Observations from Offbeat Acres

Willow, Again

2010-05-11T16:42:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, folks, this is a good post. Hula Honey, part of our original animals purchased from Apple Orchard Alpacas back in 2008, finally had her first cria. She's a beautiful little dark fawn girl with some grey spots. My 5 year old wanted to name her after Willow, from last summer. So, I am pleased to introduce "Willow Nelson-Again".

"Mom, can we name her Willow, again?". Sure, baby.

This is Willow, a few hours after birth. The other picture is big sister Caroline, meeting the new Willow for the first time.

BIG NEWS FROM OFFBEAT ACRES!

2010-05-01T15:04:00.000-07:00

First, we bought a new boy, Prestige of Lucky Luciano. We proudly co-own Prestige with Willow Bend Alpaca Farms of Forreston, IL. (If you're ever at an alpaca show and see Willow Bend, go over and introduce yourself to Patti. She is an absolute riot and just a great soul.)

Prestige is a beautiful, rose grey herdsire. He'll be 2 in June, and has already settled his first girl! We plan to breed him to our very own Sweet Caroline (the first cria born at Offbeat Acres, back in 2008).

But, here's the best news: we showed Prestige at the Great Midwest Alpaca Fest last weekend. WE NOW HAVE PURPLE!!! Before GMAF, our best placing in a show was a 2nd, with Roni. Yes, Prestige had collected plenty of blue ribbons before GMAF too, but no color championships. I had the privilege of showing Prestige at GMAF in a class of combined grey yearlings, and not only did we place first in the class, WE TOOK HOME THE RESERVE COLOR CHAMPION PURPLE!!

I've attached the "before" & "after" picture, of Prestige & his ribbons at GMAF!

Offbeat on TV!

2010-04-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

If you're in the Madison area, check out the Channel 3 morning show (WISC, the CBS affiliate). Roni, Felicja and I will be on TV this Friday morning to promote the Great Midwest Alpaca Fest!

Our segment airs about 6:40, if you want to have the DVRs ready!

Meet the egg ladies

2010-04-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

We have chickens now. Four laying hens. They like with the boy alpacas, and are supposed to help keep the bugs down around the poop pile. Everything is going fine and it looks like they've even made a few friends.

Also, if you're looking for the latest news, become a fan of Offbeat Acres on Facebook!

A sure sign of spring

2010-03-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

All of my barn shoes / boots are wet, muddy, or covered in dried poop soup. Not familiar with poop soup? Take some manure, add some frozen pee, and pile some snow nearby. Add some sun, and let the whole thing melt. Voila - poop soup. Anybody want some?

The glamorous life of alpacas

2010-02-20T15:34:00.001-08:00

Ah, the glamorous alpaca life. This afternoon, I was sitting in my pasture, feeding treats to my girls. It was lovely. Little Felicja and Roni were smelling my hair, and Sabetha was being really sweet. Meridian was even taking treats. And then - the spitting began. I got it on my hair, face, hand, even eyes, and... it ...was the stinky, half chewed food kind of spit too. Gross.

February's To-do List

2010-02-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I'm tired of winter, but am tired of being cooped up in the house. Here's what we have to do this month:

-Taxes. Done. Yuck, but not so yucky (there is one advantage to the farm....)
-Shots. On the 14th. Yes, that's right: Valentine's Day in the barn, with a bunch of syringes and a bottle of Dectomax. How romantic.
-Halter training. Our first show of the year is in mid March. We're doing okay.
-Plan for spring planting. We have to replenish the raspberries, at least. Not sure what else we're doing this year.
-Do the budget for the year. See item #1. Tax refund = farm budget.
-Work on promo materials for Lord Muireach. We've got his breedings discounted at $500 for the first ten. He's a beautiful boy, with an interesting heritage.

Ugh. That's enough of a list. Next month, we'll also have show prep! So much for our winter lull!

The Z

2010-01-23T16:47:00.001-08:00

Zigmund's been here a week now. He's doing just fine.

He has separation anxiety. I leave for work a little less than 2 hours before everyone else in the house gets up. A couple days a week, Paul takes our youngest son to preschool. So, Zigmund has been alone a few times this week.

He's still doing just fine. There was one morning that he made a mess on the floor and chewed up a pen, but the other times have been good.

He's laying next to me on the couch now, resting his big head on my lap. He must have a pretty strong watchdog instinct, too, because he follows me and the boys around, always keeping a watchful eye.

I love my Zigmund.

I have news....

2010-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

You might want to sit down.

We're getting ANOTHER dog.

Check out Zigmund posts from last summer. Zigmund still hasn't found his "furever" home, and hasn't been doing well as of late. Thankfully, the Shelter from the Storm folks called us today, and asked if we'd be interested in taking him in again....permanently.

We're getting ANOTHER dog.

I'm super excited. I love Zigmund....he was really sweet, a little goofy, and I'm really glad we were able to make a difference for him.

We are officially done with fostering, though. Four dogs in the house is downright ridiculous.

We're getting ANOTHER dog. WELCOME HOME, ZIGMUND!!!!!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T05:10:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2010! Someone posted this on my Facebook page, and I thought it was too good not to share: "May your BEST day in 2009 be your WORST day in 2010"!

We went to a sledding party at our neighbor's place yesterday. This is the view of our farm from the top of their sledding hill. It's a good distance away - maybe 1/4 mile? Anyway, I thought it was a neat picture.

A few reflections on 2009:

We suffered our first herd loss this year, when Willow died. Both my husband and I were having second thoughts about this alpaca business. She was the only cria we were supposed to have last year, and she died. That was a major setback.

Instead of throwing in the towel, we dove into the deep end of the pool and bought 4 more girls (Meridian, Kacie, Millie, and Roni) as well as Muireach, our junior herdsire. Check out our new AlpacaNation page to meet them. Two days after we bought Meridian, she had a beautiful female cria. We were already excited about the cria because it's out of Invicible's Brookhollow Superstar, and to have a female cria was the icing on the cake. We've named her Felicja, which is Polish for "fortune" or "luck". Thank you to Joanna Stephens from Robasia Alpaca Ranch for help with the translation!

Our raspberry crop all died too. What a bummer that was, as we should have had berries in 2010 to sell. I'm not exactly sure what happened - they were mulched, watered, etc. This year, I'm going to make a trip to the bare root room and pick out the stock myself (and plant it directly). I'm also going to plant more.

Our first peach tree (planted in the yard in 2004) died too. Maybe I was lulled into a false sense of security with the warm winters we've had over the past several years. Good thing we've got lots of other types of trees planted (plums, pears, apples, paw paws) that should thrive in Wisconsin.

2010 will be a challenging year for us. This is our third year in the business. We've been hemorrhaging money for the first two years, and it's time we start bringing in more than we spend. We are well positioned for it though - most of the major expenses like animals, fencing, and equipment are behind us. We did pretty well with our holiday sock sales, and our new redesigned website will have an online farm store added soon. We're also hoping to sell some Muireach breedings too.

After two years, I'm still glad we did this. It's been a lot of hard work, a lot of money, but it's also incredibly satisfying. I have no regrets.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

2009-12-25T04:22:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! Santa was good to us this year - we just got 3 new alpacas from Dougherty Creek Farms! They are Silly Millie, DCF Veronica, and DCF Kacie. We are really excited about these girls. Pictured at left is Silly Milly and Kacie, the mother / daughter pair. Both are beautiful. Milly is dense, straight, and conformationally strong. Kacie is still very young, but she looks like she'll have the same excellent conformation. Kacie's fiber is fine and showing some crimp, and we're hoping she'll do well next spring in the show ring.

Veronica is pictured at right. (We call her Roni). We are tremendously excited about this animal. Roni is dense, crimpy, with an incredible staple lenghth. Roni's fleece is incredibly soft - it's hard to keep your hands off of her. Roni will be bred to Ferrari's Excel later this spring, and that should be an outstanding cria!

