Cria

The votes were coming in fast and furious.

We asked for names for Bella's baby, and names you gave us. You guys take the naming responsibility seriously. You researched the meaning of names. You wrote things in perfect Italian. You sold your choices with passion.

Alas, there can only be one winner (well, in this case, there will be two.) But we appreciate each and every person's efforts.

So, without further adieu, may we congratulate Connie B. for her contribution of CaraBella and Amy J. for suggesting di Michelangelo. We are combining the names and the new little one will be officially named as That'll Do Farm's CaraBella di Michelangelo. But, seeing as that is a big, big name, and she is just a little girl, around the barn, she will be known simply as Cara.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. We appreciate your interest and your naming skills. There were some duplicates, but as we said when announcing the contest, we gave credit to the first person to suggest the name.

Didn't win this time? Don't despair. There are several pregnant alpacas that are due this fall and we will have another contest. So keep thinking people, keep thinking!

Connie B. and Amy J., send me an e-mail at BrightonWool@aol.com to claim your prize.

Folks, we're stumped.

Flummoxed.

Baffled.

At our wit's end.

I think you get the picture.

Beautiful Bella

gave birth to an outstanding female cria back on July 2nd. And we have yet to come up with a name for her baby. We are very bad farmers indeed.

So we're asking for your help. The cria is a dainty and girly-girl alpaca with deer-like qualities. Her fleece is butter soft and creamy to the touch. Much too pretty to go unnamed for so long!

All names for crias born at the farm this year need to start with the letter C. (It helps us keep track of the year the were born.)

So give it your best shot. Leave us a comment before the end of the day Sunday, July 29th. If we pick your name, you can pick one of two prizes:

Prize 1: A skein of deep, rich cocoa brown yarn from Bella's good alpaca buddy Maia. This is approximently 250 yards of Maia yarn, mixed with 15% Merino wool. The words warm, soft and drapey come to mind when touching this yarn.

Or, for the spinner, Prize 2 is a box of our Cinnamon Roll Roving. Six ounces of our soft-as-a-cloud alpaca roving mixed with 15 percent Merino wool. It is a dream to spin.

So leave your suggestion, along with your name and a way to contact you in the comment section below. We will announce the winner on Monday, July 30th. You can leave more than one suggestion. In the case of two people suggesting the same winning name, we will consider the first one listed in the comment section as the winner.

So put your naming hats on and enter to win. Bella's unnamed baby thanks you.

Hint: The mama alpaca's full name is Tuscan's Amber Wave Di Bella Vita. (You need a nap after saying all that!). And the daddy is El Nino's Accoyo Michelangelo. Two Italian names so we're really leaning towards an Italian sounding name for this young lady. Or a name that incorporates the parents name or names somehow.

The first cria (that's what baby alpacas are called) of the season was born on Monday.

Meet Clint. He belongs to Maia.

Don't let Brigitte Bardot, the tan alpaca pictured above, fool you. She is not his mother. But she loves him with every fluffy hair on her head. Are there such things as cougar alpacas? Because if so, she is definitely one of them!

Here's the scoop on Cling: He's a male, born on June 25th at 7 a.m. Maia went 11 months and 17 days with him and had a very quick, no issues kind of delivery.

Clint is very healthy and extremely energetic, spending his days running laps. His father is Hobby Horse Farm's "For a Few Dollars More" but is known as Eastwood. Hence Clint's name.

All the alpacas born at the farm this year will be given names begining with the letter C. It helps us keep track of their birth year.

The next cria is due July 7th. We're taking any and all suggestions for outstanding names starting with the letter C. Send 'em in! We can use the help.

Put your hands together for the newest member of That'll Do Farm -- the one, the only Bart.

He came into this world last weekend somewhat as a surprise to his human caregivers, but certainly not to his alpaca mama Charm.

No, we were not surprised that Charm was pregnant and due any day. We just didn't think it was going to be THAT day in particular. After all, we'd checked on Charm in the morning. We'd checked on her at lunch time. The results were clear: nothing was happening nor did it look like anything was going to happen in the immediate future.

