Beekeepers keep journals. Being the geek I am, it seems easiest to do this online. So, this post is more for me than for you, dear reader. But, if you’re interested in what is involved in beekeeping, you can read on to learn more. We split the hives on Wednesday the 22nd. Today, I wanted… Continue reading Bee Journal
Category: Tending
Of Bees and Baby Chicks
Spring is here, and blogging always seems to take a back seat. But I’ll do a quick post mostly to share some photos. Bees are really an endangered species, it seems. There are reports of a smaller than average number of swarms and threats to crops that rely on pollination. We decided to do our… Continue reading Of Bees and Baby Chicks
A Tale of Two Hives
Many, many thanks to the beekeeper who came to help me today. I learned so much! It turns out my inactive hive did not have a queen but probably had an egg laying drone. Not much to do but break it up and let the bees go of to find new homes. The second hive… Continue reading A Tale of Two Hives
The Annual Unfurling
After what seemed like a particularly long dismal rainy winter that turned into a cold spring (we got our biggest snow on the first day of Spring just as we were installing the bees), the fine weather has arrived, and we are all rejoicing! Bob spends the days on the tractor tilling up the fields… Continue reading The Annual Unfurling
Fresh Eggs
The hens have finally started laying! What a wonder to have fresh eggs after nearly a year. I scrambled some with herbs and parmesan cheese and will be baking later today. There were a few errant eggs in the mud outside but we used them as encouragement to use the nesting boxes. They have embraced… Continue reading Fresh Eggs
The Ways of Chickens
Spent some of the morning in the henhouse and yard: trying yet again to keep the girls in the pen by covering the one small hole in the netting. It’s difficult for them to get out: fly straight up then fly/bobble across the netting. Only one or two are willing to attempt it but my… Continue reading The Ways of Chickens
Bookends of the Day
My day–at least the daylight hours–begins and ends with chickens. The automatic door that is supposed to open and close with the daylight simply refuses to work. I have to uncover the small door in the morning so they can get into the yard and then cover it at dusk after they have settled into… Continue reading Bookends of the Day
Moving Into Fall
Hurricane Sandy is churning in the Atlantic, threatening the east coast of the United States. We are a bit further inland these days but I think we’ll see high winds and rain so we spent the day preparing. We’ll lose water if the power goes out so we’re filling up barrels with rain water runoff… Continue reading Moving Into Fall
More Hen House Work
We’re were losing almost one chicken per day, finding the dead one after the others headed into the yard in the morning. Then, we found the snake and decided keeping him out was going to be impossible. So, we spent most of the day Monday building a room in the room using house wrap. It… Continue reading More Hen House Work
July Comes To An End
The morning air was cool as the dogs and I headed out for a walk this morning despite predicted heat. The change of seasons happens on the margins of the day, and this was the first morning that we glimpsed autumn. Bob is busy making the transition: harvesting watermelons and cantaloupes, digging up the greens… Continue reading July Comes To An End