Falls shows

We typically start the fall show season with the Indiana show in Indianapolis in late September.  As the show date was approaching, we got registered but were more than a bit concerned that none of our animals would make the minimum 2” fleece length for the full fleece show and would end up on shorn classes which are 100% body composition.  Unfortunately, due to the economy and low registrations, the Indiana association had to cancel their show this year.  We hear they’re making plans again for 2012 and we will be sure to return then.  I like the show…. even though it is held in the same building where a sat for 2 ½ grueling days taking the CPA exam just a “few” years ago.

That meant our first show of the fall was the 10^th Annual Northern Illinois Alpaca Extravaganza in Lake County.  We’ve exhibited or attended 9 of those years so it kinda feels like home.  This show was Championship number 9 for Right of Way.  We also got several other blue ribbons so it was a good show for us.

Next we headed to a “new to us” show which happens to be one of the oldest shows around – the Michigan International Alpacafest held in Grand Rapids.  It was in a great venue with sod for all of the pen areas.  Yes, that is expensive, but it was SOOO nice to leave on Sunday without folding up poopy mats!!!  At this show Right of Way got his 10^th (and likely final) banner.  He’s been busy breeding all fall so the testosterone may have an effect on him.  His fiber at age three was a mean of 18.3 microns – quite impressive for any adult, let alone a brown!!  Several of our juveniles did well at the show.  With a little reluctance, we sold TFA Darnell and TFA Sassafrass right out of their pen at the show.  We know they are going to a good home and wish their new owners lots of luck.

To end the show season we went to the sister show of our Interstate 80 Alpacafest – the Springfield Riverside Alpacafest held at the beautiful exhibition hall of the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  It was great to be among good friends in a small relaxed environment seeing some outstanding animals.  While we didn’t have any old enough yet, this show was the debut of the first Knight Rider kids.  Irish Meadows got a first and a second with juvenile Black boys and Rock Creek got a first with a Black juvenile girl – we think Knight Rider kids will tear up the show rings in 2012 – even if he is competing against himself a bit!

Summer in Alaska

Alpaca farming doesn’t mean you can’t have some other interests!  So when it got hot in Tiskilwa we headed to Alaska to watch whales, bears, eagles, and glaciers.  The next big trip on the calendar will be another trip to Peru in Fall 2012… but the salmon in Alaska was fantastic.

Summer Project Week

Most every year, we spend the last week of June at the farm for “Project Week”.  We hire a few extra bodies and get a lot done.  Most every year includes some amount of fence building, painting, general clean up, and at least one bonfire to get rid of branches from around the farm.  This year included all of the above.  We built a one acre “annex” pasture for the girls below the dam for our upper pond.  It’s got good grass but its construction was debated long and hard because it borders on the “nature” area.  However, since the sign at the end of the driveway says “alpacas” not “nature” the girls won some new space.  We had to rig a gate system to still allow a Gator path down to the lower pond, but the girls (and cria) love their new digs. 

We don’t do things small at Tiskilwa – so when we needed to take down a dead tree in a fence row, we decided to start at the top to avoid damaging the existing fence.  Hence the need for a high lift and a talented chain saw operator.  The lift also came in handy to paint the girls barn, the machine shed and the house during the week.  By Friday everyone was exhausted, some college kid’s bank accounts were a bit fuller, and the farm looked great!

           

Midwest Select Alpaca Auction

We were happy to be consigners at the first annual Midwest Select Alpaca Auction in Wisconsin.  In my earlier post I told you about Cessna’s Citation and her write up that she was “Ready for Takeoff”.  Well to make the story complete, she needed proper support on the “runway”.  After several cocktails one night, Chad and I joked that he needed to be her “pilot”.  Well isn’t Google great???  With the help of an online costume website, Chad did become a pilot of a Cessna at least for a little while in May. 

We were there to sell Citation – (thank you Don and Connie Payne of Oaklawn Alpacas) – but we have trouble sitting and watching at auctions.  While we sold one, we came home with seven new girls – each ready for either Knight Rider or Right of Way.  So much for cleaning out the barn…??????

Yes, it's been a while since I last posted

I'll fill you in on the shows soon - I haven't told you about GMAF, I-80 or Nationals, nor have I told you about the Midwest Select Auction - funny thing happens at the end of May - It's SAILING season and the blog gets forgotten!! But what you really want to know:

THE KNIGHT RIDER KIDS ARE AMAZING!!!!

Here's just a few:

We're thrilled with how they look!! Watch out in show ring......

I promise to post again soon.... after all it's almost fall show season!

Tax Season is over - now it's time to focus on the farm

A big sigh of relief and time to change focus. We were going to head to the farm today, but the weather was not cooperative and it was kind of nice to take care of some of the office side of the farm without a rush. The next several weeks are busy:


April 30 - Great Midwest Alpaca Festival - Madison, WI

May 7 - Interstate 80 Alpacafest - Princeton, IL and a whole lot of work since we are the founders!

May 14 - Midwest Select Alpaca Auction, Watertown, WI

May 16 - Shearing at Tiskilwa Farms

May 19 - AOBA Nationals - Denver, Colorado

All at the same time we have 8 babies due still before May 31. Knight Rider is currently in residence working with some of our girls - Right of Way will get busy as soon as the shows are over. Maybe tax season wasn't so busy afterall???

Midwest Select Alpaca Auction

We have entered our TFA Peruvian Cessna's Citation in the Midwest Select Alpaca Auction to be held May 14 at Longview Grange Alpacas in Watertown, WI.


TFA Peruvian Cessna's Citation is JET BLACK and ready for take off! She is a gorgeous young girl sired by our rose grey MFI Peruvian Maddock, but she pulls in her black from her dam's side. Her pedigree includes some of the biggest names out of Magical Farms' black breeding program including Black Mequite, Obsydian, Dom Timbo, and of course Maddock's sire, Silvino. Are your seatbelts fastened? Because Citation is bred to 15 time BLACK CHAMPION - Irish Meadows Peruvian KNIGHT RIDER (yeah, you remember his head from the shows last year!) We are certain Knight Rider will add density and fineness to the cria. Cessna's Citation is a perfect example of why we added him to the "Chiefs of Tiskilwa". It is very difficult to part with her, but we wanted to give someone the opportunity to have a truly outstanding BLACK dam with a cria due next spring. Coffee, Tea, or Cessna's Citation???

There are some outstanding animals consigned to this auction - we'll see you there!!