AS the sun comes up west of Carlisle this summer, Jane Hodgson is in her paddock ready for one of the most exciting times of the year - alpaca birthing season.
Jane, who has been breeding alpacas and selling pure alpaca clothing, fleece, and yarn for a decade, has transformed her home at King Garth, Burgh-by-Sands, into a sanctuary for these gentle animals.
With six new babies already born this year and more on the way, Jane is being kept very busy.
“I bought the house as a ruin and started repairing it, I was trying to be a bit like Barbara Good in The Good Life, sustainable, self-sufficient," she said.
“It had a paddock and I wanted to put an animal in there but it had to have a purpose, and I didn’t want to have to milk or eat one.
“My aunt suggested alpacas after seeing an episode of Countryfile, suggesting I could make money out of their fibres for fleeces, scarves and hats."
Jane would end up walking away from an exploratory visit to the local auction mart with new furry friends by her side.
Today, Jane’s herd has grown to 39 alpacas, with six new babies making it 45.
“I’m expecting another seven to come – I’m at capacity now, so I’ll be looking to sell some which it’s always sad as you get attached but on the other hand, if they go to a smaller herd, they can get more attention,” Jane said.
This year’s new arrivals so far include Dudley, Bubbles, Divine, Miss Marple, Buena Vista and Malteser.
Jane has a tradition of naming them in thematic lines for ease, such as the chocolate line which features Wispa and Twirl as well as the posh line including Hoity-toity and La De Da.
“I spend an awful lot of time at the paddock at the moment," she said.
"Alpacas are quite handy and sheep farmers hate me for saying this, but 80 per cent are born between 7am and 2pm.
“Alpacas like to give birth on a sunny warm day. The average gestation can be eleven and a half months.
“But they can hold off for up to two months waiting for a good weather window.
“It varies a lot, which does mean a lot of bottom-watching - I call these times my lockdown.
“It doesn’t matter how many you’ve had, it’s always exciting,” Jane said.
Jane’s alpacas play a significant role in the community with visits to local care homes or from groups such as the Cumbrian charity Bee Unique.
“What’s amazing is you really see what the kids get it out of it,” she said.
“They always seem to form a really strong bond with the animals.
“It sounds strange but anyone with alpacas will tell you this, the alpacas behave accordingly depending on who you give them.
“They are really gentle with those with special needs, it’s lovely to watch. I enjoy the visits as much as the people visiting,” she said.
To find out more about visits to King Garth or potentially purchasing alpacas, you can visit https://kinggarthalpacas.co.uk/
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