Goodbye 2009!

2009 was a rough year, I'm happy to say goodbye to it and have open arms for 2010!

I spent my last couple of days on my 'To Do' list. Of these, the biggest was fixing the auto-water. Simply enough, the tube came unhooked from the bucket, but the whole system needed cleaning anyways, so I scrubbed it all out nice and clean! Now I can remember when I did it last!!!

I moved the young seniors to bigger cages, with dividers. I am going to prime them up and hopefully show them in March! I also bred Maid Dignified to Dominic, she will be due on the 28th.

I had to do a feed run today. I got 3 bags, I used about 5 gallons for Roxy, as I have no clue when I'll get home next.

I hope to sell a trio for St. Helens. I will then be at 11 rabbits, and only 10 of those count since Stitch has his permanent place here in the barn.

10 rabbits... It sounds so nice... yet so sad!

At any rate, I'm saying goodbye to 2009 tonight, and headed up to Corvallis bright and early in the morning. I have soooooo much to do when I get up there and prepare for school and what not.

I don't know when my next update will be, most likely after the Industry tour & Texas trip :)

Rabbit News & Winter Break

I apologize for the lack of rabbit news I've given lately -- When I see my rabbits once or twice every three months, it makes it hard to give updates!!!

I guess the news is... I can't sell out. It's been too frustruating trying to deal with the whole issue so I've deciced to "ride out the wave". No matter how long this dry spell is, or how rough things get, I can't give up on these Mini Lops; i've worked far too hard on them.

At any rate, I sold my BEW project. It made me very sad, but it was the right thing to do, for the project. I am down to 14 rabbits:

Bucks:

• Stitch - retired
• Dominic - For Sale
• Theodore
• Henry
• Money Maker - For Sale
• Matthew - For Sale

Does:

• Maid Dignified
• Obnoxious
• Kristie
• Melinda
• Rylee (available after litter)
• Brianna
• Lila - For Sale
• Tiffany - For Sale

I bred Rylee to Stitch on the 22nd, because I found myself needing to breed a doe in order to consider myself "still a rabbit breeder". Plus, Stitch is the closest buck I own to carrying chocolate, I don't want to purchase or loan a chocolate or carrier buck unless I have to. I still haven't found one I've liked.

With time, I will be selling the others as well. I would like to breed those does, to the bucks I have for sale. I do want replacements out of them.

With a positive note, I have found a cull buyer. Not a local one, but it will work until I can find something more permanent. I have it worked out, that Rylee's litter will just be ready to sort through by Spring Break. That seems so far away, but in reality, it's right around the corner in a college student's life.

My break has gone well. I left early from Corvallis to head home, and I've been here about a week. I am leaving on Friday. I *need* to leave sooner, but I *need* to spend time at home... I have a lot of stuff to get done still! The auto-water system gave us some trouble during the freeze, it's not broken but it got air in the system so I just shut it off and went to bottles for a few days. With the holidays & friends & family I needed something I knew would work.

Overall, 2009 has been a rough year for the rabbits. I am hoping 2010 will lift my spirits and bring some new changes & improvements, even if they are slow. I am ready for another term of college.... I am taking 18 credits (a load and a half...) amongst two planned trips already, my extra-curricular activities, and a job... I am hoping for good to come out of it. Though it is a load of classes, I only have 10-13 "real" credits, because the other classes are easy/or lecture classes.
Enough to keep me on my toes!

Happy New Year everyone!

Pictures from Michigan State :)

Cow-Calf fields
The famous Tower

Inside their NEW & VERY NICE Livestock Pavilion

Winter Spectacular!

I miss it.... already! Such a beautiful campus!

Finals --> Michigan --> Washington --> HOME!

Finals came & went. I did very well & raised my cumulitive GPA. Next term I am taking 18 credits.... wish me luck!

I left for Michigan on Thursday. During my visit I met some new family members and visited with my aunts, uncles and my grandma. On Saturday, I visited Michigan State University. It was the highlight of my trip. I must admit, the campus is bigger/nicer and their Agriculture Department.... boy oh boy I am SO jealous! Great set-ups, barns and there was even a Beef show going on when I was there. I got to visit it! I am in LOVE, and wishing I could go there. We'll see, it might be something I bring up to my advisor in my next meeting with him. Out of state tuition is pretty expensive, but I imagine myself looking into it further.

I got back on Tuesday, and then I drove to central Washington to visit my sister, brother in law & two neices! I even go to go to my neice's school play. It was very nice to spend the day with them. Driving home in the dark, pouring rain was not fun; I think I hydro-planed more than I was actually on pavement, but I made it home safe & sound. I am glad the weather has warmed back up into the upper 40's and low 50's. It makes it a lot more comfortable here.

I had to go on campus today and do some work for Steer A Year. I am feeding later this week and will be headed home either Saturday night (if the weather is good) or Sunday morning. I am excited to go home and see my bunnies!

I am down to 14. I need to cut a few more, I can't make a cull run until I get a carrier back, but hopefully I will be able to be down to 10 or less by the new year. We'll see.

Flight & Hotel booked for San Antonio! I am not too excited to be flying again, but I am excited for NCBA!

I might post some updates next week, if I have any.... until then.... Happy Holidays!

Procrastination

As I write this, it is FINALS week :) I am very excited for this week, particularly because it means it's the end of a term. I am not very worried about my finals, I have done good in my courses to where I have minimal studying/reviewing to do. I'm very happy about that.

Next term I am currently signed up for 17 credits but I need to take 18. So either one of those will be an animal science upper-division credit or I will take a physical activity course. At that point I will be half-way done with my undergrad! So hard to believe!

