Part 9 The Leap from chickens to camelids

Our chickens are doing well and laying lots of pretty eggs. I currently have an egg delivery route to sell our overage of eggs. Well, we no longer have an overage. We sell all that the chickens will lay and have a waiting list to be added to the route.  We also offer other items to our delivery customers. During the summer we have fresh veggies. Early Fall we have apples and apple butter and apple sauce made from our apples. We hope to have a good grape harvest this year.  We always have handmade bath and body products to offer. Our neighboring farm also has items that we offer.

Now to the camelids (llama and alpacas)......By January 2016 we had purchased the remaining acres of the original farm. That meant we had room for more critters. I was thinking maybe cattle or pigs. As we were thinking about this, hubby saw an ad on Craig's list with a baby llama (cria) for sale. I had never been up close to a llama or alpaca. I really had not given them much thought. They were not on my radar until......the Craig's list ad. Hubby casually "Look, here is a baby llama for sale". I thought about that for a minute and replied. I said "I think I would like a llama".  That was the beginning of our journey into these beautiful animals.
Llamas and alpacas need other camelids to be healthy and happy. They are herd animals and need to not be alone. Well.....Lulu (I named the baby llama that we would not get until June) would need a companion. Uh oh......that was the second step into these beauties. The search for an alpaca was my priority now.
I eventually found a breeder about 2 and 1/2 hours away. Not only did she breed alpacas, she was willing to be a contact for me if I needed advise. That was priceless! Long story but we now have 10 alpacas. They all came from this breeder that has become a great friend. I was such a newbie in these animals and she was a huge help. Actually, she still is. She is now out of the business but is only a message away.
We consider these animals a blessing. We have fallen in love with them and can't imagine not having these graceful critters.
Here are their names...Lulu (llama), Cocoa, Darlin, Pansy, Nadia, AnnaBelle, Glitzy, Angel, Marvelous (Marge), Skipper, Smoochie......