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The Beginnings Sycamore Rabbitry began in August of 2003. When I, Kristy Hume, realized I would no longer be able to show a horse at fair (due to the fact that my current horse is not the typical "pleasure" horse, but instead, a dressage horse), I decided that I wanted to be involved in Dutch rabbits.
Kristy and her dressage horse,
Toby, during show season 2007.
My younger years! We used to raise blacks, blues & chocolates.
Tom, one of the top breeders in Michigan, showed us several animals to choose from. We brought home three wonderful animals: a black buck (Buster), a blue doe (Tess), and a young, black doe (Panda). We then visited the Stump's rabbitry and brought home a black buck (Chip) and a black doe (Oreo). I got some lovely beginning animals out of these two, but I no longer own them. Their lines are still strong in my herd though! I can't thank Tom and Steven enough for providing me with such excellent beginning stock!
The "Super Litter" Every Dutch breeder loves finding a new litter containing all showable babies. On May 9, 2004, I experienced such luck when Tess had an exceptional litter of six excellent marked, show quality animals, sired by Buster. Three of the rabbits were sold at a young age. Digger, a black buck, was marked well, but gangly in his build and was therefore sold. I have since come to realize that my animals, bucks in particular, tend to take some time in developement, and I probably should have held onto him. Spaz, a black doe with excellent type, was psychotic as a baby and became difficult, and even scary, to handle as she became older and therefore, was sold. Then there was Lorelle, a blue doe who has a story of her own, who ended up being sold, then finding her way back into my barn as a show rabbit, but was then sold again.
Then there were the three animals I kept until they were seniors: Blue, Daisy and Priss. Blue has always been spectacular on the show table, and has the awards to prove it. He has been retired as a breeding buck, and while he still occasionally finds his way to the show table, I mostly focus on his babies. Daisy, a black doe, has been winning since she was a mere 3 months old and has numerous legs and significant wins, just like her brother. At nearly two years old, Daisy finally got her chance to settle into motherhood and is producing great babies. Priss, another black doe, was a beautiful animal, but could never beat her sister. Priss is another one who was sold, found her way back to my barn as a brood doe, but has since moved on to a new home. Needless to say, it was a litter to say "wow"about and these rabbits really helped to get my rabbitry established in the Dutch community.
And Then Came the Grays... The original intent was to become involved in only two varieties of Dutch, and I chose blacks and blues. Of course, that didn't last long! At the National Dutch Show in 2005, I got my first gray, Glory (with her brother, Tag-A-Long, in tow) from Al Peeler of Illinois. After much pursuit, and over a year later, I purchased two more gray does to establish my lines with. Rita, an overweight but wonderfully typed doe from Steve Blythe and Rita Stelzer of South Dakota. I also bought Ginger, a well-typed, well-marked and beautifully colored doe from Theresa Kortbein (now Schwandt) of Wisconsin. Ginger has since passed away unexpectedly, but I have bought another gray doe of similar lines, Kortney, to replace her.
I then got an excellent gray
buck to use as foundation gray sire, Smokey (from breeder
Mike Smith). Smokey has since been replaced by his son,
Broer. I also was very lucky to snatch up an absolutely lovely gray
buck (Laddy) from Erik Ladd of Ohio. He has proven to be an exceptional
show rabbit and sire. 
Grays have proven to be
an exciting addition to the barn, as I always seem to be learning
something new! 
Additonal "Outsiders"
I have been very lucky to have some wonderful Dutch rabbits born in my barn. Every once in awhile though, I find myself looking for some new blood to bring into the herd so things don't get too closely related. I am very particular about what qualities I am looking to bring into my herd, so purchases are not taken lightly.
In my search
for a new blue buck, I contacted Pete Nelsen of Washington. I have always
admired his rabbits, and I can't thank him enough for letting me buy this
buck at ARBA 2007! As for Thor, I hadn't really planned on getting a new
black buck, but I only was using two for breeding in my barn, and when this
guy was put in the seller's class at NDS 2008 by Al Gerhart of Ohio, I couldn't
resist! Al has excelelnt quality blacks with LOVELY fur, something I want
in my blacks!
Then, over the summer of 2008, I got my gold doe, Dar. She comes from the Bickelhaupts in Ohio. Dar has lovely type and a gorgeous head and ear on her. She has some markings flaws, but I am trying her out on some gray bucks to see if she can help brighten up my ring color. Dar is a barn favorite, an excellent mother, and visitors love her "blonde" coat! Thank you Katie and Terri Bickelhaupt! I had been so pleased with how well my Gerhart buck, Thor, had crossed on my does, that I also purchased Amy, a black doe, from Al at ARBA 2008.
The next newbie in my barn was Harrison. I noticed Al had some black junior bucks for sale at a show in early 2009. Buster is getting older, and I am getting to the point that I realize he's going to need to be replaced. Well, I bought Harrison as a junior at the show. He has a few marking flaws, but the coat and type on him are flawless. For now he is busy on the show table, but I plan to try him out on some does when he's older! At another show in early 2009, I had been keeping an eye out for any blue does that caught my fancy. I had sold some of my older broodies who were being replaced by their daughters, but I wanted something new as well. I picked up Fiona from Madison and Mackenzie Everett of Michigan. She goes back to some of my breeding on her sire's side, and I think she will cross well into my current blues. I am excited to breed her! 
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