Adapting to the summer Adapting to the summer

Sophie Hargreaves

beautifully shady by two wellestablished trees, which provides the perfect shade during our picnics and afternoon visits, and an added bonus for the alpacas is it’s a new area for them to explore, different to the norm Just like us, they need this change of scener y now and then for enrichment for their mental health and they also enjoy browsing different areas of the farm this change in the terrain with less grass and nutrition for the animals makes us adapt their feeding routines, we make sure we give them a little more hay and extra food rations too, especially for the mums who are producing milk for their cria and will need to continue to do so at least up until the end of autumn We are perhaps lucky that this coincides with the busy tourist season, as the demand to feed the animals heightens, it’s pure luck that it’s when we are giving extra food i don’t blame anyone for wanting to feed them, it’s the most wonderful time of the day and a beautiful experience in turn, the alpacas will continue to provide us with their quality fertilisers, which we ’ re making the most of on our veggie patch, around our fruit trees and in the few areas we can keep flowers to enjoy without those pesky alpacas eating them all! the plants certainly need all the help they can get in this heat too, and we ’ ve been lucky enough to enjoy a great har vest this season it is the season now for high temperatures and dr y ground here in the Deux-Sèvres We have less grass, if any and for alpacas that is a shame as it’s their main source of food However, we adapt! it s nothing we haven’t seen before, and we must have done something right last year as our herd produced a record amount of wool in the 2022/23 year, a good sign of fantastic health!

Let s not forget the weather here is always keeping us on our toes; most of us felt that 5 9 magnitude earthquake on 16 June followed by a flash storm with large hail stones and then 35-degree heat in the following week! Luckily the alpacas are designed for extreme weather, and this doesn’t bother them too much they tend to take it all in their stride; helped a little by us ensuring (more than) adequate shelter for shade and protection, shearing once a year before the high temperatures arrive and giving them a refreshing hose with cold water on those ver y hot days it’s still perhaps a little more difficult for us humans to adapt mentally to these moments of extreme weather

For us, it was watching in hope in the flash storm that our glamping tent would stay unscathed so it can be enjoyed by our many visitors of the summer months Luckily it was fine! and also remembering ourselves to use shelter and shade to protect ourselves from the heat and uV rays the heat has also helped us develop a few more areas We’re lucky enough to have a “walnut garden”, an area made i’m hoping you too have been able to find some relief and enjoyment in this harsh season, perhaps a dip in the pool, or maybe even taking the opportunity to visit all the great tourist attractions that are open this season (like us of course!)

Lots of water too!

For more information, visit: www lapetitefermedalpagas com or email: hello@lapetitefermedalpagas com

Located to the south of Parthenay , Verruyes is a small commune in the Val de Gâtine With a population of 896 residents (2020) the commune hosts numerous local events throughout the ranging from flea markets and festivals to concerts and exhibitions

Verruyes was first mentioned in 1041 as Verruca, meaning small wart, which later became Verruye in 1346 Its priory, dedicated to Saint Martin, was under the control of the SaintMaixent Abbey by 1363 Simon de Verruyes, one of the earliest known lords, donated land and buildings to the Church in the 12th century

The commune owes its development to the ancient GalloRoman road, the Chemin des Chaussées, that runs through it This road divided the town into two parts: the northeast part predominantly Catholic, and the southwest part more secular

After the revolution, Verruyes was the administrative centre of the canton from 1793 to 1801 During the Vendée wars, the canton had one house burnt down, 95 houses devastated, and 75 horses stolen In 1832, the Duchess of Berry instigated some partisans in the region who called themselves "Chouans" and resulted in two deaths

The Commanderie of Saint-Rémy, located 1 5 km south of the village, was a place of glory from the 12th to the 18th century Now, only the chapel remains The Commandery already existed in 1208 and owned numerous properties, including several rights and fiefs in the nearby parish of Clavé Before the French Revolution, the property of the Commanderie of Saint-Marc-la-Lande was transferred to the Order of Malta and merged with that of Saint-Rémy

Verruyes is also known for its lake, developed under Georges Bobin, the town's mayor, and inaugurated in May 1969 The town is featured thrice in the Guide to Mysterious France, mentioning the "Verruyes jump," a medieval custom, the Herbaudière farm associated with Poitevin legend, and the old church tied to the legend of Mélusine, the Fairy Builder of Poitou

The Church of Saint-Martin de Verruyes, dates back to the 11th century As a confirmed dependency of the Abbey of Saint-Maixent by the Pope in 1110, this church has seen several transformations over the centuries

Originally, a Romanesque church was built in the 12th century, featuring a five-bay design without aisles and a bell tower positioned in the middle of the nave However, this structure faced significant damage during the Wars of Religion, leading to its demolition

In 1876, a new church was constructed in its place This structure was much larger, designed in a composite style, and featured a square bell tower with geminated windows at the top The internal structure comprised a nave and aisles, with the nave consisting of five barrelvaulted bays supported by two lower cross-vaulted side aisles The transept led to a neo-Gothic pentagonal choir, adorned with pointed arches and wood panelling on all sides

The main altar was moved forward at the choir's entrance, allowing the Eucharist to be celebrated facing the people as per the prescriptions of the Second Vatican Council The old tabernacle was left at the back of the choir The transept features altars dedicated to Mary and Saint Joseph, each adorned with scenes from their lives and Latin inscriptions interpreting the scenes

The choir window showcases Saint Martin, the church's patron saint, while other stained glass windows throughout the church depict various saints These windows were created by various artists, including the Guérithault brothers and Jean Clamens, and were donated by different individuals and groups, with most bearing the names of their donors