This has been/still is a hard winter. It’s been one snow storm after another, with long stretches of below freezing temperatures. Â Three weeks ago I caught a bug which developed into pneumonia – hence the silence here – and now that I’ finally up and about, Amie caught something as well. That’s how it goes. …
Category Archives: bees
Dead Bee Hive, Crystallized Honey
Though recovering from a cold (my first time ill in over a year: a sure sign that I’ve been overdoing it a little this month), the sun and comfortable temperatures (around freezing) lured me out. I’d been looking at that dead hive (Hive 4) and it nagged at me. So I took the sled out …
Some Ideas for Further Development
I remember singing along with Band Aid, “Do they know its Christmas time .” I must have sung this line, but I can’t remember realizing what it says, or anyone making a comment on it, either fellow-singers or popular media – being only thirteen in in 1984, I wasn’t clued into any other culture. The line: …
What I’ve Been Up To in February (So Far)
It’s Winter on the homestead and aside from plodding through two feet of snow to feed the chickens there’s not much to do on that level. There are many other levels to work on, however. I’ve written about  some personal inner work in the previous blog posts. Our tribe of friends meets often for cooking and …
Continue reading “What I’ve Been Up To in February (So Far)”
Chick This Out!
Kidding! We’re not getting 20 of them. Only four of these little ones will become ours: 2 Buff Orpingtons, 1 Black Australorp, and 1 Barred Rock – these were Amie’s choices. We pooled our order with a friend and a friend-of-that-friend. I can’t wait till April 14, when we go pick them up: a …
Look at that Honey!
It comes in all colors! Â The small jar with the label is of Spring honey, extracted in June.
Honey Extracting with the New Extractor
Today I robbed seven frames from the two hives in my beeyard. Many  more frames were only half or three fourths capped, but with some luck in weather and nectar flow, the bees will cap those fully and I’ll have more to rob.  There’s also the third hive at our friend’s place: I’m curious to …
Raspberry Mead – Melomel
The mead is ready. The bubbles stopped rising, the liquid is clear, and at the bottom of each 1 gallon jug is this: Graveyard of a gazillion dead yeasts DH likes the taste of it and had a whole glass while racking. I like it sweeter, so I racked one jar into a new jar …
Black Bees Wax for Glass Blowing?
I often end up with “bad wax”: the dark brood nest wax, full of pupa skins and bee parts. What to do with it? It’s useless for candles and cosmetics. In these small quantities, it’s too little gain for the hassle to melt it down and filter it. And I can’t throw it on my …
Berries Berries!
I would never want to sell all of my honey. Honey is my “currency”! I’ve rewarded lots of friends, helpers and volunteers with it, for taking care of my chickens, helping us rototill the Community Garden plots, offering their house for a meeting, the use of a truck, etc. The day before yesterday I traded it …