Sunday, April 28, 2013

April 2013

28Th
Nice steady rain falling this morning. Really good for the fruit tees and crops.  If it lets up we may go morel hunting later. Really niece to see with the lavender holes dug that the field really doesn't collect water. We have to really think about grading the back away from the house better as we are seeding quite a bit of mineral seepage in the basement. No more water though.

Week of 20th
420 holes to prepare for planting. we have laid down landscape cloth, now we are cutting holes, digging holes and mixing a compost in with the soil. we are trying to prepare for our helpers to plant on the fifth of May. it is very very hard work but we work well together and get it done. it's hard enough for me but I don't know how Sterling makes it. he really is my hero.
we just have the lower field to dig now but now the rain has started. the forecast is not looking good for the fifth of May. hopefully we won't have to plant this field alone. our son Joshua has suggested we check out the local 48 club Boy Scouts and the high school. have to do that. maybe we can get some help that way during the week.
we pick up our plants on Friday regardless of the weather. we pick them up from a nursery in Roanoke Virginia. we still have to make a platform for the truck for the second layer of plants.







Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Buzzy time this spring!

well we started out last week with hive number two wanting to swarm. fortunately it took off and flew into a pile of sticks not far away. our real challenge was not having equipment ready for a new Colony. Sterling ran down and got a bottom board and put one together with shallow Soopers they are doing well. We have been feeding them syrup to help them get established. yesterday  hives  one and 3 swarmed. We jury rigged a super and caught 1, called TBA and looked for someone to take the other one. Jr. Slausen came and got it. When we moved  the one we caught it was very light.took a peek and it was only a very small ball. Must have taken off.

The three new hives that we purchased this year are well and growing.