Binghamton Alpacas Accoyo Peruvian Huacaya Suri Broome County Tioga County Southern Tier Vestal Appalachin Breeding Genetics
News from Nyala Spring 2005
Our first exciting news is we decided (ok I decided) to branch out into a new type of fiber farming and we got two ewe lambs. After much research we decided to go with a rare breed, Wensleydale (like the cheese). Wensleydale have long curls hanging down that are really pearly. My fiber group buddies and I brought two not-so-little ewe lambs back from the Maryland sheep and wool festival (that was a really fun car ride, lets just say sheep don't have the best car manners).
Kenny and Helen named the lambs Eleanor and Louisa May. When they are full grown they will weigh over 200 pounds (larger than all of our alpaca). So far this is what we have learned about sheep: They are very friendly and like to be petted. They poop and pee a lot and they do that everywhere. Sheep are very very loud, especially when they want their breakfast at 5:30 in the morning. A big apology to our tolerant neighbors the Fricks, we had no idea they would Baaaa so much! Andy calls them the Baaaaa Rammm Ewes! Or at bad moments (like 5:30 in this morning) he calls them the D*mn Ewes!
So far spring has been a fertile time. Helen's bunny Witchie gave birth in the kitchen to 4 little bunnies. This was during a potluck we were hosting (hey dinner and a show!). The bunnies are adorable and a range of colors light gray, dark gray and 2 that are copper. We still have a little black doe and a copper colored buck if you want to buy one. Helen and Kenny want to sell their baby bunnies to finance the purchase of chickens. They asked me how much chickens cost and I told them $1000 but they are saving and already have over $200. Eeek!
Kenny had been feeding a stray cat she named Shrek. Shrek is a very attractive orange tabby about 8 months old. Well as it turns out Shrek was not a Shrek but a Clementine! Kenny smuggled Clementine into the house and she went on to have 4 kittens under Kenny's bed during a sleep over with friends. To be honest, its not that I can't tell gender on a cat but I just didn't look in a timely fashion. I was fooled by the orange tabby thing, as those are usually boys. So Clementine (formerly Shrek) has four sweet kittens 3 orange tabbies and 1 especially pretty gray with cream markings. Want one???
Our first baby alpaca born was to our new maroon girl Daphne. Daphne gave birth to a fawn colored boy Andy decided to call Prince Ranier (Renny for short). Daphne was re-bred to King Crimson, Renny's father. Our second alpaca born was a lovely rose gray boy born to Pistol on Memorial Day. Andy named him Tamerlane and since he is very confident in his masculinity we call him Tammy. Tammy is our first gray cria and he spends most of his time jumping on other pacas and racing about and in general getting into mischief and being a pain. He's stands like a little King. He is the only full peruvian half accoyo rose gray I've ever heard of and we can't wait to show him. Our third cria was a stunning light fawn 15/16 accoyo out of Olympia, we decided to call Aries. He is Tammy's best friend and they race around like madmen. Lastly Accoyo Vannie gave birth to our final boy of summer, Indiana Jones a white guy with a light fawn "hat". Indy was slightly stuck with a leg back (also he was huge) so our beloved vet Dr. Wendy Hartman helped him out. No more babies until fall! In fall we will have Accoyo Princessa's baby and Elsa's baby. We bred Princessa to Accoyo Express so that will be a full accoyo of color maybe (keep all your fingers and toes crossed) the first dark full accoyo. Elsa's last 3 crias took either championships or blue ribbons. She is not accoyo but she is bred accoyo so we are hoping for something very special there too! I sure hope we get at least one girl!
We showed 5 alpacas and fleece at the PAOBA show in York PA. It was really fun! Helen and Jack took two blue ribbons in sub-junior obstacle and sub-junior showmanship. Helen had a perfect score on obstacle! Kenny was in the large junior classes and she and Jack took two seconds. Jack then went on to take the blue in halter. The new boy we bought with Ideuma Creek Alpacas, Invasion took a blue in a halter in a class of 12. Magneeto took his first blue in fleece. Olympia took a second in fleece! We entered two things in fiber arts. I made and showed a hand felted alpaca hat which took a second. I also made a needle felted undersea themed wall hanging which took first. The wall hanging then went on to take the Breeder's Choice Award and that was really thrilling for us. All in all it was a good show. We met lots of new people and saw some really beautiful alpacas.
That the spring news here at Nyala where the people are strong, the alpaca are beautiful and all the cria are above average!
See you in the future if not in the pasture!,
News from Nyala Winter 2005
Hi Everyone,
We had a wonderful year with births and showing and sales. We really like this business because it brings us together as a family, we all enjoy doing alpacas stuff together, fiber arts, showing, poop scooping. Ok we don't really enjoy poop scooping but we all do it together a lot. At least it is great for the garden. We had a great fall open house as part of the Southern Tier Alpaca Fall Color Tour. We set up our obstacle course and lots of farm visitors took an alpaca through the course. By the end of the day Patriot did it by himself...twice! We sold lots of alpaca products and the world got to meet a brand new baby alpaca (Fawn Connery).
Births 2004
We had four births this year. As usual births were unassisted and usually on Ann's watch
Andy did get to see his first Nyala birth (Fawn's) and when asked about it he said "It really looked gross." We have pictures of Fawn and Tioga's birth if anyone wants to see that sort of thing. We have pictures of Carrie and Appy when they are still sort of gooey too. The kids have learned quite a lot about reproduction from the farm. We have to remind them not to share too much on this subject with guests and you really have to watch what photo albums they grab for show and share let me tell you.