Last week rolled into a great weekend! I and a handful of friends headed over to Bend, Oregon for the Oregon Cattlemen's Quarterly Convention and I had some great times, learned a LOT and made some great contacts with BIG name people! We have a great opprotunity for an industry tour the 3rd weekend in January to visit a lot of neat places, and the best part is it's free! The last weekend in January, I am going to San Antonio, Texas!

Relating to rabbits, I was able to send one up to WA and 3 are headed to CA this weekend. That leaves me at 14, but still too many. I need to sell 3 or 4 more for my parents to be happy. Currently they are battling the "frozen tundra syndrome" where it has been getting obnoxiously cold throughout all of Oregon. It's sad when I'm leaving for Michigan this Friday and the weather will be warmer there than it is here!!!

So in the midst of packing, and getting the house ready for all of our absences, I will study... later. Too much left to do!

A long post, sorry in advance!

To be entirely honest, my Thanksgiving break was fully deserved and I was *very* thankful for it. I hit traffic on my way home, but I was able to roll in around 4 or 5 pm. I missed my rabbits, very much. Along with my dog, my mare and well.... my family!

I have 3 juniors waiting to go to Red Bluff. I am just going to throw them in a raffle, because I lost my cull buyer. And about that, after 3 long years with this person I am very depressed to have lost who has kept me in the business these past few years. Without culling, my herd can not go on. I don't have the space to keep up with breeders who push 75-100 rabbits (or even 50 for that matter!). I have culled hard and heavy these past couple of years, setting up a keep-cull system unique to me. I've improved my herd immensly. As far as other cull-outlets, I don't know of anyone in my area to buy my excess stock :(

I have 15 rabbits. And where that sounds minimal, family problems have arisen and the ability for my parents or even other people to keep up with the livestock is just not happening. Furthermore, my show year, well I'm even embarassed to talk about it, but other than Nationals placements, I haven't done anything on the showtable. I've granded some rabbits and earned some legs, but recently the shows have been all about selling/'aka' giving away rabbits and chatting with friends. I love the social aspect of it, and it makes me happy to see my stock or my stock's offspring go off and win, but I like to win here and there too. Don't get me wrong, that may sound whiney, but going from an A+ year to like a C average is well, dissapointing.

The rabbits have outproduced themselves, having very close to 100% survival rate on a good number of babies for 2009. (and I don't have that exact number but its somewhat like 75 or 80).

So when you look at my last year of raising rabbits, it's not fun to look at. It doesn't make me feel too good either. I have considered selling out. And where I haven't made any "final" decisions yet, I don't have any reason to still be in rabbits, except that I love the hobby.

I have, considered the mere factor of getting down to 10 Mini Lops (hardly anything to work with) and getting back into the Satins full swing. I have a perfect cull outlet for them, and it's a great one. They pretty much pay for themselves and I don't mind showing those guys, the people are just as friendly there.

We'll see. First, I have to get through dead week, my weekend trip, 4 finals, my trip to the East Coast, and then, I will think more about the rabbits.

In the meantime, the website is fully updated with new pictures & info :) I have 6-7 animals to sell, and I would like to sell them before Frozen Friends. I'll even drive there if I can sell them all.... :)

Pictured above first is Kitsemble's Melinda, a doe I adore and will be retiring soon. She is older and doesn't deserve to make another move after her long trip here.

Second is LHHR's/Velotta's Brianna - a junior/senior doe which, well her picture says it all ;) Lets just say I should have sent her to San Diego.

Bring on Week 9

The school year has got the best of me. Life has been stressful. I have been trucking through, but entirely too exhausted as come Friday.

Saturday I went to a rabbit show in Albany, OR -- the Fall Warren. It's a double open with a bunch of specialities. I missed entirely too much of it, having to do my dairy milking on Friday evening and had to register for classes on Saturday morning, so I didn't arrive there until around 11 am. I did however, catch up with friends, and manage to find a couple quality animals for my 4-H'ers to start them off right! Thank you Mike Misner & Abby/Jeena Corliss! I skipped the 4H banquet to work on homework, which it was worth it as I got about half of it done. :)

This morning, my roomates woke up bright an early, and headed on our "Term Getaway Trip". We headed north to Tillamook, and visted the Tillamook Cheese Factory! We also visted the Blue Heron Cheese Factory and then headed toward Lincoln City. We stopped in Depoe Bay for some *amazing* wave photographs. I have been getting some tips from photographers and took some awesome photographs! We then traveled south to Newport. We rolled into the Yaquina Head Lighthouse at 4:52 and ran ip 181 stairs to catch some photos and get a cardio workout ;) We then watched the sun go down, and travel 53 miles in thick fog back to Corvallis.

Most of our calves have arrived... just a few drop off's left. We're headed over to Bend after thanksgiving to give our presenation. Also that week is the Civil War. OSU vs U of O... if we win, we go to the Rose Bowl! So pretty excited for that.

I go home Wednesday morning. I am entirely too excited. To see my family... and my bunnies.

I will be doing some culling, and possibly some breedings. We'll see. At any rate, I'll have lots of updates!

Week 5 and counting

Week 5 is here and almost gone. The time has flown.

I had an interview last Wednesday for an internship.... and I found out yesterday that I recieved it! I am pretty excited, and this will be a great experience for me!

Tuesday I had a presentation and a midterm, but they both went well. My cattle classes that night went well too! Even though I have less credits this term, I am more involved. Next term I will be back up to 18.... but only 14 of those "actually count" so I will be working, busy with extra-curricular activties and keeping my GPA up!

Friday morning the rabbits leave for San Diego. I did mark the cages so my parents knew which ones to send.

I won't get to see my rabbits for another 3 weeks. I'm going to make a trip south to pick up 3 rabbits to show at the Fall Warren show, I'd rather have someone transport them but I'm afraid I won't find that.

