In case anyone is wondering, my website went poof a few weeks ago and I haven't been able to reload anything. I don't think Yahoo likes excessive bunny pictures. ;-)
Yes, I am still raising rabbits, but if you are interested in learning more about Creme d'Argents or Californians, please email me at bennettsva@aim.com for more information.
May 6, 2008
December 30, 2007
The Baby Boom
When I wrote the last blog entry mentioning the does due this weekend, I thought it would take a few days for everyone to deliver. Well, late Friday evening, four does kindled within two hours of each other! It's good that rabbits don't need help delivering.In all, 23 Creme d'Argent bunnies were born. The largest litter was iRabbit's (pictured) with seven kits. Since she is a first-time mom, we gave one of the kits to another doe to foster.
December 28, 2007
Changes for the new year
With 2008 only days away, a lot of us are thinking about the last year and making plans for the coming year. (Ok, so New Year's resolutions usually don't last more than 3 weeks.)
The bunnies are doing well. We have an eight week old litter of English Angoras on the ground and lots of Californian and Creme d'Argent litters planned for the next few months! I'm on baby watch this weekend. Five Creme d'Argents are expecting and three of them are first-time moms. Should be interesting. We usually try to breed at least two does. In the off chance one doe isn't able to care for her babies, we can give them to another to foster.
Why breed for litters in mid-winter, especially when your rabbits live in an unheated barn? Well, first of all, southern Virginia doesn't get that cold! Temperatures have fallen below 32 degrees only a couple of days this year. We also don't have to worry about pregnant bunnies being uncomfortable during warmer weather. Most of them build elaborate fur-lined nests for their winter-born babies.
We did show at the ARBA National Convention this year -- sort of. A friend several states away wanted to send us one of her Creme d'Argent bucks. Convention was the best way to do that. The little guy was only 12 weeks old, but he placed 3rd in a class of 18 bucks! Wow. I'll be adding a photo and some info to the Creme d'Argent page on the website soon.
The bunnies are doing well. We have an eight week old litter of English Angoras on the ground and lots of Californian and Creme d'Argent litters planned for the next few months! I'm on baby watch this weekend. Five Creme d'Argents are expecting and three of them are first-time moms. Should be interesting. We usually try to breed at least two does. In the off chance one doe isn't able to care for her babies, we can give them to another to foster.
Why breed for litters in mid-winter, especially when your rabbits live in an unheated barn? Well, first of all, southern Virginia doesn't get that cold! Temperatures have fallen below 32 degrees only a couple of days this year. We also don't have to worry about pregnant bunnies being uncomfortable during warmer weather. Most of them build elaborate fur-lined nests for their winter-born babies.
We did show at the ARBA National Convention this year -- sort of. A friend several states away wanted to send us one of her Creme d'Argent bucks. Convention was the best way to do that. The little guy was only 12 weeks old, but he placed 3rd in a class of 18 bucks! Wow. I'll be adding a photo and some info to the Creme d'Argent page on the website soon.
August 9, 2007
Another Mini Rex pic
_MG_0051
Originally uploaded by markfftang
Here's another gorgeous Mini Rex pic - is this guy good or what??
August 1, 2007
The Macabre Grimace
We have a dog, a ninety-pound Doberman. He's a complete mushpot, totally unlike what you might expect from Hollywood's favorite canine villain. But his displays of affection are a little odd. The dog follows my father around the house like a lurking spectre, looking for an opportunity to reassure Dad of his undying loyalty by poking him in the leg with a cold, drippy nose.
He's always trying to coerce my elderly spaniel into a game of chase. (When your dogs weigh about as much as football players, chase games shake the floor like a herd of African wildebeests in full flight.) Ribo, of course, would much rather sit in front of a fire with an afghan and a bowl of gruel.
