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Texas Hill Country: Rainwater Harvesting

Living green is important to many of those who own Hill Country homes, and for anyone living in an arid climate, conserving water plays a significant role in environmentally friendly living. Perhaps the easiest way to conserve water is rainwater harvesting. Dating back at least four thousand years, the practice of rainwater harvesting is still an eco-friendly and cost-effective way for those who live in Hill Country homes to manage their water supply.

The first important thing to understand is that there are two types of rainwater harvesting: passive and active.
• Passive rainwater harvesting can be as simple as an old-fashioned rain barrel. One popular way to passively collect rainwater is by using rooftops to harvest it. The roof is simply designed or modified to channel the rainwater, in order to capture it. Collecting rainwater passively requires very little maintenance.
• Active collecting is more expensive, but also more efficient. In this method, the home itself is modified, and a system is installed to collect, filter, store, and reuse the water. Large quantities of water can be stored during times of heavy rain, to be used when the conditions are dryer.

However you choose to harvest it, rainwater is a wonderful resource. Softer than groundwater, it does not leave hard water build-up and residue in appliances. Harvesting rainwater can save money on water bills while preserving groundwater. Even the most passive water collectors can use it to water plants and create a haven in their own back yards, because rainwater is free of the harmful minerals contained in groundwater. While older rain harvesting systems were unsightly, modern systems are very attractive and designed to complement any style. In other words, it is better for the environment, better for the community, better for your garden, and beautifully designed. With all these benefits, why would you not harvest rainwater? Many homebuilders are beginning to see the benefits of this trend, and incorporate rainwater harvesting systems into their designs. If you are shopping for a home, be sure to ask your builder about rainwater harvesting systems.

For those in the market for Hill Country homes, the Ranches of Brushy Top is a private gated community with 5- to 75-acre homesites. Located near Blanco, Texas, Brushy Top is committed to good stewardship of the land, especially because Texas Hill Country is so beautiful and majestic, teeming with life. The developers of Brushy Top care about the environment, and so they encourage rainwater harvesting whenever possible, to help preserve the natural flora and fauna surrounding the Hill Country homes in their community. Visit the website to learn more, or join the online community on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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Texas Hill Country Market Days

The benefits of buying local produce are well-documented, and in the Texas Hill Country, lush farmland yields a wealth of opportunity. Much of the Texas ranch real estate available for purchase can be converted for agricultural use, and the local farms provide goods in markets all over the area. Buying from local farms means your produce will be fresher and better tasting; you will obtain superior nutritional value as well. In addition, it helps the community by contributing to the local economy and reducing pollution from vehicles importing produce. Local crafts are also popular market items, adding another welcome boost to local trade. Market days abound in the Texas Hill Country, and the hardest decision may be choosing which one to visit! Here, we list a few of the highlights:

• Bandera: Every first Saturday from April through November, on Main Street in Bandera, artists and craftsmen display their original works. Farmers sell produce, canned goods, and baked goods. In June, July, and August, Bandera also holds a farmer’s market on the first Saturday of the month.
• Blanco: In front of the Old Courthouse, on the third Saturday of every month from March through November, Blanco holds Market Days with a special Christmas Market in December. While you browse, be sure to check out the charming Blanco, Texas restaurants around the Courthouse area.
• Boerne: In Boerne, Market Days mean great shopping, great food, and great music in an outdoor setting. Held the second weekend of every month in the Gazebo of Main Square, Boerne Market Days are fun for the whole family.
• Fredericksburg: Near the Pedernales River, across from Wildseed Farms, Fredericksburg Trade Days offer a place to relax and enjoy local music while browsing six barns worth of merchandise, all on the third Saturday of each month.
• Old Gruene: From February until November, Old Gruene Market Days are held on the third full weekend of each month, with a special Market Day on the first weekend in December. Featuring handmade items, Old Gruene Market Days run from 10 am until 5 pm, and feature a wide variety of goods like woodworking, ceramics and metal art, food, plant products, and soap.
• New Braunfels: For the best locally-grown fruits and vegetables, fresh and dried flowers, dairy goods and cheeses, baked goods, meats, handcrafted items and more, visit Farm to Market. This farmer’s market is held in historic downtown New Braunfels every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
• Wimberly: If handcrafted items are on your list, be sure to visit Wimberly’s Market Days from March through December, every first Saturday. You will find one-of-a-kind handcrafted items, as well as jewelry, antiques, collectibles, art, flowers, and plants.

If you want to live in the Texas Hill Country and are looking for Texas ranch real estate, check out The Ranches at Brushy Top. Ranging from 5 to 75 acres, Brushy Top ranches feature gorgeous Hill Country property with majestic hilltop views. Visit the website to learn more, or connect with the online community on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest! 

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Texas Hill Country - New Medical Center

Located on the banks of Lake Marble Falls, amidst breathtaking natural beauty, Marble Falls, Texas has long been a popular place to visit and a wonderful place to live. Now, with the addition of a new medical center, there is even more to love about Marble Falls. If you are planning a visit, you might want to look for some Texas Hill Country land for sale, because chances are you will never want to leave.

