Rosalie and her passion for angoras

It all started in 1989 when I was still in college at U.C. Davis. I needed a break from my pre-med classes and took a night course on handspinning. This course took me a lot further than my other night class: belly dancing... The teacher raised Angora rabbits and I became fascinated with these lovely creatures. I purchased one English angora rabbit and was easily seduced. I started showing them for conformation and brought some rabbits to Grand Champion status.

In 1991, I moved my herd of 12 rabbits ( + 2 dogs and 2 cats) to St. Louis, Missouri to attend Washington University Medical School. I continued to show for just one more year and found out that I actually really loved dyeing and handspinning yarn and garments. By 1994, I had become “the rabbit lady” in St. Louis and was featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch as a vendor in the Best of Missouri Market at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. I was honored that Peter Raven, the head of the institution bought a pair of bunny slippers from me.

I got married in 1996 to James McCarter and moved into a historical neighborhood called Lafayette Square. My herd was drastically reduced to 1/10 of its size to accommodate for city dwelling and medical school and residency. I kept the fiber business going during these tough years. By 1998, I was recognized nationally and published in “Handpaint Country” by Cheryl Potter.

2001 and 2006 brought the birth of my 2 sons Ernie and Alex who have since kept me busier than the large herd of rabbits I previously owned, medical, and residency combined...

In 2008, I achieved my American dream of owning my very own farm. I was able to move my rabbits to the country and breed them again. My goal is to obtain a registration worthy red colored German angora rabbit in the next 10 years.

In 2012, I achieved another goal of owning angora goats. I have dreamed of raising them for the past 20 yrs and I could not pass the opportunity when the McCauls of famous Indian Springs Farms retired and sold their herd.

By 2018, my herd of German angora rabbits number about 80 animals and my goat herd blossomed to 50 opinionated goats, including a few boer/kiko goats and one loud mouth Nubian named Molly.

To contact me via email : truongr@me.com

Goat shearing

Rosalie takes price in shearing her goats herself. In 1990, she took a sheep shearing course by a visiting New Zealand instructor who came to UC Davis to teach his shearing skills. She practiced on a commercial herd of Columbia sheep. Did you know that a Columbia ewe weighs about 150-200 lbs? Barely tipping the scale at 100 lbs, Rosalie learned how to handle and shear an animal twice her size. It took her 6 hours to shear her first but by the end of the one week intense course, she could shear two sheep. And of boy did she become strong! A 70 lb bale of hay was just a feather compared to the 200 lb ewe with flailing hooves.

Why German Angora Rabbits?

I raised all breeds of angora rabbits over the past 20 years. I started with English angoras which are irresistible with their full head of furnishing and wide range of colors. I also collected some French, Satins, and Giants along the way. It was not until I had to shrink my rabbitry to 6 rabbits that I realized that I needed an animal packed with wool who could produce twice the amount of wool as the other breeds but fitted into the same cage space. The answer was the German angora. While a good English or Giant can produce 6-8 oz of wool, a French 7 oz, a Satin 5 oz, the German rabbit will produce at least 11 oz of prime wool per 90 days interval.

In fact the International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders (IAGARB) stipulates that for an animal to be worthy of registration, it is rigorously tested for body conformation on a 100 point scale system AND must produce at least 325 grams (11.4 oz) of wool over a 90 day shearing period. To be evaluated, a tattooed animal will have a witnessed shearing at a “shearing party” where the animal will be shorn to the skin. Ninety days later, the same animal returns, is weighed and evaluated by an IAGARB judge, then shorn to the skin again. The animal must earn at least 80 points and produced 325 grams of wool to be registered. The animal’s name and lineage will be part of a permanent registry which will help future breeders evaluate potential excellent stock lines.

Thus, I have diligently registered as many angora rabbits as I could. As of 2018, I have registered over 70 animals since 2008, accounting for one third of the total pool of registered animals in North America!

