Alpaca times birth to finalize festival
Published 10:46 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008
Welcome, Braveheart.
Alise Schmitt in Marysville showed alpacas at a farm near Silvana during the recent National Alpaca Farm Days on Sept. 27 and 28.
Visitors with open palms fed alpacas food pellets.
During the same open house event last year, Schmitt says a baby alpaca was born to Chiarella, just an hour into the festivities.
Chiarella was pregnant this year, too, with her seventh baby in nine years.
She waited until the last visitor had left Sunday night to deliver. Schmitt called for help, and Dr. Andrew Stang from Northwest Veterinary Clinic in Stanwood came to their aid.
The vast majority of crias (baby alpacas) are born between sun-up and noon, the best time to be born and get dried off and warm before night falls in their native Andes Mountains, Schmitt says. Most births are quick and need no assistance.
“Our dear veterinarian thought the baby had expired,” Schmitt says. But when the baby came out, it gasped and started flailing those long legs.
There were tears of joy, she says.
“Baby immediately had a name,” Schmitt says. “He is very bold and, as you can see, he knows what he’s supposed to do.”
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Friends of the Granite Falls Library offer a Railroad Days gently used book sale today and Saturday.
It’s Railroad Days in Granite Falls with a carnival, parade at noon Saturday, benefit tonight at the museum, crafts and food vendors.
The book sale is planned for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and Saturday at 815 E. Galena St.
Friends of the Library President Faith Nye said there are thousands of books to browse.
And there will be books for sale about railroads.
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Simple materials can teach worthy lessons.
A button blanket will be presented at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Tulalip Boys &Girls Club.
Phoebe Bachleda, 4-H program coordinator with Washington State University Snohomish County Extension, says 91 kids worked on the blanket.
“We are celebrating National 4-H Week Monday through Oct. 10,” Bachleda said. “The essential elements of the 4-H experience include belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.
The button blanket measures 60 by 100 inches and reflects coastal Native American heritage.
“The center of the blanket is a stylized orca whale surrounded by many different animals outlined by white buttons,” she said. “The children have sewn on hundreds of buttons.”
The ceremony will include a potlatch and drumming by a Tulalip tribal member.
The blanket will be given to the Tulalip Boys &Girls Club to be hung in their gym.
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Fun Fact: What wonderful folks live in Warm Beach.
A call went out recently for North County Fire and EMS volunteers and part-time firefighters.
They had five to 10 slots open, said Battalion Chief Christian Davis.
More than 30 folks stepped forward.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
