Stanton Drew tells us about when the British Llama Society came to visit

It’s really busy here at the farm.  Spring is always interesting – the bad weather has gone and everything is green and tasty and I love it.

 

I also love big parties trekking with us.  A particularly large group – must have been 15 of them – turned up this weekend and spent time with us.  I was in Home Field with the gang minding my own business when I was coaxed into a pen that had mysteriously appeared in a corner.  Some of us like to be tempted with foodie nibbles and some of us are wary.  My little clique – ‘the Stan Gang’ – me, Rollie and Mo – were all persuaded with tasty treats and soon I was haltered and being chivvied to do very strange things indeed.

 

It seems that if I’m shown food and eat it and hear a click at the same time, I’ll be easy to train to do weird and wonderful stuff.  No problem with food – happy to take it – just rather it if I don’t have to spin around, or kush on command or whatever.

 

Bro Rollright was to be persuaded to lie down and ‘roll right’ and ‘roll left’ for the guest two-leg, but I think it was very confusing having the same name as one of the instructions so that didn’t get very far.  But, all a success as Rollie and I got lots of nosh and that’s the important thing.

 

 

Next day, the herd of two-legs met us in the barn and we showed them how to hold our halters for us so we could slip our snouties in.  Easy-peasy.  My new mate was called Caroline and she knew all about llamas and we got along famously.

 

We walked off the farm and took all last years babes with us – so Sarum, Flowerdown, Ann Howe and my sis Hazelton joined us.  Big success.  Large numbers of llamas (eleven this time) means no squeaking from the little ‘uns.  Of course, good ol’ Brodgar and Stenness topped and tailed the string of llamas and people and we grouped all the girls in the middle of us big boys.

 

We posed for photos – and I gave Caroline my best profile.  Always lots of cameras where two legs are concerned.

 

The common was as lovely as ever.  We like to stop and admire the view, and I made sure the little ones weren’t scared by the barky dog or the snuffly-truffly piggies we passed.  Lots of chatter from the two-legs – isn’t there always?  But they were happy and we marched ‘em home.  Tasty treat time back at the ranch, of course, and as it was the babies` first trek they were very pleased to find walks always end with a food treat.  We llamas like fresh grazing and our post trekking hedge is always nibbled at the end of our walks.

 

We were released and fed and strolled off to see Ringsbury and the mums-to-be who had all stayed on the farm and then we said cheerio to the two legs who made their way indoors for their own tasty greens and mix.

 

More news from Golden Valley Llamas soon