So I’ve been a bit lacking on posts for a couple of weeks. I have had to clear my mind with all that’s going on in the world today. To say I am overwhelmed would be an understatement. So in the process of clearing my mind, I felt the need for bees. This is part of my whole going organic journey and doing anything I can to make homeopathic remedies out of healthy plants and foods.
Oh my goodness there’s so much to learn.
So I got the itch and my husband went to our local apiary and purchased two nucs of bees. A nuc or nucleus colony is like a starter hive. You have the babies, pollen and nectar, bees of all stages, honey and the queen all in one box.
The kids and I painted the hives.
We spent a good two days getting these hives ready and the paint was what we had laying around. I may make a post on painting them later. Beekeeping isn’t for the faint of heart because you will get up close and personal with the bees. You will piss them off. You will squish a few bees and it will piss them off even more.
If you have a love for all things living and nature and you have a healthy respect then beekeeping might just be for you.
It’s been great and I’ve been up close and personal. I squished a bee during the homing of the first nuc. One bee in particular had it out for me. If I hadn’t had my jacket and veil on I believe she would have gotten me.
The jackets are a pain getting in and out of. That’s a post all on its own. it feels like I’m suiting up to go into outer space. However they are pretty thin and lightweight. During the rejoining of the first and second nucleus colony the kids enjoyed themselves watching from a distance. We didn’t see a queen on both nucs but there is larva and eggs so that means we have one. Locating her isn’t easy in the midst of 50k bees. That’s an estimation, probably isn’t THAT many. So there isn’t a whole to report on yet. We also purchased a few new chickens and turkeys.
Yeah… turkeys, so that’ll be interesting.
There’s the wild brown kind and the white kind and I have no clue in the difference but I guess we will see. So you see there has been a lot going on and you’d think I’d have plenty of time to write out posts and stuff but frankly I’ve been so busy living life I really have not put much thought into documenting it.
Bees are an interesting keep.
Most people get dogs, or cats. People even get chicks and ducks. Maybe an odd person with a couple cows, pigs, and goats. But I have to say that the interest in beekeeping is not as high on the list and very much true where I live.
So with the gardening and such we have been doing lately I am hoping that these new bees are going to help pollinate everything and we yield a good crop this year. It’s our second time actually having a garden together as a family and it’s even harder having a garden and adding bees to the mix with a 3 year old terrified of bees.
It is so odd to me how she can be terrified in our front yard of one little honey bee but as soon as we are opening the hive she is down there with us in only a dress wanting to look inside totally unafraid. All the while I am suited up in a bee jacket and veil.
That thought amuses me.
So while we have gone hog on adding to our little farm I wanted to fill you in during the process. So many things going on at once I have no clue where to begin.
I hope youre staying safe out there and tell me about your expeditions.