Newspapers / Highlands High School Student … / Aug. 4, 1939, edition 1 / Page 3
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THE MOUNTAIN TRA.IL ATJG:rrT 4, 1939 p!^-go 3 HIGHLANDS SILVER FOX FARiM by Mrs. Sidney McCarty, Jr. The Highlands Silver Fox Farm is the only one of its kind in the Carolinas, Raising Silver fox pupplies is the chief crop. Instead of plowing our farm, we stretch fences, buried a foot deep, to keep foxes in and dogs out, YOiere we stretch one fence another is required to keep any fox that is skilful enough to get over the first fence from escaping. We have approximately four acres"plant ed‘* in pens ajid kennels; this is where- the breeders are kept. In each kennel live a Mr, and Mrs, Fox and family of from one to six puppies. Each fox is fed from three-quarters to one and a half pounds of food daily, usually at dusk. A meal contains thirty-five ingredients,balf anced to give the corredt vitamins and minerals. Several foxes can be coaxed to eat from our hands but the majority are too wild and shy. On a fox farm instead of observing the seasons, spring planting, summer working, fall harvesting, and winter preparation as most farmers do, our seasons arejmat- ing season, November to February; whelp ing season, Iferch to Jlay, during this time we walk the floor instead of Papa Fox; growing season, ffo.y to Octoberj pelt ing season, November to December, Each season brings its own worries, joys and anxieties; however, the most nerve-rackii^ seasons are mating and whelping. Any un usual noise, or anything that causes the foxes to become excited, may result in serious loss at this time, consequently the farm is not opened to visitors until all puppies are at least six weeks old, usually June 15th to November, The work on a fox farm is very inter esting and varied and keeps us on our -toes We must be mechanics to keep the old Ford going; horsetraders to keep the fox es supplied with fresh T-bone steaks;book keepers to keep our records straight; and vetinarians to keep the foxes in good con dition, It is all very interesting and ab- sorbing work, especially the care of the foxes, Each fox is an individualist and has different ttaits of character, and we havo named many of our accordingly. There are Sir Cutie-Pie, the show-off; Lady Cross- Patch, the nagging wife; Ex-Ifrs. Pete,the gay divorcee, and Peewee, the latest addi tion to our family. He is the little fol low we raised with the aid of the cat,His mother killed all of his brothers and sis ters and would have killed Poe-Woe too had we not adopted him into our family. There are 124 foxes on this farm, all of them thorough-breds. In this herd we have succeeded in breeding quito a number of foxes with exquisite white markings on their feet and chests. The foxes when full grown woif!;h from 20 to 30 pounds; maturiV Vl^ERE THE COTTAGERS MEET Thursday Evening for Supper Vk^en the Servants Are off Popialar Prices RESERVE A TABLE ’^MUARE DANCE SPECIAL FEATURE AT rJEIEMS SAKM SOCO GAP National Championship Square Dance Team—The Team That Danced for the King and Queen of England. MONDAY NIGHT, AUG. 7th Regular Dances MON.-WED.-FRI.-SAT HAVE YOU VISITED ORIENTAL ARTS-MOUNTAIN CRAFTS GIFT SMOP IN THE HOME OF jVjRS Ji.KOOT UNIQUE AND WELL* SELECTED THINGa YOU WILL FIND A WARM WELCOME Top O The Town A BUILDER—BUILDING SUPPLIES DEALER FOR JOHNS-IiANVILLE PRODUCTS PHOME oS
Highlands High School Student Newspaper
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Aug. 4, 1939, edition 1
3
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