May you all have safe travels this Christmas. In case you're wondering why I'm blogging on Christmas morning, it's the calm before the storm. My boys haven't gotten up yet!!

New website / socks & scarves

2009-12-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

A quick December update:

-Our redesigned website has been unveiled! Check it out, and tell us what you think: www.offbeatacres.com. Paul and I did it together (he handled the artwork / layout, and I did the text and pages). Let us know if you need help with your website, we're contemplating a side venture to our farm.

-Thank you to everyone who bought socks and scarves for Christmas!! Our sales were outstanding this year. We are even starting to see repeat customers, who can't get enough alpaca wear!

Hate Christmas shopping at the mall?

2009-12-04T17:48:00.000-08:00

Come out and visit our farm store! We have a nice selection of Extreme Alpaca socks, casual socks, and dress socks, as well as scarves, yarn, and roving.

Alpaca fiber is known for being luxuriously soft and warm. Alpaca socks and scarves will keep your feet warm in our cold Wisconsin winters.

The yarn and roving is made from our own Offbeat Acres alpacas. If you enjoy knitting or spinning, there is nothing like working with real alpaca fiber.

Prices range from $16 - $26 for socks, $16 for roving, $26 for a 200 yard skein of yarn, and $30 for scarves.

Avoid the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, enjoy some peaceful country air, and do your Christmas shopping at Offbeat Acres. We will also deliver to the Madison area. Gift wrapping available too!

Lil Willow

2009-12-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

Willow lost her battle over the weekend. It is sad, but it's also part of this business. Alpacas are ultimately livestock, and stuff like this is going to happen.

There are a few silver linings. Willow did not suffer, or go through a major decline. She was a little slow to get in the barn for the morning feeding, but that's it. She was sunning herself in the pasture, and it looked liked she died in her sleep.

The other silver lining came from the UW Vet Hospital. The vet who saw her back in August told us he would be interested in doing a necropsy when she passed. We didn't think much of it at the time, but decided to take him up on the offer. Paul said the doc was very excited to get her, and promised to treat her with utmost respect. The doc is doing research on alpacas with heart conditions, and will be able to learn a lot by comparing Willow's X-rays and test results from her August exam with the actual heart and how it's grown over the past few months.

Good bye, Willow. Rest in peace.

The Lord

2009-11-10T17:14:00.000-08:00

We have purchased our first herdsire. Actually, he's a Junior Herdsire, which means he's too young to breed yet, but we're hoping all goes well.

His name is Robasia's Lord Muireach. We call him either "The Lord" or "Muireach". I have some other pretty obnoxious names for him too (My Pretty Boy, for example). We'll start breeding him next year. His first "date" has already been arranged - ask for details sometime.

Rescue update

2009-11-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

We haven't had any foster dogs or puppies for a while. My husband's stepfather passed away suddenly in June, and we "inherited" his 12 year old Dalmatian, Moses. Moses is aggressive towards new animals (no trips to the dog park for him). As such, we've decided it's a bad idea to bring new dogs / puppies to the house every few weeks. We'll start fostering again when Moses passes (and let's face it - he's a 12 year old Dalmatian with bad kidneys, so this probably isn't a long term commitment).

My sweet baby Zigmund (see post from 7/22/09) is finally over his mange, and is up for adoption. Check out Shelter from the Storm's web site if you're interested in adopting him. He's such a couch potato, for a young dog. The adoptable dogs are listed in alpabetical order, so of course, he's last on the list.

The new guard dog

2009-11-01T05:27:00.000-08:00

We decided to get another Livestock Guardian dog. Patty is great, but she is getting old, and working dogs tend to age faster than house dogs. We wanted to get a puppy while Patty was still active and getting around so she could train the new dog.

Enter Bucky. She is 3/4 Pyrenees, 1/4 Newfoundland. We got her from some alpaca friends of ours in Holland, Michigan, at Sunset Dreams Alpacas. This is the day we brought her home. She was about 14 weeks old then.

The training seems to be going well; Bucky idolizes Patty, and is often seen trotting around the pasture right behind her. She rarely barks, too, which is nice.

One night, we were laying in bed, and we heard a big dog bark. We were a little freaked out because it was unfamiliar. It was Bucky - her little puppy bark was long gone, and she was barking at some perceived threat. Patty was still in the barn, so this was Bucky protecting her herd all by herself.

NAFD Update

2009-10-03T16:45:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone who came out during National Alpaca Farm Days! We had a wonderful weekend, and great turnout.

Thank you to the fiber artists who came out and share their craft!

Thank you to Cicely Combs who shared her artwork!

Thank you to Lynne Johnson of Sauk Creek Alpacas who brought lots of alpaca knowledge (and some of her beautiful fiber).

All in all, it was a great weekend. Stop back next year - we'll have 3 crias to watch, and a lot more fiber on display! Drop a note if you need socks or scarves for Christmas - info@offbeatacres.com. We'll even gift wrap them!

National Alpaca Farm Days!

2009-09-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Directions from Madison:
Take I-94 East towards Milwaukee
Get off at Exit 244 Hwy N - Cottage Grove / Sun Prairie
Turn left at the bottom of the ramp, northbound on Hwy N
Take the first right onto Hwy TT (four way stop)
Go 3 miles, and turn left on Pierceville Rd
Our farm is the third place on the left.

Directions from Milwaukee:
Take I-94 West towards Madison
Get off at Exit 244 Hwy N - Cottage Grove / Sun Prairie
Turn right at the bottom of the ramp, northbound on Hwy N
Take the first right onto Hwy TT (four way stop)
Go 3 miles, and turn left on Pierceville Rd
Our farm is the third place on the left.

Signs will be posted, once you get off the Interstate!

Come - meet the alpacas!

2009-09-09T18:27:00.001-07:00

Offbeat Acres is proud to be participating in National Alpaca Farm Days on September 26 & 27.

We are located at 5453 Pierceville Road, Cottage Grove, WI. National Alpaca Farm Days is a great, free opportunity for the public to come meet alpacas and learn more about these inquisitive, unique animals.

We will also feature barn tours, pictures with the alpacas, fiber demonstrations, local artists, refreshments, and fresh country air. All activities are free.

Alpaca yarn, roving, socks, and scarves will be available for purchase. $1 from every pair of socks and scarf sold will be donated to Shelter from the Storm, an all breed dog and cat rescue serving the greater Madison area. Painting, jewelry, and other art will also be for sale.

For more information, contact Erin Egan, (608) 219-6369, e-mail info@offbeatacres.com or visit www.offbeatacres.com.

Willow update

2009-09-05T17:42:00.001-07:00

Willow is doing fine. She's up and running around, and is cute as a button.

Right now, we're treating every day as a gift....

Our next project

2009-08-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

I hate this building. Really. I hate it. It's abandoned, it's got a hole in the roof, and the back wall is leaning precariously. It's also in the way of any future additions to our home. And, did I mention the snakes?

Unfortunately, this first thing people say when they visit our farm is "What is that building? It's so cool / neat / awesome!".

Fine. You win. We're going to see if we can save it. My husband's has wanted to save it for the past few years, but I could never figure out what we'd do with it. Now, I think it may be the Offbeat Acres Farm Store / Art Gallery.

Hopefully, when we move in, the snakes will move out.........

Another bad day

2009-08-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

We took Willow for an ultrasound today. When her heart murmur was diagnosed a week ago, we initially decided against it. We changed our mind over the weekend, just so we knew exactly what we were dealing with.

The news is bad. Willow's heart has 2 holes in it, and there's also a problem with the vein connecting her heart to her lungs. (I'm probably not explaining that right, but it's close enough). The vet doesn't think she'll live more than a year, and eventually die from congestive heart failure.

We brought her home and put her back in the pasture with mom. Now, we watch and wait. Over the past few weeks, she's been gaining weight and been more active, so I thought she was getting better. Now, I know how wrong (stupidly optimistic) I was.

