Video
'No people, no money': Alpaca farmer tells of latest struggles
Around 30 Alpacas live at Stubbs Farm in Loddon. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
The last year has been difficult and worrying for us all – and it's even more stressful when you have dozens of furry friends to feed.
This is the problem Lucy Ackers has contended with since last March.
She runs Stubbs Farm Alpacas in Loddon by herself, and has 30 alpacas to look after - as well as several goats, sheep and chickens.
But after having to close to visitors during lockdowns, her revenue streams disappeared and the problems began.
Lucy Ackers with her herd of Alpacas at Stubbs Farm. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
She said: "Pre-Covid, all of our income came from the public visiting us, and that's all dried up. No people, no money – so it's been a tight year.
You may also want to watch:
"Typically, the year where we had no money, everything went wrong. We had six babies born in the summer and four needed the vet's attention, which has never happened before. Some of our older animals needed the vet too.
Around 30 Alpacas live at Stubbs Farm in Loddon. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
"Then there was all the flooding that happened recently. It was one thing after another."
Most Read
- 1 Couple turn grain store into 'James Bond' home
- 2 Man found dead in Norwich hotel
- 3 Rose-tinted reaction to Duke's death was so out of proportion
- 4 'Loving and devoted' - Family pay tribute to mother-of-five found in park
- 5 Police swoop after £400k cocaine parcel delivered to Norwich house
- 6 Local pub splashes back into action
- 7 'A nightmare' - Roadworks cause traffic chaos in North Walsham
- 8 'Illegal and unsafe' - Rave attended by 100 revellers is shut down
- 9 Norwich pub allowed to reopen after licensing u-turn
- 10 High school pupils isolating after positive Covid-19 test
Earlier this month the shelter which housed the male alpacas flooded and became unusable. Removing the water and fixing the floor was a costly job.
Earlier this month, flooding caused significant damage to another shelter for male alpacas at Stubbs Farm in Loddon. - Credit: Lucy Ackers
And then, last week, winds from Storm Christoph destroyed the large shelter housing the female and baby alpacas, which had only been installed four months before.
Miss Ackers said: "The storm we had last week wasn't even that bad – we've survived worse – but the wind blew the shelter apart and took our fences out with it.
This shelter was only put up around four months ago at Stubbs Farm, but was completely destroyed by strong winds from Storm Christoph last week. - Credit: Lucy Ackers
"We've had such stretched finances over the last year that this was just another big thing."
Materials to replace the shelter will take a long time to arrive due to a backlog, but after posting an emotional video online a fundraiser was launched to cover the cost of the new shelter, and has now been closed after reaching its £2,000 target in just three days.
Strong winds from Storm Christoph completely destroyed a shelter for Alpacas at Stubbs Farm in Loddon, while also knocking down fencing. - Credit: Lucy Ackers
"I can't believe we achieved the goal so soon," said Miss Ackers. "If we hadn't been able to raise that, the farm would have been in a very difficult position.
"It doesn't feel like words are enough but that's all I've got."
Strong winds from Storm Christoph completely destroyed a shelter for Alpacas at Stubbs Farm in Loddon, while also knocking down fencing. - Credit: Lucy Ackers
While the farm remains closed to visitors, Lucy has taken to knitting socks, scarves and hats from alpaca wool, while she is also offering gift vouchers for when the farm can reopen.
To find out more, visit the Stubbs Farm Alpacas Etsy page.
Around 30 Alpacas live at Stubbs Farm in Loddon. - Credit: Sonya Duncan
This shelter was only put up around four months ago at Stubbs Farm, but was completely destroyed by strong winds from Storm Christoph last week. - Credit: Lucy Ackers
