Travels

Tagged along on an erosion control mission and flew through the epic West Maui Mountains 🚁🌿 Incredible to see the beauty of these mountains and the important work being done to protect the ʻāina and keep the water flowing. One thing I didn’t realize is how much impact feral pigs and other creatures have on erosion in Hawaii and why there are so many pig/deer hunters on the islands. Feral pigs are a major cause of erosion in Hawaii. As they root through the soil in search of food, they disturb the ground, removing vegetation and loosening the soil. This destruction of native plants weakens root systems that naturally stabilize the land, increasing the risk of soil erosion, especially during heavy rains. The pigs also create pathways for water runoff, further accelerating erosion and leading to sediment being washed into streams and coastal areas, which can harm coral reefs and marine ecosystems. They also uproot fire resistant vegetation which has become an issue in dryer parts of the island. #hawaiilife #ErosionControl #westmaui #PreserveParadise #maui

Bluebell the baby alpaca just wanted to make a friend, but one of my rams.. had other plans! Watch as she gets a surprise tail-smack to the face, and hilariously bolts off. Farm life at its finest 😂 #alpacasofinstagram #babyanimals #farmlife #babyalpaca #ranchlife #friendsnotfood

Introducing…Blue Bell, named after the beautiful flower and an homage to Texas’s finest ice cream, which I miss on these hot Tahoe days, she was born yesterday morning to mom Pepper and is under the always watchful (blue) eye of her dad Rye (aka Randy), big brother, Truffle, big sister Rose.. and a bunch of overly protective aunts(..Eleanor/Barbara) . . . #babyalpaca #farmlife #alpacalove #alpaca #ranchlife #friendsnotfood #babyanimals

Pumpkin was born one year ago today. We didn’t think she’d make it more than a couple hours, but she’s always had an amazing spirit and persistence. She was my roommate for the first 2 months living and then I slowly integrated her with her family and the rest of the herd. She was on the bottle for 6 months and thankfully we had help from friends along the way when I was away. She’s healthy and happy spending her days grazing and playing with her siblings and farm fam up here in Apple Hill. . . . . . #babyalpaca #alpacafarm #ranchlife #alpaca #friendsnotfood #farmlife

Baby bulls love a good scratch and Goji is no exception. I’ve been testing out various implements, tools, and sticks and this seems to be his favorite. Bask in the ASMR of a good cowscratch . . . . . #ranchlife #highlandcow #friendsnotfood #babycow #alpacafarm #babybull #farmlife

New baby alert!! This little boy alpaca cria was born today at noon. I brought him in for his checkup and now he is out in the barn with his mom, dad, and sisters. Sticking to the plants/vegetables/herbs theme here at Little Apple Ranch, send your name recommendations so we can get this guy a proper name. . . . . . #babyalpaca #ranchlife #alpacalove #friendsnotfood #farmlife #alpaca #babyanimals

A hot, dusty summer here at Little Apple Ranch and everyone is excited for apple season. The herd actually gets over 500 lbs of apple and carrot scraps every week from our neighbors @barsottijuice in addition to orchard, and pasture grass, and a bit of alfalfa. Here we’ve got a few of the alpacas Pepper, Pumpkin, Rose, Apple and Goji- the highland cows and my favorite old sheep, Blackie. . . . . . #alpaca #farmlife #highlandcow #alpacasofinstagram #babyalpaca #ranchlife #friendsnotfood #farmanimals

When Pumpkin was born she had a floppy ear… This happens sometimes with premature crias. Thanks to a cardboard splint, her ear is straight as an arrow. . . . . . #babyalpaca #farmlife #alpacafarm #friendsnotfood #ranchlife #alpacalove #alpakas

Spa Day for Pumpkin and the gang at Little Apple Ranch. When summer comes around in Northern California, it’s time to take off the winter coats. Fortunately for the highland cows and sheep, they shed, but the alpacas need a little help. . . . . #farmlife #babyalpaca #alpacafarm #ranchlife #alpacasofinstagram #alpaka #alpaca