The Rare Hare Barn was founded from Eric’s own desire to have more control over and input in his family’s food. The idea caught on. Before long, they were supplying fresh heritage breed rabbit fryers to some of the best restaurants in the Midwest, and coast to coast.

Currently they raise American Blue and White, American Chinchilla, Blanc d’Hotot, Silver Fox and Crème d’Argente rabbits.

Today’s show focuses on the American Chinchilla  and what it really takes to be a rabbit farmer. The American Chinchilla was once a mainstay of the rabbit industry, but now is the most rare of all the heritage breeds. They are superior and consistent producers. Contact Eric & Callene Rapp to learn more. www.rareharebarn.com

Travel back in time to enjoy healthier more flavorful meets. Now you maybe aware there is a movement to enjoy heirloom vegetables and fruits. Well, now the time has come to make a similar discovery with heritage meats. And joining me to lead this discussion is Jeff Duba purveyor of fine heritage meats and owner of Duba & Company. Visit HeritageBreeds.org

Welcome farmer, artist, crafter, and felter Minna White. Not only does she owns a farm that raises Navajo Churro sheep, she is the artist behind LanaDura.com. An amazing business that sells felted and hand-crafted items from the sheep’s wool.

Lana Dura’s felted bags began as a idea-speck in the hearts of two shepherds who raised Navajo-Churro sheep for more than fifty years combined. Their goal is to give sheep a job and allow them to live long, productive lives contributing to the sustainability and durability of their farm. The sheep are paid to produce a product annually by contributing their wool fiber. www.HeritageBreeds.org

Gather the knowledge you need for Pickin’ Your Chickens. Heritage Breed Poultry expert Jeannette Beranger will introduce you to breeds from around the world. Discover more about the  English, Continental, American, Asiatic, and Oriental birds. Plus, she explains how the conservation priority list works.  You’ll also receive advice on how and where to buy the birds, along with how much they cost. Visit HeritageBreeds.org

Gather the knowledge you need for Pickin’ Your Chickens. Heritage Breed Poultry expert Jeannette Beranger will walk you through everything you need to know like what is a heritage chicken? How to select the right bird for egg or meat production? Why choosing for temperament is so critical to your safety and the safety of your flock. Along with what is the American Standard of Perfection and why they are so important to follow?

Choosing a breed to work with is often the most rewarding and fun part of getting involved with heritage breeds. Linking your own interests, abilities, and facilities with the needs and status of the breed is exciting. Making sure the fit is good all the way around benefits the farmer, the breed, and the future of agriculture. This podcast covers the 7 things to think aobutas you embark on a project raising heritage breed animals. Visit HeritageBreeds.org to learn more.

Discover more about Heritage Breeds and which ones are considered to be the traditional livestock breeds that were raised by our forefathers. These are the breeds of a bygone era, before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice. These breeds were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well-adapted to the local environment and they thrived under farming practices and cultural conditions that are very different from those found in modern agriculture. Visit HeritageBreeds.org to get involved.

The Heritage Breeds podcast is brought to you by The Livestock Conservancy. They are involved in protecting nearly 200 breeds of livestock and poultry from extinction. Now, you may be scratching your head and thinking, “but I see cows and chickens all the time, how can they be endangered?” Just like there are endangered species such as pandas, tigers, and elephants, there are also endangered livestock and poultry BREEDS. Specifically, 21% of the world’s 8,000 livestock breeds are in danger of extinction. It is these breeds that The Livestock Conservancy works to protect. In this podcast series you’ll meet the animals, breeders, and people working to save them from extinction. Visit HeritageBreeds.org to get involved.