JHP Homestead’s Journal

[Bruce]

Liked that you could get the wood out, not liking that you still have car problems.

 

[MtViking]

Miss @JHP Homestead,

I am really glad that they are working for you. On the YouTube channel GP Outdoors, Gordan, who is in central Ontario, bought chains for his tractor as well (a Kubota BX26 I think). He loves his as well. There was a steep part of his driveway that he could not get up, even in 4WD, when he tried to clear the snow. Now he has no problems. I wonder if @MtViking has been able to clear his driveway with just a 2WD tractor.

Senile Texas Aggie

I haven’t had to plow with the the tractor but a couple times at the beginning of the season. I have a little plow truck to use, but haven’t had to use it either. We’ve had a mild dry winter, I’m dreading what this summer is going to be like. Last year at this time it was snowing everyday and was -20 most days. We had 3ft on the porch by the first week of February last year. It’s been warm everyday this year in the upper 30s most the time we even hit sixty a couple weeks ago.

 

[thistlebloom]

I haven’t had to plow with the the tractor but a couple times at the beginning of the season. I have a little plow truck to use, but haven’t had to use it either. We’ve had a mild dry winter, I’m dreading what this summer is going to be like. Last year at this time it was snowing everyday and was -20 most days. We had 3ft on the porch by the first week of February last year. It’s been warm everyday this year in the upper 30s most the time we even hit sixty a couple weeks ago.

Do I remember correctly that you're in MT? We've been reaching the 40's some days, it's been a lot of up and down, but overall not anything like I heard we were going to get. Of course it's not over until you'ved mowed the grass at least twice right? Last year it was Feb when we got that phenomenal dump.

 

[Bruce]

I’m dreading what this summer is going to be like

Doesn't sound good for snow in the mountains and full lakes/reservoirs.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

My rabbit kits are 1 week old now. One of the ones I brought inside died, but all the others are doing well. Most of them are boring white (except one tort! I’m really excited about that) but I took a couple pics anyways.
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In other rabbit news, DH butchered 3 growouts that were ready. I think I’m going to make hot dogs with them, since DS has decided he doesn’t like “spicy” stuff and refuses to eat the other sausages and burgers I made.

I had to look at the pictures three times...they look like my bunnies! The only way I knew the difference is the little batch of white ones.... congrats on the bunny baby kits!!

 

[MtViking]

Do I remember correctly that you're in MT? We've been reaching the 40's some days, it's been a lot of up and down, but overall not anything like I heard we were going to get. Of course it's not over until you'ved mowed the grass at least twice right? Last year it was Feb when we got that phenomenal dump.

Yeah I’m in Montana. You are correct February last year here was brutal. I’ve seen it snow in July before so I’m definitely not counting my blessings yet. As much as I enjoy the mild weather we need the moisture so I hope it’s a rainy spring

 

[JHP Homestead]

Hello again!

After a long winter, DH and I are finally back to projects that are fun to post about again.

We’ve been working on putting in a berry patch by the house. We have blackberries, raspberries, and black raspberries growing rampant in several areas around the property that we want to mow down; so we decided to clear out a ~45x50 area near the house and move the berries there.

We fenced it in last fall and put our feeder pigs in it for a few months to take it down to bare earth; and then DH leveled it with the tractor and we spread weed barrier (aka cut up feed sacks) and mulch out. Then we transplanted a bunch of berries into it. We found a really good deal on mature blueberry bushes from a local blueberry farm that went out of business to, so we planted a few blueberry bushes in that area too.

I can’t wait to be able to walk down the nice rows and pick berries.

Also, to keep it herds related, here’s a couple pictures of my “herd” of rabbits

 

[Baymule]

What a nice berry patch! It’s perfectly ok to post about your garden, most of us have gardens, fruit trees, berries or something growing. There are pick your own blue berry farms here, so we go picking every year. We pick wild plums on fence rows. Our favorite tree is in a fence row of an old man, we always give him jam. When the county crews were clearing back forest growth from the roadsides, he hung red surveying tape on the trees and told them not to cut his trees! The fence was grown up in all manner of briars, saplings and a mess. He had it poisoned, but protected the wild plum trees. He has torn down the fence to rebuild it. It will be wild plum picking season soon. He deserves a double batch of jam this year!

 

[JHP Homestead]

We have pigs again! I was looking around for feeders and found a couple bred sows for sale. They’re both basically culls from a local small pig farmer, but hopefully they’ll farrow ok and we can get a gilt or two to raise up and breed. The black one has a pretty messed up looking teat. I don’t know enough to know if it’ll affect her other than that I assume a piglet wouldn’t be able to nurse it.

They’re both due around the beginning of July.

 

[Baymule]

That’s great on the sows! I love a good deal. If you want to slaughter them after weaning the piglets, put them on a soured corn and hay diet. The roughage will help clean up the meat and the soured corn will put a great finish on them. Basically line up 5-6 buckets with lids, put in however much corn they can eat in a day and cover with water. Let it set and get stinky, they will love it. Use a bucket, refill and put it at the back of the line. About 6 weeks and they will be tasty!