tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64054744708599584322024-03-05T12:11:07.087-06:00Prairie Blossom Bee FarmKerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-3409389400358315922014-03-24T18:48:00.000-05:002014-03-24T18:48:05.860-05:00Prescribed Burn in the DeltaIn early March, our generous landowner/host for our hives in the Delta, had to do a prescribed burn. He sent me the photos below to prove the bees were safe. He's going to plant clover and sunflowers, so our bees should be very happy once everything blooms!<br />
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Thanks, Guy!<br />
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-84180200386229318502013-11-24T19:34:00.000-06:002013-11-24T19:34:39.442-06:00Gifts for the SeasonHello, honey lovers!<br />
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We have comb honey, bottled honey, soaps, and pure beeswax candles available for your gift-giving needs this year. We can provide shipping to individual clients for corporate gifts. We offer clear or holiday-themed cellophane gift bags for soaps, candles, and one-pound bottles of honey. We can also create custom combinations. Sweet gifts for teachers!<br />
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PRICES:<br />
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Soap: $5<br />
Candles: $4<br />
1-lb honey: $7.50<br />
2-lb honey: $12<br />
3-lb honey: $15<br />
1 gallon: $50 <br />
Comb honey: $9 (approx. 14 oz.) *We can't ship the comb honey because the containers don't seal tightly.<br />
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If you live out of the Golden Triangle area and need items shipped, the cost of shipping will be added to your total.<br />
<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-33930816078511184712013-10-14T17:40:00.000-05:002013-10-14T17:40:00.917-05:00Link to Farmweek episode, comb honey, and an updateIf you want to see the Farmweek TV segment featuring Mississippi beekeepers, click <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151693549188952" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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It's mid-October, and Mark is finally harvesting honey, which is so late it's crazy. It's been a tough year, with an incredibly long, cool spring, several hive failures, and difficulty getting the weather needed to harvest.<br />
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Last week he pulled 12 supers. One of those was an experiment from last fall: a super with wax foundation instead of plasticell, with the hope the bees would give us solid honeycomb.<br />
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Mark managed to cut about 35 squares weighing about 14 oz. each. The honey is dark and robust, with pollen evident. If you want one of these boxes of comb honey, call or text Mark at 662.418.4422. Once they're gone, they're gone. $9 each, refill discount does not apply. <br />
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Today he left early to go to the Delta bee yard and harvest there. It will be fun to see and taste the differences in the varieties. Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-11024186108388176522013-08-23T16:47:00.000-05:002013-08-23T16:47:19.427-05:00Filming for FarmweekOn Wednesday my colleague, Amy, asked if Mark would consent to be interviewed for Farmweek, a TV show produced by MSU's Office of Agricultural Communications, where I work in media relations. She said she was in a bind and really needed someone to help her out with finishing her beekeeping story.<br />
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I said yes. (We checked with our bosses about conflict of interest. I'm not on camera.) </div>
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Then Thursday night I stayed up way past my bedtime -- til 10:30 p.m.! -- making soaps and candles to show that side of our beekeeping adventure.<br />
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She came over this afternoon, though there was a chance of rain.<br />
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Mark thought it would pass by south of us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sky</td></tr>
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Once she got him hooked up with a microphone and the interview began . . .<br />
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it started sprinkling.<br />
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But we pressed on.</div>
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Then the sky opened up and it poured. We grabbed all of the camera equipment and rode the 4-wheeler back to the house. We were drenched from head to toe.</div>
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Amy looked like an orphan wearing my clothes while hers dried. </div>
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She filmed Mark in the honey room.</div>
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She is going to have to come back next week and film again. Originally I was going to be in the B-roll of the hive inspections, but now I'm not so sure. ;-)<br />
