Happy 23rd Birthday to Gramma Almond – The Matriarch of Our Herd
Today is a very special day at the ranch as we celebrate the 23rd birthday of our beloved matriarch, Gramma Almond.
Reaching 23 years of age is quite an accomplishment for an alpaca, and we're incredibly grateful that Almond continues to enjoy such good health. She doesn't require any medications or special feed to maintain her condition. Truthfully, she could probably lose a few pounds—but at 23 years old, she's earned the right to enjoy her daily mash!
Almond has always been a little different from many of our other alpacas. She's never been fond of meeting visitors during tours and has always preferred to keep a comfortable distance. Even a handful of pellets has never been enough to convince her that a quick pat is worth the risk.
These days, Almond has retired from motherhood, but she still has an important role. You'll usually find her in the maternity pen, quietly watching over the expectant females during labour and greeting each new cria as it arrives. It's a role that seems to suit her perfectly.
Over her lifetime, Gramma Almond has produced 10 crias, with six of those born here at our ranch.
Her first cria born after arriving here was Zaziikizi, whose name means "First Born" in Ojibwe. Kizi holds a very special place in our hearts as the very first alpaca ever born on our ranch. She now lives happily on a nearby farm, only about 45 minutes away.
Next came Yazhi, a beautiful bay black female whose sire was a very light rose grey. Yazhi is known as our calmest alpaca and has probably appeared in more visitor photos than any other member of our herd. She's also the proud mother of Jack.
Almond's third cria for us was Bes, another lovely brown female, sired by the beautiful grey male, Elvis.
Her first son was Alemander, a gentle white male who has always enjoyed a little extra attention. We're happy that he, too, found a wonderful home only about 45 minutes away. It's always especially rewarding when our alpacas stay close enough that we can visit them.
Next came Amirror's Reflection, the only grey cria Almond ever produced. He now lives about an hour away as part of another wonderful alpaca herd.
Almond's final cria was Tiny Treasure, a beautiful medium brown female who has become a favourite among many of our visitors. Fittingly, Tiny Treasure celebrated her own 8th birthday just yesterday.
One of the greatest legacies Almond has left us is her family. Today, we have six generations of her bloodline living here at the ranch. Several of those descendants carry beautiful grey genetics through Kizi's daughter, Meringue, proving that Almond's influence on our breeding program continues to this day.
The main photo taken last night, from left to right is Gramma Almond, daughter Tiny Treasure, granddaughter Meringue, great granddaughter Pretty River, in the background is great, great granddaughter Pretty's Brook. These four girls are the next group of females due to have crias
Gramma Almond has given us far more than beautiful offspring. She has helped shape our herd, our breeding program, and countless memories over the years.
Happy 23rd Birthday, Gramma Almond. Thank you for everything you've given us. We love you dearly and are so thankful you're still here to watch over the next generation.