Andrea will be on the radio, KIDO (580 AM) tomorrow morning at 8:55 - 9:00 talking about Hare of the Dog Ranch and the Buy Idaho trade show at St. Chapelle on Father's Day.

Our phone(s) have been ringing off the hook since the Capital Press and Press-Tribune articles were published. We've got another grower (we've checked their operation and like how they take care of the animals) that is going to supply us with more rabbits for butcher and we got 20 more ducks today (for eggs). The demand for rabbit and duck eggs is crazy. The last two Saturdays at the Farmer's Market we've completely sold out of everything by noon. The Co-op wants eggs, rabbit, and lamb, Cafe Vicino wants rabbit, and the chinese restaurant in Caldwell called yesterday and I'm delivering 10 dozen duck eggs (all I have!) this evening.

Here's the Press-Tribune article:

RABBIT RANCH OPENS IN GREENLEAF

— Farming: Hare of the Dog Ranch raises animals without hormones, antibiotics

By Lee Vander Boegh

lvanderboegh@idahopress.com

GREENLEAF — Ranching has played an important role in Canyon County’s economy for eons. Yet Hare of the Dog Ranch has managed to put a new twist on the age-old local tradition.

Rather than raising the usual cows, hogs or chickens, the Greenleaf-based company specializes in health department-approved, hormone and medicine-free rabbits. And it’s keeping its operations local.

“The time is right; people want more choices when it comes to meat,” owners Andrea Scott and Tami Marler said in a recent press release. “They also want to know where their food came from and what it was fed. Rabbit is lower in cholesterol and fat than chicken, pork, beef, lamb and even some kinds of fish. It is also higher in protein and is all white meat.”

Scott said she and Marler began raising their own rabbits about a year ago, exclusively for their own use.

“It’s kind of silly to own a farm and then go buy food at a store,” she said with a chuckle.

Eventually the duo began sharing the meat with friends and family. Word quickly spread, and Hare of the Dog was born.

The name “Hare of the Dog” comes from Scott’s love of dogs. She originally used the ranch to train her Australian shepherd dogs for competitive events. She said the dogs get along with the rabbits just fine.

Scott said that when they began raising rabbits, they never considered turning their ranch into a commercial opportunity.

“It didn’t even enter our minds.”

Hare of the Dog officially began commercial operations earlier this month, and it as met with strong, positive customer responses. The business sells its product at the Capital City Public Market in Boise on Saturdays and has inked a deal with the Boise Co-op. The business also is supplying Cafe Vicino with meat.

Hare of the Dog utilizes the processing services of Home Grown Poultry in New Plymouth, a new company that specializes in butchering chickens and rabbits. It also hires a local veterinarian to inspect each animal before and after processing to ensure quality, to meet health department requirements.

“One of the exciting things about our business is that not only are we able to offer a good product, but we are native Idahoans working with other Idaho businesses,” Scott said.

Hare of the Dog also sells and raises ducks, and sells the eggs, which Scott said have proved popular.

Great care is taken to make sure both types of animals are raised safely and humanely.

“We’re going to stay small and raise our animals the right way,” she said. “It’s really huge, and it makes a big difference at the market.”

For more information

Learn more about Hare of the Dog Ranch at www.hareofthedogranch.com or call 724-2920.