So off we went to do our assorted farm duties. And guess what Charm went ahead and did? Go ahead, guess.

If you guessed that she delivered a cria and he was out standing in his field, you would be correct. 

That sneaky Charm waited for the exact moment all the humans left the pasture, and then under the watchful eye of her ever-present friends Krispy Kream and Charlie's Angel, she delivered a very healthy and energetic baby boy.

He was promptly named Bart. He looks like a Bart. Not that we've ever known anyone named Bart, but if we did, we think he would look like this here alpaca!

Bart and his mama are doing well. Three more crias are due by the end of October. We hope all the moms are as good at their job as Charm and all the crias are as healthy as Bart!

The names are in.

The votes are tallied. Not a hanging chad in the group.

The winning entry for the Name the Cria contest is:

Bea Star

We like the way it sounds when announced over the showring PA system:

"Ladies and Gentlemen, now entering the ring is That'll Do Farm's Bea Star."

We think it gives her a leg up. After all, who doesn't want to Bea Star.

Our lucky winner is Melissa. (Note: Melissa, please send me an e-mail with a way to contact you!)

Melissa receives  a skein of Midwest Fiber Company Alpaca/Merino yarn in all the colors of fall.

Congratulations to Melissa and a huge thank you to all who entered.

It's baby naming time folks, so put your creativity hats on.

This is Star Attraction, a Suri Alpaca, and her as-of-yet-unnamed female cria.

Isn't that cria as cute as cute can be.

She is brave, fearless and daring. The pastures belong to her!

Her father is Diamonte and he is "simply the best." Handsome. Swashbuckling. And a Supreme Champion.

She's bound for greatness.

And you get to name her.

All alpacas born on the farm this year have been given names that start with the letter B. (This helps us keep track of their birth year. Logically enough, last year's cria names started wih the letter A.) We have Dottie Biscotti, Mr. Big, Bug, and Brigitte Bardot.

So, we need a name. If you can work in Diamonte or Star to the new name, you get bonus points.

And we don't want you sweating and working your brain out for nothing. So we're giving up one prize skein of Ohio-grown yarn from Midwest Fiber Company.

And I really mean we're giving it up because this yarn calls my name so loudly I need ear plugs!

It's 90% alpaca with 10% merino added, and it's about as soft as a baby's you-know-what. Plus, it's all the colors of fall in one luxurious skein. Lee Ann King, from Midwest Fiber Company, did a beautiful job of dyeing this dreamy yarn and I'm still not convinced I want to give it up!

But, for the sake of the cria without a name, I will part with it.

So, let the contest begin. You have until Sept. 18th to leave us a comment. U.S. and Canadian residents only please. And feel free to enter more than once. If you have five suggestions for names, bring 'em all on. We want to hear from you. Make sure we have a way to contact you.

Good luck. May the best name win.

A large tour bus rolled through the farm on Saturday, bringing with it a group of very nice farm enthusiasts.

We showed them the herb and dyers garden, the bee hives, the goats and the llama.

We had yarn and vegetables and honey for sale.

But the star of the show was the new cria, born just hours before their arrival.

This is Star's as-of-yet-unamed baby girl. She is a Suri alpaca and as cute as can be.

Star has that look of all new moms: What the heck do I do now?? Somebody help me!

But she figured it out quickly and mother and baby are doing just fine. This is the cria's first attempt at standing, about an hour after her birth.

She has since mastered the difficult task of standing and has moved on to running and frolicking.

The veteran babies, the ones born in the past month or so, are watching her first attempt like the seasoned standing up pros that they are. Soon, the new cria will join them and they will all be out kicking up their heels and driving their mothers crazy.

Krispy Kreme, the mother of one of the crias, has a headache just thinking about watching one more baby in the pasture. I have bad news for Krispy Kreme. Thee more crias are due over the next month or two. She's going to need some asprin.

You can not be unhappy when there are babies about. Human babies, dog babies, giraffe babies, alpaca babies -- any of them will make you smile.

