Look, look, look...Feliz, Feliz, Feliz!

Translation: Happy, Happy, Happy!

This is the meaning for our alpaca mom's name...and this is how we felt yesterday. Happy...when our cria finally arrived at 5:20pm yesterday afternoon. We have been waiting for this birth from our favorite elderly alpaca (for 350+9 days!). This past year we couldn't resist but give her one last try for a rose grey girl...she came through on half of the gamble. We had a rose grey...boy...so it is hard to complain. (This alpaca pairing has produced a rose grey boy, medium brown girl and now another rose grey boy).He was 9.4 oz and a little small but is doing well. When you have a healthy, nursing alpaca you are a happy alpaca farmer. Within seconds of the birth my family was prodding me to "look"..."look"..."look"! Not only have we been lucky enough to be present for the first two births of the season, we have had healthy crias and they are nursing and on their way! Alpaca owners know about that moment when you are standing over a brand new cria on the farm...time stands still and you hesitate, taking a deep breath...before lifting the leg to look in order to determine if you will call it "he" or "she". Then it is over. The long wait, the anticipation. Then you quickly remind yourself how lucky you are to be a part of this incredible animal, to witness the birth of a magnificent creature that will surely win your heart within moments...whether it is a boy or a girl!

No name yet...forward suggestions and help name the cria!

Dirtiest Jobs? Alpacas? Come and see!

Find out for yourself at our Shearing Day open house May 9, 1-3:00pm!

Angel Tree Farm will have the farm open on May 9th from 1-3:oopm so that our alpaca followers can come and see what "Shearing Day" is all about. Many "alpaca people" have been discussing the edition of America's Dirtiest Jobs show...you know the one...where they feature alpacas/shearing as one of America's Dirtiest jobs! For years now of our visitors have been asking what alpaca shearing is like? We decided to give the alpaca enthusiast an opportunity to see for themselves what shearing day is all about. East Hill Alpaca Farm will come for the day and our two farms will shear our animals. The day will offer an opportunity to see the shearing, bagging of fiber and readying it for the mill as well as the end products. The farm store will be open with handmade alpaca items, such as, felted hats, mittens, scarves, fiber art products, yarn, roving, batting, with many products made from our animals as well as natural items from Peruvian alpaca pelts such as, teddy bears,, slippers and rugs.

It should be a fun day and an opportuinty for you to decide if Alpaca shearing/alpacas are one of America's dirtiest jobs or America's most loved job??

Okay...alpaca shearing is a "dirty job" for that day...but also one full of love and rewards! The reward of incredible fiber grown throughout the year and a special day for the alpaca breeder to reap the rewards of their labors during the year. That of incredible... luxurius of fiber that is yet become an amazing product whatever it may be turned into! Come and see for yourself!

And cria season is off... ATF welcomes cria #1!

Well it was a quiet evening on the farm and while hanging around in the pastures we noticed Kenya laying on her side and being a bit of a stinker when another alpaca came near. She had that "stay away from me...I'm about to have a baby look!" That was a 8:30pm and by 10:30 she was the proud mama of a 19.4 pound baby boy! A night birth is a little unusual. (Births in alpacas usually occur between 5 am and 1 pm so that in their natural habitat the baby cria can be up and nursing before night when predators are out) She is a good mom and we were able to just watch and enjoy the natural birth of yet another beautiful cria on the farm. This was her third and the first for one of our personal favorite herdsires...Black Kilo (for you passer-bys, he's in the pature accross the street). We have owned Kilo for just about 5 years now- ever since starting the farm. He is special to us. The cria...as you can see is a dark black/brown tinged. We are guessing he may end up being a bay black like his father. He has a small white spot over one eye and a white chin. He will be named ATF Kilo's Kolu. Kilo after his dad and Kolu for "night' in Japanese. We had a family member's Japanese exchange student here visiting and we thought we would impress her with the birth of a cria...thanks with a little help from Kenya! Do drive by and see this new little one in your travels...he's a beauty!