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On the positive side, I have several candles and bars of soap I can sell.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-10030006631517470052013-06-22T16:47:00.000-05:002013-06-22T16:47:16.283-05:00The Second Day of SummerI guess it's only fitting that we experienced the highs and lows of beekeeping on the second official day of summer.<br />
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Our first stop this morning was the newest beeyard, located in Starkville. The bees are putting up honey like crazy! This is the "before" picture. We added honey supers, checked all of the hives to make sure they were queen-right, and sweated through our clothes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful honey with "wet" cappings.</td></tr>
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Our second stop was at the Tripletts' house. Mark thought, going into it, he had one dead hive. The bees haven't thrived there and we suspect there's just not enough for them to eat. As soon as we took the lid off, I could smell something stinky. Sure enough, the only bees in the hive were there to rob the honey, and small hive beetles had laid eggs in the comb -- one corner of the hive was crawling with nasty larvae, and several frame tops were covered in slime. (Don't worry, no pictures of THAT.)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP225YLO4KWF4TMogDyPVdhyphenhyphenVjSlksrsGrsFf9f2nTByYJcucGqjD8hSK0oB-7o1POrkGyt9Eh15_pJJOYzWdx8wlmQWfiS54Ddg6um3l9bKaPa1t1HLZQOspo1oMP_Sus9HkAjYcy1jUX/s1600/web_zinnia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP225YLO4KWF4TMogDyPVdhyphenhyphenVjSlksrsGrsFf9f2nTByYJcucGqjD8hSK0oB-7o1POrkGyt9Eh15_pJJOYzWdx8wlmQWfiS54Ddg6um3l9bKaPa1t1HLZQOspo1oMP_Sus9HkAjYcy1jUX/s1600/web_zinnia.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a><br />
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But that was only the first hive. The second hive was struggling, but appeared to have a newly mated queen. All of the available comb space had eggs and young larvae, though there was no capped brood in the single deep box they occupied. Our fingers are crossed that this small population will bounce back. They have stored honey, but need more bees.<br />
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Then, in the third hive, we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. It wasn't that the hive was struggling -- it was actually bursting at the seams. It had so many bees they overflowed the sides of the boxes. Bees flowed out of the box like lava. We had to change out the bottom board in the midst of all this chaos . . . and that was when Mark saw the queen in the grass in front of the hive. He tried to catch her, and couldn't.<br />
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We spent agonizing minutes trying to put the hive back together in hopes the bees would get inside and make finding the queen easier. Even though we had stacked 2 deeps and added 2 mediums, they wouldn't go inside. I crouched in the grass in front of the hive and carefully pushed aside grass and weeds and then I saw her! Mark quickly removed his gloves . . . and she crawled right up on his finger. He set his finger on the bottom board and she marched right into the hive. Within 10 minutes, several hundred bees had returned to the safety of their nice, dark, newly expanded hive.<br />
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Whew.<br />
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Our last stop was at Bee Hill, to drop off the frames of honey from the failed hive. There were 2 deep boxes with frames full of honey, so we'll let the bees rob it out, and we'll be on the watch for an invasion of small hive beetles once those larvae that tagged along become adults. Blech.<br />
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On a good note: Bee Hill is LOADED with honey. Once Mark's back is better, he plans to harvest.<br />
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On another good note: my garden is doing well, and this morning I had a visitor!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guest was about the size of a dinner plate!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This melon vine volunteered in the raised bed. Who knows how it will turn out?</td></tr>
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-83704402541162531082013-05-05T21:39:00.000-05:002013-05-05T21:39:02.155-05:00Swarm Call: A Photo EssayOn one of Mark's swarm calls, the kind homeowner took photos of him on her phone (from the safety of the house) and sent them to us. I thought I'd share! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJo5KSK6duay6NGXiY_Rmi-V8XIGN8icE2fjpfmWMc7LAJJqH2Ttz9wkehiwRcK9DVQsNst0Jr_ILg6coJsmqEeHE-wrD2sUWYeUcOuUbWFu_Oci88U1CVS5YhZmp_9ryR8q67AfBMaiW/s1600/20130403_072912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJo5KSK6duay6NGXiY_Rmi-V8XIGN8icE2fjpfmWMc7LAJJqH2Ttz9wkehiwRcK9DVQsNst0Jr_ILg6coJsmqEeHE-wrD2sUWYeUcOuUbWFu_Oci88U1CVS5YhZmp_9ryR8q67AfBMaiW/s1600/20130403_072912.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
With the wet and cold spring, the bees have really struggled. Mark has
had a hard time getting into the hives to work them so we'll probably
end up with swarm-offs. We know of at least one -- Mr. Barham called,
giddy with excitement, that he'd seen a swarm exit one of our hives and
head into the woods. In his 80s, that was the first time he'd seen that
