I did it!

I just went ahead and did it. Went out yesterday and took 4 frames full of capped honey from the hive. First got all my stuff ready. Hadn't even opened the extractor box up. Had to get it all fixed and set up in the dining room.  Got the buckets and sieves and hot water for the knife to uncap the frames. I used a soft brush to brush the bees off the frames and put them in a spare nuc box. Then got started.

This is the first frame I did. Isn't it pretty? I had a serrated knife and dipped it in really hot water. Ran it over the tops of the frames, cutting them off into a colander to strain the honey out. I got quite a bit of honey just from the caps.

Just look at all this beautiful golden honey. And from my very own bees! This was so cool to do. I would never have thought in all my years that one day I'd be harvesting my own honey from my own bees. Just awesomeness! And I could not stop tasting this honey, it's SO good! I scraped it off the knife, wax and all, and ate it.

In the extractor, ready to spin! I sure wish the store would let people try each one out before buying them. This is a 2 frame. And I have to turn the frames to get both sides. I learned this is called a Tangential extractor, because I do have to stop and turn them around to get the other side of honey out. And I have to spin faster. The radial type goes slower. But I went so fast, and the frames had just been outside, where it was hot, that I lost one of the wax frames. It fell out, down to the very bottom. It was really hard to get out too. This one is really tall and deep. It took some effort to get it out.

This is the caps, straining. Got a lot of honey from this.I had watched several you tube videos first, just to get a look at how other people do this. Some people just used a cap scratcher, some had the electric heated knife. The scratcher is to get any of the comb that's too deep for the knife to reach. So I had bought 4 of these combs at the dollar store to comb wool. Never used this one, so thought it'd make a great honey comb tool. And it worked great.

This is a shot of the bottom with the was frame that fell out.

And the honey pouring out into another strainer into a bucket.  I had to practically turn the whole thing on it's side to get the honey to come out. 4 small shallow frames did not even get to the spout!

Isn't that pretty! I am still amazed by this beautiful honey. And it will take a few days in the bucket for all the way and other stuff to come to the top so I can skim it off and put it in jars.

This is a 2 gallon bucket, half full. I am still getting honey from the wax, so a little over a gallon from 4 shallow frames. Not too bad for a first ever honey harvest.

I've heard to put all the equipment outside and let the bees clean it all up. It looked like it was going to rain any minute, so I put the extractor under the shed. You can see it in the background here. I checked it later and only saw ants. I hope the bees find it because there was about a cup or so of honey in the bottom that I couldn't reach. I also out the frame against the hive for them to clean up. I put the other 3 frames back in for them to fill up again. I couldn't get this one back in. My bee mentor only puts 9 frames in his honey supers so they'll be thicker with comb.

I am so happy I did this. Sometimes I just have to jump right in to get things done. I hate to have to depend on someone to help. Just like the shearer, who never came. I might just have to learn to shear myself. I did shear my dogs Sunday and am so glad I did. No dog hair in the house since!!!!

And yesterday afternoon we started having some pretty severe thunder storms in the area. My friends up the road had a tree in their back yard struck by lightening and blew up their tv, plus some other appliances. Several trees down in Flintstone 20 ,miles to the North. I just called to check on Mrs. T and they are fine there.Crazy weather comes from Alabama. I don't like their storms.

And 1 of the baby chicks was killed last night by something. I only saw 2 chicks this morning, so thought maybe she didn't make it to the coop before all the storms hit. But then I started looking and found a lot of feathers where they sleep in the middle stall. Darn it. So I guess I'll have to start putting them in the coop with the rest of the chickens tonight. I'm so sad about that.

So that was my Monday.

Around the farm

 I keep forgetting about the barn swallows. Every time I walk in the milk room, one of them is flying out. One of these days, we're going to collide. And in the mornings when I'm milking Freja, they try to come in and see us there then fly back out. I am always talking to them, telling them we are all ok. They eventually come on in and work on their nest. It's gotten much bigger.

These babies are getting so big. I think there is 1 rooster, possibly 2. But the one on the left is getting a comb and has long legs. So I will have to find homes for them. I still cannot figure out how the other hen gets into the coop. But she does.