The new facility is called Lake of the Hills Regional Medical Center, located on forty acres near U.S. 281 and Highway 71, and serves as the larger sister center to Llano Memorial Hospital. Ground was broken on this center in November of 2011, and is projected to be fully operational within eighteen to twenty-four months.

Llano Memorial Hospital has provided care to Llano and Hill Country residents since the 1950s, and has served the rural community through a chain of clinics since the 1990s. However, the need for medical facilities has grown since the area has had a twenty-six percent growth over the past six years.  Lake of the Hills will meet the increased need, serving as an acute care hospital with one hundred and twenty beds. Other services will also be provided on the Lake of the Hills campus with medical office buildings, long-term care services, assisted living services, and more. The nonprofit hospital will also have services such as OB/GYN, orthopedics, geriatrics, and oncology.

The company operating this hospital and others in the area is Scott & White. Scott & White assumed ownership of Llano Memorial in 2008, and the company has plans to erect more facilities as the population continues to increase. Scott & White is a not-for-profit healthcare system established in 1897, and recognized as one of the nation’s top hospitals. With such a rich history and excellent reputation, Scott & White is the right choice to manage the needs of a rapidly-growing community.

Lake of the Hills Medical Center’s establishment is just one more example of the forethought accompanying the rapid growth in the Marble Falls, Texas area. If you are one of the many people charmed by the region, and are looking for Texas Hill Country land for sale, consider The Ranches at Brushy Top. A carefully-planned community, Brushy Top offers 5- to 75-acre homesites, an AG Value Tax, 2 Fishing Lakes, Exotic Wildlife and an 80-acre nature preserve.

Visit the website to learn more or, for a deeper connection, join the online community on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

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Texas Hill Country winery

The Texas Hill Country has earned an increasingly good reputation for its prolific and delectable wine production.  The area has a sunny, mild Mediterranean climate and terrain that’s turning out award-winning wines.  Grapevines were actually planted in Texas as far back as the mid-17^th century by Spanish missions wanting wine to use in religious ceremonies.  However, the big revival in vineyards in the area started happening in the 1970s.

In the United States, wine growing area boundaries are defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau under the Department of Treasury.  The Hill Country is the second largest American Viticultural Area in the country.  It’s just less than 10 million acres.  Most of the grapes grown in the area originate from France, Italy or Spain.

The wines are starting to reap wine national awards and the stunning beauty of the area is coupled with quaint little towns that feature unique dining and accommodations.  The Hill Country is starting to look like the next Napa Valley – but much friendlier, laid back and, well, Texan!

Texas Wine Trail

The Texas Wine Trail is an organization of wineries that plans self-guided driving tours of more than 30 Hill Country wineries.  Though most wineries are open for tastings and tours year-round, five times a year a special Wine Trail event is planned offering a variety of happenings and tours, foods paired with wines, and other serendipitous finds.  We’ve often discovered newly released wines and locally produced delicacies and met friendly fellow travelers enjoying these regional wine treks.  Many of the Wine Trail events feature local singer-songwriters, guest chefs and other entertainment.

The website for the Texas Wine Trail offers links to specific wineries and what each is offering for the event.   We like to map the winery path that fits our time and interest. There’s a link to many local bed-and-breakfasts and inns, as well, which we think goes well with wine tastings.   The 2012 Wine Trail events occur during February, April, October, November and December. www.texaswinetrail.com

Handmade Chocolate and Wine

February 10-19, 2012, is the Wine Lover’s event.  The $35 tickets ($60 per couple) include one to three tastings per winery, a box of local, handmade chocolates and a 15% discount on three bottles of wine at any or all of the 33 wineries included.

Individual wineries and vineyards may offer additional special experiences.  We were enticed by the information from Flat Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery in Marble Falls.  Flat Creek is an 80-acre, family-owned estate that has been producing wine for the last twelve years.  They have planted 20 acres of vineyards and a tucked in a 10,000 case winery on this beautiful land.  A picturesque bistro is on-site serving three-course paired wine lunches, weekend brunches and other lunch specials, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays (reservations recommended).  For February, Flat Creek Bistro created a special Wine Trail lunch, paired with wine of course, which includes wild boar ravioli, Chilean sea bass and a red chili chocolate cake.  This sounds pretty romantic to us! Feeding our tummies and our senses, in all the ways a winery can do, warms our Valentine hearts!

The beauty and drive through the Texas Hill Country to selected wineries adds additional pleasures.  Finding a quaint bed and breakfast to stay each night as we trek along the Trail also brings smiles to our faces.  Who needs Napa Valley!

Ranches of Brushy Top

At Brushy Top we offer a list of approved Hill Country custom builders.  We recognize that those looking for a ranch community such as Brushy Top, with 5- to 75–acre homesites and a magnificent 80-acre nature preserve, are people who really appreciate fine living and unique custom features.

For more information visit us on the web.

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