Fluffy Fun -- Saturday, 9/8/18

Fluffy, fuzzy fleecy fun!  My friend, Deb, has established a small farm stocked with alpacas and angora goats:  Mo'Paca Farm and Fibers.  With co-owners, Becky and Glenn, they had their first open house on Saturday, and I was happy to go.  Earlier that morning, Jimmy and I attended a memorial service (sad) for a dear man we knew, so being around sweet animals was just the ticket to raise my spirits.  Jimmy elected to go to a car show with his friend, Cliff, so we each did what was best for us.

The farm is located in Loma Rica CA -- with its golden grasses, it's marvelous country for raising animals.  Elevation there is around 400', compared to our 3200' in Nevada City.  My Prius liked its downhill ride -- wheee, Loma Rica is about 25 miles down the hill from our place.  The sun was strong and the day was pretty hot, but a nice breeze actually kept us fairly cool.

Some of the dudes!

I don't know if I'd ever seen angora goats before.  They certainly are shaggy, but they produce a lustrous fiber called mohair.   A table (below) with samples of raw fleece, washed fleece and mohair, plus picked and carded mohair and alpaca was offered for guests to touch.  OhMyGosh, it was all so soft.  Imagine sleeping on a bed of fluffy fleece!

Also on the table were some of the tools of the trade (below).  I know they've already sheared their animals once.  I'm guessing somebody will eventually be making exquisite sweaters and scarves or mittens with the fiber.

These guys have horns!  They were in a pen out of my reach, so I didn't pet them -- hopefully I will next time.  Every animal has a name, but I can't remember which was which.

Except baby Django.  Deb bought him in Oregon and transported him home in her Prius when he was even smaller than you see here.  He's still bottle fed every few hours.  He's a gentleman, not a sloppy eater, and he's a sweetheart.  

His midnight black doesn't show well for a camera.

I lightened this photo so you can see his eyes.  He's a beauty. 

The one bottle I gave him didn't fill him up; Deb gave him a second one.  In the background are a few of the angora goats snacking on hay (or alfalfa or a mixture). 

I think it was love at first sight for Deb and Django!

The turn out for their open house was good, which pleased everyone.  I really enjoyed my visit, seeing Deb and Becky and Glenn, and the animals, especially Django.  Maybe I can come back with Jimmy, and bring Everly Rose and her Mom 'n Pop, so they, too, can enjoy the critters and the serenity of Mo'Paca Farm and Fiber.