Chat with Rainbow

Welcome!

Welcome to the first issue of Chat with Rainbow for 2021. I know….you’ve all been waiting with bated breath for my wise words of wisdom and probably wondered what has taken me so long. I have no idea. Seems like the time just got away from me. But now here I am.

First, if any of you are wondering what you’re even reading, you must be new to Chat with Rainbow. No matter. Welcome! Let me introduce myself. I am Rainbow—unofficial co-owner of Midwest Alpaca Ventures with Sara. Look right—-that’s me. Sara tells me I’m beautiful and perfect in every way.

This is my blog for all of our friends and colleagues in the alpaca world. A bit of something for everyone. So be sure to check back often for my latest comments and musings.

"Whatever lifts the corners of your mouth, trust that"

May-June 2021

Welcome back to my blog and to Midwest Alpaca Ventures. We are having great fun here. First, the weather got pretty cold and then….it just got very hot. No matter, my owner and caretakers get the sprinklers and the hoses out and hooray – we get cooled down with wonderful cool water. Nothing better.

So much is going on so much to tell you. First the best news: through the craziness of spring weather a new cria was born. You just have to come see this new little girl, Mattilda. Yes, Mattilda with 2 “t”s I heard Sara say she was spelling it that way because Dr Matt had to help the sweet girl be born -so in honor of Dr. Matt, the best vet ever, our beautiful, Mattilda has joined our herd. Mom is Carmen and boy, does she love her baby. So much so that it’s hard to get too close to Mattilda. Mom is right there making sure her baby is kept safe. But that’s what alpaca moms do. Come visit anyway, and see Mattilda with 2 “t”s. You’ll love her just as much as we do.

AlpacaU is up and running again. We just had our first AlpacaU workshop of the year and met some really super people – all of them who love alpacas. What’s not to love? Anyway, we got to know Beth, Chryssa, Lori, Steve and Eric. What fun and wonderful people they are. And they all want to make a place in their lives for alpacas. After all, what happens when you’re strolling among the alpacas at Foggy Bottom? Just watching them lifts the corners of your mouth, right?

Lot of activity getting ready for summer. It’s the start of breeding time and you know what that means…lots of dams coming to stay for a few months while they spend time with our boys! Now you’re smiling, aren’t you? And it’s birthing season – so more babies, including mine! I’m supposed to have my cria sometime in July. I’m pretty excited about that and can hardly wait. Mark your calendars to come see me and my new little one, for sure.

More new things this year on the farm you should know about. First, kids can now come and have their birthday parties here! We are so excited about that – there’s nothing better than a birthday party – after all, that’s a celebration! So spread the word, Party with the Pacas at Foggy Bottom. Activities, fun, cupcakes, memories to take home, and the best of all - -pictures with me!. Yes!

And then there’s Boot Camp. What a great way to spend a few hours on the farm with the rest of us. A fun way to learn about us fabulous alpacas and the secret sauce of alpaca ownership, time to hang out with us, maybe the chance to care for a new baby, certainly meet your favorite alpaca and make a friend forever!

Life on our farm is good – grazing in the pasture, cooling down with the sprinklers, new babies, new members of the herd, workshops, activities, fun things to do, meeting new people, fresh air, starry night skies. I could go on. But Sara tells me I can sometimes overdo it! ??

"Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose."

I am reminded of some words of wisdom I came across recently: “Follow your passion. It will lead you to your purpose”. These words have great meaning for us at Midwest Alpaca Ventures. As you know, my owner, caretaker, and best friend, Sara, is a co-owner of Foggy Bottom Alpacas. Last year, Foggy Bottom announced their plans to disperse their breeding herd (excepting me, of course).

I get it….. our lives change; we go in different directions and move on to the next chapter of our story. But it’s spring .. and what is it about spring? New growth, new life.

I am very happy to introduce all of you to the Alpacas at Midwest Alpaca Ventures and beyond the moon, ecstatic to announce that Sara has decided to keep doing what she loves, and that means she’s going to stay put, breed some alpacas, sell some alpacas and keep some of us for her very own. Many of the fine breeding herd from Foggy Bottom has moved over to Sara’s herd. We’re not moving to a new farm…we will still live at Foggy Bottom. We will still work hard to meet the needs of new and growing farms across the Midwest and offer high-quality alpacas, whether for breeding, for fiber only, or for pets. We will still offer workshops and other fun activities through AlpacaU. We will still strongly support and promote and participate in the alpaca industry and all it has to offer.

So join me in celebrating. For me, that’s some alfalfa pellets. I have a job to do…welcome new females as they join our herd, make sure they settle in and get to know the place, make visitors feel welcome no matter why they stopped by, and share the secret sauce of alpaca ownership.

Come visit when you can, and in the meantime, bookmark this website (if you have my business card, you’ll have the QR code for quick access to my blogs) and check back with us often. Lots will be happening starting now!

Hello everyone. Today, March 3, 2021, it was 45 degrees. I’m happy to report that I do believe spring is here in the fine state of Minnesota, and all is well in the barn. So much has happened since I last had time to speak with you. So I’m going to try to bring you all up to date on the most important news, and then next month I’ll try to keep up.

For those of you reading this that know me and know my ‘owner’ Sara Bender, you’ll recall that Sara has been busy selling most of her breeding herd of alpacas. I say ‘most’ because she has promised me that she has NO intention of selling me. The thought of her even thinking about selling me makes we want to puke. I’m so glad she is thinking straight! But yes, many of the girls I’ve spent quite a bit of my time with have found new homes – and I will tell you this…..they have all gone to very nice farms. I’ve made sure of that. I’m just so happy to report that my sister Mimosa and I are staying put.

I So Love Visitors!

I do have news! Even though Sara looked me in the eye last year and said that I wasn’t going to have any more crias she changed her mind and yes!!!!!!!! I’m pregnant. I can’t be more happy – you know how I love to be pregnant, and you know what absolutely fabulous crias I produce. So this year, sometime around July, I’m going to have another cria. One thing we all know for sure around here, whether it is a girl or a boy, we all agree that my cria will be beautiful, have a wonderful personality just like moi. ?? So stay tuned everyone. Check back often and do try to come visit me this spring and summer. I so love visitors. And so you don’t forget about me, I got myself my own business card. Here’s what it looks like. When you come to visit I’ll have one ready for you!. Sure took me long enough to get my own card. What’s a girl got to do anyway?

Until later, my words of wisdom for you this month of March, 2021, borrowed from Rumi (I’m a big fan): “Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames”.

June 2018 Volume 4, Issue 1.pdf