09/19/2026
📖These have been some of the roughest 12–13 days we’ve experienced on the farm.
Yesterday, we had to say goodbye to our sweet alpaca cria, Dolly. 💔
Dolly was born prematurely and needed help from the very moment she came into this world. From day one, we fought alongside her and did everything we possibly could to give her a chance.
Lorelei was absolutely incredible through all of this. She helped keep Dolly going with half-hour checks, giving antibiotics, managing fevers, helping her Mama Carina, giving shots and vitamins, battling through the heatwave, and doing countless hours of around-the-clock care and nighttime feedings with me.
Nick worked 14-hour shifts and still came home and made splints for Dolly’s legs, trying to help straighten them and give her a better chance. So many people were behind the scenes loving, caring for, and fighting for this little girl.
Despite everything we did, Dolly is believed to have developed PEM and began experiencing serious neurological problems, including losing her vision. As she was being transported to K-State for further care, she did not make the trip.
We are incredibly thankful for our amazing veterinary friends and for every person who helped, encouraged, prayed, and stood beside us during these last several days. We did everything we could. We fought for her every single day, and we left nothing undone.
A very special Thanks to J + K, and Gwen for being there too!!
Our hearts are absolutely broken and shattered. 💔
Her mama, Carina, is mourning her loss, and all the other LELF animals on the farm are too. They’ve sensed the stress and change for days.
Dolly was so incredibly loved. She may have only been with us for a short time, but she made an enormous impact on all of us. She fought so hard, and we will never forget her.
🫶
We have several incubators going right now, and a healthy chick hatched 4 days early—the very same hour Dolly passed away. 🐣❤️
It was such a bittersweet moment. In the very hour that we were saying goodbye to one precious life, another little life was beginning.
This is the farm life.
The bad, and the good!
Thank you for loving Dolly with us. Thank you for every prayer, every message, every thought, and every person who cared about her too!