For now.... LHHR's Rylee, our only colored rabbit in the barn is looking pretty impressive for a future brood doe. We have completely updated the website with most current information and pictures.

Velotta's Kristie is due on the 9th to LHHR's Titan!

Getting over it

I'm slowly getting over the fact of my absence at Convention. It hit me hard, but luckily I was able to get over it before midterms came.

The end of week 3 is tomorrow, I have 2 classes and then I am rushing home. I have a *lot* of stuff to do at home, most importantly getting my wisdom teeth pulled... I let them go too long. I really didn't want an appointment this soon, but oh well.

I also need to cull some juniors and evaluate my older juniors. I am considering showing a few at Fall Warren. I could pick them up on Friday and bring them home on Wednesday.... I just don't know if I want three more rabbits in the house! We'll see how they look.

Obnoxious is due a couple days after I return, so I will give her a bigger cage and build up a good box for her.

I might be breeding my BEW pair if they are mature enough. I haven't seen them in ages so I really don't know how far they've come, but they are 'old enough'.

I will spend a few hours getting my older seniors ready for their long trip down to San Diego. I want them to arrive in Arizona in good condition so they can be bred right away for their new owner.

I have to change my plane ticket. I guess I'm going to Michigan in December after finals. It's the only thing I can think of to do with my ticket.

I will have lots of PICTURES to post when I get back... I am excited to get to see my bunnies!

Ups and Downs

I was adding up convention costs yesterday, trying to tie up transportation ends, when my transporter tells me she has no record of my confirmation e-mail.... I lost my convention transport. So I scrambled and found someone else, more expensive but just as good. Thanks Scott!

I'm not going to send ANY rabbits to show at convention. period. And I'm not going either. So now I have a $350 ticket in lingo... what to do with it.

This year has been pretty hard on me, I've been to a few shows and failed them all (I have not gotten a BOB all year), which is the first time in like, hell along time (5 or 6 yrs or more). I did pretty well at Nationals, so I bred 10 does for Convention, so all of those babies were non-purposeful since I'm not going now. The offspring I did get was amazing, so I don't regret that.

I haven't been able to sell rabbits. Period. I've culled more than I like to JUST because I can't sell. I realize culling IS essential, but not when it means dead-ending animals just because the economy blows (which is what I have blamed it on).

I don't have the money to invest in shows, when they are not beneficial finacially anymore. And I'm not in it for the money, DO NOT get me wrong, but I am a college student, and I have LOTS of bills to pay!

I have, considered, the possibility of selling out.

I cried last night for a few hours until my roomates came home, because it was very hard to consider. I have come SO far these past few years, creating a good line, having great rabbits and a hobby I truly enjoy! I became a registar because I eventually wanted to become a judge, and still do have that goal but maybe just not right now.

I have tried the herd reduction thing, and still... just not working. Granted I did manage to sell a couple for Convention... seniors too, but it still is just not enough. I will be updating my for sale page either today or tomorrow, visit it, and e-mail me if interested. Prices not as important as finding them good homes.

Week one complete!

Don't let anyone try to fool you that college is easy, because it's quite the opposite.

My first week back to college was stressful. Monday was my birthday and well, it didn't go all that great and I ended up going to bed early because I wasn't feeling well.

Tuesday was suicide. I have my first class at 8 am. I then have a 2 hour break where I can go home. But then I have to be back on campus at 11 for a 3 hour Bio lab. And, I really hated it because they "monitor" labs so you can't go at your own pace and get out early. It was really frustrating having to power-walk to my next class. My next class, was an Education class for my Agriculture Education minor. It is also, 3 hours long. I got out a little early since it was the first day, but that still left me running home, grabbing my keys and having an off-campus Steer A Year meeting in the nearby town. That alone was another three hours, so I didn't "land" until almost 10 pm. Every Tuesday will run like this.

Wednesday was short, but filled with work, readings and home work. Thursday was short, just a class and a two hour lab at the ranch, but I had errands to run and lots of stuff to do. So when I rolled out of bed this morning to go speak to a class, and then two hours of class, I was very excited to believe it was FRIDAY!

As far as the rabbits go, I really don't know how they are doing. I have plans of showing 4-6, I want to sell 2 but *if* I don't go, I'm not going to send those 2. That would leave me showing a SJB, BJB, SJD & a BJD. :)

As far as convention goes, yes, it is now less than a month away. I still have my ticket, which has gone un-changed so far and with only one week of school down, I can't say if I've made a decision. I had changed my mind and decided to go, and educational wise I could go now, taking less credits. And, monetarily, I could swing it. But, I should probably save my money, I just spend about $500 in books and still have two more months of rent, electricity, internet, groceries and gas to pay for. We'll see. Hopefully I would have made a decision by next week.... :(

I might go home next weekend, cull some more rabbits and make my convention entry "final".

Well...... Bring it on

So today is Sunday, the day before school starts.
And yes, Oregon university schools start at the end of September, we are weird, we know.

I start my 2nd year up here, I am almost a junior credit wise and I still don't know what I want to do with my college career.

I had an advising appointment on Friday with a different department, Agriculture Education. Where it sounded intriguing in May, it still stands in my "number one" career interest spot, so I'm just going to follow through with it. It's not a lot of extra work, just a few extra classes to fill the basic requirements and pre-licensure core.

In all of the years that I spent thinking 'what I would be when I grew up', becoming a teacher never occured to me, I never even considered it. But, I do realize, I love interacting with kids, and I love teaching, which is really the reason I became a 4-H leader! So I guess it's in me, its possible and it's within my reach. Here goes to the next four years!

Anyways, tomorrow is pretty easy, classes @ 9 and 10 am and a short Livestock Evaluation meeting at 3.

And.... It's my 20th birthday tomorrow, and I have to go to school... great eh? :)

Junior Selections

I love how 53 yielded babies, just 6 of them will make it to convention.

