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Apple Hill Farm
is home to a unique collection of animals. We
treat them with respect and love, believing that
each one has come to us for a specific reason.
Every animal or herd of animals has a stated job
on the farm and the animals
establish their own natural order within each
herd. Their distinct personalities come through
clearly, and we all work together to share our
unusual farm life with those who come to visit.
Hannah, the first horse to come to us, has the
title of 'Queen of the Farm' and also fulfills the
role of 'Barn Manager'. She is capable of
communicating about barn chores that have not
been done or things someone has forgotten to do.
However, she tends to be a little bit of a food
hound, so her answers to food questions are not
so reliable. Within the horse herd, Ava, a
Thoroughbred, is in charge as the alpha mare.
She tells all the other horses what to do and
where to go.
We have an unusual configuration of fencing and
barns to provide protection from predators for
our Alpaca Farm. Our alpaca fields are surrounded by
donkey fields, so that all donkey duties are security
related. Cowboy, a very handsome standard size
male donkey, holds the title of King of the Farm.
He is in charge of securing the alpaca area
and brays loudly at all times of the day and
night to chase away deer, alert us of a problem
or just to say hello. Maw, a light grey female
donkey, patrols one side of the alpaca fields
and takes charge of spreading wisdom on the
farm.
Basil and Harley are llamas who live with the
Alpacas NC and serve to protect the alpacas from
inside the field. Being much larger than the
alpacas, their size alone is a deterrent to predators, but their natural instinct of facing
and walking towards a predator provides another
level of protection. Basil and Harley take turns
eating, so that one of them is on guard while
the other eats, and they often lay facing in
opposite directions to watch either end of the
field.
Our chickens serve the farm by laying eggs that we sell
in the store. They are also great at eating any
kind of kitchen scraps, including leftover
pasta. The barn cats are on mouse patrol and are
always looking for a head scratch from anyone who passes
by. Magic, our golden retriever, is in charge of
greeting people who come to the farm. She has
one of the biggest and most memorable
personalities as she wags her tail, talks and
walks all at the same time.
What happens when you put seven species of
animals with different personalities and a
senses of purpose together? You get a farm full of life,
funny happenings and interesting experiences.
Apple Hill Farm is brimming with new and
engaging moments of animal life. Best of all,
one of our missions is to share this amazing
place with you!
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact us
at 828-963-1662,
email us, or use our
online request form.
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