Pistol gave birth to a lovely fawn half accoyo girl May 28th.Since this is the carousel capital we decided to name her Nyala's Peruvian Carousel.With a blue ribbon winning mother and an accoyo color champion dad we are expecting great things from Carrie. We can't wait to see her in the ring.
Tioga
In the beginning of June Accoyo Patsy gave birth to a wonderful white accoyo allianza cross boy. Nyala's Accoyo Alianza Tioga. Tioga is a very friendly playful guy. He had so much beautiful white fiber when he was born!
In October Caligula's Accoyo Princessa our two time blue ribbon winning full accoyo fawn gave birth to a fawn full accoyo macho little guy Andy insisted we had to call Nyala's Accoyo Fawn Connery. Fawn's Dad is color champion Royal Avenger. Fawn is very playful and macho and already has an incredibly fuzzy face and really crimpy fiber.We are looking forward to showing him
In October Georgie gave birth to Nyala's Peruvian Apparition. She's our first farm birth to our own champion herdsire Superstition. She looks quite a lot like her Dad with his color, fineness, and density. She is a handful and jumps on everyone especially her patient mother. She loves to come over and touch noses with you. We have lots of pictures of her that are way to close to the camera.
New Acquisitions
Jack is a beautiful patterned Santana son. We just fell in love with him as a cria at Alpacas Outback. They have great animals and we hope to do more business with them in the future.
We just purchased Silvana from Alpacas by the Sea. Silvana is an older full accoyo female. She should arrive here in early February. We are looking forward to her June cria out of Dorado (a 1/4 accoyo ribbon winning full Peruvian fawn herdsire with Accoyo Pluro bloodlines).
421 Peruvian Daphne
A stunning dark maroon gal we purchased from Eve Spenser of Somewhere Special Alpacas. Daphne is bred to Maroon champ, King Krimson for an April Fools Day cria. Daphne will be staying at Somewhere Special until her cria is born and she can be re-bred, enjoying the nice Kentucky climate for the rest of the winter before making her way north to Nyala farm in May.
Jolimont Peruvian Elsa and Peruvia
We purchased Elsa (a light fawn producer of nothing but champion and blue ribbon winning cria) and her current cria Peruvia (medium brown out of the accoyo-allianza cross herdsire Julius Ceasar). Peruvia features Caligula bloodlines, great presence, and beautiful fleece. We can't wait to take her to shows this summer and fall. Elsa will be the oldest gal on the farm, and certainly one of the prettiest.
Fall and Summer 2004 Show Results
We really didn't have too many animals to show this year. Most of show string have retired to have babies. We continue to use the lovely Patriot as our main performance guy and we showed our new boy Captain Jack!
We showed AOK's Captain Jack Sparrow at the New York classic and were really pleased when he took a second in the gray and patterned composite class. The judge stood him first in conformation and he lost by only one point on fleece. The judge loved his racy look and "eye make-up". The kids had a great time doing performance and gambler's choice at the Classic too. The Classic is just a wonderful small show and we met lots of nice alpaca people and had a great time.
We showed Jack again at the Eastern PA show and he again took a second this time in halter in a really big class. He also took a first in fleece. Kenny used him for performance and they took a first and a second. Helen showed Patriot and they took two firsts. Princessa also took a first in fleece. Overall it was our best show to date. The nicest part was that it was held in Kimberton and tons of family and friends came to watch.We had a great time!
We took Jack and Patriot to the giant Empire show this fall and Jack took a first in halter and second in fleece.Jack actually won over a full accoyo and a half accoyo.The judge remarked on Jack's bright fleece.
Kenny and Helen were in and out of the performance ring both days at Empire. Kenny and Jack and took blue ribbons in PR, dressage and costume. Helen and Patriot took lots of performance ribbons including a great showing in costume (check out pictures on the web site)
Sales at Nyala
We sold 6 animals this year which was almost everything we had for sale.We are always sad to see them go, but happy for their new owners .
We sold Patsy and Tioga to Flying Pony Alpacas. Patsy was bred to Royal Avenger for a full accoyo cria this next summer.
Congratulations Flying Pony!
We sold Derby Day, Carousel and half interest in Superstition and Fawn Connery to the Delaneys of Irish Meadows Alpaca Farm in Iowa who are just starting their foundation herd. Congratulations to Julie and Mike, and we are really pleased to be in partnership with them on SA Peruvian Superstition and Nyala's Accoyo Fawn Connery. Derby is bred to My Peruvian Fire 'n Ice so they should get a lovely cria from her. Congratulations to the Delaney's and Irish Meadows Alpaca Farm on their additions to their awesome new foundation herd.
We sold quite a few needle-felted dolls, Christmas ornaments and hats all "criated" right here at Nyala farm.We even gave a few needle felting lessons. We had no serious needle felting injuries this year (ask Andy about what happened last year, lets just say never leave those things lying around)
This year the alpaca business has proven to be very fun and successful for all of us! In 2005 we are expecting 4 cria again this year and will be doing some showing.
So that is all the news here at Nyala Farm Alpacas Where the farmers are strong, the alpacas are beautiful and all the cria are above average! Take care and come visit.
See you in the future if not in the pasture!