1 SJB - Matthew
1 SJD - Brianna
2 BJD's - Ashlyn & Lila (for sale)
2 BJB's - Henry & Money Maker (for sale)

I made some cull selections out of Kristie, Taylor and Melinda's litters.

I got rid of a SJB out of Taylors litter, a SJD & 2 SJB's out of Kristie's litter, and three from Melinda's litter.... I also got rid of Chestnut & Theodore's little broken doe, and Tessa and Kiah... I could not pose them at all and Henry is just so nice it wouldn't be advisable to keep a doe too.

After all of that... I am down to 29 (including babies). Several of those I will chuck when they get older and make my permanent selections and some of them are for sale. I am keeping just under 20 until the spring.

oye.

My Stockton report

Left Friday morning as early as possible, meeting up with a breeder in Sacramento.
I hate Sacramento... even the airport exit pissed me off. I am used to two lanes of freeway traffic; not eight. I am used to courteous polite people who drive the speed limit and use their directional signals.

Get into Stockton, head to the fairgrounds. It's an open barn. Puzzled on how they are going to cram in thousands of animals in there before the show starts in the morning I drove back towards my cousins's house to find out they are sick, so we find a hotel. Have to carry 3 big carriers upstairs. Wonderful.

Go out to dinner with my uncle and one of my cousins that weren't sick. Hit the bed, had to be up at 6.

Load the rabbits into the car and hurry to the fairgrounds. When I paid my entry to Rita I asked where to set up my reigistation stuff and she told me next to the raffle and there was an empty table there.

Mistake #1. Little did I know, that empty table was where they used to have the secretary's table. A simple line in the catalog noting that there was a change in location would have been nice. I had to tell about 200 people, and several of them youth, that no, I was not the secretary, I would not take their money and had to give them directions where the secretary's new table was. Now, if that happened a dozen times, I wouldn't have minded.... but it was really irratating and half the time I just left and went and talked with breeder friends.

Mistake #2. Putting all BIG entries in the "arena". Big entries mean lots of people, silly people so why cram a bunch of people in one square. I had troubles getting in there, so I became really agile and learned how to hop chain link fences while dodging all of Chris's carriers below.

Mistake #3. Leaving the lights on when its 103*F out. WHYYYYYY. Selling bottled water for $1.50.... im surprised they didn't charge tax too. No fans for the buns.... WTH. By the time it coooled off, we were leaving!

Mistake #4. Sitting next to the raffle table. Never again. People assume you are "in-charge" of the raffle and then to come out and ask you who's in charge.... I don't know lady!, I'm from Oregon! Not to mention, when they finally pull tickets for the raffle, just leave the area. I had a crapload of kids ON my table, affecting the work I was doing and deterring people from bringing animals to register. I could have doubled my work if it wasn't for that darned raffle.

Mistake #5. Having bathrooms that don't work and furthermore not supplying toilet paper or paper towels... or HAND SANITIZER for that matter.

Mistake #6. A lot of the above could have been avoided if the superintendant had given a 'welcome' message at the beginning of the show. A simple, here is this, the secretary's table is over there, or these breeds will be starting under these judges..... I would have been a wreck had I been a newbie exhibitor trying to find my way around....

There is more... I know it, I just can't think of it at the moment. Are there any positives? Sure, I made enough money to pay for this months rent, I got to see some of my family that were'nt sick and only got chased by one African American man... we made it through the bad part of town pretty safely. My uncle drove me through Stockton, telling me about all the buildings that have changed since I lived there, and took me up to the Port of Stockton and got to see a HUGE frieghter boat.

I come back with no pictures, the only pics I got were of family and the bunnies in the hotel really... I was driving so no I-5 memories.

Overall, it was a decent show. I've been to worse, but the Pacific Northwest puts on lots better shows and that's what I'll stick to from now on. :)

Stockton Results

The rabbit's end was excellent :)

Brianna AND Henry amazed me and took 4th in ALL 3 of their shows. Class sizes were 20-25, but with some DQ/Scratches/and Adds, I will wait till my show report... but other wise, big competitive classes :) Matthew took a 6th and 9th, I think I still might keep him, he's pretty typey, just lacking some development.

I got rid of 3. And I transported several to help with gas.

I got to breed one of my does, to Chris's buck "Techron".... who is just "jaw-dropping" beautiful. I will be getting his son at Convention who should work as my next herd buck.

I'm alive!

We have the internet temporarily hooked up... there's an issue with the wireless router so we have to share it and can only use it on one place... hopefully they'll have it fixed by the time I come back!

I'm going to leave for home tomorrow evening, or Thursday morning at latest. I have a lot to do, in far as getting rabbits ready and plan on who I'm bringing, washing clothes and packing.

But I'm ready for Stockton, now it looks more like a daunting task, but at the same time it does look fun. :) I'm excited to see my bunny friends and talk CONVENTION!

Speaking of convention, there is a lot of talk of trying to put one on in the NW Reporter. It's a lot easier said than done, and our DDirector just posted on the D1 web (link) a "surface" as to what goes on, to know what people would be getting into but also to put in some serious considerations for it.

Here to Stockton! Wishing for safe travels :)

Home sweet Home!

The Crescent City show went well. I can't say excellent but it wasn't a complete disaster.

