and Elke showed sheep at the same fair with great success. Chieftain suddenly
died, and on the day she died, Madison delivered a beautiful female cria, Izzie, and let 6 week old Geronimo nurse from her
also. Lots of tears on that day! Milo the goat, famous as the stand in Navy mascot at the Navy/Boston game died
of old age. In November Dolly the alpaca joined our farm after she lost her companion and needed a new home and in December
Eclipse went to his new home with Cathey Chet. As usual we were vendors at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival and
Elke was the fiber judge for llama and alpaca at SAFF. Elke and Elizabeth Strub went to Maryland Sheep and Wool and
showed in the jacob show for the first time which was great fun to be a part of one of the oldest and largest sheep shows
in the country. By the way did I mention that it rained a lot? LOTS!!
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The Winter That
Was....... Finally spring has sprung! At the beginning of March with winds howling, snow falling
and the water buckets frozen solid I began to wonder if winter would ever end. Winter began with
a bang Dec. 18, 2009 when 22 inches of very wet snow fell in an afternoon and night. Though the sheep looked like they
were swimming through the snow, we thought all had gone fairly well till we saw the old tobacco barn. The barn had stood
for decades drying tobacco, storing supplies and sheltering livestock but the morning after the blizzard a 70 foot pine had
toppled from the weight of the snow shearing off the back side of the barn. One llama was trapped inside, but OK, and
fortunately all the hay had been moved out a couple days earlier. In our ten years on the farm we never dealt with a
winter as hard as this one. Doing chores was truly a labor of love as I dealt with daytime temps in the low teen's,
high winds (making it even colder!), snow, snow and ice. The water buckets became 25 gallon ice cubes and even
bringing out buckets of hot water, the water would be freezing before the chores were done. The animals slipped on the
ice and hated the wind. It was a hard, long winter and I was ready to rename the farm "Polar Ice Station Zebra".
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It was another cold and windy day towards the end of
January, just before nightfall when I trudged back up to the barn to check on the animals one last time.
When I opened the gate I saw all the llamas in a huddle looking over to Dolly the alpaca who was standing over something dark on the ground. I ran to Dolly and found her newborn on the ground freezing to death.There was only one thing to do. I scooped the little guy up and put him inside my barn jacket and headed for the
house. Fortunately Ted had just come home from work. His query as to what was for dinner
was greeted with "we have to warm up a baby". The little alpaca
was so cold his ear tips had frozen together,his jaws were clenched shut, his
legs were stiff and he was making gurgling noises in his throat. After an hour of vigorous towel rubbing, heaters and probiotics and with some help from
us he was on his feet. I headed back to the barn, and put Dolly into a warm stall. When I got back to the house Ted had the little guy standing on his
own and he was humming and smacking his lips. A very, very good thing.
Now the only worry was reuniting him with his mom. We needn't have worried.
Dolly greeted her newborn with hums and nudges, rubbing her head against his,
and checking him from head to toe. Indy (Indianna Jones) is now two months old, thriving
and happy and friends with our little group of llama youngsters. We couldn't be happier with Dolly
and her mothering instincts. And I am always grateful that I went to the barn when I did.
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WHAT DO WE DO WITH LLAMAS? Alongwith the ever popular question "do they spit?" we are asked "what do we do
with llamas". At Wellspring Farm we use their fiber for felting and spun yarn, we hike with them, they help protect
our sheep flock, we compete (for fun) in llama shows, we breed and train, we hold Open Houses. What would you like to do with llamas?
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