WINTER 2011
Winter is fast approaching, now it seems to be a rush to get everything done before it is dark in the evening.
Some of our fields this winter
All the babies have been weaned and their mums have all joined up together to form one large “cloud of llamas “ they will spend the winter roaming over the whole farm, which is really a spectacular sight to see.
Bobby with some of our llamas
On the farm the sheep numbers have increased, hence the arrival of Danny the Sheep dog, he has settled in well and is eager to please and keen to work, another arrival is Bobby the Labrador puppy, he just wants to make friends with everybody including the llamas.
Danny and Bobby
A large cloud of llamas enjoying the winter sunshine
There has been lots of none llama activities happening on the farm this year with our old tired roof, the Delabole slates were carefully taken off , then after the roof was insulated and new timbers put on, the roofer put back our original slates which was a pain staking process as the roof is what they call a rag slate roof where the slates are large at the bottom and small at the top, one very big jig saw, which our roofer completed to a very high standard, while we were having our new roof installed we also had solar panel put on.
September was a time for courses, ourselves running a Basis Llama Husbandry course, through Duchy College, which went really well a group of 8 people had a very intensive hands on day learning about llamas. Then on the following week I went on a four day Advanced Camelidynamic Course, with Marty Mc Gee. a person that I greatly admire for her animal handling skills and also her ability to communicate her ideas so well.
Camelidynamics philosophy and principles is something that I have always followed when training my llamas with of course what I have learnt from experience of growing up surrounded by animals.
On the last day of the course the whole group came to Llama Lland to work with my llamas, many of the people had not worked much with llamas before and I am glad to say I have llama converts now.
This means that I now have a Camelidynamic Handlers Seal, this is reviewed each year and part of my commitment is to continue my learning, which I would want to do anyway.
To find out more about Camelidynamics go to:
On Saturday the 24th December Llama Lland will be joining the Truro Methodist Church Live Nativity around Truro so look out for llamas, you never know what you might see when you go shopping!!!
The Nativity in Truro last year
SUMMER/AUTUMN 2011
This summer arrived early with a long dry spring.
At Llama Lland we decided that 15 acres would be set aside for growing hay. The llamas will be very happy this winter with all the lovely June Hay that we managed to make.
At the beginning of summer we said good bye to 9 boy llamas who have found a wonderful home at Mullion Meadows, Cornwall.
It is great that they have found a home where they can all go together.
The owners at Mullion Meadows really took time to make sure the llamas would be happy even down to building a dust bath area and big mound of earth they could stand on.
Boys exploring their new home
The llamas soon started delivering some wonderful new cria for 2011.
A special star for me this year has been the arrival of 100% black llama which has been called Tinkerbell Midnight Miracle, she got this name because she was born 6 weeks early.
Joe my son with Tinkerbell
Inbetween raising llamas we attended a number of agricultural shows and events during the summer, we tend to take a different group of llamas to each show, to give them experience of loading travelling and it really de-sentitizes them to nooise, dogs, flags etc.
At Taunton Show the llamas were entertained by various groups including the Worsels.
The llamas also took great interest in learning to spin.
Julie spinning and llama looking - at the Taunton Show
Other events taking place this summer are family fun farm day, fibre fest and a llama husbandry course, look on the events page for more details.
Throughout the whole year we run Llama experience sessions .
One couple that really enjoyed their morning with us where Holly and Rupert, here is an email they sent us about their experience at Llama Lland.
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Pictures of Hollie and Rupert on thier visit to Llama Lland |
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Hi Tom and Julie,
This is Hollie, I came for a llama walk with Rupert last week. We didn’t realize that the postcards you gave us were painted by you! They’re really good and I hope you have time one day to do some fine art at Falmouth. We have pinned the leaflet up at university so hopefully you’ll have some more visitors soon. Was just wondering if you could email the photos to us whenever you get the time? We had a brilliant time and have been recommending you to some people. Thank you for being so friendly and kind, we're so happy to have learned about Llama Lland!
Good luck with everything in the future!
Hollie.
Llama Lland has now opened a Caravan Club Site so anyone that would like a quite week end away surrounded by llamas, sheep and tranquil countryside can now book, the site is open throughout the whole year, it is flat easily accessible, with water and electric hook ups.
Our Caravan Club Site
SPRING 2011
Llama Lland Train Spotting
The best use for llamas is to give joy and bring smiles to peoples faces.Over the winter Llama Lland has been involved in many escapades to do just this, from treks, photo shoots, nativities, and even train spotting!!!
One of the greatest joys for any animal owner is seeing new born come into the world and this year we decided to have a few winter births.
The first being born at the beginning of December, we called him Prancer being in the festive spirit and he truly lives up to his name prancing around the field. Prancer had to wait until January before he had two other baby boy llamas called Bubble and Squeak to play with.
These two llamas were named by the staff of Cornwall Hospice Trust who came out to do a promotional photo shoot for a charity Trek in Peru in 2012.
Prancer was filmed when only four hours old by students doing a documentary about the work at llama lland , he his a star in the making.
The film crew came out on one of our winter treks which was full of stunning snow scenes this year.
There were twenty people on the trek which was great for all our trekking llamas as they got to go out together.
Over the Christmas period the llamas also put in an appearance at Lappa Valley Steam Railway to meet the people off the train before they went to see Santa. The llamas were parked up on the crazy golf course and they found it most interesting watching the trains and when people led them around the golf course, I am sure the llamas wanted to have ago at the golf themselves.
The llamas were invited to Truro Methodist Church Nativity to be pseudo camels for the evening , walking through the streets of Truro with the wise men eventually arriving at the Cathedral, then back to the Methodist Church.
They certainly livened up Christmas Shopping in Truro.
All in all we have had an enjoyable year with our llamas and look forward to 2011 to see what fun our llamas will bring to us.
Julie Tripp