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Otago and Southland A&P Shows 2008-2009
11 May 2008
Good news from breeders in the Otago and Southland areas. We, as a region, plan to apply to the Alpaca Show sub-committee to have alpaca showing at the Balclutha Show 2008, the Gore Show 2009 and, as usual the Upper Clutha (Wanaka) Show 2009. So alpacas a many will be seen around our Shows - and Flagstaff Alpacas plans to have a trade site at the Southland Show 2009 at their new venue!
Southern Crafters - Invercargill 2008
11 May 2008
We have a trade site at the Southern Crafters at Stadium Southland, Invercargill on the 4th and 5th July. We will have alpaca products there including our alpaca duvet inners and alpaca yarns. The Southern Crafters celebrates New Zealand product.
Alpaca Conference Stud Auction is HOT
3 May 2008
See the Alpaca Conference 2008 alpaca stud male auction is running - so go have a look and support the coming Conference. Check the whole of the site out: www.alpacaconference.co.nz . And we will see you at Conference with the 'Alpacamobile', our duvets and yarns - Auckland here we come! So get bidding!
We will have space for a alpaca movements on our run to Auckland. Space from Gisborne to Auckland, Auckland to New Plymouth and Christchurch to Otago. Otherwise we are full!
Oh NO! - Here Comes the Snow!
2 May 2008
So much for a mild May - we had about 3-5 centimeters of snow overnight at Flagstaff - and about the same in Tapanui. The alpacas seemed happy - but a lot happier when we got plenty of dry meadow hay feed out to the paddocks. The hay is a crucial generator of chemical heat for livestock in these conditions as much as the energy it offers - the 'processing' of that 'tucker' helps in a variety of ways - and the smart alpaca knows that so they return to the meadow hay fodder all through the day to keep themselves warm!
Bit of advice though - don't introduce some sweeter tit-bits, such as lucerne hay, until later in the winter if you want them to continue to eat your meadow hay! They will always 'target' the sweeter feed so the alpaca farmer needs to stay smart. But for some of the girls we also introduced baleage - again very popular but we have plenty this year - and the alpacas love it!
100% Alpaca-filled Duvets
1 May 2008
Our thanks to all those that have bought our alpaca duvet inners over the last two months. We are now running out of certain sizes so our apologies if your size is not immediately available. More are currently being produced so the situation should soon be remedied. Note we only use white and light fawn fleece with the high quality linen so as to sustain the ultra-bright white look of the linen for the life of the duvet inner.
Keen to hear feedback as this colder weather is a good test and ours are certainly very comfortable so far! Enjoy!!!
Alpaca Conference 2008
26 April 2008
We are looking forward to being at the Alpaca Conference 2008 - details: www.alpacaconference.co.nz - to be held in Auckland 24-25 May 2008. We will be there with the Alpacamobile and a trade display of alpaca goods we are producing here at Falgstaff Alpacas and through Otago and Southland. Hope to meet you there!
"Snow in them there Hills!"
18 April 2008
Time to break-out the alpaca pullovers. First snow this year just above Flagstaff Alpacas. Did not last long though! Full report from our 'Alpaca Council' ????? ... check our 'Alpaca Blogs' page.
Updates to our Farmstay - the 'Paca Pad'
15 April 2008
If you are visiting Otago and Dunedin we have our Farmstay cabin - the 'Paca Pad' - available for guests. Pictures have been added to show the recent upgrade - Paca Pad Pictures. Please make contact if you are keen to come meet our alpacas ... cats ... horses ... guanacos ... ourselves!
Afternoon out in Oamaru and Doe Arnot?
14 April 2008
Had a very pleasant visit to Doe Arnot and her workshop at the Oamaru Textile Exchange, 13 Tyne Street, Oamaru. Doe has a spectrum of alpaca product various for sale and 'live' workshops as she and her staff work their magic on various fleece and yarns. The Oamaru Textle Exchange is a co-operative organisation for craft people producing textile-related items - and Doe's high quality work fits perfectly. And upstairs from Doe are a number of Victorian weaving jennies and machines that are being recovered, restored and in working order.