Justice's facial expressions are best of all though. His "I'm hungry, feed me" look is enough to bring tears to the eyes of the most calloused cat owner. The transformation from a lithe, muscular hound to a starving stray is amazing. First, he sucks in his belly so that every rib in his lean sides show to best advantage. Then, he folds his ears back and rolls his big brown eyes up at you, drooping his head as if he couldn't possibly drag himself to the nearest Red Cross soup kitchen. It works so well that we abandon him in the living room during dinner so my compassionate three year old sister doesn't end up on a Feed the Children poster.
However, Justice's brightest achievement is a certain sheepish "grin". He's not very demonstrative - he prefers to lean on you instead of licking you - but he pulls out all the stops with this one. Animal psychologists would probably say that Justice's grins are a gesture of appeasement or submission. (No doubt he's simply trying to say, "Master! I'm so glad to see you!") But it comes out all wrong. He wrinkles his nose and pulls back his lips in a twisted macabre grimace worthy of the best Frankenstein's monster.
Sweet dreams.
He's always trying to coerce my elderly spaniel into a game of chase. (When your dogs weigh about as much as football players, chase games shake the floor like a herd of African wildebeests in full flight.) Ribo, of course, would much rather sit in front of a fire with an afghan and a bowl of gruel.
Justice's facial expressions are best of all though. His "I'm hungry, feed me" look is enough to bring tears to the eyes of the most calloused cat owner. The transformation from a lithe, muscular hound to a starving stray is amazing. First, he sucks in his belly so that every rib in his lean sides show to best advantage. Then, he folds his ears back and rolls his big brown eyes up at you, drooping his head as if he couldn't possibly drag himself to the nearest Red Cross soup kitchen. It works so well that we abandon him in the living room during dinner so my compassionate three year old sister doesn't end up on a Feed the Children poster.
However, Justice's brightest achievement is a certain sheepish "grin". He's not very demonstrative - he prefers to lean on you instead of licking you - but he pulls out all the stops with this one. Animal psychologists would probably say that Justice's grins are a gesture of appeasement or submission. (No doubt he's simply trying to say, "Master! I'm so glad to see you!") But it comes out all wrong. He wrinkles his nose and pulls back his lips in a twisted macabre grimace worthy of the best Frankenstein's monster.
Sweet dreams.
July 30, 2007
2007 Farm Bill Gripe
Guess what? The 2007 Farm Bill passed the House of Representatives last week. I haven't been following the legislation that closely, because I simply don't have the time to study the subject in-depth right now. I am a little ticked off, however, because [unless it was shot down and I didn't hear about it] the part of the bill covering Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) contains a provision that could pave the way for a mandatory livestock identification program on the federal level.
About a year ago, farmers all over the country were in an uproar over a USDA program called the National Animal ID System (NAIS). In short, NAIS was designed to help prevent the spread of diseases like avian influenza, "Mad Cow" disease (BSE), and scrapie. People in ag industries would be required to register any location where livestock are congregated (farms, slaughterhouses, livestock auction barns, etc.) and eventually tag individual animals or groups of animals, if the livestock are raised and shipped together. The animals' movements are reported to a federal database, helping investigators track down the source of any disease outbreaks.
At least that's the theory.
Many farmers object to the National Animal ID System because they feel that the program is too expensive, it invades their privacy, or it is impossible for an already overworked federal agency to implement. They feel that private industry could track animal movements much more efficiently. (You can read about the hubbub for yourself at websites and blogs like NoNAIS.org.) The USDA experienced such a backlash that they were forced to take a step back. While some states, like Wisconsin, have already mandated the program, the federal agency is still offering the NAIS as a voluntary system.
So what does a federal animal tracking program have to do with Country of Origin Labeling for ag products? (Keep in mind that COOL goes into effect in 2008 unless something happens.) I received an email forwarded from the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association the other day warning their mailing list about a new provision in the 2007 Farm Bill. According to VICFA, the Farm Bill did contain a law that prohibited the Secretary of Agriculture from using a mandatory animal ID program to verify Country of Origin Labeling for food products. Unfortunately, the new provision (see Title 1, Subtitle B, Section 121 of the Farm Bill) repeals the existing law. VICFA thinks that it will be used as leverage to get the National Animal ID System off the ground. You can check it out by clicking on the link provided above.
