tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36849980502889244482014-05-14T11:58:36.246-05:00Hilltop HomesteadPaving a path to the future with tools from the past.Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09232175670503262669noreply@blogger.comBlogger118125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-66406475457623218042013-01-01T19:22:00.002-06:002013-06-19T14:43:37.635-05:002013 - We Are HereHappy New Year / Feliz Ano Nuevo everyone. We have entered a new age.  One that I do feel optimistic of.  It is that optimism I work for and towards. Our first year (2009) on the homestead we were newly unemployed.  Working our 20x20 experimental garden while searching for employment and trying to get our bearings. Our second year reality set in that finding a job was more challenging than Genevievehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09232175670503262669noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-72898156576980991682012-07-10T18:48:00.000-05:002012-07-10T19:55:11.955-05:00Staying Maybe 1/2 Step Ahead, If That Our First Sunflower Things have been busy around here.  I seem to be staying maybe a half step in front of the critters if that much.  Building and maintaining seems to be all I can do lately.  Let's just say we are on hold with any new additions that are not already in progress.  I need some catch up time. We did have a week and a half with our wonderful granddaughters.  They are great help Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-69652928426382543262012-06-25T15:48:00.002-05:002012-07-10T18:49:21.287-05:00Pictures of Our Coturnix Quail ChicksWe still have a few stragglers hatching out.  The are so tiny and cute. About 53 of the 129 have hatched.Counting them while they move aroundis not very accurate. Newly hatched Golden Coturnix Quail Golden Coturnix Quail Chicks Pharaoh Coturnix Quail Chick A&M Coturnix Quail Chick Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-79750643146737895572012-06-24T12:16:00.000-05:002013-05-16T21:23:09.626-05:00Coturnix Quail The first Coturnix Quail to hatch Our eggs started hatching late last night.  The first one to hatch was a Pharaoh quail.  As I have said in previous blog we are hatching Pharaoh, Golden, and A&M quail.  So far we have 26 that have hatched as of noon out of the 129 eggs incubated and they are still hatching. The first two.The one on the left has been out a short whilethe one on the right isHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-48309630382176106792012-06-22T20:31:00.000-05:002012-07-10T18:51:53.217-05:00Expecting - Coturnix, Rabbits, Guineas, DucksWe have had two neighbors and one friend lend us incubators and we are rocking.  We have 22 chicks that we incubated and hatched on the 10th of this month that I blogged about earlier.  Well we also have Muscovy duck eggs and 129 Coturnix quail eggs due to hatch along with now some Peking duck eggs we added to the incubator last night.  This is new and exciting territory for us. Coturnix - Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-85647672780613480752012-06-18T15:03:00.000-05:002012-06-18T15:03:17.120-05:00Homemade Buttermilk PancakesI decided the premix packages/boxes are full of stuff that I don't want to eat.  Figuring homemade was easy enough for my ancestors who cooked on wood stoves I thought I would learn how to make them homemade.  I am no wimp.  For the most part that is. My first step was to scour the internet for recipes.  They were all kinda sorta basically the same with the exception of quantities for the Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-18346717166678969752012-06-15T19:49:00.001-05:002012-06-15T19:49:28.230-05:00Some More Southern Education for My Friend Kymber Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-56950533552070514782012-06-10T01:53:00.002-05:002012-06-10T01:54:13.315-05:00Babies Hatching in the IncubatorOur neighbor was nice enough to allow her broody hens to sit and hatch some of our guinea.  Then another neighbor loaned us a Styrofoam incubator.  We loaded it up with some of our price chicken eggs and the adventure began. We have enjoyed watching the embryos grow and move.  We thought we had lost them when we had a power outage during a storm that lasted 5 hours.  Fortunately they just kept Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-12589539522529466852012-05-18T17:49:00.000-05:002012-05-18T17:49:35.923-05:00The New Males in Our Life Meet Boudro.  Meaning:  Boudro , boudro meaning , definition of boudro , what is boudro - Friend, Term used to describe a buddy or pal in lieu of their name. Particularly in Louisiana, Texas and surrounding states.Some examples : Hey Boudro, let's go grab a beer after work. He is a year old, Nigerian Dwarf / 12.5 % Lamancha buck. Ratz - Lionhead buck We look forward to breeding him Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-32342235099353747062012-05-18T17:23:00.001-05:002012-05-18T17:23:19.760-05:00Apology for My DistanceI apologize for being distant lately.  The loss of Billy really knocked the wind out of us both.  I just didn't have anything to post and I just couldn't bring myself to read others post.  You would have thought we lost a child when we lost Bill in the way we have mourned him.  We still do not know what happened to him. With that being said we are picking ourselves up by the boot straps.  My Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-31871215784126846032012-05-11T13:50:00.003-05:002012-05-11T13:50:55.431-05:00Snakes In The CoopNothing hacks me off worst than snakes eating my future babies out from under the momma hen.  That is what has happened to our duck and chicken that are sitting.  Not to mention the lack of eggs we have been getting lately.  That always lets us know we have a problem in our coop.  That is when we wage war.  We go snake hunting in the coop and we take no prisoners. Four foot and a six foot rat Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-20079950336545847982012-05-10T16:59:00.003-05:002012-05-10T16:59:51.410-05:00Update On Billy Billy napping with me. We finally decided a week and a half is enough time for Billy to get settled with his original herd.  Yesterday we ventured down to see him in his new home.   Only, he wasn't there.  We searched and called to no avail.  Today we went back down there and tried again.  Our calls met with silence. Little Pooter Bill, we don't know where you are but know that you are lovedHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-90139673407606903722012-04-30T22:20:00.002-05:002012-04-30T22:20:21.623-05:00How to Speak TexanOk, I found this on a social network today.  I thought it might help those of you who are not Texans to understand us folks down here a bit.  Actually, I really just thought it was funny and wanted to share. Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-13964686342379649802012-04-29T21:25:00.001-05:002012-04-30T15:22:26.607-05:00Pooter Bill aka Billy Jack Well our little Billy aka Pooter Bill went home to his herd today.  It is sad for us but we knew the day would come.  We were helping raise him for our neighbors since his mom was unable to nurse him.  She was a retired dairy goat and her teats were blown.  Another words they were to big for him to get his mouth around to nurse because of the milk machines they had used. We got rather attachedHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-24383194233383989292012-04-28T12:22:00.000-05:002012-04-28T12:22:18.525-05:00Passing It On / Paying It ForwardWhat I noticed since joining the blogging community is we are very good about passing it on.  I first learned about "passing it on" or as some call it "paying it forward" in the mid 80's when I first sobered up in a 12 step program.  I had a friend that had more time than I and was much more financially stable than I.  Sometimes when I would leave her home she would give me a ten dollar bill Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-22223387756819118322012-04-27T01:10:00.002-05:002012-04-27T01:10:29.443-05:00Welcome To Hilltop Homestead - Kymber Howdy and welcome to the homestead Kymber with Framboise Manor.  We'll make a Texan out of you yet. Our homestead is still in the infant stages.  We have been slowly building since 2008 and loving every minute of it.  We love sharing about our experiences here on the homestead and getting helpful input from our follows/friends.  We are glad to have you join us and look forward to Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-34230838294987358992012-04-26T12:54:00.000-05:002012-04-26T12:54:10.951-05:00The Season Is In Full SwingThis is the time of the year when those of us who are blogging homesteaders start to drop off on our posting and get behind on our reading.  The good news is the stuff on our "to do" list are getting done. We have been busy hear helping raise the neighbor's kid (goat), milking goats, making cheese, and yogurt.  We have been working in the garden.  That is a post all of it's own and we are Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-55069282272566532342012-04-09T16:04:00.001-05:002012-04-09T16:04:57.929-05:00Caddo Lake - Like Participating In A National Geographic Movie The view from behind Billy & Dottie's home The Wildfern I talk a lot to various people about the rare treasure here in Texas known as Caddo Lake.  I have vacationed there twice and now visit periodically as I only live an hour away.  Nestled on the border of Texas and Louisiana in the Piney Woods.  It is like a pocket of swamp in the middle of the pines.  The bald cypress trees with their Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-73265110996637200192012-04-08T10:29:00.003-05:002012-04-08T10:29:38.586-05:00God's Gift to You Someone gave me this in paper form many many years ago at a 12 step meeting. I lived in the faith of what this writing taught me. I lived it with my whole heart.   I am happy to say that the promise was fulfilled when I found my wife. My love for her is nothing I could have ever imagined. I am glad I had faith and allowed God to give me my precious gift rather than demanding what Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-63404664792514071322012-04-06T20:20:00.002-05:002012-04-06T20:20:29.030-05:00Hay Day - Delivery (The purple really should be white.  We have an old camera.) My friend let his grass grow all winter after last year's drought.  When they tried to mow it the grass just laid down.  So I took my scythe over there and had a "hay day".  Today they were kind enough to deliver it so my goats could enjoy it..... and they did. I went ahead and spread it out to allow it to dry out further and Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-51822092896412805012012-03-31T12:05:00.000-05:002012-03-31T12:05:30.019-05:00My Cheap Shading Idea - I Hope It Helps The Monmouth show to grow 7 to 12 foot tall.  The Skyscraper shows to grow 12 foot tall.  I plan on planting them on the inside of the garden around the fence to help shade the plants.  I know it will only shade so far but with our limited income this will have to do.  I thought about planting beans to grow up to them. Originally I was planning to use cattle panels to create a frame for Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-3394294163853773052012-03-31T11:48:00.004-05:002012-03-31T12:06:14.410-05:00My Little Red Wagon Yes, my little red wagon.  I actually have two of them.  I use them all over the place.  They may be small but they are able to hold mostly what I need for projects around the homestead.  This is my load for my fencing project.I did have to extend the handle because I am a bit taller than a child.  This one I extended it with a coat hanger and the other with a rope.  The coat hanger worksHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-31081404375735379022012-03-29T11:23:00.002-05:002012-03-29T23:26:55.840-05:00New Milk Stand With Modifications Billy aka Pooter Bill is modeling our new milk stand I promised to make a friend of mine a milk stand.  What I ended up doing is making another for us since there were some changes we needed to make and I am cleaning up the first milk stand for her.Originally we were only planning on milking pygmy/Nigeria mixes so the stand was built to size.  However since then we have started to milk Hilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-69526285602672855722012-03-22T20:39:00.001-05:002012-03-29T20:30:40.567-05:00Welcome To Hilltop Homestead - Encourage One Another & caterina serra Welcome to the homestead Encourage One Another & caterina serra. I am sorry it has taken so long to welcome the two of you.  Our homestead is still in the infant stages.  We have been slowly building since 2008 and loving every minute of it.  We love sharing about our experiences here on the homestead and getting helpful input from our follows/friends.  We are glad to have you joinHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684998050288924448.post-23166896113652825772012-03-22T20:34:00.001-05:002012-03-29T20:30:56.278-05:00Sunset - March 22, 2012I know I haven't been blogging lately.  To be truthful it is such a challenge for me to come inside and sit a a computer when there is so much to get done and the weather is beautiful enough to enjoy getting it done.  We have been doing so much and I hope to get caught up sometime soon to let you guys know what we have been up to.  Until then I wanted to share this picture of the beautiful sunsetHilltop Homesteadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11851437447741063776noreply@blogger.com0