Summer Break.

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We finally reached the summer lull for the show season. Whew. Our next 'planned' show isn't until mid-September. It'll be a journey for sure =) More on that when it's a for sure thing!
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We're still breeding heavy and I am so so grateful for our air conditioned barn. I do remind the bunnies almost daily how lucky they really are!
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Dilemma is being a wonderful foster mom to Cheyenne's two babies. They were about 2 weeks old and I was worried Dilemma wouldn't accept two already running around and nibbling on food kits. It seems I worried for no reason. They sit on her head to reach the feeder and line up with her for head rubs. If you didn't notice the loppy ears you'd never know they were adopted. What a good momma!

I am expecting my first litter of Hot Fuzz babies this week and I'm very excited!
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I am seriously behind on updating the site but I should be able to find the time now that summer is here! Lots of promising juniors to photograph!
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Stay cool, Melanie

A Sad Day.

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I have no words. I am so heartbroken.
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Rest in peace my beloved Cheyenne.

Cookie Doh.

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Wow, 25 babies born yesterday and today! 3 of which could be my first silver marten dwarfs! I am so excited!
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Pictured below is one of my favorite upcoming cuties. Unfortunately she cannot be shown due to a nest box injury, but I have no doubt she'll contribute greatly to the next generation of LBF bunnies!
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She is Lil' Bit Farms Boulder x THF Saynora's Cookie. I've named her Cookie Doh. She has a blue tort brother that is almost as cute. I seem to get a lot of blue tort bucks?!

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We attended the Seward show and had a blast! It was very nice to meet Becky S. and Amanda O. Even though they wouldn't give me their beautiful blue otter buck I still think they were nice and a whole lot of fun. I look forward to showing with them again soon!

Mom and I want to congratulate Philip and Brendan for their wins this last weekend!

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If memory serves me correctly Philip won Best of Breed (Lil' Bit Farms Cammie) and Best Opposite Sex of Breed (Lil' Bit Farms Frazier) in the A HL specialty show. I believe in the B show Philip won Best of Breed and Best Opposite Sex again, different doe same buck! Way to go Philip!

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Brendan won a double BOB and Reserve in Show with Lil' Bit Farms Yogi! Awesome job Brendan!

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Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Melanie

A Few Random Updates.

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Hollands:

We have quite a few litters of hollands now, even the hard to settle does are taking! We will have lots of orange bucks available soon, sigh. Due to the abundant litters Mom will be offering a few nice otter/otter project bucks and does. Including:

Carls Junior - our main herd buck and great producer , keeping his son to replace him

Kendra - placed 18th broken junior doe '08 Convention, proven good mother

^ either of these two would make a nice addition to an otter project!

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Dwarfs:

Lots of does settling and kindling, finally! I am still in the process of selling down (out?) of the ruby eyed whites. Most does have been sold and I will be going thru and adding the last of the juniors soon. My only black silver marten doe is bred to the buck I picked up at Nationals so hopefully I'll have BSM's in the nest box soon! This is my favorite color and I can't wait to expand them more!

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Woolies:

Dilemma is growing out of her puppy cut and looking oh so good! If she wasn't due next week I'd be tempted to show her again. Her head is amazing!

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Hot Fuzz adult coat is coming in fast and furious now. I'm excited to see what his final senior coat looks like! We've started using him on a few does and the excitement of Hot Fuzz babies is over whelming!
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I have four does confirmed bred and the other 3 are awaiting palpating. Hmm, those numbers seem a tad higher than my original plan of a trio/quad.

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Seward is this weekend! For those of you who have never attended, you are missing out! The holland numbers are HUGE! and the show staff is amazing! You should come!

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I have lots of updates planned for the website but so far I haven't found the time. It's been a busy busy summer.

Melanie

The Things You Hear at a Show.

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No, this isn’t going to be a gossip column =)
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I’ve been showing and taking comments for awhile now and yep I hear a lot. Some judges seem to run down a list:
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Good head
Good ears
Good type
Good color
-- and on to the next rabbit
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It’s almost the same comments on the same class of rabbits no matter what the breed. The 8th place rabbit receives about the same comments as the 1st place rabbit. Shouldn’t there be more to it than that?
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I’ve heard some off the wall comments too. For example, ever have a holland dinged for too much crown definition or too much bone for a junior? Or how about a dwarf with too deep of a chest or too open and thick ears? Yes, I’ve heard it.
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Other judges seem to base their comments on the breed they are judging. *gasp*
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For example;
natural depth of shoulder
placement of head on shoulder
crown definition and placement
thickness of ear
curvature of head
dips behind the shoulder
long in bone
bone structure
TOPLINE
round
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It’s amazing how the above list relates with the flaws and/or strengths of the Holland Lop and/or Netherland Dwarf but you rarely hear these comments given.
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While I won’t name the ‘too much crown’ judge I will name two judges that always comment on the above, Robert Caldwell and Connall Addison. I don't really want to seem bias to just these two judges, but I do feel they deserve Kudos.
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So, thank you guys for being in tune with our breed(s)!
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Melanie

JW Nationals.

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This last weekend I attended Jersey Wooly Nationals. Thank you to the show staff for a smooth and quick show! Having risers in each coop made check-in and check-out easy!
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I originally entered 2, an agouti junior buck [Hot Fuzz] and a doe to sale. At the last minute Mom talked me into bringing an agouti junior doe. The JW club actually let exhibitors do a late entry!
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Of the ones brought to show, here's how they placed:

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Nationals:
Agouti Junior Buck - 1st
Agouti Junior Doe - 1st
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M.J.W.F.C. Specialty show:
Agouti Junior Buck - 1st and BOSG
Agouti Junior Doe - 1st
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Congrats to Brian Caudill for not only winning BOB with a self senior doe but Best Agouti and Best Opposite Broken (now residing with Melanie of Lil' Bit Farms =) I'm sure Brian had other great placements, these are just the ones I remember lol! Thank you and congrats again!
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I am very proud of Hot Fuzz. I hope he continues to follow in his mothers footsteps!
Melanie

The Good, the Bad and the Broken.

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We made it home from dwarf nationals. Wow, what a trip.

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I could not get online to update a winners list and we neglected to put the memory card in our camera. It has a feature to notify you of this mistake but it was not working! Tons of pictures taken and no internal memory. >.<

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We only took 4 dwarfs. One of those should have stayed home, he was molting his head and naturally rec'd a No Place. I guess when you're driving that far and your entries are all ready paid for, we opted to take him anyways. Sienna placed 7th in the black senior doe class. Kodiak, our young and small otter senior buck placed 11th! He was slipping his coat so I was extremely pleased with his placement! Slick won his class! I was thrilled!

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Mom and I try very hard not to have does due and/or new litters while we are out of town. We made one mistake. We were so eager to breed our new broken blue dwarf after her quarantine period that we didn't think about her due date. We came home to find these:

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Our first decently marked brokens! I am so excited!
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Thank you Dad and Matt for doing our chores!

Mel