Anyway, the 2007 Farm Bill passed the US House of Representatives last week. It will be interesting to see what happens. Are we seeing the bill that will eventually lead to animal tracking for everyone?
About a year ago, farmers all over the country were in an uproar over a USDA program called the National Animal ID System (NAIS). In short, NAIS was designed to help prevent the spread of diseases like avian influenza, "Mad Cow" disease (BSE), and scrapie. People in ag industries would be required to register any location where livestock are congregated (farms, slaughterhouses, livestock auction barns, etc.) and eventually tag individual animals or groups of animals, if the livestock are raised and shipped together. The animals' movements are reported to a federal database, helping investigators track down the source of any disease outbreaks.
At least that's the theory.
Many farmers object to the National Animal ID System because they feel that the program is too expensive, it invades their privacy, or it is impossible for an already overworked federal agency to implement. They feel that private industry could track animal movements much more efficiently. (You can read about the hubbub for yourself at websites and blogs like NoNAIS.org.) The USDA experienced such a backlash that they were forced to take a step back. While some states, like Wisconsin, have already mandated the program, the federal agency is still offering the NAIS as a voluntary system.
So what does a federal animal tracking program have to do with Country of Origin Labeling for ag products? (Keep in mind that COOL goes into effect in 2008 unless something happens.) I received an email forwarded from the Virginia Independent Consumers and Farmers Association the other day warning their mailing list about a new provision in the 2007 Farm Bill. According to VICFA, the Farm Bill did contain a law that prohibited the Secretary of Agriculture from using a mandatory animal ID program to verify Country of Origin Labeling for food products. Unfortunately, the new provision (see Title 1, Subtitle B, Section 121 of the Farm Bill) repeals the existing law. VICFA thinks that it will be used as leverage to get the National Animal ID System off the ground. You can check it out by clicking on the link provided above.
Anyway, the 2007 Farm Bill passed the US House of Representatives last week. It will be interesting to see what happens. Are we seeing the bill that will eventually lead to animal tracking for everyone?
Demure Rabbit
Demure Rabbit
Originally uploaded by Angoria
I feel like such a redneck. See, I just figured out how to post pictures from my photo album on Flickr directly to the blog. (Sheesh, how long have I had an account on both sites?)
Anyway, here's a pic of one of our "new" Angora babies - Paris is about six weeks old in this photo, although she's more like 9 weeks or so now. Ain't she adorable??
July 25, 2007
A visit to the barn
Some days, I'm so glad to have rabbits. I had a rough day last week. I trekked out to the rabbit barn later in that afternoon to make sure everyone had water.
I could feel the stress drain away as soon as I got out there. Most of the rabbits were sound asleep, since it was mid-afternoon. They looked so peaceful. But Maximilian, one of the junior bucks, was stretched out on his side - at first glance, he looked dead! I scrutinized him a moment, and then a paw twitched. His nose was next and suddenly all four feet moved in sequence. His nose was next, then the feet stopped and he licked his lips.
Apparently, rabbits dream.
I could feel the stress drain away as soon as I got out there. Most of the rabbits were sound asleep, since it was mid-afternoon. They looked so peaceful. But Maximilian, one of the junior bucks, was stretched out on his side - at first glance, he looked dead! I scrutinized him a moment, and then a paw twitched. His nose was next and suddenly all four feet moved in sequence. His nose was next, then the feet stopped and he licked his lips.
Apparently, rabbits dream.
May 8, 2007
Of hay and ducks
I made hay yesterday. Sort of.
