I got to thinking about the amount of Pedigrees I have had to make in over 2 years.  The number is small enough to count on one hand!  It is something I think is very important in the world of rabbits and breeding in general.  To realize, not everything goes with a pedigree.  Not every single rabbit you produce, is worthy.  As a breeder, for me, A LOT, goes into making a decision on placing a rabbit.
1.  Grow little bunny grow.  This means housing, feeding and cleaning your stock for several months.  Not carelessly sending it on it's way when it's just a baby.
2.  Learning and studying and reading the standard, and blogs, and forums, often.  
3.  Evaluating your stock.  Not just saying, yep we have babies, buy your show babies now.  Evaluating your stock means that you have studied and know what you are looking for.  Not just cuteness.  How are it's hindquarters, is it pinched, is it undercut?  How is the H/E/C.  How does the bone look on this animal.  What is the thickness of the ears.  Is it brood or does it have show potential?  Much of this evaluation takes place after the animal is 4 months old, or older!
4.  Placing pets.  This is a tough one for me, because I feel there are a good amount of people out there, that think they could still breed a pet.  I'm not okay with this.  If I sell it as a pet, it means it lacks so many of the true Holland traits that I dont' want it to carry the bad ones on, to any rabbit.  I think to date we have sold 2 maybe 3 pets.  And they were to homes that I felt were very genuine in their desire to spay/neuter the animal.  
5.  Selling brood and show animals.  This is the most important part for us.  Not because we make any money.  That is just ridiculous.  But because what we do at this point, reflects upon who we are as a breeder.  And for me, who I am as a breeder, says a lot about who I am as a person.  If I lie to you about my stock... then odds are I would lie to you about anything.  A liar is a liar is a liar.  If we finally make the decision to sell an animal with brood or show potential it is because we have faith that it can help you in your breeding program.  When we choose not to sell an animal, it's often because we can see quite clearly, that you have no intentions of improving your herd.  All too often it is very clear that people just want a rabbit, so they can create more rabbits, with no purpose in mind.  I hope to have the insight to avoid that FOREVER.  If you are buying babies from anyone/ or everyone in the state... don't even bother contacting us.  It shows you are not serious at all, and I don't want to waste my time with you.  
6.  Pricing.  This part is dreadful to me.  Putting a price on something you love.  Something you have poured your heart into for months.  Spent hours every day with.  Finding the perfect price is a challenge.  You look at fellow breeders in your area.  I try to work within the ranges of all the breeders I have worked with.  I know what I have spent on rabbits and what it took for us to get here, so at this point, I feel confident when we set a price, it's less than many pet breeders.  
7.  and last but not least...Trust.  I hope to establish a reputation of trust.  I want people to trust us as a rabbitry, and even as friends.  I want to see fellow hobbyists at shows and know that I did not deceive them.  That I have worked to be honest and helpful with them always.  That if mistakes are made they know I will work to correct them and assist them.  Trust is one of the most important elements in our rabbitry, and in our entire existence here at Acehops.  

Well we have a few new names in the rabbitry.  I know, I know, you shouldn't name them so young.  Well, we love the name game so much, that this is something we can surely do as we please as it has no effect on type in the long run.  
Kami has a sweet little blue tort she has named Moonshine.  We nicknamed our big chunky tort doe from Fudge, and I'm afraid the name might just stick.  Pancake.  Then Kait named one Chip, however we now confirm it's a doe, but Kait said the name is staying.  Kaits little blue tort doe is Rose, and she is one balanced little beauty.  Our favorite chunky blue tort boy has yet to get a name.  I go nuts because I have so many names in my head, but it's not my place to be naming the kids rabbits.  Sigh.  Little Quinne finally has a litter to tend to and I think she had them named the day they were born.  Hopefully the guess on sexes are correct!  
I had to share this cute pic of our blue boy.  He is such a fluffy cutie.  This line breeding, was well thought out.  It wasn't done so we could have bunnies to profit from or to appease lists of people wanting stock.  It was done because we are aiming for nice thick limbs, full hindquarters and balanced stock.  Line breeding is an important way to get these traits and lock them in.  It is also however a way to pull out faults, making it very important to know what to keep, and what to let go of.  In our limited experience of litters, it has been very nice to see an improvement already.  We are seeing consistent traits and are feeling very proud of our accomplishments.  Hopefully as these little guys mature we will be even more certain in our breeding program and prepare to go some new directions with our lines.