August 18th, 2020: Happy Birthday Saharah!
Welcome to August! As we are sure you are now well aware, today is August 18th, otherwise known on the farm as Saharah's birthday!
Saharah was born on a lovely, somewhat damp Monday in 2008 in Evansburg. Although it would be another several years before Saharah came to join us here at the farm, she enjoyed a very happy, and successful youth while living at her breeders farm alongside her dam, Sasha. She competed in 2009 and 2010 in the halter ring where she held her own against some of the stiffest competition in the province at the time, earning herself two 2nd place ribbons and a 3rd place in the notoriously difficult light classes. Her role shifted in 2011, when she entered motherhood and welcomed her first, and as of yet only child, Asher into her life.
She, alongside her son, came to join us at the farm in 2012, when her breeders decided it was time to step away from the rigours of farm-life, and enter a well earned retirement. We have cherished every moment with this lively lady ever since, with Saharah being the first to greet us day in and day out as we move forward with our chores; while working hard as an ambassador for the farm welcoming guests with as much gusto as she maintains for her family and herdmates.
As Saharah steps into her 12th year, we have elected to celebrate her birthday in the usual fashion: With a heaping bowl of beet-pulp mash sprinkled with her favourite alpaca-pellets; garnished with an apple & oat (alpaca-friendly) soft-cookie. As the summer wins down, we are pleased to share that Saharah continues to maintain robust health and a positive spark to her life. The summer has been kind to her, and she is well on the way to growing a luxuriously thick fleece to help her move through the summer!
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope this finds you and yours safe and healthy! Although we know Covid-19 has put a damper on 2020, we want to reiterate that Saharah will continue to remain here, patiently waiting for the time when we can safely reopen to the public— at which time, she will surely appreciate any continued appreciation that can be sent her way.
Be safe,
-Saharah's Humans
June 20th, 2020: Early Summer Fun: An Update about your Alpaca, Saharah!
May 15th, 2020: Your Alpaca, Saharah, would like to welcome you to Spring!
December 31st, 2019: Season's Greetings and Happy New Year from your Alpaca, Saharah!
The holiday season has been almost as busy for Saharah as it has for the humans on the farm! Herd health fell on the weeks just before December, which found Saharah hitting the scale to see how her weight-loss program is working. Although her humans are thrilled to find that she has successfully lost 15lbs (to spare her pride, a 15 pound loss from what we will not say) since October, Saharah is less than thrilled with the reduction in holiday-season fare. She is however appearing lighter on her feet and more svelte in her figure, and was excited to join the fun in our annual winter photo-shoot. Although she did not like the idea of tinsel boas and jingle-bells like her herd mates, she appreciated the turnout into the open pen while everyone pronked and played through the snow with the other females and babies.
We didn't want her to feel left out during the holiday festivities however, and thus we looked the other way when she wanted to partake in the herd's Christmas and New Years meals, consisting of a warm beet-pulp and alfalfa mash, garnished with their usual alpaca-pellets. In years past we have offered a variety of other treats, including carrot and apple cookies, oat-balls and other alpaca-safe homemade treats, but Saharah is not quite as adventurous as her herd mates, and does not stray far out of her culinary comfort-zone. We continue to try and find options she is willing to try to use for "special treats" but considering her enthusiasm for her mash, we think we have a hit for now.
The winter has been treating Saharah and the herd kindly with the mild weather and sporadic snow-days. At her bed-time check, she was snug in her shed nested in her straw and surrounded by her sisters and her youngest nephew, chewing her cud contentedly. There will be no fireworks in our town to ring in the New Year, and thus no light show for the herd and the farm humans to enjoy from the comfort of the hay in their pastures, but the sky is clear and the stars are bright, and that can be just as nice. Although we do not know whether alpacas recognize the meaning behind this time of year, we look forward to many more warm nights with content animals, moving into the New Year and decade.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with further updates about Saharah in the New Year!
Warmest Wishes,
-Saharah's Humans
Northern Mystery Alpacas