Our old garden spot was overgrown with tall fescue and villainous herbage. Now, in most parts of the world, forage is pretty harmless. You mow it every Saturday and it behaves nicely. But we have a special kind of pasture plant here in Virginia.
When I say that our garden was overgrown, I don't mean "Your lawn needs mowing, Ma'am", I mean the last thing that walked into there packed a tent and two weeks' supply of freeze-dried liver and onions.
In fact, as I hacked my way through the jungle, I discovered a missing Saxony duck. She no doubt thought that such an out-of-the-way corner would be an excellent spot to raise a brood of ducklings. She evidentally hasn't heard of tall fescue yet.
Together my trusty weed eater and I carved through the fescue jungle, narrowly avoiding the ravenous fescue. We succeeded though. I leaned my weary frame against a fencepost, surveying our work. A thought flitted through my mind, "What do we do with all the clippings now? If we leave it on the ground, it'll kill what's still growing there." Being the astute rabbit wrangler, it occurred to me later that I can MAKE HAY! Duh. Leaving out the supremely scary tall fescue, the rest of it was just at the right stage of growth for cutting.
So we made hay.
Anyone want some freeze-dried liver and onions??
Our old garden spot was overgrown with tall fescue and villainous herbage. Now, in most parts of the world, forage is pretty harmless. You mow it every Saturday and it behaves nicely. But we have a special kind of pasture plant here in Virginia.
When I say that our garden was overgrown, I don't mean "Your lawn needs mowing, Ma'am", I mean the last thing that walked into there packed a tent and two weeks' supply of freeze-dried liver and onions.
In fact, as I hacked my way through the jungle, I discovered a missing Saxony duck. She no doubt thought that such an out-of-the-way corner would be an excellent spot to raise a brood of ducklings. She evidentally hasn't heard of tall fescue yet.
Together my trusty weed eater and I carved through the fescue jungle, narrowly avoiding the ravenous fescue. We succeeded though. I leaned my weary frame against a fencepost, surveying our work. A thought flitted through my mind, "What do we do with all the clippings now? If we leave it on the ground, it'll kill what's still growing there." Being the astute rabbit wrangler, it occurred to me later that I can MAKE HAY! Duh. Leaving out the supremely scary tall fescue, the rest of it was just at the right stage of growth for cutting.
So we made hay.
Anyone want some freeze-dried liver and onions??
March 30, 2007
Flickr photo album
I just discovered Flickr.
I know, I'm a shelter case. I'd heard of Flickr before - who hasn't. It's only one of the biggest sites on the whole Internet for shutterbugs. I'd anticipated cutesy, but poor-quality photos of people's pets and friends. There are a lot of photos like that, of course. But there's also some amazing works by incredibly talented people. This one, by user "williscreek" is my favorite of the moment:
I uploaded some bunny pics too, which you can see here. [sheepish grin]
- Hannah with jaw hanging open...
I know, I'm a shelter case. I'd heard of Flickr before - who hasn't. It's only one of the biggest sites on the whole Internet for shutterbugs. I'd anticipated cutesy, but poor-quality photos of people's pets and friends. There are a lot of photos like that, of course. But there's also some amazing works by incredibly talented people. This one, by user "williscreek" is my favorite of the moment:
I uploaded some bunny pics too, which you can see here. [sheepish grin]
- Hannah with jaw hanging open...
March 22, 2007
Promising juniors
I love spring. This year is especially exciting because we have a lot of kits in the nestbox right now and several promising juniors.
Tulip, a Creme d'Argent, gave us a litter of six in the middle of the winter, four of which are shaping up nicely for the spring shows. I really wasn't sure how these youngsters would look, because this is the first breeding to combine the two bloodlines we're working with. (We sent an intermediate buck from Ferryman lines to Convention last fall, but since "Firestorm" was going to another breeder out-of-state, I wanted to have at least one litter from him before he left.)