It is this very diligent process of objective evaluation that has appealed to my scientific nature, along with sound research-based animal husbandry techniques that have convinced me to pursue the noble cause of carrying on the breeding of such valuable animals.

For more information, please visit the IAGARB website:

http://www.iagarb.com/

Angora goats

In 1991, Rosalie first met the McCauls and was instantly drawn to her mohair fiber and goats. Every year, she would drive 90 min south of St. Louis just to buy many of her fine fleeces which she masterfully handspun and sold. She always admired their fervent effort to show the best goats in the country.

In 2012, Rosalie had the opportunity to purchase some of the finest color goats in the country as the McCauls from Indian Spring Farms were retiring. She received 4 nannies with kids at side, 1 yearling doeling, and one buck. later four more white Texan goats came to complete her herd of colored and white angora.

Rosalie could not have asked for a better livestock as a first time owners as goats are very social, entertaining, and charismatic.

By 2014, she got the courage to kid 14 new babies.

Rosalie’s goal is to continue Avelene and Jim’s work in producing high quality fiber animal with excellent depth of color and beautiful sound bodies.

As of 2018, the goat herd blossomed to 50 goats as she has carefully added genetics for finer fleeces with low kemp and improved body conformation.

Farm Tours

Interested in raising fiber animals or just seeing a fully functional farm only 45 minutes from St. Louis? You’ve come to the right place. We will give you a short introduction to the farm operations and you decided on which animals to focus on. Then we will meet the animals and learn how we raised them. There will be plenty of time to answer questions. Depending on your interest, expect to walk on uneven, sometimes muddy ground.

Tours are strictly by appointments.

Fresh eggs and other farm products are available for purchase all year round.

$10/person, $40 minimum. Limit to 10 persons per tour.

To book, email me at : truongr@me.com

Classes

Angora Rabbit Shearing:

Rosalie has over 29 years of shearing rabbit experience and is passionate about sharing her skills. The class is a complete hands-on experience with the student learning how to hold the rabbit properly and how to shear (painlessly) for the participant. We will also discuss the various tools to use and your shearing set up.

Come dressed to get “fuzzy”! The 4 hour class is limited to 4 person per session.

How do I sign up? Just email me at truongr@me.com

Dates available: please contact me via email location : Labadie, MO.

Cost : $40/person

Angora rabbits for adoption

Because I believe my angoras will go to forever homes, I do ask that you contact me via email regarding adopting an angora rabbit. Each application will be reviewed to determine whether you are the right human for the right animal. Adoptions are considered final and you are fully responsible for that animal’s veterinary care once it leaves the farm.

angora goat babies for adoption

Every year I have a number of angora babies for adoption. I breed for fine mohair texture, depth of color, and parasite resistance. Please email me about availability. Each case will be reviewed to determine if you are the right human for the right goat. All my goats are registered. The 2019 kidding season will begin end of February and babies will be up for adoption by May or June 2019.

Reviews

What people say about their rabbit purchase:

Ruth West:

“I just have to tell you that the 3 rabbits I bought from you are just wonderful. Their new cages arrived last week, and they just love them. They also love their toys. I have never had any problems with them, health wise or other wise. They get to run a little every day and play with toys on the floor.

They are just beautiful and I cannot thank you enough.

P.S. I have used their fiber to spin with alpaca and it is gorgeous.”

Linda Beckley:

I couldn’t be happier with my rabbits.

I also recommend anyone needing a German angora rabbit to check your rabbit's first before buying any.

Penny Rice:

“Hi Rosalie, just thought you would like to know that the buck you call Siv and I call Stewart is now a father! His litter was delivered yesterday around noon “😊

SHARON POSTHAST ( 3/18):

“He's getting along. We love him and he also loves us. We play a lot. He decided he didn't want to ware his coat. It's off now. It hasn't bothered him. He doesn't lay near the heat.

Barney's pen is 50 x 28. So he has plenty of room to play. He runs from the litter box across up on the shelf. He just loves to run.

When he's tired he wants me to hold him. He's getting a little spoiled.”