• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Tin Dragon Cottages

Step into Nature

  • Email
  • Phone
  • Cottages
    • Ah Moy
    • Ah Ping
    • Fon Hock
    • Chintock
    • Ah Back
    • Settlers Hut
  • Discover
    • Our Eco-cred
    • Our Region
    • Where to Eat & Drink
  • Book
    • Cottages
    • Romantic Getaway
    • Art Retreats
    • Alpaca Farmstay
    • Family Holiday
    • Conference Venue
  • Alpaca Shop
  • Contact Us!
    • About us
    • Leave a Review
  • News & Blog
    • Our News
    • Road Trip Itineraries
    • On Our Farm
    • Off the Beaten Track
    • Tasmanian Heritage
    • Sustainable Tourism
    • My Recipes, Food and Garden

Shearing Alpacas at Tin Dragon Cottages

November 3, 2020 by Christine

Three person shearing team shearing our alpacas at Tin Dragon Cottages

Saturday 31st October 2020 was a big day for our herd and for us! We were shearing alpacas at Tin Dragon Cottages.

If you are a home spinner – and there are many of us in Tasmania – you will know how difficult and painful it can be to remove grass seeds from alpaca fibre! So we prefer October for shearing, not just to avoid the heat of summer – but also to avoid the grass seeds and buzzies.

Six black alpacas seen from above as they wait to be shorn.
The waiting room
Cassie and Byron are unpacking the alpaca  shearing equipment out of the back of their Mercedes van.
The shearing team setting up
The team wrestle an alpaca on to the shearing table.
All hands on deck!
The alpaca shearing commences.
The first alpaca on the shearing table

Toffeemont breeds alpacas, hosts farm tours and specilises in alpaca shearing and husbandry. Notice how Byron uses a shearing table. Also he doesn’t place a sock over the alpaca’s mouth. This is much kinder on both the alpaca and the shearer.

The year Janelle and Byron drove two of their stud alpacas over to Tin Dragon Cottages.

Doonan and Chicko - two stud alpacas arrive at Tin Dragon Cottages.
Chicko (brown) and Doonan (white) were transported in the back of the air-conditioned Mercedes van.
Doonan the white stud alpaca is mating with Samantha - the brown alpaca.
Doonan with Samantha.

So, when Toffeemont alpacas-shearing team visit next year we are hoping to have four or five crias at foot!

Filed Under: Our News Tagged With: alpaca farm, alpacas, North East Tasmania, shearing alpacas, Tasmania, Tin Dragon Cottages

Footer

Green and gold sustainable tourism logo
Accreditiation-Tasmania quality assured logo
Green Getaways logo for Tin Dragon Trail Cottages
responsibletravel recommends Tin Dragon Trail Cottages

From the Blog

Graham is wearing a small back pack and is looking away from the camera out towards Scottsdale. he is standing on the large rock formation at the summit of Mount Stronach.

Short walk to Mount Stronach

By Christine

The weir on the Groom River above Halls Falls

Halls Falls Tasmania

By Christine

Graham and Christine standing in front of the iconic Overland Track sign at Lake St Clair in Tasmania

Overland Track Tasmania

By Christine

Recent News

Clear aqua ocean water meets a blue sky.

Binalong Bay Visit

By Christine

newborn white cria is sitting on green grass

Sad Alpaca Story

By Christine

Graham walking away from the camera down a bush track surrounded by lush temperate rain forest.

‘W’ is for Winter and Waterfalls

By Christine

  • FACEBOOK
  • INSTAGRAM
  • YOUTUBE
  • HOME
  • Privacy
  • T & Cs
  • Responsible Travel Policy

© 2022 Tin Dragon Cottages,Branxholm Tas 7261| mob: 0407501137| web-site designed by Christine Booth