a good weekend was had by all

Posted on July 14, 2008 - Filed Under alternative building, honeymilk farm, kiddo life | 1 Comment

Here is a shot that Sophie got of me going about my Honeymilk Farm chores this morning. I look really sleepy. She said I should put it on the blog, though, so I am. I love how her photos are from such a different perspective (three feet off the ground). Often when she takes pictures [...]

a tangled mass of cross comb

Posted on June 1, 2008 - Filed Under honeymilk farm | 1 Comment

Sophie and I checked the hive yesterday. This is what we found.

There was capped brood, capped honey, pollen, and open cells with nectar not yet capped. And lots and lots of bees. Yeah!
Below is a shot from one of the bars we looked at that was full of uncapped honey. Isn’t [...]

images of the morning

Posted on May 7, 2008 - Filed Under goats, honeymilk farm | Leave a Comment

The blackberries are blooming, and the wild roses. The smell is heavenly.
Wild roses growing along the driveway…

And here are some blackberry blooms in the gigantic blackberry patch near the pond.
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We really need to manage that blackberry patch a bit more–it is an impenetrable tangle of brambles and old canes. But we still get [...]

in which 10,000 bees are finally home

Posted on May 5, 2008 - Filed Under honeymilk farm | Leave a Comment

The hive finally arrived and I was able to assemble it, with some help. I had quite a little tantrum at one point, trying to figure out how a person with two hands (that would be me) was supposed to hold two pieces of wood, a drill, and a screw. “That takes four [...]

first sweet taste

Posted on May 2, 2008 - Filed Under food, honeymilk farm | Leave a Comment

Yesterday Sophie and I suited up in our bee burkas and went out to check on the bees, still in their temporary home. We have received half of the new hive in the mail and are awaiting the second package–hopefully today! We are quite excited to be moving them into their permanent home. [...]

in which 10,000 bees find a temporary home

Posted on April 22, 2008 - Filed Under honeymilk farm | Leave a Comment

The hive body is lost in the mail. Gary, who fabulously offered to make it for me, is sending another. So there I was, with 10,000 bees under my bathhouse and NO HIVE to put them in. Here are the bees in their package:

Okay! Time for improvisation!
I hived them for now, until [...]

how much is that bee swarm in the window?

Posted on April 21, 2008 - Filed Under honeymilk farm | Leave a Comment

I have 10,000 bees under my bathhouse, waiting for a home. The hive body is lost in the mail. Can you believe this? That’s 60,000 little legs crossed in hopes that the hive arrives today. I’ll post some pics, when it comes, of hiving bees in a top-bar hive.