Tulip has nice hindquarters and she's a great mom, but she's rather long in the shoulders - a common fault in Cremes. Firestorm was surprisingly strong in the shoulders, but peaks too early in the topline, making his hindquarters slope off. The goal was by breeding these two, their strengths would counteract the other rabbit's weaknesses. The two does both carry some of the weaknesses of their parents, but both have improvements that make them worth keeping, at least until they're a little more mature. I'm really excited about one of the junior bucks too - he's big, which is something I really need. In addition, he has nice strong shoulders, which is something else I'm looking for in our barn. It will be interesting to see how they mature!
Tulip, a Creme d'Argent, gave us a litter of six in the middle of the winter, four of which are shaping up nicely for the spring shows. I really wasn't sure how these youngsters would look, because this is the first breeding to combine the two bloodlines we're working with. (We sent an intermediate buck from Ferryman lines to Convention last fall, but since "Firestorm" was going to another breeder out-of-state, I wanted to have at least one litter from him before he left.)
Tulip has nice hindquarters and she's a great mom, but she's rather long in the shoulders - a common fault in Cremes. Firestorm was surprisingly strong in the shoulders, but peaks too early in the topline, making his hindquarters slope off. The goal was by breeding these two, their strengths would counteract the other rabbit's weaknesses. The two does both carry some of the weaknesses of their parents, but both have improvements that make them worth keeping, at least until they're a little more mature. I'm really excited about one of the junior bucks too - he's big, which is something I really need. In addition, he has nice strong shoulders, which is something else I'm looking for in our barn. It will be interesting to see how they mature!
March 21, 2007
NC Convention & Youth Royalty Contest
We made it to both shows hosted at the North Carolina State Convention this past Saturday, and let me tell you, it was a blast! The NCRBA had more than 500 rabbits entered just in the open division! This set a new record for entries.
Since the whole family loves rare breeds, we were thrilled to see several breeders there with some of the nation's most endangered breeds - Lilacs, Belgian Hares, Standard Chinchillas, Satin Angoras, Creme d'Argents (mine, LOL), and a Silver Fox. Woohoo!
A youth breeder named Noah Hayes did especially well. Noah isn't even in his teens, but his very lovely Belgian Hare was runner-up for Best in Show Saturday! It warms my stinkin' little heart to see a KID go out there with an endangered breed and knock the socks off all those Netherland Dwarfs and Dutch. Congratulations Noah!
How did our rabbits do, you ask? They were so amazing that no one dared bring...well, not exactly. We showed eight Creme d'Argents and two English Angora babies, but they were the only ones of their breeds entered. (However, one of the judges did ask to see a 16-week-old Creme d'Argent doe that we hadn't entered in that particular show. He thought she was better than the buck who won Best of Breed!) I really appreciate both judges taking the time to carefully evaluate our rabbits, even though so few were entered.
And oh yeah, yours truly won the breed ID and youth Royalty contests for the age group of "Borderline Youth Breeders Who Really Need to Grow Up and Face the Adults". Yer lookin' at the "official" Bunny Queen of North Carolina now... I have to hand it to those hard-working adult breeders for putting on the youth activities though. If I heard right, more kids participated in the youth activities this year than ever before! And they had fun too!
All in all, the North Carolina Rabbit Breeders Association put on a great 2007 Convention. The show went smoothly and there was a great turnout. Congratulations!
Since the whole family loves rare breeds, we were thrilled to see several breeders there with some of the nation's most endangered breeds - Lilacs, Belgian Hares, Standard Chinchillas, Satin Angoras, Creme d'Argents (mine, LOL), and a Silver Fox. Woohoo!
A youth breeder named Noah Hayes did especially well. Noah isn't even in his teens, but his very lovely Belgian Hare was runner-up for Best in Show Saturday! It warms my stinkin' little heart to see a KID go out there with an endangered breed and knock the socks off all those Netherland Dwarfs and Dutch. Congratulations Noah!