Obnoxious took BOSB in two shows, to pick up her 3rd & 4th legs. I don't suppose I need to show her anymore, she proved her self by going on the show table after a big litter! Thedore took BOV in the 3rd show for his 3rd leg to Grand. Theodore has just lost his show gleam, so I'd like to get another litter from him and move him on. Matthew took 1st in all of his classes, but that big beefy senior buck was just too good to beat. Brianna, took 1st in 4/5 of her classes. And even a BOSB in Show C? I know BOSV for sure and I'm highly sure BOSB, so I'll wait for the show report to post that one. All judges RAVED over Rylee and especially Brianna and Matthew, and at only 3 months old to get those comments, I know my feelings are correct about them in sending them to Nationals.
LHHR's Swimmer went BOB in one of the shows and LHHR's Awesome Affair 'Jack' won BOV's and BOB in the Youth show, I don't know a total of legs these boys have won but it's up there. :) Congrats Lacey!

I sold two rabbits... lets just say this new breeder got an *especially* good deal, so I hope they realized it and appreciated it because I felt horrible about it. But that's two more holes down, and seniors I didn't have to cull.

Monday morning I headed back up to Corvallis. Traffic was good most of the way on Labor Day and started to clog just after Eugene. I transported a rabbit up there, and have some transports on my way back home next week.

Monday I just put stuff in the house and relaxed. Hung out with friends and watched a movie. Tuesday was entirely unpacking and organizing. The job would be SO much easier if I wasn't OCD, but when it comes to decorating and organizing 4 girls's stuff in an already small house, you have to look on the bright side and be OCD! Did some shopping and laundry.
Yesterday, I had an interview at 9am at the Dairy. There are 20 students applying for 3 positions, so just trying to be optimistic but will be job shopping again this afternoon. I really need a job, being a college kid trying to stay out of debt in this economy, let me say that again... IT's HARD and I had to be an idiot to even attempt to go to college right now. But I'm making it, and making the best of it.... so splitting expenses with 3 other girls is a GREAT idea... it helps with rent/electricity/internet and food. Sometimes we'll even split books if we have the same courses.

I plan on sending out my Stockton entry today, because I don't know when our internet will arrive. We ordered it yesterday and it takes 3-5 days to get here, so being positive, it *could* be here Friday, but more like Monday or Tuesday. I'm not going to show much, because I will be hopefully registering a lot and working on selling my animals. I think I will just be showing a trio of juniors. Brianna, Matt and either Money Maker or Lila. I can do DOS entries for the specialty, so I'm not too worried on that one.

Until Stockton.... :)

Well.... here's to the beginning

Here's to the beginning of "real" 09 show season, and heading back to college!

Tomorrow morning I head to Crescent City for a triple open on Saturday and a double open on Sunday. I hope the rabbits do okay, I'm more interested in selling though than placements!

Sunday evening I meet up with a breeder to transport a rabbit up to Corvallis. In this trip I'm packing up the remaining of my belongings, plus Roxy my house rabbit.

Monday morning I'm headed out for Corvallis for 10 days. I have a lot to do up there, and I should be rather busy moving in, job interviews, Steer A Year stuff and "pre-studying".

I don't know when I'll be getting the internet hooked back up, so I'll have a bunch of updates when I do!

Junior Love

Start the cuteness early -- LHHR's MS1 - Bkn Chinchilla Buck, 3 weeks
Lila - Bkn Chestnut Jr Doe (3 months)

Henry - Bkn Steel Jr. Buck (3 months)

Brianna - Chestnut Jr Doe (3 months)

Rylee - Chocolate Chestnut Jr Doe (4 months)

Matthew - Chestnut Jr Buck (3 months)

Updated Show/Sales List

I settled on a show list and sent out the e-mail... it's done, I've officially spent another $80 I don't really have, but I can't miss this show... The opprotunity to have 5 shows at your back door is not an everyday occurance.

Saturday - Triple Open
Obnoxious
Mason
Theodore
Matthew - SJB
Rylee -SJD
Brianna - SJD

Sunday - Double Open
Obnoxious
Mason
Theodore

I'm pretty sure this is the worst show list I've ever put together, and I hope it's not a complete waste of money. My seniors are in semi-molts, and my juniors pretty nice, but I couldn't risk showing them all weekend.

I'm bringing Mason, Waffles, Hera, Hayden, Last Minute, Taylor & 2 Broken Jr Does to sell, or give away.

I head back to Corvallis in 7 days. I'm actually very excited for it because I've been an emotional wreck these past few weeks... nothing I wish to discuss, but it sure takes it's toll on looking forward to fun rabbit show weekends when life looks so depressing. Perhaps a good Labor Day weekend show will help out with this dilemma.... Here we come Crescent City!

Juniors / Show

I knew there was a reason why I didn't name juniors, particularly so I don't become attached. But when I do, it's a big deal. I spent hours picking out the last batch (where they all had reason and purpose, not to mention not so common) to find them used on other rabbits of the same breed, so from now on, I won't be announcing the names of my juniors, or quite frankly go back to waiting until they are seniors. Oh well!

I have revised my show list, I will be showing:
5 shows:

• Obnoxious
• Theodore
• Mason

Sunday Only:

• Rylee - SJD
• Lila - BJD
• Matthew - SJB

Even with just those, it comes just shy of $80 for the weekend if I only show the juniors on Sunday. I am bringing 8 sale buns, and I hope to not come back with them... wishful thinking I suppose.

Junior Business

My juniors are growing up so fast, and doing so well! I had to stop the 1 cup feeding and reduce to 3/4 cup, if there's anything I don't need, is animals going over junior weight!

Tessa & Kiah, I can't pose for the life of me. I'm trying to keep in mind, that rabbits that don't naturally pose themselves can have sturctural problems, but I'm just not seeing it. It was a very complementary cross, they are just VERY stubborn girls! From what I can gather they have great depth and all around nice body type, but I can't pick on one to keep until I can get them evaulated thoroughly. I do like Tessa's head/crown/ear better.

Henry is a nice guy, very typey and has a killer head coming in at 3 months old. I'd really like to send him to San Diego pre-sold, I really think someone can benefit from this Velotta/DeSurra/Sieber/Kitsemble cross (strictly those 4 lines, the best of the best!) I would love the person that takes this very nice boy off my hands to show/breed.

