Our next Open Day is on Sunday 07 April 2024.
So, head down south, Mexico way, and come drink some tea with us.
Nestled in the rolling hills of the KZN-Natal Midlands mist belt lies Nirvana Farm, home to Endeavour Alpacas.
Nirvana Farm is a family small holding (in the order of 50 acres/20 hectares) running a small herd of Alpacas, as well as a few other creatures in the KwaZulu Natal Midlands countryside. Oh yes, and then there is also Wendy – our crazy Alpaca Guardian.
As part of the Currys Post Conservancy, not only are we a sanctuary to Alpaca, but we have numerous wildlife resident on our farm, amongst others, chameleon, duiker, reed buck, leopard, porcupine, over 100 varieties of birds, and a plethora of insects, snakes and spiders. All living naturally and not in cages.
The latest acquisition of our neighbouring farm, Rivendell, opens up a whole host of possibilities for our Alpaca world. We will utilize an existing building for our very first Nirvana Trading Post, the Nirvana Outpost Tepee village is open for business, check it out at www.nirvanaoutpost.com
Why not book in to Nirvana Outpost Tepee Village, have an unusual outdoor adventure and you have free access to the Alpaca, feed them, watch them, you can even assist with cleaning the paddocks in the morning. That means raking their poop and bagging it to be sold for funds to support the sanctuary, or even clean and fill their water troughs. Who knows, maybe during birthing season you might witness an unpacking of a cria and even assist. As they used to say in the ole Western movies of yore, “y’all aint been to an Alpaca farm ’til y’all been spat ‘pon”.
But enough of that for now.
Wendy manages our herd of Alpaca with an assistant. This includes three daily inspections of each animal, feeding, vaccinating, injecting, trimming toe nails, assisting with difficult births, and even gets involved with the annual shearing. She eagerly guides hoards of interested Alpaca fans through the paddocks on her very informative, colourful and educational talks on Public Open Days which is once a month on the first Sunday of every month only.
The day to day running of the farm is also left in the capable hands of our Alpaca Guardian, Wendy.
We have been breeding Alpacas concentrating just as much on health and character of the animals as well as on the fineness of their fleece.
We like to limit our herd to ensure we can get to know each of our Alpacas by name and character.
Our farm is open to the public once a month only on each and every first Sunday at R30 per person, as well as annually on our National Alpaca Day. Wendy arranges all these events with stall holders attending selling their wares. Our National Alpaca Day has seen in excess of 30 stallholders present, with over 1000 visitors going through our gates and paddocks on a single day.
Nirvana is an ancient Sanskrit term used in Indian religions to describe the profound peace of mind that is acquired with moksha (liberation). In Shamanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is union with the Brahman (Supreme Being).
The word literally means “blown out” (as in a candle) and refers, in the Buddhist context, to the imperturbable stillness of mind after the fires of desire, aversion, and delusion have been finally extinguished.
Here at Nirvana Farm, Endeavour Alpacas is a committed supporter of Sea Shepherd, and we too are on a mission to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.
Endeavour Alpacas is a proud member of the South African Alpaca Breeders Society and the South African Studbook.
“I laughed and shook his hand…” – Kurt Cobain