What do you do with a llama?
LASC member Lily Sullivan has an unusual answer…
Brombies are the wild horses of Australia, the equivalent of the mustang of America. The BROMBIES LIVE! at the SPITTING LLAMAS BLUEGRASS BAR is a group lead by my daughter-in-law’s brother. When Kathy and my oldest son, Richard, were visiting from Hawaii, they took pictures of Java, and the next thing I knew Java was on the cover of George Doering’s group’s soon to be released CD. I felt honored and wanted to share with Footprints.
My son Lewis owns the L S RANCH on Mt. Washington which consists of a small canyon in the Los Angeles hills situated directly above the Elyria Canyon Open Space Park . Sometime in the l980s I asked the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to purchase thirty five acres below me to preserve the land and save it from commercial development—which they did. School children find it a particular enjoyment.
My only claim to being a ranch are the three llamas that I keep for weed clearance to protect the community of Mt. Washington from the ravages of fire. I’m not sure that the ravages of erosion could not also be a problem. The City of Glendale is using goats, but I understand they pull the weeds up by the roots whereas llamas only skim the surface. Llamas also have softer feet and do less damage to the terrain. It is a good use of older llamas which are non-productive in other ways—putting them out to pasture as it were. The rewards are so much greater and far less expensive than paid labor.
Some llamas, as my Java, are Houdini’s at getting over or under or out of enclosures. Once he got out and stopped the traffic on San Fernando Rd. causing all kinds of excitement along the way. That was when the animal control people wanted to designate him as a wild animal, but thanks to Wally Baker and LASC the matter was resolved. I enclosed my canyon with Oklahoma cattle fencing, and Java has been properly contained. My Miss Chili came to America in her mother’s womb about 15 years ago. She is a guard llama and brays “yuk, yuk, yuk” when coyotes are on the prowl. Her last cria was born here and I named her Miss Chili’s Summer of 2000, or Summer for short. They are a happy family.
Ever wonder why people are attracted to llamas?
This is one couples story written by Carol Edwards
In 2000, our daughter, Jessica Canup and I hiked from Fish Creek, over San Gorgonio mountain to Vivian Creek on the other side of the mountain. It was a trip of over 22 miles to the elevation of 11,500 feet at the summit. When we got to the car at the bottom at Vivian Creek, I declared right then and there that we were getting llamas! We began by purchasing two baby llamas and then bought another baby for the next three years to make our herd of five male llamas. This is the first year we’ve had enough llamas who were old enough and strong enough to carry our load for us for a three day, two night trek. This trip consisted of going up Vivian Creek (where you gain 1200 feet in elevation in the first 1.2 miles–extremely steep!). Joel, Jessica and I hiked in 5 miles the first day and that took us 8 hours. As recommended by the PLTA (Pack Llama Trial Assoc.) we stopped every 30 feet of elevation gain to give everyone a rest. That seemed to work really well and we made the plateau at Vivian Creek in good shape. After giving the llamas food, we had a snack there and filled up water containers to get us to High Creek, the next place with water, which was 3.5 miles further up the trail. We camped there and the next day we loaded up the boys’ panniers with lots of water, food for us and the llamas, the first aid kit and hiked to the summit and then back to the original camp where we spent the night again. The trip to the summit and back to camp took a total of 6 hours and covered almost 8 miles. The next day we had a leisurely 4 hour hike out to the truck. The llamas, Lewis, Clark and Digger did amazingly well. Lewis carried 50 pounds, Clark carried 30 pounds, and Digger carried 45 pounds and I have new respect for their strength, stamina and heart.
 |
Joel Edwards
Joel and Carol Edwards
Carol Edwards and Jessica Canup
Joel Signing in at the “top”
