Dirty Harey Homestead

11/12/2026

🐦 A LITTLE QUAIL COOP, A LOT OF REPURPOSING! 🛠️

Here at Dirty Harey Homestead, we try to make use of what we already have before running to the hardware store and buying everything brand new.

This little quail coop is a perfect example of that!

It’s made from a collection of leftover building materials, wood salvaged from tearing down our old deck, pallets, an abandoned Pinterest project (we all have one or two of those 😂), and wire salvaged from an old hoop coop. The only things we actually had to purchase were a few hinges and handles.

⏱️ Time invested: About 3 hours
💵 Money invested: Roughly $40

Could we have gone out and bought all new lumber, wire, and materials? Absolutely!

But why spend money on something when you’ve already got perfectly good materials sitting around waiting for another purpose?

Now, is it Instagram-worthy? Probably not.
Would Pinterest approve? I doubt it. 😂
Will it house some quail and get the job done? That’s the plan!

We aren’t trying to win any carpentry awards over here. We’re trying to build a homestead, make things work, stretch our resources, and be good stewards of what we’ve been blessed with.

There’s something satisfying about taking something that was destined for the burn pile or the trash and giving it another life.

Not everything on a homestead has to be pretty, expensive, or brand new. Sometimes the best projects are the ones built with what you’ve got, a little creativity, and a whole lot of “I think I can make that work.” 🤣

Besides, the quail aren’t going to leave us a bad review because the lumber doesn’t match!

Reuse it. Repurpose it. Make it work. Spend that money where it actually needs to be spent.

That’s homesteading at Dirty Harey Homestead! 🌱🐇🐦

11/12/2026

11/10/2026

🐇🌶️ DIRTY HAREY HOMESTEAD’S RABBIT CHILI!

Alright y’all, several people have asked about the rabbit chili, so I figured I’d share how I make it!

This is one of those recipes where measurements are more of a suggestion, and you just throw things together until it looks right. 😂

🥘 Ingredients

Meat:

* 2–3 rabbit saddles OR 2 rabbit legs (deboned)
* 1 package hot breakfast sausage
* 1 package diced Andouille or Hot Conecuh sausage

Everything Else:

* 1 white onion, chopped
* 1 tablespoon jarred minced garlic
* 2 jalapeños, chopped
* 1 large can tomato sauce
* 1 can petite diced tomatoes
* 2 cans fire-roasted Rotel
* 3 cans mixed chili beans
* 1 can tomato paste
* 1 can beef broth
* 2–3 packages Williams Chili Seasoning
* 2–3 tablespoons yellow mustard

🍲 How I Make It

1. Debone your rabbit and throw it in the crockpot on HIGH.
2. Chop your onion and jalapeños. Sauté them with the garlic in a skillet.
3. Add your diced Andouille or Conecuh sausage and brown until the edges get nice and crispy. Dump everything into the crockpot.
4. Using that same skillet and leftover sausage grease (because we’re not wasting good flavor around here), brown your breakfast sausage and add it to the crockpot.
5. Add all your canned ingredients, Williams Chili Seasoning, and yellow mustard.
6. Give everything a good stir and let it cook until the rabbit is tender and everything has had a few hours to get acquainted.

Serve it up with some shredded cheese, sour cream, crackers, or cornbread!

A FEW NOTES:
Adjust the jalapeños and chili seasoning to your liking. We like ours with a little kick!

And remember, this is homestead cooking. We don’t measure everything, we just keep adding stuff until our ancestors whisper, “That’s enough.” 😂

If you try it, let us know what you think!

🐇 Dirty Harey Homestead

11/05/2026

Hey y’all! 🐰❤️

For all my fellow breeders out there, SYM Rabbitry is hosting a giveaway in honor of a loved one’s memory. What a wonderful way to honor someone special while spreading a little kindness and blessing a few folks with some beautiful buns! 🐇

Head over, show them some support, and check out the giveaway. It’s always great seeing our rabbit community come together for something meaningful! ❤️

Remembering Sarah Give Away!🫶🏽
🐰🕊️🐰🕊️🐰🕊️🐰🕊️🐰🕊️🐰🕊️🐰🕊️

How to enter:
💗 Like this post
📌 Comment on this post
⏩️ Share this post (make sure it’s public)
⬆️ Follow us FB & TikTok