I guess the silver lining is this: when she passes, we will know nothing could have prevented this. Our vet at the UW is also doing research on heart problems in camelids, so he took some extra pictures of her for his research. I guess that's something to cling too, but I'm still sad.

Cria update

2009-08-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

The baby has a heart murmur. We thought something was up, because she spends an awful lot of time just laying around in the pasture. I guess this isn't uncommon with crias that are early. The good news is that she is gaining weight and growing. I've also heard that the murmur is more pronounced as it's starting to close. The vet didn't notice it during the first vet check, and now my husband can feel it. Maybe that's a good sign. Until she's up and running around, I'm going to worry about her.

We named her Willow Nelson, by the way. Let's hope I get to see that name printed on an ARI certificate someday.

SURPRISE!

2009-07-31T15:02:00.001-07:00

We have a new cria! Baby was born about 3 weeks early, but looks healthy. She's standing up, walking around, nursing, and even weighs 1.2 pounds more than her sister from last year, who was full term.

My Ziggy

2009-07-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

This is Zigmund. We call him Ziggy. He's a foster dog who has been here since the end of May, and is a wonderful dog.

Ziggy had terrible mange when we first got him, but is looking really good now. Ziggy's personality can best be described as a grumpy old man - he knows what he wants, he's a bit gassy, and can be gruff. But, if you're his "person", he's a total sweetheart.

I Gotta Pick the Raspberries....

2009-07-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Remember that old Dunkin Donuts commercial, with the guy who kept saying "It's time to make the doughnuts". Well, it's raspberry season. Every day, I find myself saying, "It's time to pick the raspberries".

This is our own personal patch, so it's a bit uneven, and you have to climb around some obstacles too. But, if any of you are in the mood for raspberries, come on out. You can pick and keep whatever you pick. It would be nice to have a day off...

Don't worry - our new patch is in a nice, flat, open field. That is one of the lessons we learned.

Bam Bam, Striking a Pose

2009-07-06T19:28:00.000-07:00

Check out our website - www.offbeatacres.com. Notice any resemblance between the narrator and this guy?

How can it be July already?

2009-07-06T19:19:00.000-07:00

This has been a really good summer for us, so far. Most of our new trees are growing really well, and about half of the raspberries. We've had a decent amount of rain and nice temps too. The new pasture is beautiful, and the alpacas love it. Looking back, I can't believe the ugly patch of dirt they were on last year. Oh well - live and learn.

We're on Facebook now too, so feel free to friend us. Search under Erin Egan. There's some different pictures up there.

Raspberries are in, and we've also got a bumper crop of tart cherries. This is still our personal patch. Next year, though, the raspberries growing next to the alpaca pasture should be ready for public picking! That's pretty cool.

I am keeping up on the garden better, and flower beds too. We now have 4 acres of grass to mow (our lawn plus the new pasture). We've also got 6 foster puppies right now. It's all a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun.

More pics will be posted one of these days. Last weekend, 4 fighter jets from the base in Madison flew right over too. That was awesome.

Ah...summer

2009-06-11T18:16:00.000-07:00

Sorry for neglecting the blog. Here's what we've been doing:

-We planted 21 trees and over 50 raspberry bushes. Most are growing nicely, and the orchard is sure taking shape.
-Our neighbor planted 2 acres of orchard grass / pasture for us. That is coming along really good. (Now Paul has to fence it all it!)
-PAUL LANDED HIS FIRST CLIENT! How cool is that? He's doing a logo for a fellow alpaca farm in Illinois!
-Chewy died. I'm still sad. We lost a cat (long story). We have two new foster puppies, adopted a new cat for the boys (to replace their cat who died in March), and inherited an 11 year old Dalmation when Paul's stepfather passed away. Phew.
-My garden is in. I promise, this will be the year that I keep it weeded......or not....

As always, folks, stop out for a visit if you're in the neighborhood. Sabetha's next cria is due in mid-August, and we're planning another open house in September. I'll post pictures soon!

Before and After

2009-05-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Shearing is done for the year. Check out the before and after pictures of Bam Bam.

Wish I could lose 6 pounds, just like that. We do have all the raw fiber sitting around for the next few weeks. Shoot an e-mail if you're interested in it. Otherwise, we'll skirt it and send some to the fiber co-op and the rest will go to the mill for yarn / roving.

Pasta pup update

2009-05-25T07:28:00.001-07:00

I saw Spaghetti at Petsmart this weekend. He was one of the pasta pups. Lord, is that dog BIG now. I had my dog, Peri, along, and the two of them sure remembered each other. It was neat to see that.

We might be taking in two new pups soon. We're going to meet them in the next few days, and will make up our minds then.

My Poor Garden

2009-05-07T19:07:00.001-07:00

By early May, my garden is tilled, mulched, and cold weather crops are planted. Until this year. We've been doing so much stuff with the farm that my is sitting unused. Be patient, my friend, I'll be out soon (but not this weekend).

On Saturday, we're planting the new trees and raspberries. On Sunday, we're shearing. It's another big weekend for us.

We have managed to find enough time to pick the asparagus!

You gotta start somewhere

2009-05-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of our new pasture / orchard. I know, it's not very exciting. But, we do have grass growing. In the upcoming weeks, we'll plant the nursery stock and add more fencing for new pastures.

The tree in the foreground is one of the peach trees we planted last year. The blossoms are a good sign, and we may have a crop next year!

Now what?

2009-05-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

We are about to embark on the next step of our adventure at Offbeat Acres. There are 20+ trees and a whole pile of raspberry bushes waiting to be planted. Thankfully, they are dormant bareroot nursery stock, so time is on our side (for a few weeks, anyway). We've had to wait for the ground to dry out too.

So, if any of you need something to do this weekend, head on out....and bring a shovel!

No More Puppies ?!?!?

2009-04-26T14:56:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot the biggest news of the weekend: the last pasta pup FINALLY got adopted this weekend. My older son started crying when he heard that she wasn't coming back again for another week. That's definitely the hardest part of fostering: seeing your fosters leave for their new homes.

Oh well, a few hours later, there was an e-mail from someone in our rescue group, asking us if we were interested in another litter, as they're on the way to pick up a mom and her three puppies. Stay tuned - we haven't decided yet.

Weekend Recap

2009-04-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

We survived our first alpaca show. Sweet Caroline got a ribbon. (Don't get too excited - she was 6th out of 6). However, we heard a lot of good comments about her, and are hoping her fiber will get even better after she is shorn in a few weeks. It was a really nice show, too, and we enjoyed a lot of foot traffic being on the main floor. Our other alpaca that went to the show, Hula Honey, got the gate (no ribbon - there were more than 6 alpacas in her class). I have to tell you folks, there is some stiff competition out there and we need to make careful breeding decisions.

We met some really fun people at the show too. It's been a year that we've been in the business, and still no regrets.

The boys, Bam Bam and Titanium, also did the Breakfast on the Farm at the UW. I think they enjoyed themselves, but they did start to get a little annoyed after the third hour. We sold a lot of socks and a scarf, and gave away a lot of magnets, so it was a good outing for us too.

It's GMAF Time!

2009-04-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Offbeat Acres alpacas will be out and about this weekend. On Friday morning, Titanium and Bam Bam will appear on the Channel 3 morning show, promoting the Great Midwest Alpaca Fest. We're showing Caroline and Hula at the show this weekend too.

Stop by and visit us! We're in stall 537, right inside the North Entrance on the main floor. You may even get a lovely parting gift!

Farewell, Chewy

2009-04-19T17:47:00.001-07:00

My dog died today. I am very sad.

Chewy has been part of my family for the past 12 1/2 years. I got him when he was 9 weeks old. I was just 23 myself, fresh out of college and living completely on my own for the first time.

Chewy was with me through my first marriage and divorce. I wanted him to be the ring bearer at my first wedding, and my ex mother-in-law nixed the idea. Maybe that should have been a clue?

Chewy was with me during my single years, when I was all alone here on the farm. His big, booming bark made me feel better, especially when I heard strange noises at night.

