Hendersonville – Happy news is on the horizon as the Justice family works diligently to rebuild the property that once housed the Ellaberry Llama Farm. They anticipate reopening this summer. The perimeter structure of a large barn is already visible. The educational room, store, animal stalls, garage area for farm equipment, playground area, and indoor arena will all be housed in one location now, rather than scattered across the property as before. Some debris still needs to be cleared. After the topsoil has been replaced over the river silt in the meadow, new grass will need to be planted. Fences must also be erected. While a lot of work remains, progress is being made. After suffering approximately $250,000 in business losses due to damages, the Justice family is making incredible strides to rebuild their property—“better than before.” The entire family is involved, with help from friends and neighbors, doing what they can to return to normalcy.
The Justice family, a seventh-generation apple farming family, received quite a shock when their neighbors living near their property on Old Clear Creek Road called at 8:00 AM on Friday morning, September 27, to say, “Hurry down to the barn. Old Clear Creek has overflowed its banks.” Water was flowing across the meadow, barn agility area, and surrounding land. This was the land where Ellaberry Llama Farm, which opened in 2017, offered tours, day hikes, field trips, and summer camps for youth. In the now-flooded barn, five llamas were locked inside. By the time the family arrived to rescue them, the llamas were submerged up to their necks in water. Quickly, Donna and her husband Jason, along with their 19-year-old daughter Allie, searched for halters, opened the barn doors, and managed to lead the animals to higher ground. Amazingly, the llamas remained surprisingly calm and were able to climb the hill.
The devastation was severe, with uprooted trees, destroyed buildings, and scattered debris. Thankfully, around 25 llamas were safe in a barn on a hill. Eli Roades from a Lexington, NC church offered help, bringing four trailer loads of supplies. Zach Rhoades later contributed handmade picnic tables for the farm’s reopening. Various llama associations and 4-H groups also donated essential equipment. The Justices feel grateful for the community’s generosity, which has significantly aided their recovery, and they are planning to reopen soon despite ongoing work.
How did this all begin? Opening Ellaberry Llama Farm to the public only started in earnest a few years ago after a bad frost hit the apple orchards. Allie and her sister Brylee, at ages nine and six, were fascinated by their neighbor’s llamas. Hank and Vicki Balch gave Allie her first llama, JJ, who still resides at the farm. Then Tracy Pearson gifted her Jellybean as a companion. The herd has steadily increased to 27 llamas (a few now pregnant), each with individual names, along with three alpacas that are smaller than llamas. The girls particularly enjoy showing their llamas and winning awards; they travel all over the United States. This Christmas, the festively dressed llamas were present at the Hendersonville Farmers Market and in front of the Old Courthouse for photographs.
Llamas originate from the Andes Mountains in South America. They forage on grass and eat hay. They belong to the camel family and have an average lifespan of 20-25 years. Llamas have thin legs and can only carry 20 percent of their body weight; therefore, they do not get ridden but carry packs for hikes and treks. They are warm and gregarious animals. When visiting the farm, they will undoubtedly run to the fence to greet you, perhaps asking for a treat. Many places sell llama fiber for weaving into clothing—though it is considered coarser than alpaca wool. However, Ellaberry Farms only lightly shears their animals and does not sell the fibers.
For updates and current information, visit the Ellaberry Farm Facebook page or www.EllaberryFarms.com.