Video: Calhoun Easter Rabbits

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CALHOUN COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)–A Calhoun County man experiences the tragedies of life …and it leads to a bond between him and his grandson that grows into a successful rabbit business.

Well-known Calhoun County farmer Bryan Allen Long has more than enough bunnies for sale…but, raising rabbits is the last thing the retiree figured he would be doing. But when he lost Mike, one of his sons in 2007, at first it was not received very well among members of the Long family.

“What’s going on you know, and I tried to figure out well you know what is, what have we done to deserve this you know, so,” said Bryan Allen Long/Calhoun County Rabbit Farmer.

That promise made to Mike Long that day, meant that grandpa would be there for his grandson Ty, Mike’s son. Tragedy struck again when grandpa had to deal with his grandson’s four wheeler accident in 2012. Ty later recovered from the accident. Mike Long who had a baseball field named in his honor, would not live to see the special bond that developed between the two animal lovers.

“We got into the beagle business where he would have a, be a little bit more handy for him to hunt the beagles. And we bought several beagles and in buying the beagles we started raising puppies and whatever we sold he could get the money and whatever,”said Bryan Allen Long.

Needing rabbits to train the beagles, Bryan Long bought five or six bunnies from a man in Blue Springs, the rest is history. With fast breeding rabbits on the farm, beagles were eventually out numbered. And now leading up to Easter, these cute little creatures are in demand. In one week alone, Long has sold 104 babies.

“And I’ve got a guy coming and picking up 50 Wednesday, so right now around Easter they are in high demand. I’m out of rabbits right now to sell for Easter. Three more weeks I’ll have about 85 or 90 more,” said Bryan Allen Long.

And so out of unexpected hard times, there emerged a special relationship between Long and his grandson, and these furry creatures are a symbol of a committment made to a son no longer here,” said Bryan Allen Long.

“Oh, yeah You know I told someone, I said you know if I knew grand babies was going to be this good, we would have had them first you know. Ha, ha, ha, ha,” said Bryan Allen Long.

Long mainly raises two types of rabbits. Florida cottontails and lion heads as show animals. He also mentions that Ty has grown up and his interest are changing to sports and girls.

Categories: Local News

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