About Whitney and Tom Durrant
We are modern homesteaders in western North Carolina. We purchased a dilapidated tobacco farm in Leicester, NC just 25 short minutes from downtown Asheville and are turning it into a sustainable agriculture farm and bed n’ breakfast.
As a couple, we met while traveling and always had the shared dream to purchase property, start a farm, and open our own bnb to welcome fellow travelers. We offer a slower pace to life out here on the farm, but we have big plans for Durrant Farms. We raise alpacas and harvest their fiber to make yarn, clothing, and other products. We are growing our own fruits and vegetables using sustainable agriculture practices. And, we are doing our part to bring back native endangered species, like the Chestnut tree. With a background in permaculture design, we strive to make our farm self-sustaining and as close to carbon neutral as we can get. We utilize all-natural water sources from various springs, creeks, and waterfalls on the property. We have plans to grow grapes for wine and gourmet mushrooms in the near future!
In our bnb, we promote composting, recycling, and try to use all reusable goods and harm-free cleaning supplies. We offer our guests fresh food from the farm to stay nourished during their stay. Glampsites offer 100% off-grid luxury accommodation including composting toilets, solar powered electrical, sauna, and cold plunge tub.
Meet Grace, Our Farm Assistant
Hello! My name is Grace Rector and I am Durrant Farm’s Farm Assistant. I have been working for Durrant Farms since June 2023, and I have loved every second of it. I graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2021 with a Bachelors in Environmental Studies and Sociology. I moved to Western North Carolina from central Kentucky in the fall of 2022 with no plan of what I wanted to do here. However, I did know that I wanted to work to take care of the environment and inspire others to do the same. Somewhere along the way, I was directed towards Durrant Farms. Tom’s background in environmental science and Whitney’s passion for connection is helping me achieve that desire.
Working so closely with alpacas was never something that I dreamed about or planned for, but I am so happy that this opportunity has found me! I mean, how many jobs do you know that include “alpaca cuddles” as a benefit? Beyond working with the alpacas, I have been helping Tom and Whitney on a number of projects as they develop their homestead. I help with things like landscaping, creek clearing, building, and I even write blog posts for the website. I am so thankful for the endless learning experiences that working at Durrant Farms has brought me and for Tom and Whitney’s love and passion that they bring to the farm everyday.”
We’re so glad to have Grace on the farm. Be sure to say ‘hi!’ when you see us out and about! We love connecting with our guests. Ready to meet the guys??
Our Alpaca Boys
Micah
Born: October 19, 2018
Micah, our second oldest boy, is 5 years old and is a bit more shy and reserved than the rest of the herd. Alpacas, while curious and gentle animals, are not known to be openly friendly and cuddly. Since they have little to no defense mechanisms, they often prefer to stick with their “own kind” and not interact with humans too much. However, many others in our herd differ from that norm and will get up close and personal with you, especially when food is involved!
Hotline and Micah tend to stick together. They share the same bowl during feeding time and can get a little competitive with each other. Micah is usually the first one to spit when any other alpaca tries to take his food. We love our little nervous guy!
Ralph
Born: September 1, 2022
Ralph is one of our youngest alpacas and he has a huge personality! He just turned one in September of 2023. He is cuddly and sociable, which is rare for these shy breeds of animals. He will be the one of the first ones to try and approach you in the field or along the fence line.
Ralph is a Huacaya Alpaca, which means his fiber is more fluffy and cotton-like than Hotline or Micah’s. He is also an appaloosa, meaning he has white fiber with brown spots. We love the brown heart-shaped markings around his face. Isn’t he darling? Come visit Ralph and get some alpaca cuddles at our farmstay this season.
Hotline
Born: September 9, 2014
Hotline is the oldest in our herd being 9 years old. Hotline is a friendly fella, but tends to keep his distance unless food or treats are involved. Both Hotline and his buddy, Micah, are Suri Alpacas, which means their fiber is more smooth and silky compared to the fluffy Huacaya (pronounced wah-KI-ya) alpacas. Hotline is gelded (castrated) which allows him to maintain the luster of his fiber for longer in life as well as having the advantage of being less stressed out by male hormones. Overall, Hotline is a very chill alpaca and we are so glad to care for him at Durrant Farms.
Scully
Born: October 30, 2022
Scully is our youngest cria (baby alpaca) born just after Ralph. Therefore, Ralph and Scully have known each other since birth and have become really good friends! Scully is a mixed gray and white fiber Huacaya alpaca and we love his sweet and shy personality. He might not let you touch or pet him, but he will melt your heart with his big eyes and adorable grin. A fun fact about Scully is that he is especially skilled at twirling straw in his mouth and he is obsessed with peppermint treats!
