Final prep for shearing

I spent the day doing the last of the tasks I needed to get done before tomorrow's shearing day. I straightened up the barn a bit more, making room for the snack table and a work surface for tagging the fleeces. Then I mowed the lawn to make the farm look neat and tidy.

In the afternoon Neil's mother arrived to whisk Evan and McKayla off for a few days of fun. It was wonderful for her to travel up from SC to be with the kids so we could concentrate on the shearing. They plan on staying in a hotel, swimming, getting room service and visiting a children's museum while away. They should be back on Friday afternoon.

Just as the kid's were leaving David Rosin, of Day Dawn Alpacas, pulled into the farm towing his trailer. He was followed by David St. Laurent, of Rolling Meadows Farm. David R. was transporting four of David S.'s alpacas from David S.'s farm just North of us in Virgilina, VA. We pulled the trailer up near the barn and gave water and hay to them. They will spend the night in the trailer before getting shorn in the morning.

While they were here I enlisted the help of the Davids to get one of our males, Sidney, in from the big pasture. He likes to graze out with the cows so it is a little more difficult to get him into the barn when we need to. A long length of rope held between the three of us quickly and easily moved him up into the barn. Once in the barn I secured him in a stall for the night with some hay and water. I was glad to have that done so we didn't need to worry about it in the morning as the shearers are to be here at 7:30am to get started.

Both David's will be here tomorrow to help with shearing our 13 alpacas and one llama and David S.'s 4 alpacas. We will then all travel down to David R.'s farm on the South side of Roxboro to shear his 11 alpacas. It should be a full day!

I finished up my day by cooking up some breakfast goodies for the morning: Banana Nut Bread Muffins and Homemade Biscuits and Sausage. Along with some doughnuts and juice it should keep everyone energized through the morning.