tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post7934030294668137639..comments2024-03-28T19:35:24.365-07:00Comments on Rural Revolution: Our new venturePatrice Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06012022335047974670noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-91717047673554650632015-05-13T04:24:44.237-07:002015-05-13T04:24:44.237-07:00I came home from work yesterday and saw what I tho...I came home from work yesterday and saw what I thought was a dead animal just to the left of our hives. Instead it was a swarm! Free bees!<br />I have got to start carrying my camara. We wanted to work fast in case the scout bees returned and swooped them away. We were glad we had another super ready!<br />So interesting!GiGi Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14493659156971939923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-91003472407115071562015-05-10T12:56:31.142-07:002015-05-10T12:56:31.142-07:00Please keep posting about the bees. I got two pac...Please keep posting about the bees. I got two packages last month and have no problems until the past week. I added a honey super to each hive and the bees are not drawing out any comb above the queen excluder. I've been spraying the frames in the honey super with sugar water with honey added to encourage them. So far it hasn't helped. If I don't see some construction going on later this week, my mentor has offered some frames with comb already on them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-23475242995346673782015-05-08T17:44:10.090-07:002015-05-08T17:44:10.090-07:00I am saving up for this hive.
http://www.honeyflo...I am saving up for this hive.<br /><br />http://www.honeyflow.com/<br /><br />Just love the idea of having bees with out the fuss.<br />Good luck on your new adventure.<br />andy<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-90430325131257766652015-05-08T15:11:58.705-07:002015-05-08T15:11:58.705-07:00My parents have a hive of wild bees in their eaves...My parents have a hive of wild bees in their eaves. On a sunny winter day, a few bees will come out, shut down from the cold, and drop onto the snow. But they will revive if you pick them up and hold them in the sun (so I learned).Peggyhttp://somethingfromalmostnothing.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-82339288683757289312015-05-08T14:15:44.485-07:002015-05-08T14:15:44.485-07:00Congrats on your new "workers" :-) .
I...Congrats on your new "workers" :-) .<br /><br />I started out a few years ago with the regular hives as well, but after two seasons switched to top-bar hives (which I built myself for about 1/3 the cost of regular ones) and have found the bees to be MUCH calmer during inspections (I hardly use smoke anymore and am usually in shorts, t-shirt and barefoot) and they have wintered a lot better, too. One drawback is that you cannot reuse your comb as you have to press the honey out instead of extracting it like you do with Langstroth frames. You do end up with more wax, though. <br />If you get more bees in the future look for Russian or Russian/Carniolan crosses. The Russian bees are much more adapted to Varroa mites and will bite them off each other. You can also grow some thyme around your hives. The Varroa mites do not like the odor (one of the commercial mite treatments is a thyme-oil-based product).<br />Good luck and enjoy them!!!<br /><br />Kyle MacLachlanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-48011691892095169592015-05-08T13:26:30.536-07:002015-05-08T13:26:30.536-07:00Tried to reply yesterday, but my computer went hay...Tried to reply yesterday, but my computer went haywire. Google Bee Venom or Bee Sting Therapy. Ten or twelve years ago, people thought it was wacko-bird, but now it more accepted -or at least acknowledged as a way to help ease MS and other symptoms. It doesn't "cure" MS, but it sure helped most of the sufferers in my circle of 7 or 8 fellow sufferers who had it. And many old timers will tell you that bee stings help with the pain of arthritis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-2348650539520415652015-05-08T06:11:51.384-07:002015-05-08T06:11:51.384-07:00Awesome! My husband got the bee "bug" th...Awesome! My husband got the bee "bug" this year, but he is hard-core DIY. He built a Kenyan top-bar hive from scrap wood, baited it, and hoped for a swarm (it's swarming season here). Then our daughter's PE teacher told us there was a swarm at the school, so he captured them and brought them home. They've stayed a week and are "prettying up" the hive with propolis, so they might like us. He's opening the hive today for the first time to check for comb. Good luck to you and your ladies!EllenShttp://www.ellenseltz.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-20809488466829765922015-05-08T01:45:12.474-07:002015-05-08T01:45:12.474-07:00Fun! We're likely taking the same plunge in a...Fun! We're likely taking the same plunge in a year or two (one thing at a time, a few other house projects take precedence). As for bee sting pain - we swear by hydrated clay. Stops a crying-in-pain 5yo within 15-20 minutes after getting stung, it's glorious. Just have to put a bandaid on to keep the clay from drying out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-867118435690859362015-05-07T21:06:17.634-07:002015-05-07T21:06:17.634-07:00Well, that explains the current header picture...t...Well, that explains the current header picture...the beautiful shot of the bee in the blossom. One of yours?