natural phenomenon. Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-4096657856240500102013-04-12T12:16:00.000-05:002013-04-12T14:17:23.250-05:00Bees are a Few of My Favorite ThingsBeekeeping is not my only interest. In fact, it's very recent compared to my interest in children's books and writing. This week I'm combining them!<br />
<br />
This week I wrote a poem in response to another poet's work. You can read about it at my other blog, <a href="http://kerirecommends.com/2013/04/12/poetry-friday--bees-are-a-few-of-my-favorite-things.aspx" target="_blank">www.KeriRecommends.com. </a><br />
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Or, you can read the poem, below.<br />
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<b>Bees are a Few of My Favorite Things</b><br />by Keri Collins Lewis<br />
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Worker bees flying so busy and buzzy</div>
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Covered with tiny hairs -- bristly and fuzzy</div>
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High speeding fliers with transparent wings,</div>
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Bees are a few of my favorite things.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Workers bring pollen in pink, gold and yellow</div>
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Drones mooching free food, they’re stingless and mellow</div>
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Tending our hives without one single sting!</div>
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Bees are a few of my favorite things</div>
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<br /></div>
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When a mouse nests,</div>
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When we find pests,</div>
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Queenless bees are sad,</div>
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I simply remember my favorite things</div>
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And then I don’t feel so bad</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hearing a queen pipe her song to her sisters</div>
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Dreaming of bee veils outfitted with misters</div>
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Working outside while the mockingbirds sing,</div>
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Bees are a few of my favorite things</div>
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<br /></div>
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Perfectly capped frames of golden sweet honey</div>
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Vendors at meetings who take all our money</div>
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Wildflowers dancing on Bee Hill each spring</div>
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These are a few of my favorite things</div>
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<br /></div>
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When a hive dies</div>
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When my spouse sighs</div>
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When bees sting like mad,</div>
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I simply remember my favorite things</div>
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And then I don’t feel so bad!</div>
<br /><img height="319" src="http://images.quickblogcast.com/30679-29102/beeonbroccoli.jpg?a=51" style="border: 0px solid;" width="479" /><br /><br />Photo
by Robert Lewis, taken at our raised beds when the broccoli bloomed.
Check out the pollen that bee has packed onto her legs!!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-50282886867385546562013-03-29T16:33:00.000-05:002013-03-29T16:33:11.401-05:00First Spring Work Day at Bee HillIf the weather could be as perfect all summer as it was today, we'd both be full-time beekeepers. A light breeze, beautiful sun, and temperatures in the low 70s . . . I didn't even sweat!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOicVMS1h_M5kdKxsh6K1YfuJ4itJTT0JsGf5z2IHtiYnwSH_JSLcPD2JuLRIF7PHTOX5YSN133mk9ikN7Q5S6h47w8KQAKnnxwbMrj4MF2xgd4PV0Jchf3nhFi1i8TmSXja1U2Z9fIl29/s1600/new+ride.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOicVMS1h_M5kdKxsh6K1YfuJ4itJTT0JsGf5z2IHtiYnwSH_JSLcPD2JuLRIF7PHTOX5YSN133mk9ikN7Q5S6h47w8KQAKnnxwbMrj4MF2xgd4PV0Jchf3nhFi1i8TmSXja1U2Z9fIl29/s640/new+ride.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A friend of Andrew's loaned us his Mule while he's out of town. We like the bigger bed space and bench seat!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Today we worked the 7 hives on our property. Earlier in the week Mark worked the bees at Barhams' and the week before that, at Harley's. Two colonies at Barhams' didn't make it, but all six at Harley's are doing well. <br />
