Monday, June 6, 2022 Countdown to shearing, 5 days. Some check marks are done, more yet to do. We like to get the fencing set up a few days early so that the alpacas have time to get used to it. They notice anything unusual or different and if they’re too suspicious it might be harder to get them in the barn. This way they have time to get used to the new catch pens and it’s no big deal. If we have a good plan and good fencing flow, we don’t need to halter any of the animals. They move where we expect them to and life is good. So we’re are all set up with that.
Fencing catch pen complete inside barn ✔️
Fencing catch pen outside barn ✔️
Fleece shed empty and ready ✔️
Bags ready for fleeces ✔️
Yet to do: Food shopping, name tags for fleece bags, final sweep out of bean floor, meal prepping, send email to helpers, set up skirting table, Set up coolers with water bottles, basket of snack food for energy to barn, and what have i forgotten? lol We’ve only been doing this for 24 years so I’m sure I’ll remember everything before Saturday.
Photo of the Day: Somebody else has been busy around here. Isn’t is beautiful? 
Sunny
Yes it is!😍
Linda
Thanks Sunny.
Lana
I love spider webs! Who does the skirting when you shear? That is the part I dislike the most, since it makes my back ache now that I am older. We don’t get much help other than the boys the shearer brings, so I collect and bag fleeces and then skirt them later. Much later most times… lol.
Linda
My dear friend who boards an alpaca with us does the skirting. She is excellent and a spinner so she knows what to do. We have our skirting table at a comfortable height for backs and it’s set up right near the shearing stations in the barn, we have 2 stations going at once. The fleeces are carried to the skirting table by the “fleece grabbing team” and after skirting it’s rolled, weighed, labelled and taken to the fleece shed. Later I pull them out one at a time and decide their fate. I do more skirting then, but much has been done at shearing. We have a good crew that allows us to do this. We’ve been lucky to have the same helpers for a few years so it goes very smoothly.
Brenda Sorensen
I love that you always do all you can to make the whole process easier for the Alpacas. It is a very big undertaking to accomplish all that goes into a shearing! You all are so good at it! Fun to follow and admire! .
Linda
Thanks Brenda. If it’s easier on the alpacas, it’s easier for all of us.
Gigi Caito
I think you have all your ducks in a row and will be ready to shear this weekend. I’m like you. I prefer to be well prepared!
Linda
Thanks Gigi. I fly by the seat of my pants on some things, but shearing day involves so much, I absolutely have to stay ahead of it all.