But when you put a coat on one of them, the cuteness factor goes way up.

This is Molly's little girl, That'll Do's Bug-A-Boo, also known as plain old Bug. She is petite and it was a chilly morning so she needed a coat. Makes me want to squeeze her to death . . . but that would be wrong. No squeezing.

This is Ms. Bug's good friend, Mr. Big.

This picture was taken just an hour or so after he was born. Mr. Big is a big, strong boy.

And just like in the human world, the boys always, always, always get the eyelashes.

Why is that? He will not need Revlon's Luscious Plumping Mascara to make his eyes look big. That is a fact and the girls are not happy about it.

And then we have the lovely Dottie Biscotti, who already seems wise beyond her weeks.

The youngest of the spring crias is Quintessa's as-of-yet-unamed-baby.

She is a beauty. If you could feel her fleece you would think you were in knitters heaven.

That's her mama Quintessa on the left. But un-named beautiful baby had an "Are You My Mother" moment when she saw Bella, on the right. They look an awful lot alike.

But Quintessa gave the cria a talking to, saying "Look. I am your mother and that's that. You don't have to like it, but you do have to listen to me." You know, it's the same old mother/daughter talk that has been going on for centuries.

The moms got the crias together for a play date.

Soon they were running,

and jumping

all over the place.

It was exhausting. Especially for the moms.

But all is well in babyland. One more cria is due any day now and then that's it until fall, when five more are due.

As in the human world, babies sure do add a lot of life to your day.

Finally, after much anticipation and anxiety on the part of the humans, the crias are starting to arrive at That'll Do Farm.

First up was Krispy Kreme and her spotted baby girl.

It's tough being the first baby born this Spring.

Complete strangers come up to you and give you the once over with their noses.

What's a cria to do?

Soon, she was surrounded by curious neighbors, all having to get a look-see at the new kid on the block.

But this wise young lady took it all in stride. She knew retreating was the wisest move and so she skedaddled out of the clutches of the nosy girls.

Soon though, the nosy ones had somebody else to check out. Miss Molly's baby girl.

This tiny little peanut had a hard delivery.

She's looking good here, but it was rough at the beginning.

She was born on a chilly morning, somewhat unusal for this late in June. Farmer Gal and her daugher had to get the hair dryer out to dry this cria off and get her warmed up . . . fast.

She seemed a bit dazed and confused for a day or two after her entrance into the world, but she was out in the pasture today, kicking up her heels. Looks like she's going to be o.k.

Which is good, because just as she was getting her sea legs, Maia decided to deliver her cria, a handsome, healthy young man.

It's been a crazy couple of days at the farm so none of the crias have names yet. If you have any monikers you think might apply to these cuties, let us know. Remember, this is a "B" year so all names have to start with the letter B. Put your thinking caps on!

Ladies and Gentlemen.

Children of all ages.

Let me introduce to you the newest arrival at That'll Do Farm.

Krispy Kreme's yet-to-be-named cria.

Isn't this the cutest baby you've ever seen.

She made a vet-assisted entrance into the world, causing both her mama and Farmer Gal much concern.

But both mama and baby are doing great. Krispy Kreme is a first-time mother and she's a natural. She is quite unhappy if you go into the stall to check on the baby. She comes right over to make sure you aren't doing anything to hurt her precious giraffe . . . I mean cria.

               Giraffe

                              Cria

Sorry, I got confused for a minute. Long legs. Long neck. Spots.

But we double checked. She's an alpaca. And a darn cute one at that. 

Her mama loves her. We love her.

What's not to love!

Now we need a name. All alpacas born on the farm this year will have a name starting with the letter B. Start sending us your suggestions!

Like expectant grandparents everywhere, we are anxiously waiting for an overdue baby. Only this baby is called a cria and its mother looks like this:

I'd say Miss Krispy Kreme looks pretty darn good for being one week past her expected delivery date. She is bred to the spectacular Charles P. Atlas and we can hardly wait to see this baby.

Put your thinking caps on and start thinking of cria names. This year's baby names will all start with the letter "B". Ten alpacas are pregnant so that means lots of "B" names.

