Camelid Compadres

This llama with luxurious locks is from Michigan, and he was at the Spring Showcase, a national llama show that we attended on Saturday. It was a nice, relaxed event that hosted llamas and their humans from across the country, including states as far away as Texas.

We learned the Midwest is home to many competitive llamas, and Indiana is a good place to find guardians for flocks. With the popularity of homesteading, llamas have risen in demand, as they are needed for protecting small ruminants (sheep and goats).

This seems fitting for 2024, the International Year of the Camelids!

Some classes were small with just a few animals, but others were large, with nearly 20 entries.

The llamas stayed in horse stalls, and each stall had at least two occupants. Llamas are herd animals, and they need a buddy.

In one stall, a rust orange hen reposed in one corner while a black and white llama munched hay in another. The chicken dozed off to sleep, but then a llama in the next stall over sneezed, and the chicken started, raised her head up and inspected the area. Then, she dozed off again.

Thanks for Reading!

And I hope you feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead with this moment preserved in picture and prose. Consider:

• Who do you consider your buddy and part of your herd?

Share your answer and this newsletter with your buddy.

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This Week on the Farm

We’re drawing near to the end of lambing season! Lambs 13-15 all arrived on Thursday:

The next step is preparing to move ewes and lambs from the barn to outdoor paddocks. Now that the lambs have received a good start, it’s time for them to learn how to eat grass.

Farm Shop

Last week, we featured our February 21 wether, which would make a nice 4-H lamb. Here’s a February 19 wether that’s growing fast!

Reply to this email to let us know if you'd like to take a look at our lambs, or forward Sylvan Sundays to 4-H or FFA members who’d like to be involved in the sheep project!