Shangri-la Farm and Sanctuary

06/18/2026

🌞 Summer Camp Day 3 Update! 🌞

It was a HOT one yesterday, so be prepared today for a little extra water play because it’s going to be even warmer! Expect some wet campers and lots of smiles.

🐴 Pony Camp: Fairy Day! 🧚

Our pony campers had a truly magical day. They beautifully decorated our miniature horses with flowers and fairy-inspired creations before taking them on an adventure through the farm. Along the way, they stumbled upon Cardboard Kingdom and decided one of our camp counselors needed a makeover. He was such a good sport and allowed himself to become a masterpiece of purple paint, glitter, and fairy decorations. We appreciate his sacrifice for the cause of creativity!

The campers also made beautiful fairy jars to take home and spent time practicing mounted archery in the woods. It was a day full of imagination, horses, and magic.

Today the pony campers will be giving horses baths and enjoying lots of water activities, so please make sure they come prepared to get wet!

🏰 Cardboard Kingdom

The kingdoms continued to grow yesterday as campers explored new territory and expanded their realms. They created mysterious lands, magical lands, and even some scary places to add to their kingdoms. They also made treasure chests and developed the lore and stories behind the treasures they discovered.

Of course, every kingdom has its challenges! There were a few kingdom disputes yesterday, but that’s part of learning, growing, negotiating, and working together. No worries there—it’s all part of the adventure.

Today, chaos is coming to the kingdoms! Our brave rulers and defenders will have to protect their lands and see if they can survive whatever challenges await them.

📅 Reminder for Friday

🐴 Pony Riding Demonstration: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

🏊 Swimming with Parents: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Please remember that children may only participate in swimming if their parent is present. Unfortunately, there can be no exceptions to this rule due to insurance requirements.

Campers whose parents are not attending will still have fun activities available. They may enjoy the creek, help dismantle parts of the kingdom, or participate in other adventures. We’ll see what tomorrow brings!

This morning we also have our farrier visiting for the horse campers, so we’ll be starting the day learning all about hoof care. I may have to recruit a little help with the chickens because apparently I have not yet mastered being in four places at once.

We can’t wait to see everyone soon for another day of summer camp adventures! ☀️🐴🏰🧚

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FF5hARKE6cc47Ss_EnSrM_CQcNnUhtFKngZ6lgO27x4/viewform?edit_requested=true

Next week is our advanced riding camp. We will be doing trails and eventing and still iso a place to take horse swimming. This camp is for the more advanced rider so you can message to see if you would qualify. We have a limited number of spots open.

Small Groups • Immersive Experiences • Real Farm Magic At Shangri-La Farms, summer camp is more than something to fill the day — it’s a chance for children and teens to connect deeply with animals, nature, creativity, and themselves. Our camps are intentionally small, hands-on, and relations...

06/17/2026

🌟 Summer Camp Day Two Recap! 🌟

What a fantastic day at camp yesterday!

🐴 Pony Camp

Our Pony Camp riders had a busy and fun-filled day. They started by creating beautiful ribbon flowers and artwork before heading out to groom our miniature horses. The campers also enjoyed a hobby horse obstacle course that had everyone laughing and cheering each other on.

After lunch, it was time to saddle up! The riders once again tacked up their own horses with the help of our amazing counselors and assistants. Once mounted, they played horseback games including Red Light, Green Light, a watering can challenge, and one of the campers’ favorite activities—getting to tell their assistants what to do while riding! There were smiles, laughter, and plenty of confidence-building moments throughout the afternoon.

🏰 Cardboard Kingdom

Meanwhile, our Cardboard Kingdom campers continued bringing their incredible worlds to life. They used the cardboard beaver cutter to cut and shape pieces for their kingdoms, assigned important roles, named their kingdoms, and developed detailed lore and backstories.

The amount of creativity and effort these kids are putting into their projects is truly impressive. They worked diligently all day constructing buildings, creating masks, making swords and shields, and developing characters to populate their kingdoms. Watching them collaborate, imagine, and create together in the woods has been amazing. In fact, I had to order yet another case of duct tape because the three cases I already ordered weren’t enough!

I honestly don’t know how we’re going to take these kingdoms down at the end of the week because the campers have put so much thought, effort, and creativity into them. They are becoming truly impressive creations.

We hope everyone is having an amazing time at both camps. We certainly are!

📅 Friday Schedule Reminder

🐴 Pony Camp Horse Show: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

🏊 Swimming Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

For both Cardboard Kingdom and Pony Camp campers, swimming is available from 1:00–2:00 PM if a parent or guardian is present. Campers without a parent or guardian present will enjoy alternative supervised activities during that time.

Feel free to bring a chair, a snack, and join us for the fun!

We can’t wait to see what adventures Day Three brings!

06/16/2026

✨ The magical behind-the-scenes of camp… ✨

Every camp day starts long before the campers arrive.