Chewy WAS in my second wedding. I did it right the second time around.

Chewy was with we when I had my own kids, and handled them with grace.

Chewy was the dog that made me like dogs. I've always been a cat person, but his quiet dignity and loyalty won me over. Wherever I went in the house, Chewy was there. When I was cooking, he camped out under the kitchen table. In the living room, he had a special place right behind my chair. At night, he slept right next to my bed.

Chewy even got me out of a speeding ticket, once. I was going 23 mph over the speed limit (I know better now). It was summer, and the windows were down. The cop approached my car with a stern look on his face. He saw Chewy's snout sticking out the back window and got a big smile on his face. The next thing I know, the cop is petting my dog. Done - no ticket for me! :)

Chewy was NOT the perfect dog, though. He had a stubborn streak a mile wide. When he wanted to lay outside in the sun, there was nothing you could do or say to make him come. He'd take a number and get back to you, eventually. He also had allergies that are all too common with golden retrievers, and would lose most of the fur on his underside every summer. I had to buy a new vaccuum every few years, just to keep up with the shedding.

I am grateful that I've been able to spend this time with him. He would have been 13 on July 24, which is old for a golden. We were fortunate that he was active and happy, up until the end. Last weekend, he went running with me. Two days ago, he was out laying in the sun (again) while my boys climbed their first trees. My youngest made me take a picture of Chewy. Had I known it would be his last, I would have done a better job. Life is cruel sometimes, I guess.

Yesterday morning, he didn't get up with me. For a dog that usually follows me around the house (and down to the barn), that was unusual. He missed the morning run yesterday too. The boys and I ran errands, and when we got home in the afternoon, Chewy was laying on the kitchen floor with his hind legs out straight. Something definitely wasn't right. A few hours later, he couldn't walk anymore.

My husband and I talked about taking him to the emergency clinic, but decided against it. Chewy didn't seem to be in any pain, so we decided to wait for our vet on Monday. We covered him with blankets, gave him water, and carried him outside every few hours.

Chewy died in his sleep during the night. We buried him out back, next to the fields where he used to run. I'll always remember his smile, and the dog that made me a dog person too. I love you Chewy, and I'll never forget you.

My dog died today. I am very sad.

Alpacas On Parade!

2009-04-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Next weekend, April 25th and 26th, is a big weekend for Offbeat Acres. We'll be showing animals at our very first alpaca show, the Great Midwest Alpaca Fest. Caroline and Hula will be there, and we're hoping they do well.

On Sunday, the 26th, Titanium and Bam Bam (the Clowns) will be at the UW, for the Wisconsin Women in Agriculture Breakfast on the Farm. They'll be part of the petting zoo / animal display.

Both events are in Madison. Click on the links above for more information. My husband or I should be at both events, so stop by and say hi. We'll even give you a special gift from Offbeat Acres!

I Spoke Too Soon

2009-04-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

A few posts ago, I was celebrating because all the puppies were gone. We dropped off the last two puppies on Saturday at 10 a.m., and said our good-byes. My husband cleaned up their pen and took down the gate. At 2 p.m., we got a phone call. One of the puppies was stood up by potential adopters. Did we want to keep fostering her?

Well...since there's only one puppy left, she's living in the house now. It's been three more weeks, and still, no one has adopted her. We're really surprised, since she's a very sweet, very calm girl (especially for a puppy), and gets along well with kids and cats alike. She's also got superpowers, from hanging out with her buddy Spiderman all day long.

Seriously, folks, if any of you are thinking of getting a puppy, this is one nice dog. She is part pit bull (mom was a pit mix, dad was some type of shepherd), and she has terrible puppy gas (we're talking paint peeling), but that's about it. She's even crate trained already (but not housebroken)! And no, I'm not keeping her - that would put us at FIVE dogs, which is getting ridiculous!

We're on the web

2009-04-09T18:29:00.001-07:00

Check out our website: www.offbeatacres.com!

It's pretty stylized, because my husband is an illustrator. And yes, it's still a work in progress. You're getting a sneak peak. What do you think?

It's April

2009-04-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

Spring is here.....and soon, our fruit trees will be too!

We've ordered another 20 trees, including peaches, plums, apples, pears and paw paws. Hey, a place called Offbeat Acres really needs paw paw trees, doesn't it? (The fruit tastes like banana custard, but apparently, the flowers smell like rotting flesh in the spring).

We're also getting another 50 raspberry plants, and some blackberries too. On one hand, I'm really looking forward to seeing all my new nursery stock. On the other hand, it's going to be a lot of work.

Hey, if you're free, we'll always take volunteers! We may even send you home with some alpaca beans for your flower beds!

We're 12 for 13!

2009-03-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

The last of the puppies left today, to go to their forever homes. So far, we've fostered 13 dogs, and 12 of the 13 have been adopted. The other one, Periwinkle, was just too good to pass up and lives here with us.

My son thinks we'll get another litter right away. It's really hard explaining to a four year old boy that puppies aren't available at the local Wal-Mart. We just have to wait until another mama and litter needs our help.

It WILL be nice to be able to park in the garage again!

The pasta pups

2009-03-20T18:29:00.000-07:00

We started out with ten puppies, back in January. Mom went back to the shelter in February (she's NOT cat friendly, and we have 3 cats). The rest of the litter was spayed / neutered and finished their shots in early March. They've had exactly 2 outings to meet their prospective families.

We now have 3 puppies left. Two of the three are looking at the camera in the picture below. My son calls the black and tan puppy "Boss" because, well, she's the queen of the litter. Aren't they cute?

What a Face...

2009-02-28T18:37:00.001-08:00

Here's a perfect example of how our boys have earned their nickname, "The Clowns".

Oh, S%@t!

2009-02-23T18:07:00.000-08:00

So, the kids were in bed and I was sitting on the couch, enjoying some peace and quiet and reading the paper. My husband was down at the barn, watering the alpacas as he does every night. He marches in the living room and says "Put on your boots".

Huh?

Turns out I hadn't *exactly* closed the gate on the girls' pen. Fortunately, it was the gate that opened to the main part of the barn, and the main barn doors were closed. They had free range of our barn for a day, and created a new dung pile right next to the tractor. They made a huge mess of a bale of straw (looks like they made their own bedding), and our Pyr had some fun too. This is the first time our alpacas had escaped, and I definitely think we got off easy. I should have wondered why I didn't see them out in the pasture all day long....

Big news at Offbeat Acres - we're building our website now. It's going to be www.offbeatacres.com. I'll keep blogging too, it's just time to add a full blown website to the mix. It should be up by early April (or sooner).

Winter's Almost Over!

2009-02-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

The past few months have been kind of nice. The down side to cold Wisconsin winters is that hauling buckets of water around isn't too fun, especially when you have snow drifts to contend with. The up side? The poop pile is frozen solid, and can't be moved. So, we haven't had that much work to do with the alpacas - until things started thawing out last weekend. Ah well, life with alpacas isn't always rosy. Fortunately, our old tractor can do some of the work.

We've registered for our first show - the Great Midwest Alpaca Fest. It's in Madison the last weekend in April. We're showing Sweet Caroline and Hula Honey. Paul is the herdsire showcase coordinator, too. Stop by and see us if you come to the show! I'm really looking forward to it, and it's nice that our first show is so close to home. I am absolutely convinced that we'll forget something (or several somethings)!

Puppies!

2009-02-14T18:11:00.000-08:00

We've had the puppies (and mama) for 3 weeks now. They've already eaten over 100 pounds of food! Last Saturday, most weighed around 3 pounds. Today, a week later, they're around 5! I swear they get bigger every single day.

Mama's name is Noodles. She'll be leaving us in a few days, to go to the shelter. She is a very sweet dog. She is also a very strong dog - who's not too fond of cats. I am a cat person, and there are also four cats who live on the farm. Noodles will have a better chance of being adopted if she doesn't have to compete with her pups. The pups won't be ready for a few weeks yet, because they still need a round of vaccinations, as well as the spay/neuters.

