Terra Firma Farm rabbits get premium care since we only raise a small number of them.  They are kept in individual raised cages inside our new pole barn during the summer time and in our hoop house during the winter.  This way they are shaded through the summer heat, and keep warm all winter while enjoying the company of the laying hens.  Twice a day they have pasture plants and grasses scythed for them and served up fresh, so even though we cannot keep them on the grass directly they are still reaping the benefits of a nutritious and natural diet.  Through the winter months we feed them hay, and their diet is also supplemented year-round with a pelleted feed from our local mill.  

Rabbits are not just healthy and tasty; they are also one of the most ecologically beneficial animals to raise. It takes very little land or fossil fuel to get an incredible amount of meat from just one mother doe. Many countries that do not have the luxury of space that we enjoy here in America capitalize on the rabbit’s efficiency and eat a great deal more rabbit than we do. To top it off, rabbit manure is an extraordinary fertilizer and one of the easiest to deal with. Unlike the manure of a cow or chicken, which burns plants when applied straight, rabbit manure is considered ‘cold’ and can be applied directly to the garden.

 

Although somewhat an uncommon meat in the United States, rabbit is a popular meat in much of the rest of the world, especially in Europe (and the Terra Firma Farm kitchen!).

Rabbit is a very healthy meat. It is lower in fat than turkey, chicken, beef or pork, and has a higher percentage of protein than any of them, too. It is very easy to digest and is often used for people on special diets.  Terra Firma Farm rabbit is also unique in that our rabbits eat fresh grass every day, resulting in high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their meat.

Rabbits are dressed to order here at the farm.  The average dressed rabbit is 3.5#