Sophie is a decent girl. Jet Puff has chewed her fur, but she wasn't going to be a show doe anyways. I'd like to keep her if I get room, but it is possible I will part with her, she was just a replacement for Ellie Mae.

Jet Puff has traditional BEW type, she's long and narrow in head and body, has long bone and not so great fur density or texture. But, she has great well-furred ears ears, a good crown and a decent topline! She actually looks like a Mini Lop which sends me jumping up-and down compared to my first stock. If all goes well, I hope to breed her in October or November. I have a few interested individuals so I'm hoping the whole litter sells.

Rylee is actually surprising me for a colored doe. I think it's quite evident I'm not a fan of breeding for color, but this doe I'm considering showing next weekend. We'll see what she looks like then.

Hayden is coming along nicely. Surely the result of a good cross, but I can't afford to keep him. He should make a really nice show/breeding buck.

Blue Crush is an awesome little boy from Amy, I can't be happier to have a nice BEW buck with good type to use. I got his pedigree a few days ago and realized how well-bred he is and why he looks the way he does. A huge thanks for parting with this cute guy!

Lila is coming along nicely. She is going through her uglies, I hope she pulls out nicely because right now I'd consider selling her. I just cant get over that head/crown/ear.

Ashylyn has turned around, making the final deicsion to keep her rather than her brother. I've even considered showing her next weekend.

Brianna needs to develop a little more before I'd like to show her (Stockton though?) which is why I think I will show Rylee instead, though she is very nice!

Money Maker keeps going back and forth, but I really think I will be keeping his solid brother, so I would like to sell him for San Diego. Need new pics of him, the one I do have of him is horrible.

Matthew is just drop dead gourgeous, and I am definately showing him at Crescent City and Stockton. Talk about a typey balanced buck and a lot going for him.

Alvin is coming out alright, not going to keep him so he is for sale, either locally or San Diego. I'm being really picky and weeding him out just because he doesnt have a wide enough head for my liking.

From Taylors litter, I plan to keep the doe, but will consider keeping a buck if there is one substantially better. I gave Taylor's remaining 3 to Kristie so I can focus on selling her. I plan on keeping 1 doe each from Kristie and Melinda's litter, but will be holding onto them for litters next year.

And that's it, I can't believe these guys are the last little ones for the rest of the year!! I'm hoping to make it home before San Diego entry deadlines, that way I'm not sending rabbits blind.... and I still need to find a reliable/trustworthy transporter... that is always hard.

Show next weekend!

I've been counting down the days till my next show, because quite frankly, it's been far too long since my last one.

I think I've come across a show list for Crescent City; one I'm very excited about, but it'll have to do!

• Obnoxious
• Theodore
• Matthew - SJB
• Rylee - SJD
• Ashlyn - BJD

I have a few back up rabbits planned, but with the dead line approaching, this is what it looks like I'll be taking.

And at $15 for 5 shows/per rabbit, it adds up quickly so I'll keep it short. I'm not registering there, so its just this small list and sale animals only.

Obnoxious is in a minor molt, coming off of it so I expect her to finish. Otherwise she looks nice. Theodore is in a minor-moderate molt. Certainly something I can brush out before the show, but I don't think it should be a big deal.

Preparing for shows

Even though submitting entries is the hardest task, much work is done before I send them in.

Once I decide to go to a show, my first thought is "who do I have to enter?" I go out to the barn and see what I have. Currently, I have a bunch of old show animals, a bunch of young animals, and a few seniors and promsing juniors I "could" show. I then take the show into perspective. "Will there be a lot of competion?" "How far am I traveling to the show?" "How many animals do I need to sell?"

Last year I limited myself to 15 carrier holes... it's just hard to take more than that to a show these days, if I go over that I have to drive the truck or borrow carriers from friends (and I have done that a few times!....) So I try to hold a few for sale animals, since I usually always take something to sell.

I then write down what I "can" show, and I make another list of what I can sell.
Of those show animals, I evaluate their condition. Right now I have some rabbits molting (the drastic weather changes) but they are minor molts and should be done before the show comes around. To help aid the process, I give hay and brush them often.
I will weigh my animals... having made several weight mistakes over my many years of showing, its something I try to avoid before the show now. I no longer take those "at risk" bunnies, its just not worth the entry fee!

I trim all nails. Nothing irriates me more than improper nail care. Usually I just have minor trims and while I'm there I also check nail color, tails, teeth and front legs. I also check for abcesses, especially pimples on those boys! I'll check and see if their tattoo has faded (since I use an electric tattooer) and if any touch-ups are needed I will do them while I am thinking about it.

Once I have my show list, I focus on those animals for a while, continuing to groom them, monitor their status and keep hay in front of them. And it's not abnormal upkeep, I do this everyday, but when I have a show coming up, I don't want mistakes to arise there or before I get there (and they happen all the time, an animal blows their coat, breaks their tooth at the show or gets sprayed by a buck at home... stuff happens!)

I then take note how much money I have to spend. That's always a tough task, I am a college student and money is tight. I dont like spending more than I have to, so I'll go for reasonable lodging, limit entries and try to pre-sell animals to make the show more worthy. I've been on a kick of showing a short list of animals, its less work at the show and saves money. Granite I haven't been granding animals like I used to, but I don't mind as I've acheived all my "short term" goals in rabbits.

So when I send in my entries, via snail or e-mail, it's hard to click "send" or drop the envelope in the box.

Speaking about shows, I have a few I am preparing for right now! I have until the 1st of September to send in my Crescent City entry. They have a good secretary and are on top of their "stuff" so they can have just a few takes to pull out a GREAT 7 show weekend!