<br /><br />Beekeeping is the final frontier of homesteading. Nicely done. <br /><br />Just Me<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-62574589056607022752015-05-07T21:01:11.434-07:002015-05-07T21:01:11.434-07:00I'm not knowledgeable about keeping bees, but ...I'm not knowledgeable about keeping bees, but my dad kept a plug of tobacco around in case of a sting. He'd take a small bit, wet it with saliva, and slap it on the sting. It works very well to draw out the poison. Another way to use the tobacco is to shred it, and take petroleum jelly, that you melt, add the tobacco and let the petroleum jelly solidify. You can re-melt it and strain the tobacco out of it in a few days, or just leave it in there. The longer, the stronger. Just dab it on any stings, from any stinging insect. It does help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-30778581622109444402015-05-07T18:29:54.407-07:002015-05-07T18:29:54.407-07:00Bees are so dang interesting. My husband and I ar...Bees are so dang interesting. My husband and I are on our second year. We had three hives, but lost one to wax moths. Those are nasty little creatures! Our bee mentor, who is fantastic, has been working bees for over 35 years and says he has never seen such docile hives. We don't even have to suit up or smoke. Although he will still caution us that they can still react like an attack dog.<br /><br />One of our hives was getting a little crowded, so we went in, found queenie and clipped her wings to avoid swarming, found some queen cells and started a nucleus to start a new hive! Absolutely AMAZING! I think I'm addicted to the smell of beeswax! Just wanted to share!<br />Good luck with your new adventure!GiGi Cravenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14493659156971939923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-54496009343093565092015-05-07T18:29:48.688-07:002015-05-07T18:29:48.688-07:00Would you be able to elaborate on this subject? My...Would you be able to elaborate on this subject? My brother-in-law has MSlongtime wifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16943663153016717921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-15733655875675879812015-05-07T18:23:21.848-07:002015-05-07T18:23:21.848-07:00That is true, PP has so much good info!That is true, PP has so much good info!longtime wifehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16943663153016717921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-75390837784799300522015-05-07T16:07:10.487-07:002015-05-07T16:07:10.487-07:00Patrice,
I'm so excited to follow you on you...Patrice, <br /><br />I'm so excited to follow you on your new journey..was just thinking the other day that I need to learn more about beekeeping to see if it's a viable option for us. I'm also very proud of you - getting over a phobia isn't easy, and you deserve kudos for jumping in and being so hands-on! <br /><br />Lisadragonfly.gardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08032454278054871627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-55519348562724529742015-05-07T13:41:46.274-07:002015-05-07T13:41:46.274-07:00Patrice - if you ever need help or have questions ...Patrice - if you ever need help or have questions or whatnot - PioneerPreppy above is the master beekeeper! he has many fascinating bee-related posts on his blog!kymberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02607117635648274823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-13429117938550061302015-05-07T13:06:33.469-07:002015-05-07T13:06:33.469-07:00Honey bees have another use, too -medicinal! I us...Honey bees have another use, too -medicinal! I used the direct stings of bees to ease symptoms of a neurological disease (many people with MS self-sting with bees). The little creatures do give up their stingers and their lives to give wonderful relief; their stings are also said to relieve arthritis pain. <br /><br />My husband SHOULD have a phobia about bees -one night he reached into my live bee jar to pull out a bee with long tweezers and the bee got loose. He quickly captured it again, but it broke loose from the light grip of the tweezers and flew right into his ear! <br /><br />My husband is brave (and SMART), and so he patiently but nervously waited for the bee to come back out. It did come out, but then decided to go back in. I was afraid it would sting him inside his ear if he let it go in a second time, so I urged him to swat it "NOW"! He did, and it stung him on the cartilage of his ear which hurt way more than if it had stung on a fleshy area, but at least it did not get back inside his ear. <br /><br />Had it been me, I never would have gotten near a bee again (although I have taken up to 30 bee stings on my arms, legs, and back per night). The thought of it crawling inside the ear gave me the willies. Fortunately, he continued to capture the bees to give me the "injections" of bee stings!