Philosophy - always in consideration...
We keep our herd of Bactrian camels in a spacious 40 acre park-like setting. With one bull, eight cows and two fixed males they live a fairly natural herd life, are well fed and cared for and lovingly related to. Each season, in the natural course of things, they breed, and young are produced. Most of these young camels need to be sold for reasons of maintaining herd integrity, affordability of our non-profit project and healthy land usage.
You will receive camels from us as healthy, well-trained individuals, with good manners and a happy respect for people. Likewise, we are looking for the new owners of our camels to be happy and healthy, with good manners and a deep respect for camels and all living things. We will only place our camels into homes, and with people, where they will be loved and well cared for.
It's time to change the way humans tend to buy and sell, and invariably abuse. We can do things differently.
Each year we offer a select number of camels for sale. We like our camels stay with their mothers, and with the herd, until they are about 10 months of age. This way they grow up knowing they are camels, and receive significant input and education from the herd, and us, before they move out to live with you. This time also allows us to better know what their strengths and weaknesses are so we can better match them with their new homes and caretakers.
In the wild, in optimal circumstances, young camels are naturally weaned from their mothers between one and two years of age. At around two they are sent out of the herd by the elders.Our approach embraces more the natural culture of the camel herd, resulting in better adjusted camels.
There have been cultures that sold and owned nothing, realizing that nothing can be owned... not land, nor rivers, nor water... and not animals. In such cultures the "human beings" recognized themselves as caretakers of the fields, protectors of the rivers and forests. And they saw all these as brothers, conscious and equal.
I have sat hours on end among the herd, considered long and hard how to approach the business of selling my friends. Gradually it is becoming clear. If you resonate with our approach and would like to consider acquiring one of our valued herd members we'd be happy to hear from you.
Buying one of our camels
When you get one of our camels you don't just get a beautiful healthy, polite, respectful, camel who was lovingly raised by his or her mother. You don't just get a camel who likes and trusts people.
When you get one of our camels you are also accepting a relationship that requires love, patience, kindness, respect, mutual acceptance and learning. When you get one of our camels you will be entering into a world felt between humans and non-humans that is not about training, controlling and having, but about listening, feeling and giving. You will not just be buying a camel. You will be receiving so much more that it might just change and enhance your outlook on everything.
If you want to join your life with a camel's I invite you to consider another approach from the usual. Whether you acquire one of our camels, or one from somewhere else, I invite you to not just think of him or her as an equal, but to live the Golden Rule in relationship. And something almost magical will happen...
Sales contracts and delivery arrangements are handled in person, case by case.
Facilities requirements we recommend:
1. sufficient room for your camel(s) to be able to wander and to run
2. a sturdy shelter from heavy rain, snow and sun
3. an area of raised, solid, ground that will never get muddy, including inside shelter
4. clean water supply
5. good alkaline grass hay (or alfalfa mix), grain feed, tree cuttings and supplements (we will advise)
6. capability to afford having a large animal, including vet care and insurance if you choose or need to have insurance
7. the time, patience and care to put in to make the camel's life full and interesting
8. preferably a second camel, or more... herd animals do best with company
"Camels see the world from a unique point of view."
As each person sees the world uniquely, so too does each form of life on earth. Camels, likewise, are unique, as is each individual camel. Are you ready to begin discovering what and who a camel is? Are you ready to look beyond owning and having, beyond controlling and riding, just because you can, or want to? Are you ready to reach across the apparent divide between human and non-human, to listen, feel and respect, and to simply "be" with your camel... and yourself?
What you do with you camel is not of as much concern as how you do it and why, with how much humanity, sensitivity and regard. If you want one of our camels this is where our conversation begins. What is important is that your camel will WANT to do things with you. We want your camel to like and respect you that much, to be interested and bonded with you to that degree, and you the same. If you want this too, then it is completely possible, and quite easy to achieve. We will show you how.
Once you know how, the rest is between you and your happy, gentle, giant, camel.
Sincerely,
Stuart Camps