This morning looked a little bit like organized chaos and a whole lot like magic in the making. 🌟

📋 Schedules were printed, sorted, clipped, and double-checked for both Pony Camp and Cardboard Kingdom.

🧡 Camp folders were packed and lined up, waiting for eager hands to grab them.

🎨 Yesterday’s crafts were cleaned up, sorted, and tucked safely away while today’s projects were gathered and prepared.

🏰 Cardboard Kingdom supplies were organized with boxes, scissors, tape, and enough imagination to build entire worlds.

🐴 Pony Camp lessons were planned, riding schedules were checked, and horse activities were ready to go.

🏷️ Name tags were set out so every camper has a place in the adventure.

🍃 Leaves were blown.
🗑️ Trash was picked up.
💩 Animal messes were cleaned.
🌳 Trails were checked.
🏊 The pool area was tidied.
🎈 Inflatables were inspected.
📚 Packets were sorted.
✏️ Pencils were sharpened.

Basically, if it could be straightened, cleaned, organized, swept, hauled, clipped, stacked, sorted, or prepared… it was. 😂

The campers will arrive and see crafts, games, horses, kingdoms, adventures, and fun.

What they won’t see is the early morning race around the farm with clipboards in one hand, a leaf blower in the other, and a to-do list that somehow keeps growing. 🤣

But that’s the secret of camp magic. ✨

A little preparation, a lot of teamwork, and a farm full of people who love creating unforgettable experiences for kids.

Now everything is ready, the camp is waiting, and we can’t wait to see what adventures today brings! 🐴🏰🌳💖

06/16/2026

What an exciting start to summer camp! This week is a first for us as we are running two separate camps at the same time. Thankfully, we have an incredible team of counselors, and Day 1 was absolutely fabulous!

🐴 Pony Camp
Our Pony Camp campers started the day by helping feed the horses and learning more about life on the farm. They decorated their tote bags, enjoyed time exploring and playing on the farm, and after lunch it was time for the highlight of the day—horses! Each camper chose their horse for the week, learned about tacking up, and enjoyed riding both in the arena and on the trails. Since this is our more advanced riding camp, we plan to ride every day that weather allows. We can’t wait to see how the campers tackle today’s riding challenges!

🏰 Cardboard Kingdom
Everything about this camp is pure magic. The creativity, imagination, and excitement from these campers has been incredible to watch. A simple pile of cardboard boxes has become the foundation for amazing adventures! The campers divided into two kingdoms, began developing their kingdom lore and plans for the week, selected the locations where their kingdoms will be built, and designed their kingdom flags. They also decorated drawstring bags to hold all of their creations and treasures throughout the week.

This camp has exceeded every expectation already. The concept is so unique and the campers have embraced it with enthusiasm. We may just have to offer Cardboard Kingdom again later this summer!

A huge thank you to our amazing counselors and wonderful campers for making Day 1 such a success. We are excited to see what adventures today brings!

06/14/2026

We still have one more spot open in Pony Camp this week. Reach out to me or to register here. we would love to have you!!

06/13/2026

Ok the babies and thriving so it is time to introduce them to the world. They will be ready for their forever homes end of August. Reach out to me if you have any interest. I am gonna post Venmo here too for any help with their vet care and formula needs

06/12/2026

Who wore it better pony camp 2026 . Like which pony costume you like the best

06/12/2026

Pony Camp Day 5 – Our Final Day! 🐴☀️💦

Today wrapped up an amazing week of Pony Camp, and North Carolina definitely reminded us that summer has arrived! With temperatures climbing, we adjusted our plans and leaned heavily into water fun.

I had relays and organized games scheduled, but when the heat really set in, we decided to break out the foam party, turn on the hose, and have an epic water balloon battle instead. There was lots of laughter, lots of running, and more than a few campers who ended up completely soaked!

For our craft today, the campers repurposed old horse ribbons into beautiful mosaic art pieces. It was a wonderful way to give those ribbons new life, and the finished projects turned out absolutely gorgeous.

Then we got down to the serious business of preparing our horses for the annual costume contest. With the heat bearing down, we worked quickly to decorate our equine partners and get everyone ready without spending too much time in the sun. The horses looked fantastic, and the kids were so proud of their creations.

Be on the lookout for our annual Favorite Pony Costume Vote, which we’ll be posting shortly. We can’t wait to see which costume earns the most votes this year!

This has been such a wonderful week of camp. We were blessed with an incredible group of kids who were kind, enthusiastic, adventurous, and so much fun to spend the week with. Thank you to all of our campers and families for joining us.

Whether we’ll see you again later this summer or next year, I hope you had as much fun as I did. Watching these kids grow in confidence, make new friends, and fall in love with horses is always the best part of camp.

Until next time, happy trails! 🐴❤️