The puppies are Udon, Spaghetti, Soba, Ravioli, Linguini (AKA "Guido"), Macaroni, Risotto, Rotini, Penne,and Bob....which makes.....Noodles and Company! All right, Bob doesn't exactly fit, but I ran out of pasta names, and Bob made me laugh. There are four boys and six girls, and I had to make a chart to tell them apart. Let's see how I'm doing.

In the picture above, Bob is the tan puppy with the white chest looking directly at the camera. Macaroni is to the right, and Risotto to the left. Bob is a very sweet, cuddly, quiet boy. Macaroni is a big, playful, sweet girl. Risotto is high maintenance (she whines and requires a lot of attention, and definitely earned the name).

In the picture below, Penne is the tan girl with black markings that is looking up at the bottom of the picture. Rotini is on the far right side, and is the tan puppy with a lot of black markings. Both Penne and Rotini are very energetic and playful. They like to pal around together. I think Rotini is the alpha dog of the litter.

Soba, Ravioli, Spaghetti and Udon are the black puppies in the picture. Udon has a slightly shaggier coat and is very easygoing (almost regal). Spaghetti is a black brindle, and a bit shy. Soba is the smallest dog in the litter, but does NOT act like a runt. She is very feisty. Soba also has some brindle markings. Ravioli is another small black girl, and is very sweet too.

It seems I missed Linguini (Guido) in the pictures. He's another tan boy, and earned his name because he was the biggest puppy in the box for a very long time. He's still pretty stocky, and is a lot like Udon - content to sit and watch everything around him, but he also loves to snuggle.

Bam Bam's Recovery

2009-01-31T13:06:00.000-08:00

Bam Bam's cast has been off for about 6 weeks now. He's running around the pasture, doing donkey kicks, and playing with his buddy, Titanium. Last week, I even saw him jump straight up in the air (all four legs at once). I'd say he's doing fine.

So....

2009-01-30T18:32:00.001-08:00

We decided to keep Periwinkle. She is such a sweet dog, and fits in with the family very well. Plus, our other house dogs are 13 and 10 years old, and aren't keeping up with me when I'm out in the woods snowshoeing. There are plenty of coyote, deer, turkeys, etc, out there (and we're really far from the house), so I like having a dog with me.

We were feeling a little guilty because adopting Peri meant we wouldn't foster again for a while. (There are 3 dogs living in our house now, and ONE more was just too much). Well....when our rescue group found out we had a farm.....and barn.....and insulated garage, one of the volunteers asked if we would be willing to take in a mama dog and puppies, if there was a need. Um, okay??

Flash forward a few weeks, and a mama dog and her ten puppies were found in an abandoned building in Milwaukee. "They don't have much time", according to an e-mail we got. I don't know exactly what that means, but I assumed it wasn't good. Needless to say, we are now fostering 11 more dogs. They live in the garage with a space heater and lots of blankets, and the group provides crates, pens, food, and medicine, so it's no big deal. We just have to feed them and socialize them until they're old enough to be adopted. Sure, we don't have room for ONE more foster dog, but we can find room for ELEVEN? You probably think we're nuts, but it's been really fun. (The picture is the calm before the storm, when they were waking up. A few minutes later, their pen was a chaotic pile of puppies).

Periwinkle

2008-12-31T08:02:00.001-08:00

We've got a foster dog now from Shelter from the Storm. I know, we've already got three dogs, four cats, and five alpacas....but one more dog in this sometimes chaotic herd isn't going to make a difference. We fostered once before, when our oldest was a baby. That dog, Bailey, lived with us for about three months. It was hard to see him go, but it was nice to see him go to his new family.

We decided to foster again because it seemed like the right thing to do. Raising alpacas is a bit indulgent or something, and this is a way for us to give back to the animal kingdom.

Periwinkle (Peri for short) is a lab mix. Click on the her name to meet her!

Patty and Her Winter Bath

2008-12-29T12:40:00.001-08:00

This is Patty, taking a winter bath. This dog sure loves snow!

Happy Birthday Lukey!

2008-12-29T08:28:00.001-08:00

It's my youngest son's birthday today. He's two. He's way more excited about it than the dog...

Video of Sweet Caroline

2008-12-26T18:37:00.000-08:00

I do a DVD every year at Christmas that showcases our family activities for the past year. This year, it included alpacas! Here's some video of Sweet Caroline, a few week after she was born.

Time Flies

2008-12-20T18:37:00.013-08:00

I can't believe it's been TWO months since I've posted. Since the weather's gotten cold, we're spending a lot more time indoors, away from the animals so there aren't as many stories to tell. Here's what you've missed:

We took Bam Bam's cast off last Saturday. Hey, it was the vet's idea, and saved us a house call! He is doing better than we hoped. He walks with a slight limp, once in a while, and is definitely putting weight on the bad leg when he stands. We're hoping the leg muscles will re-gain strength and the limp will disappear.

Our alpacas do NOT like winter. They spend most of their time huddled up in the barn. Today, I realized who's in charge: I was out shoveling a path in the alpaca pasture, watching my alpacas and their thick coats of fiber frolic in the newly cleared snow. I'm working, you're playing??

Our Pyr, on the other hand, seems to love the snow. She sleeps in the deep, fresh, piles. She's also started bringing all of the alpaca feed buckets outside with her. Think she wants the company?

Alpaca socks are just about the best thing ever. Really! They're warm, soft, and just make your feet feel good on these cold winter nights. (And, we're just about sold out....)

We ARE sold out of yarn. There's a little bit of roving left, but all in all, I think this was a successful year.

Bam Bam Update

2008-10-26T14:10:00.000-07:00

Bam Bam has been home for 4 days now. He looks remarkably good, considering the circumstances. He's sporting a bright pink fiberglass cast on his injured leg. We think he's feeling better, because he sure likes to kick us with his cast. I don't blame him - he was getting shots twice a day, every day to prevent infection. Fortunately, the shots are done. Bam Bam is also confined to a pen in the barn, to limit his movement. He hates it, but it's going to help him heal.

This was a bad day

2008-10-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

I went out to the barn this morning to do chores. Everything was fine on the girls side (Hula, Sabetha, Caroline, and Patty the dog). However, in the boys' pen, there were drops of blood all over the floor. Huh. This is not good.

I put some feed in their bins. Usually, Titanium and Bam Bam are fighting each other to get to the feed. (We call them "The Clowns" - they fight just like brothers, but they also stick up for each other too. It's pretty neat to watch them.)

Anyway, only Titanium comes in to eat. No Bam Bam. I went to look for him with a sick feeling in my stomach. Found him in the dark, standing up, but limping. I'd been to an alpaca meeting a few days earlier, and they said that alpacas are very stoic animals, and rarely display symptoms of injury / illness. So, I knew this was a bad sign.

Bam Bam had a cut on the back of his left hind leg, just above the knee. My husband and I tried to bandage it, but it was very deep. We were thinking stitches. Because he was upright, and not spurting blood, we waited a few hours until the vet clinic opened at 7 a.m. (Yup, this was all happening at 5 in the morning).

Our vet, Dr. Mike Etter from Lodi Vet Hospital came in the afternoon. My poor Bam Bam has a ruptured Achilles Tendon and went back to the clinic so Dr. Mike could work on him. I just feel sick. Bam Bam got his leg stuck under one of our new steel barn doors, and it sliced right through his tendon. Fortunately, Bam Bam is not a horse, so he can survive with a gimpy leg. If all goes well at the clinic, Bam Bam will have to spend some time confined to his pen in the barn, but will be able to live a near normal life, palling around with his clown friend, Titanium.

I'll breathe much easier when he's home. I know you're not supposed to have favorites, but Bam Bam is such a beautiful boy, and he's got great fiber. He's also got a lot of personality, and is the perfect size to hug. It was really tough this morning seeing him in pain.

