A rough start to 2018

Winter 2017 Survival

We’ve had a few warm days lately which gave a chance to check on the bees at home and the farm.  When things warm up, the bees come out for a stretch and a much needed bathroom break.  This also allows them to move around in the hive to find food if needed.  At a glance, I knew I had trouble with a few hives, so I decided to open each one up to see what was going on.  When I started opening the hives, I found  Continue reading “A rough start to 2018”

The good and bad of winter

Hives weathering the winter snow.

We’ve had a few extended cold spells here recently.  The snow has stuck this year longer than most years.  This isn’t a problem for the bees if everything goes well.  In winter, they consume honey to get the energy needed to generate heat.  When it gets very cold like we’ve had, down in the single digit temperatures, the bees form a tight ball with the queen protected in the center.  The colder it gets, the tighter Continue reading “The good and bad of winter”

This is the one…sort of

Happy new year! I hope everyone is staying warm on this very cold day. I decided to finally try a recipe in one of my books by Petra Ahnert. I decided to substitute the lanolin for extra cocoa butter just in case there was an allergy to wool. It worked out though because this lip moisturizer feels so good on your lips.

lip moisturizer
new recipe by Petra Ahnert

Continue reading “This is the one…sort of”

Winter wraps

Winter Wrap

It’s been a while since I’ve posted about the bees.  In the fall, they slow down as they hunker down for the long winter.  I’ve checked them less often, making sure they’re in good shape but not enough to interfere with their process.  In the fall, they work to seal up any honey, use propolis to fill gaps and cracks, and generally go into winter mode.  We’re now seeing Continue reading “Winter wraps”