Go forth and eat grass

The exodus from the winter/spring dry lots has begun in earnest here at CCNF. After more than a month of having to keep animals off of the pastures at the Main Barn for reasons mostly related to keeping their fleeces clean, Sunday there was a mass stampede as all of the feed groups charged out onto the 6″+ of spring growth that the rains of the past few weeks have generated. We have actually gone from experiencing what amounted to drought conditions throughout much of April — as in so dry that there were forest fire warnings — to getting enough rain that locals, or at least the silly weathermen, are starting to whine about the exact opposite problem. For my part I’d much rather feel like Ireland than Arizona though and it’s not just because they have better beer!

This morning the temporary fencing down at the Stud Barn came down as well and the CCNF Herdsires and their yearling understudies charged out into their ultra lush pastures as well. It always feels like a time of rebirth when we let the alpacas out onto pasture for the first time post-shearing. Cria #5 of of the 2012 birthing season just arrived this morning and that feed group should be hitting the green stuff themselves in very short order as well, once we subdivide the southern hillside coming off the Arena a little bit more. As it is we know for sure that the mowers will be called into action before too long as in typical feast or famine fashion there is just no possible way for the 210+ alpacas here on the farm to keep up with 35 +/- acres of grass at this rate of growth. Though again, it’s a dilemma we are all too happy to have!

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