Socks for Sale

2008-10-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

We are members of the Alpaca Fiber Co-op of North America. We send them some of our fiber, which gets made into wonderful alpaca products!

We currently have an assortment of alpaca socks available for purchase! Why alpaca socks? The fiber from alpaca is unusually strong and resilient. Raised at high altitudes in freezing cold, the alpaca has developed more thermal capacity in its fiber than almost any other animal. The fiber contains microscopic air pockets which create lightweight garments with high insulation values.

If you would like to purchase any of our socks, please send us an e-mail at offbeatacres@gmail.com or call 608-219-6369. We will deliver at no charge in the Madison area, or you can come pick them up yourself, and meet our alpacas! All prices include tax.

Extreme Alpaca Socks - $22

In our opinion, these are simply the best alpaca socks being made today! Cushy softness to be enjoyed whenever winter chills the toes. Wear these thick, terry knit socks as slippers inside. Wear outside in hiking, hunting, wading, or work boots. They will extend the enjoyment of winter activities. Made in USA of North American alpaca fiber. Sizes 9-11, 10-13 and 13-15 available.

Extreme Boot Alpaca Socks - $24
Made to wear with work boots or ski boots. Just like our # 1 selling Extreme sock with a longer calf. Sizes 9-11, 10-13, and 13-15 available.

Alpaca Slipper Socks - $17
After the stress of a typical day, it's nice to slip into our Terry Slipper Socks. Same great construction and yarn as our Extreme Alpaca Socks but knit to stop just above the ankle for inside wear. Nothing is better than the cushy, soft warmth enveloping your toes on a drafty floor. Sizes 9-11 and 10-13 available.

Alpaca Dress Socks - $15

Solid dress socks are 70% Baby Alpaca with 28% Nylon and 2% Lycra for comfort and easy care. Machine wash and dry. These socks are incredibly soft and luxurious. They are available in beige, brown, and black, and in men's and ladies' sizes!

Offbeat Acres Open House!

2008-10-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

October 11 & 12, 2 – 5 p.m.
5453 Pierceville Road
Cottage Grove, WI 53527

Questions? Call (608) 219-6369 or e-mail offbeatacres@gmail.com

Here are the directions from Madison:

• Take I-94 East towards Milwaukee (4.1 mi)
• Take exit 244 for CR-N toward Cottage Grove/Sun Prairie (0.2 mi).
• Turn left at CR-N (0.2 mi)
• Turn right at CR-TT (3.0 mi) Note: about a mile up TT, Pierceville Rd will go off to the right. This is NOT your turn.
• Turn left at Pierceville Rd, we’re the third place on the left (0.9 mi)

Meet our alpacas and see our renovated barn! We will also have a limited supply of alpaca yarn, roving, and socks available. Come and sit a spell!

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

2008-10-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

Sabetha (and Caroline) have been gone for a few weeks. Alpacas can be bred just a few weeks, after giving birth, so Sabetha went back up to Oshkosh to see Clint again. We went to visit them last weekend - and neither wanted their picture taken!

Don't worry, they'll be back next weekend, in time for our open house.

Our Patty

2008-10-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

Patty is a wonderful guard dog. There's been a suspicious critter lurking lately, so Patty has set up shop near the fenceline. She's such a beautiful dog - and such a hard worker. We're incredibly lucky to have her!

'Paca Update / Open House

2008-09-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

We just got our yarn and roving back from the fiber mill. It is gorgeous! It's an incredible feeling to hold the yarn in your hands, knowing it came from one of our animals. Bam Bam's yarn is a smooth khaki color, Hula's is a rich mahogany brown, and Sabetha's is a nice black. I can't believe how dark the yarn is, compared to the animal standing in our barnyard. How cool is that?

We've also joined the Alpaca Fiber Co-op of North America. (We're on page 9, if you look at the member list). The co-op is a great idea - we send our fiber there, and can purchase alpaca products from the co-op to sell to our customers. Today, my husband ordered our first shipment of socks. I know what everyone on our Christmas list is getting this year....

Mark your calendars - we've got the weekend of October 11 / 12 pencilled in for our open house. We'll have our yarn, roving, and socks available, and you can come meet our beautiful animals!

Article about our fiber mill

2008-09-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from the Wisconsin State Journal about Willow Bridge Fiber Mill, and alpacas in Wisconsin. Willow Bridge is the mill currently working on our yarn

Lessons Learned, 2008

2008-08-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

It's Labor Day weekend, and summer is drawing to a close. This was our first summer as a business, so I wanted to capture a few things:

-Ten inches of rain and a few small hailstones wreak havoc on your fruit harvest. We had deluges of rain back in June. Our peach crop was coming along very nicely. However, at harvest, most of the fruit had tiny holes on them, where the skin was bruised and the fruit was rotten. Jeez. We didn't even get enough peaches this year to make a batch of jam for ourselves, let alone have enough to sell.
-Strawberries, on the other hand, benefitted greatly from the rainy June. We had a wonderful strawberry yield. If only we had enough of them to sell...,.
-I make a kick ass hot pepper sauce. We just discovered a great recipe today - some roasted cayenne peppers, garlic, and vinegar. It's got heat, but still has plenty of flavor. Next year, we're thinking of planting an entire section of peppers just so we can sell the sauce. We'll have to go back to the business plan and re-evaluate this idea.....
-Slightly underripe tomatoes make great sauce. If you pick the fruit before it ripens completely, the plant will put it's energy back into producing more. We have an incredible bounty of salsa and tomato sauce this year.
-Four year old boys are really good at watering. Just have them pretend to be firefighters, and have them point the hose at the garden. Voila - they're occupied, and you can cross something off the to-do list!

Introducing....Sweet Caroline!!

2008-08-24T17:38:00.000-07:00

We have a name! My husband thought of it, actually, but I love it. Our farm name, Offbeat Acres, is derived from the fact that we're both musicians, so we wanted all our cria names to have a musical theme as well. We were originally thinking of blues singers, but she just didn't look like a Susan Tedeschi or Billie Holiday. (We actually thought of the name June Carter too, but had a hard time figuring out what her nickname would be - great suggestion, though!)

So....I admit, I'm a huge dork, and a huge Neil Diamond fan. Sweet Caroline is one of those songs that just makes you smile, and this cria makes me smile every time I see her. We'll call her "Sweetie". Perfect!

Update on the Boys

2008-08-23T17:45:00.000-07:00

Don't our boys have it rough? I wish I could spend my days lounging in the sun....

Check back in a few weeks, we'll have yarn and roving available, from fiber produced by our very own Offbeat Alpacas!

(Btw, the baby is on the right in the background - she is growing like a weed)!

Out of the mouths of babes

2008-08-19T07:39:00.000-07:00

My husband and boys were home when the cria was born. Our older son is almost 4, so my husband was trying to explain to him what was happening with Sabetha, without being too graphic. My husband said "Sabetha's baby is coming today". To which my boy replied, "Good! When Dick and Patty get here, Dick can push me on the swing!"

Gotta love that logic. Dick and Patty are the breeders where we got our first alpacas, so our course, they're going to bring the baby. My son got his first lesson in the birds and the bees that day.

Btw, the cria is now 7 days old, and has gained 1.5 lbs. She loves to run along the fence line so the alpaca boys on the other side can chase her. Sabetha has little tolerance for this, though, and scolds the boys. What interesting creatures they are.

Baby pictures!!!

2008-08-14T17:31:00.001-07:00

We have a cria! Baby was born on Tuesday, August 12th, at about 12:45 in the afternoon. She is primarily dark brown, with a black face and black stockings. What a beaut.....except, we still don't have a name. Johnny Cash won't work, for obvious reasons....

Our thoughts:
Melody in the Mist
Black Sunshine
Riley
BB Queen

Any other ideas?

Name that alpaca

2008-08-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

It's August 6th, and still no cria. In the meantime, if any of you have an idea for a name, post a comment. I've already warned my husband that if it's a black male, he WILL be named after Johnny Cash. Any other ideas?

Thanks!

