RIP Queen Elizabeth II
This has been the most momentous time with the death of The Queen and the accession of King Charles. I [...]
Category: Rachel’s Diary
Rachel’s diary: the up’s and down’s of an Alpaca farmer
Goodbye Jules
Sadly, our oldest alpaca Jules has died. He was 21 and a great character, loved by all who met him. [...]
Heatwaves!
The heatwave turned Vulscombe Farm into something of a prairie with the alpacas eating what can only be described as [...]
Happy Holidays
I love the seaside and collecting things so all holidays have to have a beach element where we can all [...]
Simply Crochet Photoshoot
It seems a long time ago now, but in May, we were the hosts for a Simply Crochet photoshoot. Just [...]
Cria’s born on the farm
Well, well, earthquake in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election with the Liberal Democrats taking the seat with a 30% swing. [...]
Jubilee Weekend
Hurrah - made it through the long Jubilee weekend without having to go on a motorway or visit that vision [...]
Shearing Day
One big giant PHEW after shearing day. All 94 alpacas on farm were shorn between eight o’clock and a quarter [...]
Shearing Season is Here!
It is the run-up to shearing which means we have to clear out the grading barn, get all the shearing [...]
Wonderwool
We had a great time at Wonderwool, the sun shone, No Bones Jones’s food was as good as ever, the [...]
First Night
Best bib and tucker for the first night of my friend Hilary Bonner’s play at the Queens Theatre in Barnstaple. [...]
Show Time
Last weekend was the first British Alpaca Society National Show since 2019. Some 600 alpacas rocked up along with so [...]
Twelve Hours and Counting
That’s the journey time to 1, Shore Cottages in Berriedale, Caithness, just 36 miles south of John O’ Groats where [...]
Islington Stitch Festival
We re all horrified by the invasion of Ukraine. We have kept in touch with our friend Magda in Poland [...]
Fleece Grading
We were idly wondering whether we should take up mud skiing on our waterlogged fields. There has been so much [...]
Blue Skies, More Like Grey Skies
It has been a very grim week, with so much rain. Getting to work has been fun, think I needed [...]
Knitting and Stitching Show Roundup
Very happy and extremely tired when we finally got home from the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace at [...]
A day at the Ally Pally
This is the 30th year that the Knitting and Stitching Show has been staged at Alexandra Palace in London. A [...]