My Town Monday: Oasis Camel Dairy Revisited
Guess what I did???
Yup. Yesterday, DH, Child #4 and I drove to the Oasis Camel Dairy in Ramona, CA. It was the one evening in July that the dairy farm was open to the public.
Meet Sampson, a 3 year old, 700 pound male. He'll be mature at 6 years at which point he'll weigh about 1500 pounds. Sampson's one of 21 (hmmm...I think I got that number right!) camels on this 43-acre ranch. Sampson is short for his age. He was rejected by his mother at birth. He's been fixed. Male camels are snipped at about one year.
Other trivia: Bull camels rut in the winter, beginning about November. Romeo, the bull at the dairy, likes to take care of business about 2 A.M. Camels are very noisy with lots of yelling and screaming. The Rieglers, the dairy owners, let their neighbors know that it's "that time of the year," so that there are no worries about what's going on down at the ranch. What else? Apparently, Romeo is very popular with the females.
A little more trivia: Camel yarn sells for about $40 an ounce.
This is the back end of a pregnant camel. Camels gestate for 13 months! Yowzer! And they lactate for 18 months.
And here's some camel speak for you: The pregnant female's raised tail says to the male: "Go away! I'm pregnant. And I am not the least bit interested in fun times with you."
And from the back end of a nursing male, here's some more camel speak: In this case, the raised tail means, "Yay, the milk is here!"
Admit it! You were so hoping I'd snap a shot of CAMEL POOP. Next to a nickel (the only change I had) for perspective.
Yes, I did it! I rode a camel. Child #4 (at the front) talked me into it. It was VERY bumpy. I would never make it as a Bedouin.
Thank you, Nancy and Gil Riegler, for a great and informative evening.
(I'm a little appalled at how frumpy I look. That hat, while I love it, is doing me no favors! Neither are the capris. Or the t-shirt.)
The second I hear, I will inform you guys of the date Dirty Jobs will air the Oasis Camel Dairy segment on TV. It was shot back in February.
FINALLY....A GIVEAWAY!! I bought a bar of pomegranate-scented camel milk soap. Just for you guys. Well, for one of you guys! The soap was made at the dairy. Leave a comment by this Friday at midnight Pacific time. Child #4 will pick a name from a bowl. The soap's supposed to be great for your skin. It certainly smells good.
Clair Dickson (Thanks, Clair!) set up a very adorable My Town Monday blog with links to all the participants. Please hop on over and check out everyone else's MTM posts.
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My kids would love that outing! You look so cute on your camel!
ReplyDeleteThe capris were a good choice for camel riding. Can you imagine riding in shorts? Looks like you and Child #4 had a great time together!
ReplyDeletewow, very interesting barrie. i love Dirty Jobs, will have to watch for the episode. what i want to know is did you then pick the nickel back up and put it in your pocket amongst the other change? LOL
ReplyDeleteHi Barrie,
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post. Your blog is so informative this summer. We've learned all about the reproductive habits of chameleons and camels. Glad you had a good time. You make a stunning Bedoiun! I really like the hat. Nobody expects high fashion at a camel ranch with Child #4!
So a camel sweater is worth like $800. I've always wanted to ride a camel, ALWAYS.
ReplyDeleteIn my next life I am so not going to be a camel dairy farmer. Thank you for this very informative post, which has clarified my career options tremendously. ;)
ReplyDeletewow, what a fun place--and how fun to have a ride on a camel
ReplyDeleteI'm hairy so maybe camel soap is just what I need.
ReplyDeleteI think I now know more that I really needed to know about camels!!! (particularly the poop bit!!)
ReplyDeleteHeight has never been my friend so I'll see it through your eyes.
ReplyDeleteI think you look cute and look at your big smile. You obviously had fun!
ReplyDeleteI think you look cute and look at your big smile, it's obvious you had fun.
ReplyDeleteOh I think you're cute in your hat! Very campy. ;)
ReplyDeleteWe had some camel interaction this week too at the local animal wildlife park.
Fun post, as always.
"I am not the least bit interested in fun times with you."
ReplyDeleteBwahahahahaha... I have some single friends who could use a signal like that. (minus the pregnancy part, of course.)
Love the photo of you on the camel! I would have wanted to go for a long ride across a pasture or field, maybe even up the hill to those lovely California oaks! Their feet and gait are meant for shifting sands not firm ground so that was why the ride was bumpy. I rode a camel years ago and loved their swaying gait. If you've seen the movie 'Lawrence of Arabia' there is a great camel race with them going at a good gallop. That would be a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteI read your last post on the Camel farming and I'm thinking about ordering some soap.
I can smell the camel poop from here.
ReplyDeleteI’ve always wanted to ride on an elephant – crazy, I know. Seeing you on that camel has inspired me!
ReplyDeleteHope you’re having a great summer – sounds like you are…
The hat is just fine. But wearing it cinched under your chin makes you look like a girl.
ReplyDelete;)
coolios, thx barrie...
ReplyDeletenext book: i so don't do camel scarves? ;) lol
How interesting! You really could write a series of animal fact books. Aren't you lucky to have it all so close to home.
ReplyDeletewow! hey, i'm just back from ala chicago. had a glorious time! also working with tight deadline now. help! i will think of you to draw inspiration!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's a blog without poop?
ReplyDeleteAwesome you got to ride a camel.
ReplyDeleteYou do get out and have some fun don't you.
womewn are so hard on themselves (i mean me as well) you look totally cute in that photo.
ReplyDeletethe animal world is so bizarre. did the mom reject him because she knew he was going to be short and thus not a great breed animal for the species? hmmmmm.
Er...Barrie? Lotsa camels 'round here...sure you're not secretly located in the Rajasthani desert? :))))
ReplyDelete