The time came for us to get rid of a few chicks. We packed up eight of them and six bunnies on Saturday and headed to Earthdog in Denver for their monthly chicken swap. We packed our Rollie cart with bunnies and chicks so cute it would make your eyes cross and walked down the block to take our space among the other homesteaders and profiteers.
Things were slow at first, until a guy walked up and asked me how much for all of my rabbits. I had six with me and cut him a deal. Then people started rolling in and I started throwing out all of my favorite conversation starters, including forage, fodder, and free range. We met some great people, mostly folks new to the idea of raising their own. By 11:00, we were sold out.
That may not seem like a big deal on the surface, but the key to that idea is selling out of rabbits. I’ve sat through many a chicken swap where people walk by and talk about the cute bunnies, but nobody stops to buy one. Today, my first customer bought all six that I had and I got many other customers throughout the sawp looking for rabbits. Coincidence? I hope not. It gives me hope. Not because I want to sell a million bunnies and become a bunny millionaire, but because I want people to know where their food comes from and I want them to take control of their lives and feed themselves good food.
I had five people sign on to a mailing list for introductory and harvesting rabbit classes. Again, it isn’t much, but it’s something. Here is to the quiet revolution. May it be filled with cute and fluffy animals.
Pax Domini Sit Sempervivum Vobiscum,
Mike Oscar Hotel
