Maxine is a retired Marion County Sheriff in Florida. Donna is a retired
Delray Beach Fire Rescue Paramedic/Firefighter in Florida, as well as a
registered nurse. We loved our career choices, the challenge and the
excitement of it all, but we could do without the stress involved at this
point in our lives. We are always up for a good challenge,
but this time we thought that we would go for the challenge and the
excitement without the high stress level.
We had been looking into alpacas for some time, saw alpacas at a fair in
North Carolina, kicked around some ideas about raising them and then
somehow the idea disappeared.
Chuck's Story:
Chuck was born in Black Mountain, NC and lived for the most part in Atlanta.
Chuck met Donna in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and they were married in February, 2007. Prior to their marriage, Donna purchased six alpacas and Chuck asked "What is an alpaca?" Donna chose to raise alpacas with her friend Maxine when her investment in the stock market tanked. The alpacas were to reside with Maxine in Ocala, Fla. until she realized that there wasn't enough room for the herd to grow. Hence, the small herd moved to our home in Hayesville, NC, where Chuck instantly fell in love with the alpaca. We could have moved Chuck into the barn and he would be perfectly happy. Sometimes we think or he thinks that he IS an alpaca. Come for a visit and you will see the alpaca's magic and the magic Chuck has with them.
Southern Cross Alpacas, Inc. started as a venture between two friends that share a love for people as well as animals.
Chuck Burks, Donna Wolfer-Burks & Maxine Owens
We will never finish our quest for knowledge or to breed the most perfect alpaca, but we have established our goals to raise the best genetics, from the best herd sires available. We were and are mentored by the best breeders to develop our hands and eyes to distinguish the most desirable characteristics, to be able to build an excellent quality herd.
As soon as we left the farm, the quest for knowledge began.
We were on line researching, making phone calls, visiting
farms and buying books to read. We booked a seminar and
gleaned as much information as we could from all of the
experts that we could find.
Well, as I was on vacation in North Carolina, I decided to go
through Ocala to visit Maxine on my way home. The
next thing I knew we were visiting a friend's alpaca farm and
it was there that we both were smitten by the sweet faces
and gentleness of the alpacas.