Sabetha & cria watch

2008-08-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

This is Sabetha. She is a true black alpaca. It is August in Wisconsin, and today it was 86 degrees. To make matters worse, she is 11 months pregnant. Do not be alarmed (yet); alpacas normal gestation period is 11 1/2 months. But still - she must be hot.

We have decided to take the plunge into alpaca breeding. Instead of wading into the kiddie pool, we dove into the deep end, without a life jacket. Oh well - it was a calculated risk.

Sabetha is a beautiful animal, and is bred to Clint, "AKA A Fistful of Dollars". This should be another gorgeous animal, and we can't wait to meet her...or him.

Check back in a few weeks for baby pictures! We'll also have an open house in September, if you want to meet the critters in person!

Home Sweet Home

2008-08-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

I had to go to Orlando for business this week. The trip was okay. I know, Orlando is a great place to vacation, but it was the last week in July (over 90 degrees and terribly humid), and my family stayed home. The meetings were okay, and I got to see my best friend from college (Hi Pen!) so the trip wasn't a complete loss.

Things you've missed:

-Our raspberries are done for the year. I don't get it - last year we had berries coming out of our ears. I made 2 batches of jam, and froze over 20 pints. This year, there was one batch of jam, and only 2 pints put up.
-We are still on cria watch. Sabetha is due August 11th, and there is no news to report. This is our first cria, so we're a bit anxious.
-Nature trails in Wisconsin do not have signs that say "Warning - do not touch poisonous or dangerous animals such as snakes or alligators". There IS a silver lining for our terrible winters.
-And finally, it's good to be home. This was my first trip away from my boys, and it seemed like an eternity.

Our watchful dog

2008-07-25T20:06:00.000-07:00

I think I enjoy Patty as much as the alpacas. She's beautiful, she's sweet, and she's the best behaved dog I have ever had.

This is Patty, checking out the stranger taking pictures in the field. "Hey, you, stay away from my alpacas!"

Attack of the Mulberries

2008-07-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, we discovered a mulberry tree growing in the fence line across the field. The mulberries were sweet, and delicious to eat right off the tree. So, the next spring, my husband took a cutting of the tree to plant in our yard. He lovingly tended it and watered it for a while. Then, one day, it fell victim to the lawn mower (ouch). We were crushed.

A few weeks later, we made a startling discovery: there were mulberry trees already in the yard. (I told you, we're city kids). One of the trees was at least 12 feet tall, and loaded down with fruit. There was another tree growing next to it, and one next to our old stone building, and behind the house. Now that I know what they look like, I see them everywhere! They're almost as bad as the purple coneflowers...

Here's my very own recipe for Berry Lemon Cobbler. The first time I made it, my husband wrinkled his nose...until he tried it. The tartness of the lemon plays perfectly off the sweetness of the mulberries.

Ingredients:
1 whole lemon
3 tbsp white sugar
2 1/2 - 3 cups berries
3/4 cup brown sugar (if using a tarter berry like blueberries, increase to 1 cup)
1 3/4 cup biscuit mix
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Zest lemon into small bowl. Add 3 tbsp white sugar, stir to combine, and set aside.
Pour berries into 8 x 8 pan. (Berries should cover bottom of pan completely)
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over berries
Squeeze remainder of lemon evenly over berry / sugar mix
Stir together biscuit mix, milk, vanilla, and 1/4 cup white sugar. Batter will be stiff.
Drop batter by the spoonful (a spring loaded ice cream scoop is perfect) over the berry / sugar mix in pan. You should have 10 - 12 spoonfuls.
Sprinkle lemon zest / sugar mix over the top of the batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Delicious served warm with whipped cream.

This New Barn

2008-07-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the new barn. Enjoy!

Raspberries

2008-07-18T03:58:00.000-07:00

It's raspberry season! The crop is a little small this year, but the berries we have are very nice. They freeze well too. $2 / pint pre-picked, $1 / pint if you do the work.

offbeatacres@gmail.com

Our little herd

2008-07-16T02:04:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist - here's one more picture with all of the alpacas, and Patty too.

To Spray or Not To Spray

2008-07-13T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a gardener. Well, first and foremost, I LOVE to eat....and cook. It's so much fun to go out in the garden every day and see what's ripe and is ready for picking / canning / freezing / jam. Last week, we were eating mulberries and radishes. This week, it's raspberries and tomatoes.

People always ask if we're "going organic". I truthfully don't know how to answer that. My growing philosophy is simple: I don't plant anything that needs to be coddled. I plant it, water it, and say "good luck to you". I do occasionally weed, but that's about it.

I think we ingest enough nasty stuff already, through the air and water, so I don't put chemicals on my food. We've had decent luck with our fruit with that philosophy. Yes, our peaches were a little buggy last year, but we still had a plentiful yield. We also had significant hail damage with our apples this year, but no spray in the world will help that. The raspberries don't seem to mind at all.

However, our bottom line is derived from a much simpler place: my boys. They go out in the yard, pick something off the vine / tree / bush, and in the mouth it goes. They love to eat vegetables (even broccoli and asparagus) because they watch it grow (and probably helped along the way). I never want to lose that freedom.

The Alpacas Are Here!

2008-07-11T18:33:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's true. All of our hard work over the past few months has paid off, and we have now (finally) taken delivery of the alpacas.

For now, the two boys and two girls will be sharing a pasture, but eventually, we will separate them. A few observations:

-If you have alpacas peeking out of a livestock trailer, people WILL inevitably ask about them. "Are those llamas"? No, they're alpacas. "Cool! I love Waupacas". Umm...okay....

-Alpacas are very curious, like cats. I think they like to watch us as much as we watch them. But, don't try to pet them, unless it was THEIR idea.

-Boys stick together (and so do girls). For a while today, I was having flashbacks to a junior high school dance. The boys were on one side of the pasture, the girls were on the other, and there was a whole lotta space separating them.

-Alpacas DO have a communal dung pile. Well, in our case, there are two communal piles. You guessed it: one for the boys, the other for the girls. I'd like to say there was a fancy ritual for picking the spot, but it seemed like it was the first place someone squatted. (Sorry. We're alpaca people now. Dung will now occupy a significant portion of our conscious thought.)

I know: all the posts have been about the critters lately. It is raspberry season, and the peaches are not far behind, so check back for updates on the fruitier end of our operation.

Ahhh....

2008-07-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

My job can be pretty intense sometimes. Today was easily one of the crummiest days I've had in well over a year. One of the things I'm really enjoying about the farm is the physical labor. I sit at a desk (or in meetings) most of the time at the day job. Oh goodie - today I made some more spreadsheets. Where's the joy in that?

So, I was fried when I got home today. It was the perfect mindset for weeding. I needed some way to vent my frustration / rage, and feel like I make a difference in the world. Ripping out that *&#!(@* crab grass just felt good. My watermelons, peppers, beets, and other veggies are now beautiful again. I also made baked fish, wilted beet greens, and potatoes with fresh dill and scallions for supper. Mmmm - maybe this day wasn't a complete loss....

Talk about intense jobs - my husband is a stay-home dad. I wouldn't want to trade with him....

Little Farm Boys

2008-07-06T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of my real boys. Why do little boys like tractors so much?

Vintage Tobacco Poles for sale!

2008-07-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Our big old barn was once used as a tobacco drying shed. So, we have (literally) hundreds of really long wood poles. Most are at least 16 feet long, and 4 inches wide. They are solid pieces of wood, and look like tree trunks with the branches trimmed off. We've been using them for fence posts, and they work great. However, we need room for hay.

Act now - we're having an inventory reduction sale. $4 / pole - take as many as you want. Or, make an offer: offbeatacres@gmail.com.

Don't Fence Me In

2008-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

We are celebrating our 4th of July this weekend by putting up a fence. So far, all of the corner posts are in. My husband rented a post hole digger a few weeks ago, but that didn't cut the mustard. We're now the proud owners of a post hole digger that attaches to our old tractor. That's an impressive machine, and cuts through rocks, compacted soil, etc, like butter.

