Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
The Queen's of Outback Farm
This afternoon, when I got home, I grabbed my long sleeve white shirt, bee hat, hive tool and smoker. Went to the Garden hive first. The bees were out and about, but most were in the hive. I have to say, these bees are very docile, calm bees. I have lifted the lid almost every day to check on them and they never even buzz loud. So I set the smoker down where the smoke would kind of swirl around and I could get to it if I needed to. Took off the lid and the top board. The middle frames are stuck together, so I took the hive tool to pry them apart so I can lift them out. Still nothing going on in the 4 outer frames. Some bees on them, but no construction. I lifted out each frame to find the queen. I didn't see her anywhere. One of the frames was really heavy with honey. So I put it back together and went up to check the other hive.
That one was busy, with bees flying all over. I took off the top and took each frame out. It was sunnier up there, so I could see better. I cannot see anything with that hat on, so it was off. I saw a lot of reddish-orange (pollen? Honey?) in some of the frames. Some capped frames. Lots of busy bees. And I found the queen! Her back end looked like a caterpillar abdomen to me. Long, pointed and no stripes. She was all over that frame! Very big. It looked like little larva in some of the cells. And some shiny substance, maybe royal jelly? I have no idea what I'm seeing. Or what to even look for. Anyway, they all looked great. So put it back together and went back to the other hive to look for the queen, now that I saw the other one.
And I found the Garden hive queen, in the middle frame! She was much bigger than last week. And very busy too. The frames did look different from last week. So I feel better.
And I've decided, instead of putting down those really cool Congolium tiles, to just paint the plywood floors in the little house. The tiles would cost nearly $750 for the whole house. I can get a couple gallons of paint and do it for about $50. I can do stripes, or squares. And put rugs down. Anyway, lots of ideas for my little studio-shop.
Tomorrow is farmer's market day. I pick all morning, wash and bag, or tie, or put in totes. That takes all morning. Then get it all ready and in the car. It's literally an ALL day thing, this afternoon market. I am worn out. I finally made dandelion jelly that jelled! So I have 7 jars of that to take. And just made 9 little jars of plantain salve. I have sold all that I made last week, so needed more. Also had an order for 3 crocheted wash clothes and soap for gifts.
And we are going to start a farmer's market just 5 miles South of me, at Mt. Cove Farm. On Sunday's from 1-3. I sure hope it takes off and is successful, so I can go to this one instead of the Sat. market 30 miles away. I might not get to go to this first market this Sunday because the shearer from Atlanta is supposed to come here Sunday sometime to shear my poor very hot ewes.
The guy who bought my sheep last week called. He needed to know how to get to my house. I almost freaked out. I asked him if he was bringing the sheep back? He said he had to go to my friend's farm a little past me and couldn't remember how he got out here. Scared me!
Still haven't sold any goat kids or does. The 4 kids running together are the 4 doe kids I'm keeping. Aslan, Jewel, (Sandy, to the left, is their mother) Emmy Lou and Merry piper. The other kid is one of the triplets, a buck, Pete. He's so cute. I love his color. The other buck is almost white, Tom Dooly. Then Emmy Lou's big brother, Woody Guthrie, is the other buck. They all need to go. All the kids this year are so friendly.
That one was busy, with bees flying all over. I took off the top and took each frame out. It was sunnier up there, so I could see better. I cannot see anything with that hat on, so it was off. I saw a lot of reddish-orange (pollen? Honey?) in some of the frames. Some capped frames. Lots of busy bees. And I found the queen! Her back end looked like a caterpillar abdomen to me. Long, pointed and no stripes. She was all over that frame! Very big. It looked like little larva in some of the cells. And some shiny substance, maybe royal jelly? I have no idea what I'm seeing. Or what to even look for. Anyway, they all looked great. So put it back together and went back to the other hive to look for the queen, now that I saw the other one.
And I found the Garden hive queen, in the middle frame! She was much bigger than last week. And very busy too. The frames did look different from last week. So I feel better.
And I've decided, instead of putting down those really cool Congolium tiles, to just paint the plywood floors in the little house. The tiles would cost nearly $750 for the whole house. I can get a couple gallons of paint and do it for about $50. I can do stripes, or squares. And put rugs down. Anyway, lots of ideas for my little studio-shop.
Tomorrow is farmer's market day. I pick all morning, wash and bag, or tie, or put in totes. That takes all morning. Then get it all ready and in the car. It's literally an ALL day thing, this afternoon market. I am worn out. I finally made dandelion jelly that jelled! So I have 7 jars of that to take. And just made 9 little jars of plantain salve. I have sold all that I made last week, so needed more. Also had an order for 3 crocheted wash clothes and soap for gifts.
And we are going to start a farmer's market just 5 miles South of me, at Mt. Cove Farm. On Sunday's from 1-3. I sure hope it takes off and is successful, so I can go to this one instead of the Sat. market 30 miles away. I might not get to go to this first market this Sunday because the shearer from Atlanta is supposed to come here Sunday sometime to shear my poor very hot ewes.
