The Rural Voice, 1992-12, Page 28Eric Chuter with one of his mink.
Farming
for fine
pelts
Fur ranching has had its
ups and downs but this
farm carries on a 60
year family tradition
By Sandra Orr
24 THE RURAL VOICE
The approach of cold winter
weather brings on the sheen of the
thick full coats of the mahogany mink
raised on Eric Chuter's farm near
Varna, Ontario. All year, the mink
have been fed and cared for so that
their winter coat will be in the best of
condition.
The Chuters have been in the mink
ranching business since Chuter's
father, Wilfred, started his mink farm
as a hobby 60 years ago in Varna.
Fur farming is a relatively new
enterprise compared with other areas
of livestock production. Since not
enough pelts could be trapped in the
wild to fill the demand for coats and
collars, fur farming began to develop
in earnest in the early decades of this
century. In 1859, mink was a lowly
pelt, fetching 59 cents each at the
Hudson's Bay Co. sale in London,
England. In 1929, a quality mink pelt
fetched about $21 and since the
depression prices have varied
according to the market conditions.
A quality pelt fetches a premium
price which is so high in comparison
with the cost of its production that
you might wonder why there are not
more ranches.
At first, ranch mink did not fetch
the price of wild mink but with the
Silverblu pelt and other mutations
which became the ultimate in
wearing apparel, they commanded a
very high price.
When asked about the biggest
problem in mink ranching, Chuter
maintains it is market difficulties due
to over -production. "Since 1990,
more than 42 million ranches world-
wide have been reduced in numbers
to about 24 million."
Even with the number of ranches
cut almost in half, the market now for
pelts is off. Chuter credits the
auction houses for maintaining the
sales. With the pelts graded and
valued, even if the markets are soft,
they are not given away. A quality
pelt still fetches a good price. The
pelts are graded according to sex,
size, and colour. The most popular
pelts are dictated by what people
want. To get top market price,
enough pelts of one colour and
texture are needed for a fur coat lot
(50 to 55 pelts). Thus, the market
favours the larger ranch.
Pelting begins about December 1,
with the animals skinned, the pelts
fleshed, stretched, and ready for the
February sales. The main auctions
are in Seattle and New York.
The mahogany mink are almost jet
black. They are a cross -breed, says
Chuter. The mink at the Chuter farm