This is actually very exciting for us. The fence is the last thing we need to finish before we can go get our alpacas. We've "owned" them for about 3 months now, but it still doesn't seem very real. If all goes well, we'll pick them up next Friday. Wish us luck!

Btw....our barn is done, and it looks terrific. We'll post pictures of the finished product soon.

Alpacas "R" Us?

2008-07-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

We're actually getting 4 alpacas. You've already met Bam Bam and Titanium (see the post on "The Boys"); we're also getting 2 girls, named Hula and Sabetha. They have fancy registered names too, but la la. You won't find me out in the pasture saying "Come here, KAOA Rum BamBoozle" - Bam Bam is much easier. You get the idea.

Hula is a female, born last June. She's not quite full grown yet, and will be bred next summer (2009), and have her first cria in 2010. See how we got suckered in to buying alpacas? She looks like a teddy bear.

People always ask us where you buy alpacas. Well, I haven't found an Alpacas "R" Us store, yet. We've had really good luck with the alpacanation website, which is where we found our breeders, Apple Orchard Alpacas. The Kandiko's have been great - they've been in the business for a long time, and are really good advocates for the industry. Be sure to buy from a reputable breeder, it makes your life a lot easier.

Patty

2008-06-27T18:45:00.001-07:00

We have coyotes on our land. They are approximately 1/4 mile away from the pasture, but I know they're out there. I can hear them howling at night, and have seen them wandering out in the fields.

One of our alpacas is going to have a cria (baby, in alpaca-ese) in mid-August. Knowing that we have a potential predator problem, we have invested in a Livestock Guardian Dog (LGD). We were fortunate to find a fully trained Great Pyrenees named Patty. Isn't she beautiful?

Patty is a big dog, weighing in at over 100 pounds. She's a working dog, and will live out in the pasture with the alpacas. She's also very sweet. Just don't try to mess with her herd - you'll be sorry!

This is.....work

2008-06-27T18:31:00.000-07:00

One of the tests the IRS uses to determine if we're a business (rather than a hobby) is the amount of time invested per year. 500 hours is the magic number. I think we hit that by May 1.

In the past week, we've compiled all of the barn items needed for alpacas: feed, hay, medical supplies, birthing supplies, feed bins, water buckets, mats, etc. My husband is also working on the fence. I've been working on the books. Trust me folks, this has gone far beyond a hobby. A few months ago, I never knew there was a store called the Tractor Supply Company (aka "TSC"). Now, I can tell you how to get to the closet store. We've also become acquainted with our local camelid / equine nutritionist at the local co-op, and found a large-animal vet.

However, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Tomorrow, we start putting up the fence fabric. My husband put in the corner posts a few weeks ago, so we've got a little start. Our orchard grass is sprouting nicely, is ready to be mowed. Our alpacas should be here in the next week or two, so all of this effort will be rewarded.

The boys

2008-06-19T19:42:00.001-07:00

I have two boys. Well, I have two human boys, and two alpaca boys. My mother gets really annoyed because I have more pictures of the alpacas than of her grandsons. Oh well.

This is Bam Bam and Titanium, my two alpaca boys. Bam Bam is on the left.

Why are we getting alpacas? Why not horses, or sheep, or cows, or llamas? Well.....I'd like to say that we did hours of research, studied vet books, went to fairs/shows, etc. Simply put, it was the one animal my husband and I agreed on. They're small enough to be easily handled by a couple of newbies (us), they produce wonderfully soft, lanolin free fiber (so they're practical), and they're just beautiful to look at. Done.

Next up: laying chickens. Know where we can get some?

Progress!

2008-06-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

The windows are in, and the doors are on! This is the view from the pasture. In a few weeks, this is where our alpacas will reside.

I have a feeling the view will be lost on them....

Barn Boards

2008-06-17T19:15:00.000-07:00

I almost forgot - we have lots of barn boards lying around now. They are extra pieces that are being taken off in the renovation. Send us an e-mail if you're interested in them. Some of them would make nice picture frames or furniture.

The curse of the purple coneflower

2008-06-17T18:43:00.000-07:00

I know this is a little off topic, but I need to vent. A few years ago, I decided to rip out the old, overgrown juniper bushes in the flower beds in front of my house. I replaced them with lots of perennials, including stargazer lilies, peonies, columbine, clematis, butterfly bush, and purple cone-flowers. To make the beds look pretty, I also laid down a few cubic yards of shredded wood mulch. It was a beautiful thing.

Flash forward 5 years, and 2 kids later. Did you know that purple cone-flowers shed thousands (millions?) of stupid seeds every year? Do you know what those seeds do in pretty shredded wood mulch? I wound up with flower beds of nothing but purple cone-flowers! Argh! I want variety! And, with 2 little boys, I don't have time to weed!

So, early this spring, I dug out ALL of the old wood mulch and purple cone-flowers from the 3 beds around my house. I had a few wheelbarrows full of the stuff. (The other perennials remain).

I am an avid gardener. Where did I put the old purple cone-flowers and spent wood mulch? In my compost pile. Life was good. I dutifully spread my compost on my garden, and tilled it in. My garden was doing okay, even with all of the rain and cool temperatures we've had.

However, there are these peculiar weeds growing all over my garden. It almost looks like someone sowed them, there are so many weeds. And, it's not crabgrass, creeping charlie, or any of the normal culprits that inhabit my garden. Imagine my surprise when I realized what they were - those stupid purple cone-flowers....

Pictures of our old barn

2008-06-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

Our old barn at sunset, a few years ago.

Here's the south side. You can see some of loose boards, as well as the covered windows on the bottom. Now, all of the bottom windows have been replaced, and there are 5 windows upstairs on this side. It's an incredible view.

Dave's Construction from Baraboo is doing the work. We are incredibly lucky to have found him - everyone else told us to tear the barn down and put up a pole building. Dave specializes in restoring old ag buildings, like our barn. I really think he's almost as excited about this as we are.

This Old Barn

2008-06-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

We're having our barn renovated. When it's done, it will have a new steel roof, sides and doors. We're also putting in 12 windows in the upstairs hayloft, and replacing the windows on the lower floor.

I have lived at this place for 12 years, and bought it 5 years ago. When I bought it, I hated that barn - it was a waste of space, and it ruined a perfectly good view. The only money I thought I'd ever spend on it was picking up it's pieces after it caved in.

If all else fails on our little enterprise, I will never regret saving the barn. It was actually in fairly good condition for its age (built in 1917, you do the math). Our builder can't believe how straight and level everything is. Plus, now that we're using it for livestock, I am beginning to appreciate all the pens, hooks, storage spaces, and holes in the floor (for throwing down hay bales). My husband is also going to use half of the hayloft for his studio (he's an artist / illustrator), so he'll have the beautiful old timbers, lots of natural light, and a huge open space.

It's funny how wrong first impressions can be....

What are we doing?

2008-06-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have (foolishly) decided that it's the perfect time to start a business. Not just any business, mind you, an orchard and alpaca farm. We've got about ten acres and are growing peaches, raspberries, apples, and yes, alpacas. We are keeping it small, trying to keep it simple, and learning as we go. And I forgot to mention: we're both city kids. The adventure begins.

Things we've learned:

Old tractors can be incredibly useful. The best money we've spent so far is on an old 1952 Ford tractor. It was relatively cheap, solidly built, and does a lot of work.
If you plow, you must disc. Turning over even a few hundred square feet of pasture by hand may seem like a good idea, but it's not.
If you plant grass seed for the pasture, it will not rain for at least a week....except for the torrential downpours that wash all the seed away.
Peaches will grow in Wisconsin. Yes, Wisconsin. We've got another bumper crop this year, even with the miserable winter and 100"+ of snow.
Plan. Plan, plan, plan. Before we planted our first tree or bought our first alpaca, we laid out about ten guiding principles for our business. This sounds crazy, but it's been very valuable.