Calving season is in full swing here at the ranch. We have nine on the ground so far and many more due in the next two or three months. Here’s some pictures of our new moms and babies.

…or,

“What happens when you are late for work”

Show up late one morning and wow! Looks like you've been replaced. But...can he type?

Drifter at one year old. He is a sweetheart! He's wearing my scarf as a "headband" which fell over his eyes and he is so trusting that he walked all over with his eyes "covered" (I'm pretty sure he could see through the lace pattern of the scarf!)

Wow! It’s been a year. Yak-keeping keeps me too busy sometimes to keep up with my “yakking” here on the blog. It has been a pretty uneventful year here at Alaska Yaks. The regular ups and downs. Haying season came and went with a good return. We bought a large amount of hay from Scott Plagerman Farms at Delta Junction. Winter is nearing its end (well, officially it IS spring) and we have lots and lots of snow, like most places in Alaska this year!

We started something new last summer that needs updating.

We donated our first yak calf to a worthy 4H’er in August 2011. Laurel lives on the Kenai Peninsula and sent an email to IYAK asking about yaks and they put us in touch with us. We decided after corresponding with her a bit that we would make the offer of the yak calf for her 4-H project. Her only requirements were an essay detailing why she wanted a yak and how she would care for it and her plans for 4H. If she was chosen to receive the yak then she’d be required to send us semi monthly updates on how the yak was doing and what she was doing with her. She fulfilled the essay part with flying colors and we made arrangements to drive the yak (Yolanda) to Palmer to meet Laurel and her family. What a wonderful experience for us to help a young 4H’er get started with large livestock and especially with something as great as yaks.

We’ll be chronicling Laurels achievements with Yolanda and 4H so stay tuned.

…now back to this year’s calvings….

….we are up to seven with our newest one born last night to Weasel. A pretty little heifer calf, all black with a gray nose! Pictures to follow.

Welcome to our newest yak baby!

This little guy was born this afternoon and is now safely fed and bedded down in, of all places, my kitchen!

Our Yak cow Gotty, gave birth this afternoon to a whopping big bull calf.  He’s eating well and doing great!

Since we’ve had several folks put in orders for calves this year, this little guy will be bottle raised in preparation for his new home. If he’s anything like his two older brothers he’s going to be one friendly little guy and BIG!

Our newest Yak Baby

Congratulations to his new owners!

Little Briony is now almost one month old and boy is she a cutie!

We have a new baby at the ranch! Endorra gave birth this morning to a very large healthy bull calf. Mom and baby are doing great!

Enjoy the pictures!

Sometimes yaks are just too funny!

Circle F Ranch welcomes Briony! Our newest yak calf, born on March 27th to one of our yak heifers, Jenny M.

Jenny’s a first time mom and as is sometimes the case, she wasn’t quite prepared for motherhood. I ended up having to spirit her newborn away as Jenny just didn’t really know what was required of her (other than standing there and admiring her new calf) and the temperature was a chilly twenty degrees Fahrenheit.

It took a couple of days to get this little gal on her feet and by then, since mom hadn’t cleaned her off at all and there was no bonding, she was destined to be bottle raised. So at this point she know ME as her mom and she’ll be up for sale as a “bottle baby.”

Briony

Here is a short yak reading list for kids (some with wonderful illustrations):

There’s a Yak in my Bed; By K. Pluta

One Yak Called Jack; Darcia LaBrosse

Kami and the Yaks; Andrea Stenn Stryer

Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak; Jeff Moss

Alpha Tales (Letter Y: The Yak Who Yelled Yuck) (Grades PreK-1); Carol Pugliano-Martin

Yakety Yak Yak Yak (Sweet Pickles Series); Richard Hefter

The following I have not  read but they ARE about yaks…..

Yo and the Yak; Micheline Chevallier

See the Yak Yak (Step-Into-Reading, Step 1);  Charles Ghigna

I Am a Yak: All You Wanted to Know About Tibet’s Most Beloved Animal (Paljor Publications’ children series); Norbu C. Kharitsang

Go Track A Yak!; Tony Johnston and Tim Raglin

The Lucky Yak; Annetta Lawson

Yasmin Meets a Yak; Olive L. Groom

 

There’s more out there that I haven’t listed here….enjoy the search!