Fiber Frolic 2011

Whew! It's been a busy few weeks here at Northern Solstice.

We had an amazing time at the 2011 Fiber Frolic in Windsor Maine. It was great to meet so many talented fiber enthusiasts. We're looking forward to next year.

Here is a photo of two beautiful llamas taken at Fiber Frolic.

Meet our new bundle of joy - Sugar Magnolia

Sugar Magnolia with Aria

Sugar Magnolia

She hasn't quite yet gotten the hang of laying down

Snoozin' in the sun

Sugar Magnolia with her mother Splenda

Name: Sugar Magnolia
Sex: Female
Birth Weight: 21 pounds
Fiber Color: White
Birth Date: Sunday, May 22nd
Dam (Mother): Splenda
Sire (Father): Space Cowboy

Questions

Can I come visit?
Certainly!  You are welcome to come for a visit, our hours are Thursday - Sunday 10am-4pm. Remember to bring your camera. If you have any questions give us a call 207-948-3828


Has Sonni given birth yet?
Sonni still has not given birth yet! She has now carried her cria (baby) for 368 days. Hopefully with in the next few days Magnolia will have a friend!

How did she get her name?
Sugar Magnolia was named after a song sung by the Greatfull Dead, we thought the lyrics were perfectly fitting for such a sweet, delicate little girl.

Sugar magnolia, blossoms blooming, heads all empty and I don't care,
Saw my baby down by the river, knew she'd have to come up soon for air.

Sweet blossom come on, under the willow, we can have high times if you'll abide
We can discover the wonders of nature, rolling in the rushes down by the riverside.

She's got everything delightful, she's got everything I need,
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double, pays my ticket when I speed

She comes skimmin' through rays of violet, she can wade in a drop of dew,
She don't come and I don't follow, waits backstage while I sing to you.

Well, she can dance a Cajun rhythm, jump like a willys in four wheel drive.
She's a summer love for spring, fall and winter. She can make happy any man alive.

Sugar magnolia, ringing that bluebell, caught up in sunlight, come on out singing
I'll walk you in the sunshine, come on honey, come along with me.

She's got everything delightful, she's got everything I need,
A breeze in the pines and the sun and bright moonlight, lazing in the sunshine yes
indeed.

Sometimes when the cuckoo's crying, when the moon is half way down,
Sometimes when the night is dying, I take me out and I wander around, I wander
'round.

Sunshine, daydream, walking in the tall trees, going where the wind goes
Blooming like a red rose, breathing more freely,
Ride our singin', I'll walk you in the morning sunshine
Sunshine, daydream. Sunshine, daydream. Walking in the sunshine.

Events

We've got a jam packed summer full of events!

Here is a list of where you can find Northern Solstice over the next few months!
We are always adding new events.
A few seasonal events that will be held on the farm are in the works, so stay tuned!

We list any large group or school tours that are scheduled, so
that you may plan on visiting around them.

Contact us if you have any questions!
www.northernsolsticealpaca.com

June 2011

June 4th and 5th - Fiber Frolic - Windsor Fairgrounds – Windsor, Maine. For more information visit Fiber Frolic

June 18th – Vasselboro Gardens Fundraising Event

July 2011

July 24 - Maine Open Farm Day

August 2011

August 3-7th – Lobster Festival Rockland Maine. For more information visit Maine Lobster Festival

August 26th – 28th – American Folk Festival - Bangor, Maine. For more information visit American Folk Festival

September 2011

September 23rd through 25th - Common Ground Country Fair

October 2011

Oct 15th and 16th - Green Mountain Spectacular

November 2011

November 11th through 13th - New England Classic Alpaca Show

November 25th - Holiday Shopping Hours Begin. Open 7 days 9 am – 8pm for your shopping convenience.

December 2011

December 1st through 24th - Holiday Shopping Hours Continue. Open 7 days 9 am – 8pm for your shopping convenience.

Shearing photos

To view all of the 2011 shearing photos
click here

Births
Thank you all for your e-mails regarding the pending births!

No crias yet.
We have e-mails all ready to be sent once the feet hit the ground!


Visits
We invite you to come for a visit and check out the new haircuts.
The most dramatic change was Archi (Archimedes) we went from having a brown and white Archi, to a black and white Archi!

You'll have to come and see it for yourself.

In the meantime, stay dry!!!

Closed For Shearing

Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm will be closed Saturday 14th for shearing!

Come for a visit next week and check out our new hair cuts!

Congratulations Unity College Graduates!

Over the past year we have seen a growth of involvement and interest from students at Unity College. Thank you, to those of the graduating class of 2011, that spent valuable time and energy volunteering at our farm!

Congratulations!

Happycrafter207

One of our RentAlpaca participants, Lori, has a wonderful crafting blog. In her most recent podcast, she talks a bit about her most recent visit to Northern Solstice to visit the alpacas.

Lori represents some of the wonderful diversity we have in our RentAlpaca program. From future farmers, animal lovers, fiber enthusiast and everything in between. Lori certainly falls within the fiber enthusiast category. She is a talented knitter, with a wonderful blog and podcast that document her crafting adventures.

Check out Loris blog Happycrafter207

To listen to her talk about her visit to Northern Solstice and other fun adventures click here

(Click the Pod button to the left of Episode 13)

Splenda & Kevyn

"Forget wearing purple. When I’m 80, I’m going to adopt an Alpaca!" - Erin Heffernan

One of our renters Anne and her daughter Mary sent us this wonderful article written by one of Anne's daughters, Erin.

 "By definition, an Alpaca is a domesticated, longhaired South American animal of the camel family, related to the llama and similar in appearance. An Alpaca may be in the camel family and related to the llama, but the handsome gene is all his.

My cousin, Mary, of Winterport, Maine, took her mother, my Auntie Anne, of Newburgh, Maine, to an Alpaca farm for her 83^rd birthday -- with her walker. Osteoperosis was no match for her on this day. But, who would have guessed she would adopt an Alpaca? Maybe my cousin, Mary, a woman with a magnificently eclectic thought process. Auntie Anne’s Alpaca is a female named Marylou, and she is exquisite.

Marylou lives at the farm, and Auntie Anne has unlimited visitation. Marylou would not have fit in Auntie Anne’s apartment, and she would probably alarm her neighbors in her senior apartment complex."

                                                                                            -Erin Heffernan



To read the full article, click here.

Anne & Sonni

Mary Lou

We are  thankful to have such incredibly talented and creative renters that have truly become part of our alpaca family.

Northern Solstice on WABI - 5 News

WABI - 5 News came for a visit this past weekend.  

Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm

Unity - During the Christmas holidays Unity's Northern Solstice Alpaca Farm offered folks a chance to rent an alpaca.

As part of Earth Day they are inviting renters into the farm to spend time with their alpacas.

"We very quickly took in over 50 renters. We've stopped it at around 53 or 54 because we really want to give our renters as much quality time as possible."

Alpaca farm owner, Robin Fowler says they've received great feedback.

To read the full story and see the video 
Click Here