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Tierra Prometida Alpaca Ranch

....a promise for the future

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About Our Ranch

Tierra Prometida (Promised Land) Ranch

Tierra Prometida Alpacas is located about 15 miles west of San Marcos, TX on Ranch Road 32 between Austin and San Antonio. The ranch is situated on a winding, scenic ridge known locally as The Devil's Backbone. Tierra Prometida is Spanish for "Promised Land" and the property is a haven for a rich variety of trees and birds.

We have a herd that is entirely huacaya and consists of about 90 alpacas. We own or co-own several world class herdsires, including:   TP Matrix Jubilee, Snow Diamond Perfect Storm, High Plains Tornado's Torrific, Irish Meadows' Endgame and Irish Meadows' Raider, among others.  
The animals are peaceful and happy. While the dry rocky hills bear some resemblance to the Andean altiplano, it is warmer here. This country embodies much of the Texas mystique: music, Tex-Mex food and barbecue, cactus and roadrunners all proliferate here. The ranch is hilly and rocky but covered with junipers, oaks, and the endangered Texas Madrone. Natural springs run for much of the year, and fossils, even the occasional dinosaur footprint, are found.

The Backbone Tavern just up the road is a friendly watering hole where you will find a cold beer and maybe a country music personality in one of their back-porch music sessions. In the summer, Canyon Lake is minutes away for boating and water fun. The wonderfully artistic community of Wimberley, with its market days, bed-and-breakfast establishments, bonsai exhibits, and glasswork museum is just across the valley. San Marcos is 15 miles away with restaurants, a sizable university, and one of the largest outlet malls anywhere. If you have an hour, you can get to Austin or San Antonio for the metropolitan experience. Luckenbach, Texas is nearby. There is something for everyone in this area and visiting Central Texas is well worth the trip...even without alpacas!

Our mission at Tierra Prometida Alpacas is  and always has been to develop an exceptional herd of pedigreed alpacas that exhibits elite characteristics in conformation, fleece and temperament. We have found that showing our alpacas on a nationally competitive level is a useful measuring stick for objectively assessing our breeding program in a world that is always raising the bar for excellence.  Sometimes it is humiliating, but it is always inspiring!

Tierra Prometida Alpacas is the oldest and most experienced alpaca ranch originally established in the Texas Hill Country. We have learned to deal with the challenges (e.g. the heat) and the blessings (e.g. the mild winters) of this particular environment and enjoy sharing our experience and knowledge of alpacas with other breeders and alpaca enthusiasts. 

Alpacas are friendly, gentle, and require little maintenance and have supported landowners for many years. Bringing them to Texas expands an already-thriving industry rather than trying to create a new one.
Kern Deschner with our youngest son, Ethan, who is not quite that small any more. Still likes to be

Kern Deschner with our youngest son, Ethan, who is not quite that small any more. Still likes to be

Kern and Rhonda Deschner

Kern and Rhonda Deschner

Kern on pasture duty

Kern on pasture duty

Tuesday, June 28, 2022