Emma and I had a big morning job lined up. We met at Garth Hall just after I had let the ducks out and put the Peckys in the run. We went to the barn. I washed the lambs bucket out while Emma fed Rascal. I made a phonecall while she loaded hay into the bag. We drove down and I put hay for the boys first and then some in the podfield. We then went to check on Arwen’s cria, Neil wanted to know she was alright. They all came over to the gate, including those two. We took advantage of their greed and I went in the pen and called. Everyone except Luna, Hennessey, Arwen, and her daughter came in. I didn’t need those so they were left outside. We fed the boys and shut them in the pen, before feeding in the main field. (More on the boys later)
We carried 4 barriers down the field. Emma carried 2 at once so she started setting up while I got my 2nd one. I had a list of girls with grey parents and/or grandparents. We had to sort out and leave Persephone, Cookie and Clara in the pen, ready to put in the podfield. We got a group in the sorting pen. Persephone was very eager to go out first. She is very stubborn. The idea we would be quick went out of the window with Persephone to deal with 😂 It took ages to try and get her away from the gate 🙄We let some of the ‘unwanted’ girls out. We got the final lot in and Persephone was still eager to leave. Emma managed to manoeuvre her and Clara into the blue pallet shelter. I sprayed each of the black ones as they went out. The flies were terrible so I sprayed some citronella on them. I was being eaten alive by horseflies. I pop them if I catch them. Finally we were left with Clara, Cookie and Persephone. Emma used the hurdle from the pen and stood in another gap. I opened the podfield gate. Kylie ran into no man’s land. I opened the other gate and Persephone came first followed by Clara and Cookie. I shooed them into the podfield and step 2 was complete.
We left step 3 on hold and went to feed in the podfield and do Ffion’s eyes and tablets. We had to move buckets from the boys over to the girls for the time being. That was when we discovered how greedy Kylie is. She ate the contents of several buckets and Persephone wasn’t much better. Ffion was shut in the pod temporarily to finish her food and the tablets. It was time for step 3 to commence. We had to do water. Neil taught Emma how to work the pump. There was one hiccup but she did it 👏 We were able to fill water for everyone. 5 minutes after all the hard work was over, we caught Clara climbing in the nice clean bath of water 🤦♀️I still have no words for that. She keeps doing it, I keep being astounded, and amused!
Step 4. Ghost needed to be transferred to the podfield for some ‘field mating’. He hasn’t successfully mated with anyone since coming to us. He refused to mate with Arwen. In fact he wouldn’t go anywhere near her! I was convinced he was gay. I have no objections to people being gay but it isn’t ideal in a stud alpaca, bought for breeding. He’s likely to be Wales’s only grey, gay alpaca though so that alone might make him popular. It was time to try him again though. His previous owner told us he was very particular who he mated with. 🤷♀️Emma caught him and begun the unenviable task of walking him to the small side gate. It was enough of a struggle getting him out of the boys field. Emma is determined and with Ghost going side ways she got him to the gate and literally pushed him through the gateway. She fought him to get the harness off and then he saw the girls. The girls also saw him. They came prancing over with their tails up. There was plenty of mutual interest! “He’s not gay then!” He definitely fancied Ffion and Persephone. Cupcake tried to mount him 😲 I filmed for a few moments. I have to watch to see that everyone is ok and hopefully see the deed so it can be noted. But the thing is, it makes me feel a bit weird after a while 😂 I need to know what’s happening but I don’t want to intrude! Time was marching on and I needed to leave then anyway. At least I was hopeful.
I got home, got a pile of stuff together and had dinner. I rushed off in the car because I had a be at Jordan’s by 1. She left and went to Garth Hall to poo pick. Riley and I watched a bit of telly and put some stickers in his farm book. He refused to share any of his Frazzles with me. He’s certainly not stupid 😁 At about 2.30 he went in his cot to play while I showered and washed my hair. When Jordan came home, we had a brief chat before I left for a meal with my friends. After the meal I went up to Garth Hall to close. Neil said Ghost wasn’t with the girls but he left then for Tregurnog. I put the Peckys in and gave them fresh water. As I was leaving Barry, with them all shut in, a black hen strolled through the wall garden gate. FFS mun 🙄 I’ve shut her in the run so all the other feathered sods didn’t get out! I fed the lambs and Rascal before putting the ducks to bed. I drive to the gate and it was locked. Neil had automatically locked it when he left. I’d been out for a meal. I was in my car, without the padlock key. I was trapped. And frustrated. I was ready to go home but now I was stuck! Several phonecalls and some wasted time and I was finally free.
Let’s see what Ghost manages in the next few days 🤞
Helen x
