Beekeeping
Working on my Farmer Tan and Splitting Bees
A long day spent int he bee yard getting stung and splitting hives, but we're nor done yet as we expand to seven hives.
Testing for Mites to Raise Healthy Fat Winter Bees
The bees look strong heading into the fall, but our mite check turned up some Varroa mites in one of our larger hives.
The Exciting Part of Bee Season Comes to an End
Bee season has peaked and the brood nests will get smaller and smaller. What you do now will determine if your bees make it through winter.
A Busy Day in the Bee Yard
Monday's beehive inspection revealed some surprises, both good and bad. We've got supers on two hives and are making honey for our spring harvest.
We Find Time to Prep as Food Shortage Looms
Walmart continues to be well stocked and while prices are up, there are still good buys to be found for preppers
I Double the Size of my Bee Yard Overnight
I started the year with two beehives that successfully overwintered. After splitting the hives, I now have five with a six on the way.
It is Queen Rearing Time in the Bee Yard
Finding and marking recently mated queens is like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack, but we managed.
How to Check for Spring Swarms Before Your Bees Abscond
If a beehive swarms, the bees may be gone for good. It's a good idea to inspect your hives and take steps when you see signs of a swarm.
Checking on my Bees; My Beekeeping Reputation Depends on their Survival
With my beekeeping reputation on the line, I was hoping for at least two of my three hives to make it through the winter.
Rain, More Rain, Snow, and Gassing my Bees
We got warm weather, but there was no sun, just rain and more rain. As soon as it clears up and warms up, we're going to kill some varroa mites.
Goldenrod and Asters Help our Bees Prep for Winter
You could consider bees preppers. They stock up nectar (carbs) and pollen (protein) to help carry them through the long. cold winter.
Taking Advantage of the Cooler Weather on the Homestead
We are working to make fall plantings, clean up the homestead, stock up, and generally make sure we are ready for winter.
Prepper Diary September 4: A Homestead Update
We face our second hurricane in two weeks, prepare for cooler temperatures and ready our bees to get through the winter.
Good News from the Bee Yard
It's finally time to harvest some honey and see how our bees performed this year.
Our First Honey Harvest is in and it Tastes Delicious
I didn't expect to harvest any honey this year, our first with the hives, but just 60 days later, we pulled our first frame of honey from one of the hives.
We Test Out the BeeScanning App on Hive Inspection Day
We opened up three hives and took a total of 62 photos to test in the BeeScanning app as a tool to measure a varroa mite infestation.
Warm Weather and Nectar Flow Sends our Bees into Overdrive
Only four weeks after we added bees to our hives, they have doubled in size, the bees are drawing comb, and the queen is laying lots of eggs.
The Chicken Coop is Complete, but the Chicks aren’t Quite Ready...
We got off to a slow start back in mid-March and the weather wasn't the most cooperative, but we've finally finished building the chicken coop.
Feeding the Bees and Cleaning the Chickens
We may have small stock, but its keeping us busy! From feeding the bees to cleaning chicks with pasty butt, it's all part of a day in the life of a homseteader.
Wow, Talk About a Busy Day
They say that when it rains it pours. That was the case today when all the livestock we had ordered months ago showed up on the same day.
One Hive Down, Two to Go; Plus Cyberattacks on Essential Services
After a clandestine meeting in which I slipped a woman a wad of $20s and she handed me a small, carefully built wooden box, I was the proud owner of some bees.
The Chicks and Bees are on their Way!
Work continues between the rain drops as the chicken coop and beehives await their new occupa
Ending our Weekly COVID-19 Report with a Victory
When Charlie Sheen famously said "Winning!" it came back to bite him, but we're still declaring victory over COVID-19. For now, at least.
Prepper Diary May 8: Chicken Coops, Bee Hives, and Cold Weather
The weather interferes with our plans, but work progresses on the homestead as we continue to ready for our chicks and bees to be delivered.
The Chicken Coop Moves One Step Closer to Completion
The weather turned warm and sunny, allowing us to continue to work on our bee projects and our chicken coop. We are now ready if the bees come early. The coop needs more work.
Building and Tracking Bee Equipment
With cold weather bringing a halt to work on the chicken coop, I worked in the shop assembling bee hives until it was finally warm enough to paint them.
Over Hill and Dale: The Quest for Beekeeping Equipment
We put some miles on the truck and some wind in our hair as we cruised the back roads in search of beekeeping equipment.
