We get trained

We've just spent three brilliant days with Mike and Suzanne Longhurst, the couple from whom we are buying the llamas. As part of the deal, they said we could come to stay on their farm in the Allier region of central France for some intensive training in llama care/training/breeding.

Mike and Sue spent some years raising llamas in Wales before moving to France about three years ago. Unfortunately, Sue had an accident recently which means that they have to give up their farm and the Clydesdale horses and llamas they have been breeding. This was the sad reason why we were able to buy some their best llamas as our starter herd. As soon as the house and farm sale is completed in late April, they will be off to Spain (or Bulgaria, or somewhere else - it seems to have changed a lot in the short time we have known them! Another thing that has changed is Mike and Sue are likely to be keeping on some llamas - I hope so, because it's clear that they mean an awful lot to them.)

Mike put us through a rigorous curriculum of training - but we seemed to progress rather faster than he had expected. He soon came to the conclusion that we are 'naturals' for llama farming - and who are we to disagree with such compliments :-)


In no time at all, we were putting halters on the llamas (well on Duc and Valentine, the tamest, best trained ones!)









and taking them off on walks around the farm.

















I'm getting more and more enthusiastic about this new life. Our llamas are such characters - and I have no doubt that we shall find them endlessly fascinating and rewarding. They also show quite a lot of interest in us!









By the end of our stay, we had loads more confidence, and were even having a go at walking Pedro (the stud male).









Many thanks to Mike and Sue, who we hope will be our friends for many years to come.

Can I borrow your llamas?

Returning from working in the field today, I was approached by a man I didn't recognise. He asked if I spoke French, and then we had an intriguing conversation.

He explained that he owned a vineyard nearby, and he wondered if he could borrow our llamas to graze among his vines. I said that surely this would a mistake, as the llamas would eat the vines. Oh no, he said, I've already tested it, and it's fine.

I was now struggling with the language, and wondered if I had misunderstood something crucial. It was only when he went on to explain that what he had actually tested was grazing sheep among vines that I understood what was going on. I explained that, although llamas might look a bit like big sheep, their eating habits were more like goats.

He quickly withdrew the request . . . Shame in some ways - it could have been quite exciting watching the llamas munching their way down a line of vines!

It certainly shows that the word has got around about our plans. We're also getting more and more friendly waves and smiles as people drive past the field. Not sure if they are admiring what we have done, or just laughing at the lunatic English and their odd behaviour. When the llamas arrive we suspect people will be stopping and asking whether they make good eating . . . .