The rabbitry ~ American Chinchilla's

Zelpha "Fern"

2 month old doe, from China Moon Rabbitry

Our rabbitry is going to focus on the American Chinchilla rabbit breed.  This doe "Fern" will be with us for many years to come as our foundation doe, the first of our pedigreed American Chinchilla breeding stock.  She's tattooed in the right ear to prove it, and last week I even joined the ARBA, the American Rabbit Breeder's Association, so now Applegarth Farm is officially a registered rabbitry.

Zelpha Fern was my grandmother's name and I've always loved it!  Mostly because it represented my grandmother and she was an amazing woman with so much energy and zest for life.  I remember her cooking and love of family and wanted to think of her often.  The story behind the name is that her mother, my great grandmother made up the name with a friend when they were 10 years old and were talking and playing and thinking about names for their future children.  My great grandmother chimed out saying, "I'm going to name my firstborn daughter Zelpha Fern", and she did!  I remember my grandmother telling my sister and I the story when we were about 10 years old, she had a real southern Oklahoma accent with inflection and tone that made stories fun to listen to. 

Of course I had to name her husband, the buck Melvin.  My grandfather's name is Lawrence Melvin "Mel" for short.  My grandpa is still alive and still gardening.  I'm sure he'll hear about me naming my rabbits Mel and Fern after both of them.  As I say their names to my new rabbits, I often think of the many happy memories our families have shared over the years with both of my grandparents.

American Chinchilla buck Melvin "Mel"

from the Tree House Rabbitry

Serendipity

One year old American Chinchilla doe 

bred to Tobin of China Moon rabbitry on 6/8

Serendipity, our one year old American Chinchilla doe came with us as we travelled South on I-5 for an hour and a half as we headed to China Moon Rabbitry.  She was coming with us to be bred to one of their nice pedigreed bucks named Tobin, I hope to get a picture up soon of him. Melvin is from a totally different rabbitry in the same area called The Treehouse Homestead rabbitry.  He's a 3 month old buck that is non related to both Fern and Serendipity.  We had a nice time at China Moon meeting Theresa the breeder, and I had fun seeing all of her rabbits and her whole set up.  It's nice to talk to other's who are further along in their breeding program, I always learn new things by asking questions.  Thank you Theresa for the rabbits and the breeding to Tobin, we enjoyed our time at their rabbitry, talking with both her and her husband. 

Fern is happily rooming together with Serendipity for the next few weeks, and a few days before she gives birth, Serendipity will get her own large cage as we're growing more cages are being built along with the rabbit tractor.  Melvin is in the cage next door, and next to him are the Champagne d' Argents.