I've started letting the other chickens out in the afternoon. Already they are getting the blue berries. And already they are in the garden. But the garden is big enough they can't do much to it. I might have to put fence around the tomatoes. Or clip wings.


I was out the other day gathering my dandelion flowers, and saw this in one of the pear trees. It's so pretty. But will have to go. I think it's Bald Faced Hornets. And they are not good to have around honey bees. The hornets kill honey bees. I'll have to get the hubby to help figure out what to do to not hurt the tree.

See that huge elderberry tree at the barn? I love it. All the elderberries are in full bloom now. Soon all the birds will be happt to be eating elderberries. They always get them all.

The day lillies are beautiful right now.

This is Gilbert. She's a girl. My oldest grand daughter named her. She's probably about 8 years old now.

And Andy Oakley. He's about the same age as Gilbert. My only boy cat, since Alex died not long ago.

This is the coolest corner. I want to make a deck back here. I was mowing the back yard last week and it was so cool back here. And a pool would be nice too. One day.

And out in the garden, the squash and zucchini have finally decided to bear fruit. I got these 3 nice sized ones this morning. I already have plans for stuffing them with my lamb burger, corn, tomatoes, rice and my feta cheese. Sounds good to me. I love going out to the garden and finding food for dinner or lunch. Even breakfast. If it looks good, I'll take a pic and post it.

And again, I did something today for the very first time ever. I hope it's not the last time either. It was SO fun. And really good. I'll blog tomorrow about it. It needs it's own post.

So happy Monday y'all! Have a great week!

First day back at the farmers market!

 Today was my first day back to the Brainerd market. I had loaded all the yarn and salves and lotions and soap and tables and all that stuff in the car last night. Woke up at 6 this morning and went outside to pich radishes, kale and lettuce and get them ready to go. Fixed breakfast, got the grand daughter up and off we went.

I left at 8:30. Got there at 9:15. So I need to leave at least by 8:15 to get there by 9. It starts at 10. So that'll give me plenty of time to get all set up.

I still need a display thing for the yarn. I just don't like laying it down. It needs to be up at eye level. Like some peg board with hooks to hang the skeins on.

I had a lot of interest in the yarns. Everyone came over and asked questions about them.There was more interest when I tell them they are from my sheep. I was just charging $5 an oz. And most people said that was really reasonable for hand spun yarn straight from my own sheep. But I didn't sell anything wool today.

I took 7 bunches of radishes, sold all but 1. I had 4 bags of loose leaf lettuce, sold 3. And the black tote of kale. Sold most of that. Took what was left to my mom and oldest daughter.

I sold a plantain salve. I love it when I have a few people at my booth and someone talks about having my salve and how good it is and someone else buys some! This one lady had bought some plantain salve the Christmas before last and just started using it on her very cracked heels. She said they were horribly cracked and she started using the salve on her heels and they are SO much better! So the other lady bought some for a friend. Cool! I cannot make any "claims" like that myself, so it really makes a difference when someone else has used it.

And I had made lemongrass lotion bars and a bug repellent bar. Sold several of each today! And 2 of my lavender goat milk soaps! So all in  all, a pretty good first day back.

Now I hope they vote me back in at the Main St market. They're having a meeting after the market next Wed. and will bring it up that I want to come back, since it is way past the march dead line. But since I have been there a few years, it should be ok. I talked to a few of the board members and told them. So I hope they let me back. I miss that market. It's a totally different crowd over there. I love it.

I think the guy who came to shear my sheep last week is coming back tomorrow morning to the farm up the road. She has 15 Finn sheep that did not get sheared last year. So I told them to please start with hers and get as many done as they can tomorrow, then come back next week to finish my 4 and hers. It's not going to be too awful bad temperature wise next week. This weekend is in the high 80's, then it goes down a bit through the week. I think they'll be fine.

I hope you all are having a great weekend so far. I am having the family out for some BBQ pork and stuff Sunday, to celebrate the May and June birthdays. Now I have to go clean the house. Not my favorite thing to do. But it makes me clean up every now and then when I know people are coming. Like who wants to eat with dog hairs on the table, right?

(The shearer IS coming in the morning for my friend's sheep! I am so happy for her! I hope they can get all of her 15 sheep sheared at one time.)