Shade's Farm

11/04/2023

For Nov 5th, Fresh Whole Dressed Rabbit Meat, Honey, Beeswax Candles & more from our Farmstand at Shepherdstown Farmers Market Sunday 9-1

Pictured: a Hotot Rabbit Mom preparing her nest. (Mom to be is Shade’s GC Barbara Walters)

10/30/2023

We just found out about this today, anyone is welcome to attend this meeting on October 31 to join the discussion on preserving Wv farmlands.

10/23/2023

Congratulations Curt Shade and Susie Foote!
Richmond Rabbit Breeders Rare Breed Show
Best In Show
Proudly Feeding: Heinold Family Formula, Show Formula, and Doc's Enhancer

10/19/2023

10/12/2023

Thank a farmer/grower/producer today. Without them, we'd be looking at empty plates!

09/29/2023

09/29/2023

It’s feeling like fall, y’all! That means Rabbit stew and honey for your spiced beverages!
Buzz and hop on over to the Shepherdstown Farmers Market this Sunday 9-1!
Come early! We’ll have freshly processed farm-raised rabbit meat, beeswax candles, raw honey, comb honey, infused honey, and whipped honey!

By purchasing our honey, you help support our pollinator husbandry and beekeeping efforts.

By purchasing our rabbit meat, you support the preservation of our critically endangered rare rabbit breed, the Blanc de Hotot.

09/20/2023

Proudly feeding Heinold Feeds

Congrats Curt Shade!

Reserve in show
Feed Choice: Family, Show, and Doc's Rabbit Enhancer
Blue Ridge Rabbit & Cavy club Rare Breed Show
Kearneysville WV 9/9
Feeding Family, Show, and using docs.
Dealer: AppleTree Livestock

09/10/2023

The Blue Ridge Rabbit & Cavy Club (Our local rabbit show club) and the Eastern Blanc de Hotot Tribe held shows on Saturday, 9/9 at the Jefferson Co Fairgrounds.

Pictured are watercolor painted awards by Claira Cuykendall for our Hotot specialty awards and Rare Breed Reserve in Show.

Our Hotots did tremendously well with Four Best of Breed and Four Best opposite of Breed awards and numerous legs of grand champion. Shade’s Cate and an unnamed buck were the show stoppers, also earning their grand champion status. That brings our farm bred registered Hotot Grand Champion count to 30!

Blanc de Hotots are a critically endangered rare breed of rabbits originating from Hotot, France. They are a diverse quality breed for preservation, show, high end fur pelts, and meat. We are proud to raise these banded beauties!

Next show for the hotots is the 100th ARBA national convention returning to Louisville.

Thank you to our community for your support in preserving this amazing breed!

08/26/2023

Our Heirloom Concord Grapes are ripe and packed full of flavor! Our produce is Grown naturally without chemicals. Grapes are a short season & available tomorrow at Shepherdstown Farmers Market
Downtown Sunday 9-1 along with our delicious honey and naturally awesome beeswax candles!

07/22/2023

Sunday 9-1 at Shepherdstown Farmers Market
We’ll have our Farm Raised Goods!
Fresh Rabbit Meat, Rhubarb, Rabbit Manure Compost, Raw Honey, Comb Honey, Infused Honey, and beeswax candles!

07/09/2023

Looking for a soil packed with rich nutrients for your plants?
This beatiful, finished & ready-to-use soil is comprised of EarthWorm castings and composted rabbit manure. Its screened, available in 5 gallon lidded bucket. $40.

Available tomorrow at Shepherdstown Farmers Market Sundays opening at 9am.
Pre-orders taken until noon Fridays before.

Our Rabbit Manure is Hot Composted, then finished by the Worms, it takes about a year long to process from the rabbit to use in your garden and added to plants. Our soil does contain earthworm eggs and is ready to use!