Our Trusted Guard Llamas
Brinkley
Born: October 19, 2021
Brinkley is one of our guard llamas. He’s a 2-year old gelding, meaning he has been castrated. He is meant to protect our alpacas from predators such as bears and coyotes, but he intimidates other animals too like stray cats and wandering deer. One thing you might notice about Brinkley is his size. He is nearly 250 lbs and still growing. He is a curious and aware guard and can come off a bit intimidating, but in reality he is a big softie.
When we first brought him to the farm, we thought he would become the dominant llama in no time, but it turns out his buddy, Heartbreaker, is the head guy in charge. Brinkley is still an amazing guard though! He constantly monitors the perimeter and when he sees a potential threat, he will either stalk the potential intruder or alert his partner, Heartbreaker, to go take a look.
Llamas are known for being 1.5-2x bigger than alpacas and we originally thought his size would give him an advantage of being the head of the pecking order, but actually when Brinkley sees the threat, then he goes to stay with the alpacas, while Heartbreaker intimidates the intruder. Together, they are a great team and the alpacas trust them!
Heartbreaker
Born: October 30, 2022
Heartbreaker is also about 2 years old and a llama gelding. He has black fiber and is a bit smaller than Brinkley, coming in at about 190 lbs. Heartbreaker is the dominant llama, meaning he usually leads the way and gets to eat first. He is the one who generally attends to threats at the fence line, while Brinkley gathers up the alpacas in their shelter. Heartbreaker is super friendly and will happily eat out of the palm of your hand. We love his quirky face and floppy ears!
Heartbreaker has a full Bolivian bloodline, which is quite rare in the llama world. Even though llamas are not normally kept for their fiber, Heartbreaker actually has really high quality fiber and is the only one on our farm to produce black fiber. We shear all of our llamas and alpacas once a year and send their fiber to a climate beneficial fiber pool. From that, we have products made such as yarn and finished goods like blankets, throws, socks, sweaters, dryer balls, and more. Check out the Durrant Farm’s Farm Store for all of our fiber products!
What Our Customers Say
The Guesthouse is adorable with plenty of space and amenities. We loved the homemade bread and fresh farm eggs! The porch on the back provides a great view of all the boys (Alpacas and Llamas). We recommend that you sign up for an add-on. We chose the Happy Hour and it was so much fun. We plan to be a repeat customer. Thank you Tom and Whitney!
Jo Ann Winn
I was privileged to enjoy an extended stay at Durrant Farms in January 2024. Tom and Whitney have tastefully and comfortably decorated the Guesthouse. It is very clean, spacious and equipped with everything one could need for a long or short term stay. There are spectacular views from every window! The alpacas and llamas are friendly and happy to interact with guests, especially if you have treats! The farm is within close proximity to Asheville and Tom and Whitney have an extensive knowledge of the local area and can recommend their favorite eateries. It was such a joy to stay at Durrant Farms, and I look forward to visiting again soon!
Pauline Durrant
It’s been almost a year since our initial stay at The Guest House at Durrant Farms. They surpassed our expectations by making our experience even more wonderful. Their attention to detail is impressive with thoughtful touches everywhere, and we can never get enough of the Llamas and Alpacas. They just make you smile. Whitney and Tom are exceptional hosts. Still our favorite spot in the Smokies.
jeff Reynolds
Oh my goodness!! This place is wonderful! The overnight stay was wonderful, beautiful accommodations, clean and comfortable. Beautiful views and brunch with the alpacas/llamas was an amazing experience!! Please go here. You will not regret it.
Tessa S
I had the best time at the guesthouse at Durrant Farms! Whitney & Tom were so welcoming and accommodating 😊. The guesthouse was incredible! The bed was extremely comfortable, the guesthouse was spacious, everything was very new and updated, and Whitney and Tom thought of every little thing (I.e. fully equipped kitchen with everything you could want, they had bread/butter/milk/eggs etc for me upon my arrival, a coffee cart with everything you’d need, beautiful bathroom stocked with everything you could need - I forgot my toothbrush but they had some there for me!, fire table on the outside patio, toys for children, the list could go on). They accommodated me with gluten free bread and dairy free milk since I have food allergies, which was very thoughtful of them! They are about 25 minutes away from downtown Asheville, which was easy to get to, and I really enjoyed their part of town as well - it is quiet, slower paced, and I felt very safe! I spent 5 days here and wish I could have stayed longer. I enjoyed waking up, making myself a cappuccino, saying good morning to their llamas/ alpacas and feeding them treats, going on a walk/hike along the beautiful property, and sitting on the porch reading and writing. In the evening I enjoyed going to the sauna & stargazing, and listening to the sounds of nature and waterfalls. I really enjoyed the brunch experience - I highly recommend it to anyone visiting!! It really made my whole experience. This whole experience was so restful, rejuvenating and nourishing. I will definitely be coming back to visit!
stacey hanson
