At the Mink Ranch

Every day is different in the world of photojournalism.  One day you may be photographing the governor and the next you’re covering the U.S Snowboard Grand Prix.  Many days you’re on a wild-goose chase, tracking down images to tell the story.  This was the case last week when Pat Parkinson, county reporter, and I traveled to Coalville in search of mink farmers.

Mink farming has been a staple in Summit County for nearly a century, and Utah is the second-largest state in America for mink.  Summit County is the home of the Blackglama, one of the most desired pelts in the fur industry.

With all these farms you’d think it would be easy to contact a rancher, but these individuals rarely talk to outsiders and especially not the media.  So it was a complete shock when Parkinson and I were invited in to one of the oldest running mink farms in America.

Get the full story, “Mink ranchers battle animal activist.” P.Parkinson Park Record.

A family picture hangs proudly at the mink farm house.  Most fur farms are family ran businesses, this farm started in 1927 and is operated by the third generation of family ranchers.

I often photograph my hand to get a light reading.  I was expecting to get a photo of a mink inside the pen area, but I was ushered outside to take the shot.

Mink.

I also made the Sheriffs blotter.

Andy Warhol’s “Blackglama,”  Judy Garland, from Ads Series 1985.

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