History of Ralph's Rabbit Ranch

History of Ralph's Rabbit Ranch

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Ralphs Rabbit Ranch Update - May 2013


Well it sure was a great weekend this past weekend. Though it was a little windy the temperature got up in the 50's by the afternoon. Tammy and Paul thought it would be a great day to let the rabbits out and start them on practicing some hurdle jumping.

Hard to believe but the North American Rabbit Jumping Competition is only 96 days away. This year it is in Baltimore and we would sure like to come back with some trophies along with all those fresh crabs and oysters we plan on bringing back.

I won't bore you with all the jumpers so I will just highlight a few I hope you will enjoy.
...
Here's Butch on the low jump.



For his age he sure has great form and Clancy thinks he is our best shot to win in Baltimore because he possesses both speed and agility.
 
Here is buster on the high jump.  We thought because of his size he would be a great high jumper.  He has a lot of heart; however Clancy doesn't think he has the natural talent to really be competitive.
 

 

Sunday, May 5, 2013

May 2013 Special *** Northwoods Jack-O-Lopes

With spring firmly here across most of the country it’s time once again to offer our classic Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch Jack-O-Lope mount.  Our Jack-O-Lope mounts are "authentic reproductions" of the legendary Jack-O-Lope (better known as Americanus Delicioso Conjo Carne). 

Just imagine the excitement you, your family and friends will have with your very own piece of handcrafted American art. 

All of the mounts produced at Ralph's Rabbit Ranch are genuine Jack-O-Lope replicas. Each one is specifically designed so it can be displayed either on a table or hung from a wall. 


Our mounts are ideal for home, office or business use. Each mount has its own natural beauty that is guaranteed to captivate the interest of visitors, friends and colleagues alike. 

During this limited offer (our May 2013 special) every customer receives an added bonus when they place an order - A hard bound copy of Jack-O-Lopes - Friends or Foes. This provocative booklet chronicles the origins, history and ultimate fate of these celebrated creatures. Learn what really happened to the Jack-O-Lope from its initial introduction into North America up until present day.



For example, throughout Sweden and Finland legends abound that wild Scandinavian hares (Lepus europaeus) stowed-a-way on ancient Vikings longboats. Many believe Viking scouting parties during the late 13th century made unplanned visits to the east coast of North America while  sailing over the north Atlantic. Once these wild Scandinavian hares hopped off the Vikings' longboats they found themselves on a very, new and different continent.

Surrounded by an abundance of unfamiliar flora and fauna as well as a hostile landscape in eastern Canada it’s a miracle these creatures were able to survive. Perhaps because of their speed, agility or even their behemoth size these ferocious Scandinavian hares (not rabbits) were able to adapt to this new environment. 


With no known predators in the new world these animals were able quickly colonize their new homeland. As they began to adjust to the new vegetation their population began to flourish; within a few years they began to mate with several breeds of indigenous rabbits. The offspring of these Scandinavian hares and American rabbits eventually evolved into what we know today as the modern day Jack-O-Lope.  

Its amazing but every native tribe in North America has some ancient folklore which cites massive herds of Jack-O-Lope descending into their valleys from the far north. Because of their regal look and impressive size they were revered by most of the inhabitants they encountered. Many tribes believed the invading Jack-O-Lopes were responsible for transforming the dense wooded areas they came upon into  prairies and this in turn precipitated the emergence of great herds of nomadic buffalo that roamed the Great Plains.     

Most zoologists, paleontologists and cultural archaeologists believe Jack-O-Lopes are only indigenous to North America as the fossil remains of these creatures have been found in all the lower 48 states as well as throughout Alaska. Unfortunately, three unnatural events may have lead to the demise and possible extinction of the American Jack-O-Lope:

     1) A continued migration of thousands of Pilgrims and

         Puritans into the region we know as the original 13
         Colonies
     2) Numerous expeditions into the great south west and

         along the California coastline by thousands of Spanish
         Conquistadors
     3) The countless French Fur trappers entering into

          America's heartland; the areas we now call the
          Louisiana Purchase territory and the great Pacific
          Northwest

The encounters the herds of roaming Jack-O-Lopes had with these three groups of newly arrived Europeans made it possible for man, with his modern armaments to bring these beasts under control. Some herds were domesticated and breed with local breeds of rabbits to create the modern day American rabbits we often see frolicking in the woods and open fields. The more vicious and ferocious herds were slaughtered primary for their front feet - with legend says brought man good luck and their steel like canine teeth and  soft fur tails with high society European women treasured. 

Now you can enjoy all this wonderful history you order your very own Jack-O-Lope mount from Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch. Our spring Jack-O-Lope sale runs only from May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) to May 24th. During this time you will enjoy a 10% discount if you purchase two or more Jack-O-Lopes.


Plus as our way of saying thanks you will receive free shipping & handling on all orders of three or more Jack-O-Lopes. So don't delay - order your original Northwood’s Jack-O-Lope from Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch today.  

Remember once this sale ends on May 24th all Jack-O-Lope mounts will be gone until the spring of 2014. Creating a Ralph's Ranch authentic Jack-O-Lope mount is not easy. Every hide used to make a mount comes from the fall harvest when our rabbit fur is just starting to thicken for the onset of winter. Then every hide is carefully cured outdoors during the winter months for a minimum of 103 days to preserve its luster and integrity. After each pelt has been cured by Mother Nature it is then thoroughly inspected and assessed to see if it will quality and to be suitable for a Ralph's Rabbit Ranch Jack-O-Lope mount.

Don’t forget order your Jack-O-Lope mount today. Rear assured all our Jack-O-Lope mounts are made from pure 100% Gabe’s Gourmet Rabbits which have been raised exclusively here at Ralph’s Rabbit Ranch.

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