How did our rabbits do, you ask? They were so amazing that no one dared bring...well, not exactly. We showed eight Creme d'Argents and two English Angora babies, but they were the only ones of their breeds entered. (However, one of the judges did ask to see a 16-week-old Creme d'Argent doe that we hadn't entered in that particular show. He thought she was better than the buck who won Best of Breed!) I really appreciate both judges taking the time to carefully evaluate our rabbits, even though so few were entered.
And oh yeah, yours truly won the breed ID and youth Royalty contests for the age group of "Borderline Youth Breeders Who Really Need to Grow Up and Face the Adults". Yer lookin' at the "official" Bunny Queen of North Carolina now... I have to hand it to those hard-working adult breeders for putting on the youth activities though. If I heard right, more kids participated in the youth activities this year than ever before! And they had fun too!
All in all, the North Carolina Rabbit Breeders Association put on a great 2007 Convention. The show went smoothly and there was a great turnout. Congratulations!
March 6, 2007
Three Years in the ARBA
I just got my 2007 membership card from the ARBA and I realized that it's been three years since I plunged into showing rabbits. Wow! It seems like a lifetime, but compared to so many other breeders, I'm a newbie!
We got our first rabbit, a pet New Zealand White, several years prior to the show bunnies. "Fluffy" was only with us about a year, but he taught us a lot about bunnies. His quirky personality and goofy hijinks did a lot to influence my decision to get into rabbits as a breeder. Later on, I purchased a pair of "mutt" rabbits from a backyard meat breeder and raised a couple of litters. Looking back now, I definitely regret that, but "Bucky" and "Blossom" did further my "bunny education". One of the things I learned is the importance of setting goals for your breeding program and purchasing only quality rabbits "worthy" of passing on their genes!
In January or February of 2003, I got four Californians from a reputable breeder near Richmond, Virginia. I'd never really intended to show rabbits, but after cuddling one of those rabbits, it seemed a shame not to try it at least once. Off we went to a show with two of the new "girls" in tow. Of course, one of them won her class and I was smitten with showing. (I was like, "This is so EASY and so much FUN!" Easy? NOT! Fun? Yes.) In 2004, we got Creme d'Argent rabbits and then last September, English Angoras. At the current rate, I figure I'll have all 50 breeds in my barn in the next ten years. [rolls eyes]
Still awake?
Moving on from my tail of addiction, erm, story of showing, we got a really fun email Sunday from Peter and Lynanne in northern Virginia. Lynanne had contacted us several months ago looking for an English Angora and she's waited very patiently for a bunny since then. (the Angora waiting list deserves a post all its own...) Saturday, they came down and got an adorable little lilac pearl buck (click on the picture labelled "Yeti").
"Woolsley" made the trip just fine, but the fun began Sunday morning. Woolsley had been given a toilet paper tube stuffed with hay the night before (great cheap toy, by the way), and of course, being an intelligent, resourceful English Angora, he worked all the hay out and devoured it. The next morning, he greeted them, then he picked up the now empty toilet paper tube and pitched it in his food bowl! I don't generally attribute human characteristics to animals - expect in the case of rabbits, dogs, cats, horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc. - so I'll let you draw your own conclusions on that story...
We got our first rabbit, a pet New Zealand White, several years prior to the show bunnies. "Fluffy" was only with us about a year, but he taught us a lot about bunnies. His quirky personality and goofy hijinks did a lot to influence my decision to get into rabbits as a breeder. Later on, I purchased a pair of "mutt" rabbits from a backyard meat breeder and raised a couple of litters. Looking back now, I definitely regret that, but "Bucky" and "Blossom" did further my "bunny education". One of the things I learned is the importance of setting goals for your breeding program and purchasing only quality rabbits "worthy" of passing on their genes!