Right now, I have 3 seniors I "plan" to show. I still have to weigh them. Those are Obnoxious (I want to grand her, then might sell her?), Dominic and Theodore. I might bring Last Minute as a back up for Obnoxious, use her as an ear change rabbit.
I then have 3 juniors I would like to show. Now I dont think I can show them in all 5 shows, too expensive but I'd like to atleast show them on Sunday. Those are the siblings, Brianna, Matthew and Lila my Hades x Twitch litter. I'm working on getting their baby coats gone (almost there!) and but the muscle and flesh is there. I just want to know if I am on the right track with them, because I really like them ;) That is all I have to show though, I have plenty of sale animals, so I'm not entirely dissapointed....

I even considered showing the BEW's on Saturday for comments only. Let me make that clear, I just want to get them at a show to show off, since Ive never taken my BEW's anywhere before!!!! We'll see....

Junior Pictures ... finally!

Tessa - Bkn Steel Doe

*Please excuse this pic, she did NOT want to cooperate and is not this ugly!

Tessa is a promising doe from Obnoxious and Twitch. We will decide soon if we are keeping her or her solid steel sister Kiah.

Sophie - Bkn Chinchilla Doe

Sophie is a cute doe from Ellie Mae and Twitch. Where it's not reasonable to say she will ever hit the show tables, she is a good replacement for Ellie Mae and we are excited to add her into our breeding program.

Rylee - Chocolate Chestnut Doe

Rylee is a cute doe out of Mason and Mia. She is a collage of color and type, no show doe that is for certain, but good enough to get some color without loosing type either.
Money Maker - Bkn Chinchilla Buck
I think I might part with this buck... I kept the whole litter until now and I think it's reasonable to say his solid brother has a better head package than him... even though I think this boy is very promising! I'd like to sell him for San Diego.

Matthew - Chestnut Buck

This wonderful boy out of Hades and Twitch has caught my eye from day one! I think he is a promising show/herdsire potential and his siblings look just the same!

Lila - Bkn Chestnut Doe

Another Hades Twitch sibling, this doe is just stunning! I find myself calling her "Twitch Jr." from time to time, maybe she will fill her parents shoes!

Kiah - Steel Doe

Sorry for this overposed picture of Kiah, she did not want to cooperate! She really is deep though, and has a coat just like her mom's! I think she will make a really good show doe later this year.

Henry - Bkn Steel Buck

I saved this guy off the cull list because he is just too nice to throw away. Even though I cannot afford to keep this buck, I'd consider selling him for San Diego, otherwise I'll continue growing him out. Great head/crown, depth, topline and he even has his mom's dense fur too!

Hayden - Steel Buck

I'm really not sure if I am keeping him, I need another buck like a hole in my head but he is the best buck out of Hera and Dominic. I bred them together because I was under the assumption I was selling Dominic and I wanted a litter from him. I don't need to keep him, so if someone wants a good lineage buck that's promising for show, let me know :)

Brianna - Chestnut Doe

The other Hades Twitch sibling, she is a very pretty girl! I like her just as much as Lila, and cannot decide which one to keep....

Ashlyn - Bkn Chestnut Doe

I think this doe will get better with time, certainly not a head cross for all accounts considering but we'll see. We are keeping her or her brother.

Alvin - Bkn Chestnut Buck

Currently I like this buck better than his sister but really it's a toss up. I can't afford to keep him, and would rather keep the doe, even though she's not as nice. I think his head will come in with age, he has everything else going for him though.

BEW Project

Jet Puff is a Jr. Doe born in May, she's not a lot to talk about type wise, but certainly better than my first BEW. I didn't keep her VM sister, just didn't have room. I'm going to try to breed her right to Crush at 6 months, and outcross Crush with some non Vienna does to get some typey Viennas to work with her offspring.

Jet Puff
Monday afternoon I picked up "Blue Crush" from Teri. Amy and I traded, I sent her up a Bkn Jr. Buck from Obnoxious and Twitch and I got a BEW Jr. Buck out of my stock. Not too directly related to Jet Puff, but just enough to swing those genetics back in. He has good type (for a BEW) and I am *very* excited to breed these guys as soon as I can.

Blue Crush

The BEW project is become a long process for me, two years coming up in November and Puff is only my 2nd BEW ever. If only I wasn't in college I'm sure this project would have come by a lot faster. :)

Juniors are named!

When the time comes to name my own child, it will likely take me the whole 9 months to come up with a name, even then I'm bound to change my mind last minute! Naming rabbits is always the hardest thing, and I postpone it as long as possible.

I generally don't name my juniors until they become seniors and I know I'm keeping them, but these guys I do hope will stick around for a while. In the meantime, I need to have names associated with them, as I'm more likely to spend time with them when they have names!!!

Does:
Sophia - Bkn Sable Chinchilla from Ellie Mae and Twitch
Rylee - Chocolate Chestnut from Mia and Mason
Kiah - Steel from Obnoxious and Twitch
Tessa - Bkn Steel from Obnoxious and Twitch
Lila ("Twitch Jr") - Bkn Chestnut from Hades and Twitch
Brianna - Chestnut from Hades and Twitch
Ashlyn - Bkn Chestnut from Maid Dignified and Danger

Bucks:
Hayden - Steel from Hera and Dominic
Henry - Bkn Steel from Obnoxious & Twitch (FOR SALE)
Money Maker - Bkn Sable Chinchilal from Hades and Twitch
Matthew - Chestnut from Hades and Twitch
Alvin - Bkn Chestnut from Maid Dignified and Danger

The ones in bold are convention canidates, the rest are just along for the ride. I held back "Henry" from the cull list yesterday because he was just too nice to throw away. Kiah and Tessa are pieces littermates, one has body and less head, one has head and less body. The 4 Hades siblings are killing me, they are so nice, and there are two does, two bucks, with a solid and broken of each. What more can you ask for! Ashlyn and Alvin, I like the buck better, but I need does more than bucks......