The guy who bought my sheep last week called. He needed to know how to get to my house. I almost freaked out. I asked him if he was bringing the sheep back? He said he had to go to my friend's farm a little past me and couldn't remember how he got out here. Scared me!
Still haven't sold any goat kids or does. The 4 kids running together are the 4 doe kids I'm keeping. Aslan, Jewel, (Sandy, to the left, is their mother) Emmy Lou and Merry piper. The other kid is one of the triplets, a buck, Pete. He's so cute. I love his color. The other buck is almost white, Tom Dooly. Then Emmy Lou's big brother, Woody Guthrie, is the other buck. They all need to go. All the kids this year are so friendly.
Bees, goats and garden
It's been really cold and wet here the past few weeks. Not how it usually is around here. We have winter, then we have summer. Just like that. It just doesn't happen like this a lot.
I got these 2 nucs last Monday. Put them in their new hives on Tuesday. I can see that on cold wet days, they pretty much stay inside. But when the sun comes out, so do the bees.
The Outback hive, in the goat yard, is doing great. Very active. I have not taken the lid off this one to look inside yet. I didn't want to disturb all the work that's been going on in there. I know the queen is big and working. I will have to though, this afternoon. I hope to add another box on this one.
This is all my company when I go check on the hive. Sp many goats! And 6 or 7 are not in this pic. I have 6 does and 9 kids. They've stayed away from the hive though. I'll keep 4 of the doe kids and sell the 3 bucks and both of Zarah's doe kids and her. I'll put the 4 doe kids in with the sheep when they're ready to wean. My friend Ron came last night and got his 2 ewe lambs! So now I really am at 12 sheep. The shearer is coming this Sunday to shear. I'll know which ewes I'll be keeping then, when I find out who's wool is better. So there still may be some moving around yet.
This is the Garden hive. I do lift the lid on this one most every day, to check to see if there are still bees in it. They are still here. Just not as active as the other hive. This is the hive that has the young queen that had no brood in the frames yet. They're really nice and easy to work with so far. I have to shake this lid to get them all off so I can put it back on. So far so good!
I can see that the bees are really working on wax and propolis, sticking the frames together. They haven't even been in the outer frames at all. A bee friend said to go ahead and give them sugar water, which I did. I'm going in this afternoon, to see what the queen's been up to. It's too cold this morning.
I've started, a little at a time, to stake the tomato plants. With all the rain, they have just taken off. I'm also trying to get everything mulched too. (It sure makes things look so much better and helps keep them cool and wet.) My 2 very least favorite jobs in the garden. Well, #1 least would be weeding. Which there are a whole lot of out there. But it'll all get done eventually.
I am off to spend the day with my favorite person. My mother. I need to look for linoleum for the studio. And paint too. Big job, that little house. But will be worth it in the end. I can see it all done and ready to work in. Can hardly wait now!
I got these 2 nucs last Monday. Put them in their new hives on Tuesday. I can see that on cold wet days, they pretty much stay inside. But when the sun comes out, so do the bees.
The Outback hive, in the goat yard, is doing great. Very active. I have not taken the lid off this one to look inside yet. I didn't want to disturb all the work that's been going on in there. I know the queen is big and working. I will have to though, this afternoon. I hope to add another box on this one.
This is all my company when I go check on the hive. Sp many goats! And 6 or 7 are not in this pic. I have 6 does and 9 kids. They've stayed away from the hive though. I'll keep 4 of the doe kids and sell the 3 bucks and both of Zarah's doe kids and her. I'll put the 4 doe kids in with the sheep when they're ready to wean. My friend Ron came last night and got his 2 ewe lambs! So now I really am at 12 sheep. The shearer is coming this Sunday to shear. I'll know which ewes I'll be keeping then, when I find out who's wool is better. So there still may be some moving around yet.
This is the Garden hive. I do lift the lid on this one most every day, to check to see if there are still bees in it. They are still here. Just not as active as the other hive. This is the hive that has the young queen that had no brood in the frames yet. They're really nice and easy to work with so far. I have to shake this lid to get them all off so I can put it back on. So far so good!
I can see that the bees are really working on wax and propolis, sticking the frames together. They haven't even been in the outer frames at all. A bee friend said to go ahead and give them sugar water, which I did. I'm going in this afternoon, to see what the queen's been up to. It's too cold this morning.
I've started, a little at a time, to stake the tomato plants. With all the rain, they have just taken off. I'm also trying to get everything mulched too. (It sure makes things look so much better and helps keep them cool and wet.) My 2 very least favorite jobs in the garden. Well, #1 least would be weeding. Which there are a whole lot of out there. But it'll all get done eventually.
I am off to spend the day with my favorite person. My mother. I need to look for linoleum for the studio. And paint too. Big job, that little house. But will be worth it in the end. I can see it all done and ready to work in. Can hardly wait now!
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