In January or February of 2003, I got four Californians from a reputable breeder near Richmond, Virginia. I'd never really intended to show rabbits, but after cuddling one of those rabbits, it seemed a shame not to try it at least once. Off we went to a show with two of the new "girls" in tow. Of course, one of them won her class and I was smitten with showing. (I was like, "This is so EASY and so much FUN!" Easy? NOT! Fun? Yes.) In 2004, we got Creme d'Argent rabbits and then last September, English Angoras. At the current rate, I figure I'll have all 50 breeds in my barn in the next ten years. [rolls eyes]
Still awake?
Moving on from my tail of addiction, erm, story of showing, we got a really fun email Sunday from Peter and Lynanne in northern Virginia. Lynanne had contacted us several months ago looking for an English Angora and she's waited very patiently for a bunny since then. (the Angora waiting list deserves a post all its own...) Saturday, they came down and got an adorable little lilac pearl buck (click on the picture labelled "Yeti").
"Woolsley" made the trip just fine, but the fun began Sunday morning. Woolsley had been given a toilet paper tube stuffed with hay the night before (great cheap toy, by the way), and of course, being an intelligent, resourceful English Angora, he worked all the hay out and devoured it. The next morning, he greeted them, then he picked up the now empty toilet paper tube and pitched it in his food bowl! I don't generally attribute human characteristics to animals - expect in the case of rabbits, dogs, cats, horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys, etc. - so I'll let you draw your own conclusions on that story...
March 4, 2007
Mama mia! It's pesto night!
If you've never tried pesto sauce, you are seriously missing out. I've only had the pleasure of eating that sumptuous stuff a few times but I am hooked. What's pesto? Minty basil, garlic, olive oil, and rich Parmesan cheese join forces to create a hearty, versatile sauce fit for the pickiest eater. My mom - I love you! - treated us to homemade pesto over pasta tonight. If my tummy were a kitten, it would be purring.
Here's her recipe (she replaced the fresh ingredients with dried herbs and Parmesan):
To make pasta with pesto, grab 4 cups of cooked and drained spaghetti or fettucini noodles. Take 6 tablespoons of the basic pesto sauce listed above and toss in 4 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Add one cup of Parmesan cheese to the mixture and toss with the noodles. Makes 4-6 servings or 2 servings for hungry rabbit breeders. ;-)
Here's her recipe (she replaced the fresh ingredients with dried herbs and Parmesan):
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and thoroughly dried
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
To make pasta with pesto, grab 4 cups of cooked and drained spaghetti or fettucini noodles. Take 6 tablespoons of the basic pesto sauce listed above and toss in 4 tablespoons of butter or margarine. Add one cup of Parmesan cheese to the mixture and toss with the noodles. Makes 4-6 servings or 2 servings for hungry rabbit breeders. ;-)
February 22, 2007
Animal Rights Group Raids Rabbit Ranch
Members of the Animal Liberation Front, an animal rights group, allegedly raided a rabbit ranch in South Carolina Monday evening, taking several animals.
Blue Chip Farms, owned and managed by Dean and Arlene Goforth, is one of the largest commercial rabbit farms in South Carolina. A recent Yahoo article reported that there was no sign of illegal activity on the farm. Blue Chip Farms is also regulated and inspected by the the Food and Drug Administration.
According to ALF's website, the animal rights group is threatening to take further action if the farm is not shut down.
Blue Chip Farms, owned and managed by Dean and Arlene Goforth, is one of the largest commercial rabbit farms in South Carolina. A recent Yahoo article reported that there was no sign of illegal activity on the farm. Blue Chip Farms is also regulated and inspected by the the Food and Drug Administration.
According to ALF's website, the animal rights group is threatening to take further action if the farm is not shut down.
February 20, 2007
"How farmers aim to save ancient animal breeds from extinction"
This article is about heritage livestock breeds in Britain, but I believe anyone would be interested.
