Today was supposed to be a big shearing day, but apparently the weather forecast and the alpacas formed a secret alliance against us. It’s pushing into the upper 70s today, but in true Montana fashion, we’re also supposedly getting snow again in four or five days. To celebrate this meteorological confusion, the wind decided to join the party too.
High winds and alpaca shearing are not exactly a winning combination unless your goal is to watch freshly shorn fleece achieve liftoff and head for the next county. Trying to bag fleece in gusty weather starts to feel less like ranch work and more like chasing tumbleweeds made out of alpaca fiber.
The alpacas, meanwhile, seem to have figured out exactly what the shearing setup means. The moment we started getting things ready, suddenly everyone became very busy doing literally anything else. Some wandered off casually, some stared at us suspiciously, and a few acted like they had never seen humans before in their lives.
Between the flying fleece, the dramatic wind, and a herd of alpacas staging what felt suspiciously like organized resistance, shearing just didn’t happen today. We’re regrouping and planning to try again on Friday—assuming the alpacas don’t hire legal counsel before then.