So if you have a spare afternoon then a visit to the Exchange in Oamaru is well worthwhile. Please check opening times and take a fresh mind - to gather a few ideas for things you can make with the on-site carded, spun and dyed fibres Doe and her staff are producing. Only regret is I forgot to take my camera - so go see for yourself!
Winter Feed - Update
14 April 2008
Although we don't have any lucerne hay for sale we do know a good source in the Oamaru area - we inspected today and looks rich and green. Best to make contact with Allan Grant for details and you would need to collect - it is 10 kilomters from Oamaru.
New Breeders and Website - Nuggety Creek Alpacas
10 April 2008
A big welcome to new breeders - and great place to visit if you are in the Havelock area - are Denyse and Melvyn at 'Nuggety Creek Alpacas'; their new website is www.nuggetycreek.com. Denyse and Melvyn also run a number of goats, a goat milking plant .... and you would be hosted by their own 'mob' of very friendly dogs!
Winter Feed
2 April 2008
Time to take stock of how you paddocks look as winter approaches. Certainly we are in semi-drought around Flagstaff Alpacas but all the alpacas are in good condition approaching winter as are our paddocks.
For those trying to assess without a true farming eye my concern is the condition of the paddocks at this time as any growth potential is limited as the nights draw in. Try to be objective - is their much density remaining, how close are the alpacas eating to the pooh-piles, is apparent growth just the unpalatable seed heads left by the alpacas - the seed heads on most grasses are bitter to taste. And if you think you have concerns the answer is in having supplementary feed as trying to get much from the paddocks is unlikely. Maybe even consider leasing secure local paddocks as a back-up.
Always best to be ahead for winter feed as, with the well advertised shortages of feed and the potential for an ugly winter, holding extra feed will be good insurance. We have baleage, some lucerne hay and plenty of meadow hay but have already sold any excess - a clue that people are anticipating feed being tough this coming winter. So best farming practice is to have a reserve!
Keeping up with the 'Hembras'
20 March 2008
Busy times around the farm checking new pregnancies and conducting spit-offs - not much fun for the males when they get covered in spit! But we are still waiting for severla late females - Cassnadra, Snow Drop, Gabby, and Enchante.
New(ish) Breeders - Brianne Alpacas
14 March 2008
A big hello from Anne and Brian at Crookston, Tapanui, who have their own alpacas and comfortably look after some of our special girls. You may have seen Anne, Brian and 'Whitley' (top picture) at the Southern Field Days, Gore and Wanaka Shows with us at Flagstaff. Anne and Brian now have their own herd name: Brianne Alpacas. There website is 'under-development': www.briannealpacas.co.nz , and links back to us while this goes on. Anne and Brian wil be at the AANZ Annual Conference in Auckland in late-May.
So if you are in the Gore, Balclutha or Roxburgh area give Anne a call: 03-204 2224 or e-mail: shalom.cottage@xtra.co.nz. Think the gate has a sign on it saying: "Always Welcome!".
Upper Clutha Show - Wanaka
10 March 2008
An action-packed pair of days at Wanaka Show for all that visited. In the alpaca judging our 'Stumpi' - a young white male whose sire is Sea Stallion - won his junior class and featured in the Championship assessments of judge Julie Mansell. Close!
But the real star was Whitley - who patiently toured the Show meeting and greeting visitors - top picture is of Whitley 'inspecting' some local lucerne hay with some friends. Click on this link or his picture to go to other pictures from the Show of 'Whitley' and friends.
100% Alpaca-Filled Duvet Inners
27 February 2008
We have now priced our Duvet Inners - the white fleece was sourced from our own alpacas and others from around Otago and Southland and uses a very high quality cotton outer embossed with a fern design. Full details are on our Products page.
