From Sun To Snow

Our Open Farm Day went well, with visitors coming and going throughout the day.  Some came to buy products, others came to see the alpacas and some people were interested in learning more about starting their own alpaca farm.

The alpacas all behaved well although the girls kept their distance from the fence line.  They seemed to know that it was in their best interests to stay away from the visitors this time and take things easy.   Asteroid was a star as usual and even tolerated being a participant in a toenail trimming display.  He was ready for a break by the end of the day but with Asteroid as long as he is getting kisses and attention he is quite happy to be touched and talked about.

The weather for Open Farm Day was perfect, in the low 70’s with blue skies and no wind!  We couldn’t have asked for a better day.  The girls did a fair bit of sunbathing, no doubt allowing their unborn crias the benefit of some warmth from the sun and perhaps even a little Vitamin D as the girls stretched out on their sides exposing their bellies – one of the few areas where their fiber coverage is less and perhaps might allow some vitamins to soak through.

Our last visitors left at about 4:15 p.m. giving Ric and I just enough time to draw breath before doing evening chores.

The forecast for Easter Sunday was for snow, and as the temperature was still relatively warm by 9 p.m. we couldn’t imagine that there was the slightest possibility that the weatherman’s prediction could be correct.  We should know better by now, New Mexico Spring weather can quickly swing from one end of the spectrum to the other and by 11 p.m. the winds were howling.  I checked on the alpacas and could see that they had all gathered either in or in front of their shelters for the night.

By Easter morning the snow prediction had come true, the snow was unable to accumulate as the ground was too warm, and the snowflakes that fell were tiny ones, but fall they did.  The temperature hovered just above freezing, not too bad for us to do chores in, but once again the poor alpacas systems were challenged with a 30 –40 degree temperature change. 

The moisture from the snow was most welcome and as the snow fell slowly but constantly throughout the day the moisture was able to soak into the ground. 

This spring is definitely cooler, by this time last year I had been wearing shorts for a least a couple of weeks, but also by this time last year our town had been hit by a tornado.  Easter Sunday (March 23) was the first anniversary of the tornado that hit just a few miles away from our farm.  We were very lucky to be spared any damage or devastation, but other families were not so lucky.  

Our temperature change between Saturday and Sunday was extreme, but I will take that and a little moisture over a tornado any time.  It’s anyone’s guess at the moment what weather we will experience for the rest of Spring and Summer but I am hoping that it will involve at least a little rain and no tornados.

Rosemary