07/02/2023

Curt’s been asked heavily in the last few weeks for beekeeping support from members of our community that just started beekeeping and feel unprepared and unable to manage their bees. It takes guts to admit that, and we’ve gotta try our best as beeks. Unfortunately greed in bees & bee equipment dealing has become unchecked and is causing bad beekeeping with folks who are eager to learn and given no support after picking up their new bees.

If you are a local beekeeper and need on-site support to help you understand managing your bees, Curt has very limited availability but if the situation is a fit, he is happy to offer on-site, short term bee service with an education focus so you can manage comfortably on your own. Send an email to start a conversation, [email protected]

If beekeepers are looking for a “bee shop” source for their equipment, management, and beekeeping needs, Eversweet Apiaries is local in Kearneysville and has been part of our community for generations. The Owner, Jennifer, is experienced, straight forward, ethical, and if you’re willing to learn, she will walk you through problems there during her shop hours. We’ve never felt pressured or swindled, and that really matters. If you’re feeling lost, please reach out to them or Curt.

01/22/2023

We’re back in town this Sunday, January 22, from 11 am-1pm! We’ll be set up inside the War Memorial building(community club) at 102 E. German st. Vendors participating are-
Red House Farm with chicken & duck eggs, pork, lamb, chicken & canine candy.
Rooster Dirt Farm with mushrooms, eggs, pork and beef.
Blue Mountain Farm with lettuce, salad mix and tattoo.
Shade’s Farm with honey and candles.
Shepherd’s Whey Creamery with goat cheeses.
Presto Dinners with ready made dinners.
The Cottage of herbs with herb dips, seasoning blends, herbal vinegars and loose teas.
Tudor Hall Farm with salad greens, spinach, kale, potatoes, grass fed beef, pork and free range eggs.
Megan Webber with dried flowers and csa flower share subscriptions.

01/08/2023

Today was a fun market indoors!
The Shepherdstown Farmers Market members participating are back January 22 from 11-1 at Shepherdstown Community Club’s War Memorial Building.

We’ll be there with honey, beeswax candles, and rabbit meat!

12/31/2022

Happy New Year, From our Hotot nestboxes to you!

12/20/2022

We’ll be at our Winter Farmers market.
11-1: Jan 8 & 22. Feb 5* & 19 & March 5.

*On weekend of February 5, Curt will be showing rabbits at a regional competition. One of our market family might bee kind enough to have our honey available for our loyal patrons.

Until we see one another again, German Street Marketplace Coffee & Candlery carries our full line of products! Stop in and say Hi to Deb!

12/19/2022

12/18/2022

Curt will be at our last market of the year! Rabbit meat, our delicious honeys, and beautiful useful gift-able beeswax candles!

12/15/2022

Our honey and beeswax candles are stocked on the shelves and are ready to brighten your days of entertaining and holiday gift giving needs. So many amazing local and procured products available here. Deb works very hard to offer the finest items in her shop. Bee sure to stop in a shop local!

12/12/2022

Our friends at B & G Custom Screen Printing and Embroidery are selling their screen printing equipment. If interested - reach out to them!

12/11/2022

Miss our market today? Our last market of the year is next Sunday 12/18 from 9-1. Bee sure to plan to hop on over and shop with us for yummies and gifts!

12/11/2022

Honey & lots of Beeswax Candles & ornaments await you at Shepherdstown Farmers Market Sunday 9-1

12/01/2022

3 markets left & then we hibernate ‘till March!

We have 3 Sunday markets left in our 2022 season, December 4, 11 and 18, 9 am-1 pm! Thank you all for your continued support, we appreciate you!

11/27/2022

Today, Curt travelled & showed the Hotots in Hamburg, Pa. We had a great showing and breeder meet up!

Show A: Best of Breed
Show B: Best of Breed & Best Opposite S*x of Breed.

Not pictured but the Himalayans (himmies) did well too! BOV/BOSV Blue and Best Overall Junior with a lilac.

Photographer: Susie Foote

11/16/2022

For those interested in raising Blanc de Hotot rabbits, Curt has a few breeder pairs available for the right folks. We don’t actively advertise or generally offer stock. It’s time to thin for winter. Send a message to inquire. Prices start at $150 an animal.