Decisions!!!

Minus 11, Add 13

My herd reduction would really be easier if I would stop breeding rabbits, but my biggest pet peeve is letting good does sit around for nothing. Furthermore, all of my litters must be born this summer, as I won't be able to have any litters until the spring :( (and that is going to be hard to do!)

So my intentions were simple, breed all of my does and keep their offspring, which if you breed correctly, hopefully are suitable replacements. And I haven't done a bad job at reducing, seems how I am just over 35 (with litters) and was over 70 just a few weeks ago.

I got rid of 11 rabbits yesterday. 3 were transported up to the Monroe Benefit Show. 6 were culled (5 bucks) and I sold 2 in the evening. But, that number was out done when Melinda kindled to 8 kits, and Kristie had 5. I am very happy for two more healthy litters, especially from these beautiful does!

I moved everyone around. Everyone is where I want them to be, or where they "should" be. The convention juniors are in my jr grower cages, minus Obnoxious's two does, which wouldn't fit (since I have 8 to show, and only 6 of those cages). Every junior buck has their own cage. I moved Kristie, Melinda and Chestnut to my litter cages, that way they have more room. And again, all of my bucks wound up on the bottom, except Theodore, who doesnt spray and I plan on keeping him in show shape.

The Crescent City Show catalog has come out. I guess they moved the date, to after Labor Day. They bumped a local judge to get a out of state judge. I really dont have anything to show. I'll have to weigh Theo and Dominic. I'm trying to get Obnoxious in show shape, and if not Last Minute should be a good replacement for her if she doesn't kindle (I gave her a box just in case).
Other that, anything else I bring, will be for sale. I suppose that's a good thing, since entries are $15 per rabbit (5 shows). Where that's completely reasonable, it adds up quickly.

Getting ready to make another trip north. I have to dissassemble the desk and entertainment center, can't afford to make another trip with the truck so the remaning stuff has to fit in my car! *yikes!*

Heat Wave, Fair, Moving & more

First off, I want to thank my parents for keeping all of my bunnies alive in the massive heat wave the pacific northwest took last week. Temps hit 111*F in the Rogue Valley and with lots of young bunnies and litters, I was really worried something would happen!

While the heat wave in southern Oregon was pounding the area, I was up in "cool" Corvallis for their county fair. Where temps for the summer rarely go over *85, that first fair day we hit 108*F official & we lost 3 pigs despite all tries to keep the livestock cool. Pigs are very susceptible to heat since they don't sweat, and they were some tragic losses (even out side of fair) The rabbit barn stayed about 10* cooler than outside, thanks to lots of industrial shop fans and a very nice building.

The kid's rabbits did great in conformation and showmanship went just as well. I bounced around the fair for the various livestock showings, got in some judging practice hung out with friends and signed papers and paid first month's rent for my house! It was very exciting to have my first house keys!

Saturday night I packed my camping stuff into my house and stayed over at a friends since I didn't have anything in there yet. Sunday I moved in a lot of furniture and kitchen stuff and two of my roomates helped. It was very awesome to have a day in the new place!

I had to head home Sunday evening though, too much work to be done here at home.

Rabbits are good. Hera's litter are all bucks. I have my eye on the steel. I sexed Chestnut's litter, 3 are bucks, one I couldn't tell and there are 2 does. I'll have no choice but to cull the bucks and keep only the best doe from this litter.

Taylor kindled while I was gone! 7 TINY babies, but doing very well! Hopefully she pulls out a nice litter since I plan on moving Boomerang out soon.

Thursday & Friday should rid of some rabbits & hopefully Sunday will follow. My primary focus is opening up holes for growing out convention juniors. I had been growing them out together until 8-10 weeks, but it is now time for them to move up on their own.

Kristie is due tomorrow and Melinda the following day. These will be my last litters for a while unfortunately.

The Ups and The Downs :: Herd Dispersal Failure

Raising any livestock produces ups and downs. In rabbits, your ups are your good show wins, great litters and flowing sales. The downs could be disease/illness, bottoming your classes, loosing litters and no empty cages.

Last year, I was on an up. 2009 has really bottomed out for me, granite, I have had some good wins, awsome litters and wonderful support, but I have reached an all-time low with the rabbits. I considered selling out at one point, but I decided to just keep it down to 10. That's really hard to do when no 'good' sales are arising. I love 4-H'ers and people who want pets, but I hate seeing great show/breeding stock wind up as 'dead-ends'. I like to go back to breeder-friends and have the ablility to purchase back offspring if I need to.

I've had a lot of interest, especially locally. But the follow through kills me. People are busy this summer, as am I, and I have no time to wait around. I have no choice but to make another cull list after I get home from Corvallis. I'm at 40 (9 babies), with 10+ culls (awesome stock, I just cant move them out) I want to keep about 7 or 8 for San Diego out of 10 (from the original 50). If I can keep it at 20, with the 7 or 8 for San Diego, I'll be the happiest person in the world.

I'm leaving for county fair in the morning. I'll be away from my computer for an entire week *yikes!*, so if you need to get ahold of me, just call. Maybe a week of camping with my 4-H kids will boost my spirits :)

The boys!

HT3 - Chestnut "Matthew"

HT4 - Bkn Sable Chinchilla "Money Maker", FOR SALE?

MDD2 - Bkn Chinchilla "Alvin" - FOR SALE?

MDD3 - Bkn Chinchilla "Simon", FOR SALE?

MDD4 - Bkn Chestnut

OT5 - Bkn Steel - FOR SALE

OT6 - Bkn Sable Chinchilla - HOLD

OT7 - Steel FOR SALE