How Farmers Aim to Save Ancient Animal Breeds From Extinction
"There are just a few thousand tigers left in the wild, and mountain gorillas are down to a few hundred. With figures like these, it's easy to overlook those less exotic animals closer to home that are facing extinction. But, while they might not grab the headlines, the plight of native British livestock breeds such as the bagot goat, the British lop pig, the boreray sheep and even the original Aberdeen angus beef cattle is no less critical." more...
February 16, 2007
Gut stasis
This is a little sad. A friend of mine just lost her sweet German Angora buck this week. I/we thought it may have been gut stasis at first, because he'd stopped eating. It turns out that it wasn't, since our vet didn't see any signs of intestinal problems in the necropsy. The vet thinks the rabbit may have contracted pneumonia, but we're really not sure.
Anyway, in the initial oh-my-goodness-the-rabbit-is-sick-what-does-it-have research frenzy, we learned some interesting things about gut stasis. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, gut stasis basically means your rabbit's gastrointestinal system shuts down. Food is passed through the gut too slowly, allowing bad bacteria to multiply. The bacteria produce toxins, which poison the rabbit's liver. The rabbit's tummy often bloats up with gas too. It's a pretty serious condition, but I was happy to see that there are some things you can do to pull your bunny through it.
(I'm also slightly morbid about rabbit diseases. They speak to my inner mad scientist.)
So, if you also are morbidly curious about bunny diseases, here's some links for more info on gut stasis:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
http://www.lopsandcavies.com/woolblock_fur_block.htm
http://www.mybunny.org/info/gi_stasis.htm
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/gutstasis.asp
Anyway, in the initial oh-my-goodness-the-rabbit-is-sick-what-does-it-have research frenzy, we learned some interesting things about gut stasis. For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, gut stasis basically means your rabbit's gastrointestinal system shuts down. Food is passed through the gut too slowly, allowing bad bacteria to multiply. The bacteria produce toxins, which poison the rabbit's liver. The rabbit's tummy often bloats up with gas too. It's a pretty serious condition, but I was happy to see that there are some things you can do to pull your bunny through it.
(I'm also slightly morbid about rabbit diseases. They speak to my inner mad scientist.)
So, if you also are morbidly curious about bunny diseases, here's some links for more info on gut stasis:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/ileus.html
http://www.lopsandcavies.com/woolblock_fur_block.htm
http://www.mybunny.org/info/gi_stasis.htm
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/gutstasis.asp
February 13, 2007
Will she like it?
Does this particular post really belong in a bunny blog? Well, perhaps...
Guess what? I finally bit the bullet and submitted a rabbit-related article (along with a few photos) to a magazine. The editor emailed late last week to let me know that she'd recieved my submission, but I won't know for at least a week if they'll be able to use it or not. Rejection slips are something I'll have to deal with if I pursue free-lance writing full-time, but as a rank beginner, I still hope I'll be lucky the first time around.
Here's the kicker: besides writing for my websites and this blog (my website writing really isn't that hot, trust me :-) ), I've never queried an Real Live Editor. And I had the nerve to submit my little piece in hopes of payment! (Goodness, is she a little nuts or what?) Hopefully the *subject matter* is unique enough to warrant a closer look from this publication.We shall see!
Keep your fingers crossed!
Guess what? I finally bit the bullet and submitted a rabbit-related article (along with a few photos) to a magazine. The editor emailed late last week to let me know that she'd recieved my submission, but I won't know for at least a week if they'll be able to use it or not. Rejection slips are something I'll have to deal with if I pursue free-lance writing full-time, but as a rank beginner, I still hope I'll be lucky the first time around.
Here's the kicker: besides writing for my websites and this blog (my website writing really isn't that hot, trust me :-) ), I've never queried an Real Live Editor. And I had the nerve to submit my little piece in hopes of payment! (Goodness, is she a little nuts or what?) Hopefully the *subject matter* is unique enough to warrant a closer look from this publication.We shall see!
Keep your fingers crossed!
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