Open Day - Thanks
25 February 2008
Big thanks to all those that attended the Open Day on Sunday - and a special thanks to Doe Arnot and her 'Fibre Clinic' - big sorry about the generator failure but worked perfectly this Monday morning? Strange?!! And the three shearing candidates looked just fine today.
The cria born at about 2pm was a boy and happily living with mum so come visit him sometime. Comments noted on holding the Open Day on a Sunday so we hope to see you again SATURDAY 14 February 2009. But all are welcome to visit before then and see how the pacas are all doing!
Open Day - Programme
18 February 2008
A simple version of the programme for those visiting us on Sunday 24th Feb at 136 Three Mile Hill Road, Dunedin. We start at 10am, finish at 4pm - the highlights:
We will have over 60 alpacas to meet and greet, with product for sale, a sausage sizzle and information various around Flagstaff Alpacas on alpacas. And meet our 3 guanacos! So let's hope for some more sun!
100% Alpaca Duvets Inners - by Flagstaff Alpacas
16 February 2008
We were pleased to launch our 100% alpaca-filled duvets at the Southern Field Days. Made using a luxury cotton outer, with embossed fern design, these winter quilts contain OUR white alpaca in a winter quilt - 450gsm. They come in all sizes and details to follow on our 'products' page after our coming Open Day - so our visitors on the 24th Feb get a chance to see what to do with alpaca shorts, neck, belly and leg.
Southern Field Days
16 February 2008
What a excellent week at Southern Field Fays in Waimumu, Gore earlier this week. A big hello to all those that visited Flagstaff Alpacas and said hello to our alpacas: Whitney, Pascal, Patsy and Monnie. Have to say the Field Days were superbly organised and lots of keen interest in alpacas and the yarns and quilts we had on display. Hope you can make the Field Day!
Hay Making - Meadow and Baleage
15 January 2008
Always a comfortable glow after finishing 'harvesting' our meadow hay and baleage - and a little early this year to be complete. Appreciate the dry conitions around Southland and Otago we do have small amounts of good meadow hay to sell - $7 incl. GST if collected (minimum 10 bales) or we can deliver - usually 20 bales of meadow fit the alpacamobile nicely.
Alpacamobile - has a limp?
14 January 2008
Poor alpacamobile has a little vitamin D deficiency mid-summer. A freak rainstorm after some very dry weather brought a large branch and associated heavy canopy down striking the bonnet of the Alpacamobile.
Some very tender loving care and some heavy wacking with a rubber mallet has temporarily sorted the problem!!!? Roadworthy and still 'delivering' the Alpacamobile will need its 'nails trimmed' later this month to get it back to its smart self!
Open Day - Sunday 24 February
2 January 2008
A date for the diary - we will be holding an Open Day at Flagstaff Alpacas on Sunday 24th February. Further details to follow but the day will include shearing demonstrations, training and leading alpacas, a spinning and dyeing of alpaca talk, alpaca fleece and confirmation discussion and classes on managing alpacas. The events will occur around the farm on 136 Three Hill Road, Dunedin. So please keep you diary free!
Alpaca 'Minature' Herd
8 December 2007
For those managing a very small lifestyle block there are options - see top picture right. An attentive herdgroup this 'herd' of alpacas is ... either ... male or female?!? More details on our 'Products' page ... of how to 'grow' your own alpaca herd from the comfort of your couch by the fire!
Amanda Vanden Bosch Field Day - Christchurch
1 December 2007
Excellent field day held in Christchurch with Amanda Vanden Bosch, the Northern American judge currently visiting New Zealand. The day, organised by the Committee of the Southern Region of the AANZ, looked at the detail required to correctly assess an alpaca correctly in the show ring. Certainly Amanda had the ability to give that insight to all that attended through a detailed presentation and plenty of hands-on. The detail on fleece evaluation looked at 5 markers in the fleece for judging strength, micron, reflectiveness, density and handle. And confirmation covered all aspects of the alpaca from teeth to toe.
We all came away significantly better informed - well organised Southern Region Committee!
Other Paca News ... check our Alpaca News Archive
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