Bunnies | Secretary of Health and Human Services | Teal Stone
Hi Friends!
This week, the most exciting thing in my homesteading career happened. Our first litter of Creme d’Argents were born!!
But before we get into that, let’s talk about the layout of this newsletter. Below you will find 5 segments. Each week you can expect the following:
- Highlights from Our Homestead Journey: Updates, reflections, milestones, and lessons learned from our homesteading adventure.
- In the News: Relevant stories and trends in homesteading, sustainability, health, and wellness.
- What We’re Learning: Insights, tips, and resources we’ve discovered to grow our skills.
- Our Favorites This Week: Tools, books, or finds we’ve been loving (or learning from) lately.
- This Week’s Wrap-Up: Reflections, reminders, or a sneak peek at what’s next.
We promised transparency as we go from a microscopic homestead to hopefully a larger homestead over the next few years.
That’s one thing I’ve always wanted to see or read about is the beginning of the journey. Too often, we only see the fruits of people’s labor on social media, in the news, or in business. Here, we aim to share the little details along the way, hoping to inspire our readers with the confidence to start their own journey!
Now that you know what to expect, let’s get into it.
Highlights from Our Homestead Journey
As you read in the intro, one of our does had a litter of baby buns this week—Tuesday, 11/12, to be exact! This is our first-ever litter of anything. No puppies, no kittens—nothing like this has ever happened before. So, heading out to the garage to check on Mama was a pleasant surprise, and honestly, I think we’re hooked!
Our doe had 7 kits in her litter, and so far, they’ve all survived and look well-fed. They’re a lot more wiggly at birth than I expected—that’s something I never realized during all my research!
Here’s a picture of them just hours after they were born (11/12):
Here’s a picture of them on Day 4 (11/16):
But why did we get into rabbits? And I guess more importantly, why are we venturing into the taboo world of meat rabbits?
Well, to be completely honest, rabbits are the only type of livestock we can legally have in our city. But that doesn’t mean we made this decision lightly. I’m a hunter, and I’ve recently gotten my husband, Zac, into hunting too. Harvesting animals for meat and providing for my family isn’t a new concept to me, and I’ve always wanted to raise my own meat.
Until this year, I was always a little sad knowing that a homestead with acreage was still a few years out of reach. Paying off student loans, covering the cost of our wedding last year, and needing to buy a car—all of that slowed down our homesteading goal.
It wasn’t until I discovered Teal Stone Homestead on YouTube in late 2023 that I realized meat rabbits were even an option for the suburbs—and not just an option, but an enjoyable endeavor and hobby. If you haven’t heard of Teal Stone Homestead, I highly recommend checking out her channel!
I’m still pretty nervous about the harvesting part because let’s be honest—they are SO CUTE. But I keep reminding myself that I think deer are cute too. But I promise to share insights from every step of the journey, hoping it helps someone else feel a little less afraid too.
Key Takeaway: We had our first litter of Creme d’Argents this week, and we’re so excited to watch them grow out. Honestly, I’m convinced that baby bunnies being born is the adult equivalent of Christmas morning!
In the News: Trump Nominates RFK Jr. to HHS
This week, President-elect Donald J. Trump nominated Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services oversees a variety of federal programs including the FDA, Medicare, Medicaid, the National Institute of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has many plans to increase the healthiness of American food. In a video, Kennedy said, “I’m going to reverse 80 years of farm policy in this country, which have directed us toward industrial agriculture, industrial meat production, factory farming, and chemical-based agriculture, carbon-based fertilizers, all of these things that are destroying the soils in our country.”
Key Takeaway: The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) can influence homesteaders by shaping policies on food safety, rural healthcare, and sustainable living. For example, changes in FDA regulations may affect how homesteaders sell their goods, so the next four years will be critical for homesteaders to stay informed about potential shifts in regulations. Keeping an eye on HHS initiatives can help homesteaders adapt to new opportunities or challenges, ensuring their practices remain sustainable and compliant.
What We’re Learning
Throwing it back to Teal Stone Homestead again—I’ve been binge-watching all of her rabbit breeding videos. I might have information overload at this point, but her videos are so entertaining it doesn’t feel like too much.
Here are a few videos I’d recommend:
Our Favorites This Week
If you’re thinking about getting into rabbits (whether for show, pets, or meat), Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits has been an absolute gem for us, and we highly recommend it.
The pictures and illustrations are super helpful, and I love having one reliable place to reference when I have a question. The internet is great—don’t get me wrong—but it can be overwhelming and frustrating when you’re trying to find exactly what you need in the moment.
This Week’s Wrap-Up
I’m so excited to see how the buns progress during week 2! Watching them grow and change is already such a rewarding experience. Thanks for joining us on this journey—we can’t wait to share more updates and lessons with you next week!
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