11/12/2022

Curt will not be at market tomorrow, 11/13. Returning to Shepherdstown Farmers Market 11/20.

The following shops carry our honey locally in Jefferson County:
German Street Marketplace Coffee & Candlery
Tonic Herb Shop
Gower's Feed
Level Green Farm
Town & Country Nursery
& soon at Teyta’s Treats

11/05/2022

Fresh rabbit meat, a delicious assortment of local and artisan honey, and beeswax candles will be out for market tomorrow. 9-1 Shepherdstown Farmers Market

10/15/2022

Tomorrow (Sunday 10/16) is the last opportunity to see honey bees live in their demonstration hive at Shepherdstown Farmers Market 9-1. Don’t miss it!

10/15/2022

This Sunday 9-1, Bee sure & Hop on Over to the Shepherdstown Farmers Market
We’ll have a delightful assortment of honey and newly made beeswax candles! Definitely check out our farm raised & Freshly packed rabbit meat!
Whole dressed, bone-in, vacuum sealed, and ready for your culinary desires!
Something for your furry friend? Raw diet? Grab them a bag of assorted rabbit organs. Fresh & Frozen options this batch.

10/11/2022

Congrats to Curt Shade on your show success at the October 10, 2022, Richmond RBA Rare Breed Show, Ruther Glen, VA:
Reserve in Show on GC Shade’s Diggory, Blanc de Hotot Senior Buck
Breeder: Curt Shade
Judge: Whitney Post
Feed of Choice: Heinold Feeds Oren Reynolds
Heinold Feeds Dealer: Apple Tree Livestock Company

10/07/2022

Curt will have Fresh Rabbit Meat this Sunday at Shepherdstown Farmers Market

These are prime, tender fryers weighing in about 1.25 to 2 pounds and are from our Himalayan breeding program this week. Whole dressed, bone-in & vacuum packed for easy use or freezing. Stews are wonderful but this packed protein is perfect for any dish! Our Heritage breed, Blanc de Hotots will be reaching their primetime later this month.

Photo: rabbit in mid-processing.

10/07/2022

Beekeeping Services Available:

-Honey Bee on-site management $75/h
-Remote Phone Support $20 per 15 minutes, pre-paid
-Full service apiary rental $2,500 per year for four colonies managed seasonally on weekly schedule.

Service area: Berkeley & Jefferson Counties WV.

Thank you!

10/01/2022

As the weather cools… it’s time for stew and delicious rabbit recipes! Curt will have fresh rabbit meat (and frozen too) with our delightful assortment of honey. Check us out Sunday at Shepherdstown Farmers Market

09/28/2022

Saturday 11-5! Rain or shine.
Bring your rain gear! 🍂🌂☔️

09/27/2022

This recipe is by Rita Cluck.
A fryer is a 1.5-3.5 pound, prime quality, whole dressed rabbit.
See us Sunday at market for your rabbit protein!

09/23/2022

We’ll have fresh rabbit meat at Shepherdstown Farmers Market Sunday 9-1. Along with prior frozen dressed rabbit meat, our honey & beeswax products from the hives will also be available.

09/14/2022

Get your tickets on Eventbrite!

09/14/2022

The rabbitry has transitioned to feeding our farm grown hay and pelleted nutrition from Heinold Feeds. Generations of proven and consistent quality is a no brainer — and the rabbits devour their pellets. We’re pleased to be feeding the highest quality feed.

09/04/2022

Rabbit Tacos?! You’ve gotta try it! 🐇🌮

Rabbit is a low fat white meat.
Ask your doctor! They’ll be ecstatic you’re considering one of the healthiest proteins for your heart, liver & overall health of you, your family - and a nod sustainable agriculture!

Strive To Eat More Rabbit Meat

These rabbit tacos are perfect for the tougher leg cuts of the rabbit. The meat turns out tender and juicy every time.