Saturday, September 26, 2009
technical difficulties!
I was hoping to do a post introducing my Californian rabbits by now - but my computer is experiencing the dreaded "technical difficulties" and is in the shop, probably until Wednesday. And, of course, all of my photos are on its hard drive (though I'm having a CD burner installed so I can back up said photos!) so I can't do diddly from this rental laptop... except my homework. Oh, that.
Monday, September 21, 2009
And now, the Cremes d'Argent
These gorgeous creatures are Creme d'Argent rabbits. They are the 12th rarest breed of rabbit in the US, according to the American Livestock Breed Conservancy. I have a trio of Cremes, all from Rick Kudlacik in New York near Albany.
Goldenrod is the buck. He's the youngest, 15 weeks old, and weighs 4 pounds, 13 ounces.
The does are littermates, and are 18 weeks old.
Honey is a bit smaller - 6 pounds 5 ounces -
than Amber, who is 6 pounds 7 ounces.
I will be breeding both does to Goldenrod in the spring. Aren't they pretty?
Goldenrod is the buck. He's the youngest, 15 weeks old, and weighs 4 pounds, 13 ounces.
The does are littermates, and are 18 weeks old.
Honey is a bit smaller - 6 pounds 5 ounces -
than Amber, who is 6 pounds 7 ounces.
I will be breeding both does to Goldenrod in the spring. Aren't they pretty?
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Meet the Cinnamons
I thought, since these will be image-heavy, that I'd introduce the rabbits by breed. That way, I can send folks to a specific link to meet each breed later on. So - I'll start where I started a year ago, in June 2008.
This is Peanut Butter, our Cinnamon buck. He is a big, beautiful boy from Nancy Searle's barn. I weighed him today - 4780 grams, or 10 pounds, 8.6 ounces. He's very gentle and affectionate!
This lovely doe is Mocha, also from Nancy Searle's barn. She has had four litters for me, starting in September 2008, of 5, 6, 9, and 7 kits. She's much more shy than Peanut Butter, and an excellent Mama. She weighs 9 pounds, 6 ounces at present, even while nursing 7 kits!
This curious and spunky girl is Acorn, from Peanut Butter and Mocha's first litter. She's the very first rabbit from "my" barn! She's a big girl - 4975 grams, or 10 pounds, 15.5 ounces - and she's nursing 8 kits, who are only 8 days old. She has had three litters for me this year - all with 8 kits! She's a lovely rabbit, a bit grumpy when pregnant, nicely protective of her kits for their first few days, and gentle and affectionate the rest of the time.
And finally, this lovely lass is Maple. She is from Acorn's first litter. I bred Acorn to one of Nancy Searle's bucks, PJ1, who is an award-winning buck at last year's Nationals. Maple herself won Best Cinnamon in Show at the Cummington Fair this past August. She was born April 22nd, so she is 22 weeks old, and she already weighs 8 pounds, 4 ounces. I won't breed her this year - Cinnamons are pretty sensitive to day length, and she's still a month away from the "magic" 6-month figure. In the spring, I will ask Nancy if any of her bucks want a playmate - or I could breed her back to her grandfather, Peanut Butter. You might notice that her coat is much more of one color than the other Cinnamons' - that's normal. Her distinctive markings will emerge as she matures.
This is Peanut Butter, our Cinnamon buck. He is a big, beautiful boy from Nancy Searle's barn. I weighed him today - 4780 grams, or 10 pounds, 8.6 ounces. He's very gentle and affectionate!
This lovely doe is Mocha, also from Nancy Searle's barn. She has had four litters for me, starting in September 2008, of 5, 6, 9, and 7 kits. She's much more shy than Peanut Butter, and an excellent Mama. She weighs 9 pounds, 6 ounces at present, even while nursing 7 kits!
This curious and spunky girl is Acorn, from Peanut Butter and Mocha's first litter. She's the very first rabbit from "my" barn! She's a big girl - 4975 grams, or 10 pounds, 15.5 ounces - and she's nursing 8 kits, who are only 8 days old. She has had three litters for me this year - all with 8 kits! She's a lovely rabbit, a bit grumpy when pregnant, nicely protective of her kits for their first few days, and gentle and affectionate the rest of the time.
And finally, this lovely lass is Maple. She is from Acorn's first litter. I bred Acorn to one of Nancy Searle's bucks, PJ1, who is an award-winning buck at last year's Nationals. Maple herself won Best Cinnamon in Show at the Cummington Fair this past August. She was born April 22nd, so she is 22 weeks old, and she already weighs 8 pounds, 4 ounces. I won't breed her this year - Cinnamons are pretty sensitive to day length, and she's still a month away from the "magic" 6-month figure. In the spring, I will ask Nancy if any of her bucks want a playmate - or I could breed her back to her grandfather, Peanut Butter. You might notice that her coat is much more of one color than the other Cinnamons' - that's normal. Her distinctive markings will emerge as she matures.
