Hello from the Quarantined HillTop! How are you fairing in this crazy time of quarantine? Personally, life has not changed too much for us, other than my husband is home full-time currently. We're still doing our normal things this time of year: prepping garden beds, clearing brush, growing from seeds and repairing areas that harsh … Continue reading How to Get Started
Greetings from the HillTop! It's been a little while since I've done a HillTop Highlight. For those of you who are new to reading my blog, I provide a highlight on our chicken flock. While most of you are scratching your head wondering why, a large portion of our readers are also our customers. This … Continue reading HillTop Highlight – Shannon the Barred Rock
Hello from the HillTop! Did you ever feel like you've heard a saying for so long that there is no way it could be true? Funny enough, the saying is typically true. The last few years I've heard that chickens are gateway livestock. I thought, meh, I grew up on a farm, there is no … Continue reading That’s Quack-tastic!
Hello from the cold tundra that is our HillTop! This is one of those winters that is a blessing and a curse. Western Pennsylvania is known for snow this time of year, but this year the Farmer's Almanac has our area on a light snow in combination for a winter style slush-rain mix. Frozen egg … Continue reading Winter Planning
Hello from the HillTop! Here we are, a New Year, which brings new plans, new goals, and new hope. It amazes me how fast 2019 came and went. So fast that I looked up and I'm ashamed to admit, I didn't not commit to this blog outlet of mine near the amount that I had … Continue reading Back to Basics
Good morning from the Hilltop. As I began my day today, I tried to determine what I was going to eat. Today is a day I'm home with my son. After making sure my daughter got on the bus for the day and the little man was playing, I began the thought process of what … Continue reading Consider Canning This Year
Being a farm kid growing up, we had a variety of animals on the farm. One animal we had a variety of times over the years were rabbits. They were a friendly, easy pets that were great for kids to learn the importance of carrying for animals. Our daughter had a "pet" rabbit in her … Continue reading Two Bunnies… Seven Bunnies… How Many More?
The start of a new year always brings resolutions and ways to make changes for the better. Most people look to make changes in the realms of weight, finances, and relationships. Many people think about where they want to be by the end of the year, and put goals in sight, then plans in place … Continue reading Planning for the New Year
I came from a family that valued family time above all else. My dad was a dairy farmer and it made for long days that left little time for family. Sundays were honored and saved for family because dad was able to carve out more time for family. Because of the value of family, we … Continue reading Jellies for a Year
I've heard for a few years now, chickens are gateway livestock. Once you get a few layers you'll keep expanding into others. I can honestly say, we did not buy a different type of animal. We did, however, move into the realm of meat chickens. My husband spear headed this project, and I helped and … Continue reading Trials and Tribulations of Meat Chickens
