Making pedigrees for your babies is pretty easy. You could buy pedigree books (ARBA has 20-page books of them, and I've seen some equipment sellers having them), which you would fill out by hand (can make quite the hand cramp if you have to do a bunch at a time). Or, you can make a template to use in a word processor. There are also rabbitry management programs that will help you keep breeding records and generate your pedigrees for you that you can print out.
As for what it's like, I can say that it's fun, but can be hard work. It kinda depends on what kind of support you have in your household. I manage the rabbits by myself, but have friends in town who can take care of them for me if I'm out of town (say, for a show). If I can't make it home on lunch to check waters and ice them during the summer, I can con a roommate into doing it for me, although they only do it grudgingly. It's always exciting to find babies in the nestbox, and hear them squeak and jump when you put your hands in there to count them (and see what colors you got). The smile on my daughter's face when she gets to hold them in the fluffy stage is priceless. At shows, it's great getting to meet new people who share the hobby, and make connections for possible future sales. I really like getting to teach people new to the hobby. It can be kind of hard when you have rabbits to sell that aren't selling as fast as you'd like (although I'll admit that's really not often a problem if you plan your breedings right).
To be successful, make sure you get quality stock. All of my breeding stock are from out of state, and I don't think it's an issue to import stock into Idaho, although I've been hearing rumors about laws for Washington (not sure if it applies to stock leaving the state, but I know they want a law pertaining to stock coming INto the state).
As for not knowing of any breeders in the area, that could easily change in just a few years. 10 years ago, there were almost no Flemish Giants in this area, but more and more, I'm hearing about people around who do. I know there are some who have English Lops and Checkered Giants around Chehalis, WA (between Vancouver, WA and Seattle). When it gets closer to the time that you want to get your stock, check breeder listings on the breed club sites, attend shows, and look up the names of breeders that are winning big shows. I've found that a lot of the top breeders don't have websites, but are active as judges or show secretaries, so you can get their email or phone numbers from those listings.
Other things that will keep you successful is to keep meticulous records--know exactly who was bred when, born when, with what colors and how the kits have turned out. EVALUATE EVERY ANIMAL! Know your standards and what colors are most compatible. You should also cull (not use in your breeding program, and probably not sell as a breeder) any rabbit that isn't AT LEAST as good quality as whatever stock you already have.
It also helps to attend as many shows as you can. Being in Idaho, that may mean 5+ hour drives to some shows. For right now, I know there are shows every fall in Rupert, Idaho and Ontario, OR. There are other shows at different times of the year in Boise and up by Couer D'Alene, but more than likely, to earn enough legs, you'll have to go to Tri-Cities, WA and La Grande, OR. I know one breeder in Eastern Idaho that drives all the way to Albany, OR (western OR) because the shows are bigger.
