Toft breeding albino squirrels... .?

Will you look at this remarkable and very unique chap. He is running around the trees at Toft Alpacas, bold as brass and whiter than fresh cream. I don't know what the frequency is of albino squirrels but we certainly feel very privileged having seen our first 

Toft Alpaca Christmas Open Day

It was all happening at Toft today with all the family helping out to make the day a huge success. Uncle Keith and Auntie Lorna ran the meet and greet and car parks like seasoned professionals although Uncle Keith was disguised as an Eewok.

Auntie Sandra was on Edward duty and Douglas his Dad hovered and lingered to great effect. Jenny and Georgie provided the splendiferous catering on the Morning Glory bus. The old folks lingered with intent with my Mum  Audrey dressed like Santas little helper and my Dad John dressed like Greengrass on an off day!

My wonderful mother in law Myra busied herself helping everyone who needed it.

Shirley and I and Linda hovered around the 2012 girls talking alpaca and Shirley took two huge trips of enthusiasts for a farm walk.

Cheryl, Emma, and Safari took the Christmas alpaca workshops, whilst Kerry, Claire and Harriett handles yarns and shopping.

A busy but amazing day in which the weather held up miraculously and of course the fat man in the red coat turned up twice to provide a little Chritmas cheer.

Thanks to everyone who made the day happen and special thanks to the 250 people who came and enjoyed our Toft Alpaca Christmas Open Day.

Oh happy days....

All day in Milton Keynes shopping with young Eddie and Dandma. Shopping- minimal. Fun -maximum. Lunch in Pizza Express, Dinner in Jamie's, snacks at Pret a Manger. What a busy day. The boy has taste! Alpacas eat your heart out!

No prizes for guessing what I am doing on Saturday?

No prizes for guessing what I am doing at the Toft Alpaca Christmas Farm open day on Saturday! 

The last time I did this Kerry was at nursery school. At least I can honestly say I have grown into the part! Ho, ho,  ho!

Who's a clever herds woman ????

Here's a happy Toft Alpaca herds woman who has just shown she has hidden talents. No wonder she is grinning she made that today at the Toft Studio Christmas flower arranging. 

We have two if these a year, the first was today the second tomorrow but for Linda it will be back to the alpacas. Let's hope she is not tempted to turn the hay racks into works of art. Well done Linda every picture tells a story and this one is yours for today- merry Christmas!

It must be Christmas...

There I am knocking me end in sorting out the hedges on the new paddocks on a Sunday morning like you do. I returned at lunchtime to find these smart boys lying on the studio floor. 

Shirley and Linda our herds woman are taking part in a Christmas flower arranging workshop in the Toft Alpaca Studio. Linda was so proud of her achievement she insisted on a photie, 

Run by  Jane Fox the Christmas  workshop is an annual tradition and is like a production line where the  participants  produce all their Yuletide wreaths, table decorations etc. Look at this lot. They look a damn sight better than my hedges. There again you don't make these with a chainsaw!

No alpacas here then?

There can't be any views of London that beats those which delight you as you walk accords Waterloo bridge at 9.00am on a Sunday morning- perfick

It's only when you get a treat like this, which I did at the weekend you realise you've been on the farm a long time.

I shall miss BINKS he made me laugh

I'm short two good chuckles a day from today. JA JA BINKS has finished his holiday at Toft Alpacas and returns home today. He's been resident in our quarantine paddocks whilst his owners were abroad on holiday.

If there was ever an example of the most perfect pet alpaca it must be BINKS. His markings are astonishing and you can't help but smile when you see him standing there all presence and charisma thinking he has a chance as a stud alpaca. Having said that if one bred a line of Bink's people would be fighting each other to take them home as pets. 'Twas ever thus!

 I shall miss him. He made me laugh every time I passed him on my rounds-so that was at least two chuckles a day I am down.

What's this -suns shining and no mating?

The weather turned so mild at the weekend the Toft Alpacas Stud males were beginning to stir again and spent all Saturday hovering over the fence looking for talent. 

Be patient boyos. The job was done a while back. Spring will come soon enough and there's a lot of weather to get through before then methinks.

Toft Alpacas cutting grass in December???

Can you believe it? It's the 1st of December and I spent this morning cutting the last 4 acres of grass on the new land we have taken on.  

We have just taken on another 14 acres of grazing at Toft which adjoins our current pasture. The down side is - it probably hasn't been grazed for 5 or 6 years which means the grass is three to four  feet high and the ground ridged with huge mounds of tussock. So it's out with the flail, choose a low gear and contemplate life for a couple of hours as I slowly move through the paddock cutting it for the first time in ages.

 The conditions were perfect this  morning so it just had to be done. When the rain comes again it probably won't stop until the ground is unworkable so it just had to be done. Three weeks until Xmas and I'm cutting grass? Incredible. 

Made a lovely job though. Just the hedges to cut back over the next few months so we can see the fenceline and the fences to put right and we might just get some alpacas on it by Easter!