We have arrived!

August 4th was move in day! All of the animals have settled in well and look so happy at the farm. We had an unexpected birth at the farm that we found moving day morning. Lily the llama had a baby probably the day before that didn't make it. Lily was a first time mom and with getting things ready for the move we didn't see the baby in the field until the next day. Hard day on the farm, but it was made better with everyone transiting to the new place.

It's been a busy month! We've have visitors at Skybrooke, mounted gates, finished the barn except for the back wall, trimmed hooves and checked famacha scores, managed hay and tool storage and the list goes on. We added two new members to our flock. Mira is a replacement ewe for Aelin that has a hernia. Aelin will just live on the farm and we'll enjoy her fleece every year. Mira is a beautiful white ewe, but still stomps at me if I get close :) she'll love me one day hopefully. Mitt was the other lamb that came with Mira. Mitt was a bottle ram from Love Ewe Farm and has stolen our hearts. He was always partnered with Mira as lambs and I've been worried about were he would end up. Betsy was amazing and said that he could come and live with us! Mason and Mitt are so precious together. Mitt is gentle, curious, calm - just perfect for a 19 month old to squeeze and hand feed. Mitt follows us everywhere we go on the farm looking for a scratch under the chin. We're lucky to have him!

The alpaca have been doing well. The newest white one - which still doesn't have a name - bosses the others around and is very vocal about how she's first in like to be fed. They love being sprayed with the hose and lay right down enjoying the cool water on a hot day.

I separated the males this Saturday for breeding season - Carson and Koda. It was the first day that I noticed the rams interacting with each other at all. So they are in a bachelor paddock of their own until October when I'll put them back in with the girls. The girls have been pawing at the gate to be let in with the boys. I guess they haven't heard about playing hard to get haha. The rams are pushing each other in challenge and I hope they settle down soon. Since they are contained in their own acre paddock, Mason is also safer during this season when he comes to visit!

We’ll have 10 breeding ewes this year and I’m so excited about our first lambing season! We have 3 ewes that wont be ready until next year.

We have our first YouTube video uploaded: https://youtu.be/e0afGmwzyuQ

I'm proud of it! I’m sure they will get better in time, but I enjoyed making it with Mason and showing a little of how we’ve set things up for now. Please like, share, and subscribe!

Last but certainly not least - we have a Jersey Dairy Cow!!!

She came this morning from Wayne Lutz at Deerview Jerseys. She's due to calf this October (praying for a healthy heifer) and I can't tell you how excited I am about this addition to Skybrooke. Yes, she will be a lot work, and yes she'll eat A LOT (as much as the 5 alpaca and llama combined) this winter, but having a jersey family milk cow means providing for my family in an organic, healthy, fulfilling way. I foresee sore hands from milking, frustration over spilt milk, hay battles, manure management (cow poop smells the worst!), calf wrangling, and judgement from friends and family who this as a crazy/idiotic idea - and I'm looking forward to all of it! I hope that there are cow kisses, fun walks on a lead, and playful mooing with Mason through the fence to make this experience richer. We're thinking of name ideas now so send in your suggestions!

Thank you to my family for making this dream come true! We couldn't do this without your support. Love you all!