While the pregnant Krispy Kreme did not leave the farm this weekend, Farmer Gal did. She was at the Buckeye Alpaca Show in Columbus, Ohio with several other That'll Do Farm alpacas.

Dewey is always very helpful when the truck pulls into the pasture after a long weekend. She has to come right out and see where "her" alpaca have been.

Cinco is cautious when exiting the trailer. After all, he just won a blue ribbon in his class! He has to act with all the dignity befitting that honor.

Annelise, on the other hand, has thrown dignity to the wind and has decided jumping out of the trailer is much more fun . . . and so does Farmer Gal. Not to worry. Both landed safely.

Dewey, however, was in shock. All that jumping. It goes against her nature. She'd much prefer to sit quietly and watch others do the jumping . . .

. . . and the running. These three girls were off to the races when they saw the trailer pull in. Each wanted to be the first to see what was going on. They are curious animals, that's for sure.

(On a side note, did you happen to notice Dewey's collection of large bones? She doesn't bury them, but rather collects them in a nice pile right in the middle of the pasture. We don't know why. It's just a quirky little Dewey habit.)

Steeler was also curious to know who was coming back home.

We're not sure he could actually see who was coming but with those great big beautiful ears he could certainly hear them!

And so today, Monday, all is back to normal at the farm. We are still on baby watch. It's still raining. And Krispy Kreme is as calm as ever.

But it can't be long now.

It's "hurry up and wait" season at the farm. Eleven alpacas were bred this Fall and we are expecting many babies (called crias) this coming Spring.

While out doing barn chores, I'm finding myself upside down, peeking up under alpaca tummies hoping that the bulges I see are due to pregnancy and not just because I like to feed them!

The vet will be out next week to ultrasound the suspected moms-in-waiting so I can stop by tummy stalking ways.

Krispy Kream is the first young lady due, probably by mid-May.

Doesn't she look happy. You moms out there know that look. That's the look of "I'm uncomfortable. I'm fat. And I just want to get this over with." Just 4-1/2 more months to go Krispy, hang in there.

Oh deer.

That is exactly what I said when I first saw the new cria, born on the farm in early October. She looks exactly like a newly minted fawn. Cute as a bug this young lady.

Her mama, Ms. Silver Lining, is quite proud and keeps a watchful eye over her baby.

And she should. The young Miss Alibi almost didn't make it.

It was a long and difficult birth that required the help of farm friend Dr. Ed. He made sure things progressed smoothly and mother and baby were doing fine. That was on a Sunday.

The next morning, all was still fine. The baby was running and jumping and all was right with the world. We thanked our lucky stars that we had a healthy, beautiful female cria.

Then an hour later, the world changed. Alibi started convulsing. And wouldn't stop. She was rushed to the local large animal vet hospital by Farmer Gal and her daughter, Alison.

Head trauma? Blood issues? The jury was out as to what had happened to this day-old cria. She was sent home with medication and the instructions to watch her carefully.

When Alibi showed no signs of improvement, Farmer Gal and Dr. Ruthanne loaded up the truck and trailer and rushed  to the Ohio State Veterinatry Medical Center in Columbus, two hours south of us.

It was touch-and-go for several days. But finally Alibi was well enough to come home. However, the clinic thought she would be blind. Put a bell on her mother, they said. Plenty of blind alpacas do quite well on farms. She would learn the lay of the land and be just fine.

So home she came, where we watched her like a hawk. And that is when we witnessed a miracle. Our little gal can see!

The medical explanation is she suffed some sort of head trauma in her pen after birth -- maybe she was stepped on or kicked, which caused swelling in her brain, thus causing the convulsions. As she recovered from her head injury, the swelling went down, releasing the pressure on her eyes and she can see just fine. But we prefer the miracle explanation.

Whatever the reason for her recovery, she has been officially checked out by Dewey, who has declared her to be a-ok. Dewey is a very smart dog. A genius.

But the whole experience was hair-raising for Alibi's mother!