Every 2️⃣5️⃣ personal shares of our page is an extra entry!
(Please screenshot & send proof)

Drawing will be done via spin wheel Nov 22nd 🫶🏽

This giveaway is in honor of Sarah Yvonne Morgan. My aunt who our Rabbitry is named after. As many who know us personally know how hard November is for us. Hoping this can show love & kindness in a quarter of the way she did. And help other Rabbitrys in adding great parts! Prizes will be listed via details in our group chat. Please keep this give away kind, fair, & fun. And check out our page this month for little post to get to know Sarah & our Rabbitry a bit more! 💗💗💗

11/05/2026

🐇🔪 Let’s talk rabbit processing!

I’ve had a few folks reach out recently asking how I process a rabbit and what tools I use, so I figured I’d share a little about my setup here at Dirty Harey Homestead!

The short answer? The good ol’ broomstick method for dispatching, and then it’s time to get to work!

✂️ For pretty much ALL of the processing, I use a pair of shears like these. They’re my go-to tool for just about everything, with the exception of quartering and deboning. (picked mine up at Harbor Freight)

🔪 For quartering and deboning, I switch over to a knife like this one. Nothing too fancy, just a good knife that gets the job done!

Links to the Tools in the Comments
no commission and not my links 🔗

At the end of the day, you don’t need a whole butcher shop in your backyard to get started. Find what works for you, learn your tools, and make the most of what you have.

We’re all about being resourceful around here. If it can save a little money and get supper on the table, we’re interested! 😂

🎥 SO, here’s my question for y’all…

Would anyone be interested if I put together a YouTube video showing my processing setup, the tools I use, and walking through the process?

I promise not to turn it into a cooking show… unless somebody wants to see the rabbit crack burritos! 🤣🌯

Let me know in the comments! 👇

11/04/2026

🐰 A LITTLE ABOUT GUT HEALTH, GROWING KITS & SOME BIG BABIES! 🐰

Hey y’all! I recently came across a post discussing kits experiencing bloat, and it got me thinking about how important early digestive development is.

One thing I’ve been taught is that when Momma is accustomed to eating appropriate leafy greens, her kits are exposed to her cecotropes as they grow. These special droppings contain beneficial microorganisms that help establish the kits’ gut microbiome and support the development of a healthy digestive system.

As the kits get older, start exploring outside the nest box, and become curious about what Momma is eating, they’re also gradually learning to eat solid foods. It’s cool how god designed nature to help prepare them for the next stage! 🌱

Now, speaking of growing kits…

We’ve got some BIG babies coming up here at Dirty Harey Homestead! 😂

Some of these Kits are already at 3+ POUNDS AT JUST 6 WEEKS OLD! 🤯We honestly can’t believe how quickly they’re growing!

Look we HAVE NOT ever fed our rabbits Miracle Grow even though it’s miraculous! 🤣

We’re excited to watch these Litters continue to develop and see what they bring to our breeding program. We’re always striving to improve our herd, focusing on quality, size, growth rate, temperament, and the overall Silver Fox standard.

At this rate, we’re going to need bigger feed buckets, stronger scales, a bigger barn and possibly Stock options in Tuckers Milling! 😂

❤️ The future is looking BIG around here!

P.S. I weigh our kits in ounces this so 3lbs 0.8oz.

Now we’re Curious and would love to hear from y’all:

🐰 What’s the biggest weight you’ve seen on a 6-week-old kit?

🌱 What’s your experience with introducing greens to your rabbits?

Let’s share some knowledge! 👇

11/03/2026

It’s that time of year again, and some breeders may have noticed their rabbits are not breeding.
Does aren’t showing interest in lifting and bucks are not getting fall offs like they did in the spring or summer.

Because we are experiencing a lot less daylight, our rabbits are instinctively aware of the colder temperatures a head, and go into winter rest as they become less interested in breeding. From what I’ve seen and read over the past couple of years, this is much more common in the northern states, than the southern.
That said:
It’s normal biology, not a failure. Embracing the rest cycle gives your does and bucks a seasonal break. This gives your does time to recondition, as they wait out the winter. As the days begin to get longer, your does should be ready to breed again come late February or early March.