I can haz eggs!
I found my first two eggs on Friday morning, tucked into a basement window well behind my potato bed. I was so excited! Today, Sunday, I found three more. These were in the coop, hiding under one of the benches. Yippee! Aren't they teeny?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Welcome to Blessed Acre Farm and Rabbitry!
Thanks for stopping by!
Blessed Acre Farm and Rabbitry has been a dream of mine for years. I had thought I'd move to a farm, but instead I've decided to make my current home (on 1.3 acres, partly wooded) into my dream farm.
Presently my four children, three retrievers and I enjoy several large garden beds, the company of our flock of 26 pullets (who will start laying soon - check back often for information on fresh free-range eggs) and our rabbit herd.
As of today's date, we have 62 rabbits on the property. We raise pedigreed Cinnamons, Cremes d'Argent, and Californians, for show, meat, and pets. We also have two "mutt" dwarf rabbits, who are pets, and a very sweet French Angora-looking buck we took in when he needed a new home.
We have available the following rabbits:
*a litter of 8 Californian/Cinnamon crosses, all with Californian markings, born July 1st
*a litter of 5 Californian/Cinnamon crosses, 3 with Californian markings, 2 all black, born July 2nd
*a litter of 6 Cinnamon/Californian crosses, 4 Cinnamon colored, 2 all black, born July 11th
Coming available soon:
*a litter of 6 purebred, pedigreed Californians born August 6th (available October 1st)
*a litter of 7 purebred Cinnamons born September 2nd (available October 28th)
*a litter of 7 purebred, pedigreed Californians born September 2nd (available October 28th)
*a litter of 8 purebred, pedigreed Cinnamons born September 12th (available November 7th)
Upcoming anticipated litters: two purebred Californian does are due October 2nd. One doe is pedigreed, the other is not.
Future events:
We will be breeding our Cremes d'Argent in the spring, around the beginning of March. This gorgeous breed is the 12th rarest in the United States according to the list from the ARBA convention in 2006 (will be updated in October 2009), and is on a "watch" status with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
We are looking forward to acquiring a quartet of American Blues in early November, and will be breeding them in early spring as well! This stunning, heritage breed is THE RAREST in the United States as of the 2006 list. American Blues are on a "critical" status with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. We estimate that there are only about 400 adult American Blues in the United States and Canada.
Come by again soon! I will put up pictures this weekend.
Blessed Acre Farm and Rabbitry has been a dream of mine for years. I had thought I'd move to a farm, but instead I've decided to make my current home (on 1.3 acres, partly wooded) into my dream farm.
Presently my four children, three retrievers and I enjoy several large garden beds, the company of our flock of 26 pullets (who will start laying soon - check back often for information on fresh free-range eggs) and our rabbit herd.
As of today's date, we have 62 rabbits on the property. We raise pedigreed Cinnamons, Cremes d'Argent, and Californians, for show, meat, and pets. We also have two "mutt" dwarf rabbits, who are pets, and a very sweet French Angora-looking buck we took in when he needed a new home.
We have available the following rabbits:
*a litter of 8 Californian/Cinnamon crosses, all with Californian markings, born July 1st
*a litter of 5 Californian/Cinnamon crosses, 3 with Californian markings, 2 all black, born July 2nd
*a litter of 6 Cinnamon/Californian crosses, 4 Cinnamon colored, 2 all black, born July 11th
Coming available soon:
*a litter of 6 purebred, pedigreed Californians born August 6th (available October 1st)
*a litter of 7 purebred Cinnamons born September 2nd (available October 28th)
*a litter of 7 purebred, pedigreed Californians born September 2nd (available October 28th)
*a litter of 8 purebred, pedigreed Cinnamons born September 12th (available November 7th)
Upcoming anticipated litters: two purebred Californian does are due October 2nd. One doe is pedigreed, the other is not.
Future events:
We will be breeding our Cremes d'Argent in the spring, around the beginning of March. This gorgeous breed is the 12th rarest in the United States according to the list from the ARBA convention in 2006 (will be updated in October 2009), and is on a "watch" status with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
We are looking forward to acquiring a quartet of American Blues in early November, and will be breeding them in early spring as well! This stunning, heritage breed is THE RAREST in the United States as of the 2006 list. American Blues are on a "critical" status with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. We estimate that there are only about 400 adult American Blues in the United States and Canada.
Come by again soon! I will put up pictures this weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