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-52049886170435028292015-05-07T12:58:02.205-07:002015-05-07T12:58:02.205-07:00Bees are fascinating! I don't think I will eve...Bees are fascinating! I don't think I will ever forget what I learned about them in school, how social they are, and especially "dances" they do to communicate with other bees. Did you learn about the "waggle dance" in your beekeeeping classes?Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03524102309065764539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-91619537860322601482015-05-07T09:28:00.868-07:002015-05-07T09:28:00.868-07:00Congrats... I have bees here in Texas... ours are ...Congrats... I have bees here in Texas... ours are strong and very, very aggressive.. you should have a wonderful docile colony where you are...Yep, I think mine are now Africanized.....I have a special suit made for us in the South.. Enjoy! maybe a new income source as well?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650369329669788360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-21829022452711828932015-05-07T09:25:15.788-07:002015-05-07T09:25:15.788-07:00We just got bees too! But mine are mean - they ke...We just got bees too! But mine are mean - they keep dive bombing my head. Sara McDhttps://breakingground.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-22363152422557074782015-05-07T07:41:49.114-07:002015-05-07T07:41:49.114-07:00Wonderful! I started keeping bees 10-12 years ago...Wonderful! I started keeping bees 10-12 years ago to get over my hatred for yellow jackets - same as you - funny thing is that while I love my honeybees, I still despise the yellow jackets because they EAT honey bees - they get in the hive and eat the larva, yuck. I've had Italians and Carnies and Russians. The only thing you have to watch for with the Carnies is that they DO like to swarm away. It's not a big deal the first year, but watch for it next spring. Beekeeping for Dummies (yes, really) is a great resource for starting out. Good luck and have fun with this!<br />Xa LynnXa Lynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10542611446828065852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-25103179610879346772015-05-07T07:40:45.141-07:002015-05-07T07:40:45.141-07:00Oh, that's the bees knees!
I have loved bees ...Oh, that's the bees knees!<br /><br />I have loved bees since being a wee small lass, catching jars full, which my mother made me release every afternoon. My grandpa had hives at his farm and he'd let me hang out as he worked them. Grandpa didn't have a suit but he did smoke them. He is the one that taught me to not fear God's best little workers. I hope to have a hive or two next year for my apple orchard, which like the bees, needs to be protected from the bear that raided it last year. <br />I am so happy for you and look forward to enjoying your new venture with you. <br />sidetracksusieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-38128848082245323352015-05-07T06:42:58.542-07:002015-05-07T06:42:58.542-07:00Wow! 'Just awesome!
'Hope everything goes...Wow! 'Just awesome! <br />'Hope everything goes well with the little critters. :-)<br />Melissa in MIAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-69223946284315352322015-05-07T05:52:39.795-07:002015-05-07T05:52:39.795-07:00Congrats!
Please please please keep us updated on...Congrats!<br /><br />Please please please keep us updated on as much of the bee-keeping aspects as possible! I've been looking at possibly adding honey bees in the future here. Though I'm not phobic about stinging critters I still find the concept quite daunting and am trying to gather as much input as possible!Ruthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11924993310937754220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-39735165431052054962015-05-07T05:05:46.947-07:002015-05-07T05:05:46.947-07:00Beautiful bees!
One question:
What made you decid...Beautiful bees! <br />One question:<br />What made you decide on the particular breed of bees that you got? Lambhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04083153173061255844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526768924178592295.post-41994673799085609622015-05-06T23:10:31.665-07:002015-05-06T23:10:31.665-07:00Well done! And very informative, Patrice.
My Mom u...Well done! And very informative, Patrice.<br />My Mom used to have bees, and when she became widowed it fell to me to suit up and take care of them. I liked it, and got pretty comfortable with it in a short time.<br />She had one of the big cans into which the combs are put and then spun, using centrifugal force to extract the honey. Spinning that thing was the hardest part of the work. <br />She got lots of high quality honey, because in addition to seasonal fruit trees she a large, constantly producing orange tree, which the bees naturally loved.<br />I'm very much interested in setting up some hives here on our place, and the local bee keepers association is eager to assist and be supportive.<br />You've inspired me to get back on track with my apiary plans.<br /><br />A. McSpAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com