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It's been a cold, wet spring, and the bees haven't had much of a chance to get out. Which means the beekeepers haven't gotten into the hives much!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9npeUQmD2g8Q415pylNQ9Vg-ep0pX-sa7fxs_PvYEqlRj80JD_vgqWNyuW6SsqvmPWMi4duX_FlOCbmyPaLuTfHWFqguZ-5Cxbg1rtxroWu-sgKPtc5xflomeHAo2xrQYljWqCGtRnzto/s1600/beginning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9npeUQmD2g8Q415pylNQ9Vg-ep0pX-sa7fxs_PvYEqlRj80JD_vgqWNyuW6SsqvmPWMi4duX_FlOCbmyPaLuTfHWFqguZ-5Cxbg1rtxroWu-sgKPtc5xflomeHAo2xrQYljWqCGtRnzto/s640/beginning.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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That said, today they were bringing in *pink* pollen from the redbud trees, as well as yellow, orange and white pollen. Pollen will stimulate the queens to lay more eggs and build up the colonies' populations.<br />
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I can safely say that all 7 colonies are in good shape. We took two frames of solid honey from #3 to give to #4, which had a big population and no honey left whatsoever. Since #4 was the first hive we opened, we were concerned, especially since we did not harvest honey from this yard in the late summer!<br />
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Fortunately, this was the only hive without enough resources to make it through this weird spring.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxz2v7HZiyNBDjBMXcGvnVxeoNxsvyJq-kSVZnf2ZTVSD-f5I-AxWl6OormASwsN1Xb_bSKebEqOGoF53UZ35ryy5CIPI5uHUSl1-caZUDNX7rcIb0TtS-OBj-uPEedW3BBtngiFQs4SN/s1600/mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxz2v7HZiyNBDjBMXcGvnVxeoNxsvyJq-kSVZnf2ZTVSD-f5I-AxWl6OormASwsN1Xb_bSKebEqOGoF53UZ35ryy5CIPI5uHUSl1-caZUDNX7rcIb0TtS-OBj-uPEedW3BBtngiFQs4SN/s640/mark.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark got a ventilated jacket with a hood last year, and really likes it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The most interesting thing we discovered was that leaving 2 deep boxes and multiple mediums on top filled with honey, combined with a cold, wet spring, resulted in abandonment of the brood chambers. We discovered "chalkbrood" -- a fungal disease that takes hold when there aren't enough nurse bees to keep the brood warm. The bees in at least 2 of our colonies were too spread out, and resources were far from the brood chamber. In both of these cases, the queen and workers had simply moved up to where the honey and pollen was, and took up residence there.<br />
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We ended up taking off both deeps from #2 and leaving a stack of three mediums. On another, we removed one deep.<br />
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It was so lovely to be back in the bee yard! All of the hives were docile and content, happily humming without showing signs of aggression. Well, except #7, and by then it had clouded up and gotten windy, so perhaps that was part of the problem.<br />
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Every year we learn more about what to do and what not to do. Mark has a lot of work to do in terms of killing weeds and ants out at Bee Hill. Next week he's going to set up a bee yard in Starkville for a guy who is starting an organic farm.<br />
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He got the first swarm call of the year yesterday, and like last year, it was a false alarm. And, like last year, it was because bees were going crazy in some holly bushes. It won't be long, though, until the weather warms up and the swarm calls come in. We're ready!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-4348145462521762862013-01-17T18:40:00.004-06:002013-01-17T18:40:50.355-06:00Snow!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I snapped this photo this morning at about 7:30 a.m. We had snow today, on my birthday! It reminded me of <a href="http://prairieblossombeefarm.blogspot.com/2011/01/bee-hill-in-snow.html" target="_blank">this walk</a> we took in the snow to see the beehives. It's rained for so many days we can't even get to the hives on Bee Hill right now -- flooded. But I know Spring will come soon!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-70617989371292408642012-12-14T11:53:00.000-06:002012-12-14T11:53:01.859-06:00Happy Holidays!If you have received Prairie Blossom Bee Farm honey this holiday season and are visiting the blog for the first time, welcome!<br />
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With the support of several business clients, Mark has bottled, shipped and/or delivered over 300 one-pound bottles of this year's first-ever Delta honey crop. <br />
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This super-sweet honey, made primarily from the nectar of cotton blossoms, has a tendency to crystallize faster than our wildflower honey. Exposure to lower temperatures also increases the rate of crystallization. But don't worry! Crystallization is a natural process. Here is a brief <a href="http://scienceline.org/2007/04/ask-westly-crystallizedhoney/" target="_blank">article </a>on the process.<br />
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If you don't like your honey in its crystallized state, we recommend warming it in hot water. Repeated warming and cooling can impact the color and taste of the honey. Microwaving, while the fastest method, super-heats the honey and diminishes its health benefits.<br />
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Our honey is a raw product -- we filter it only once, when it comes out
of the extractor. We don't super-heat it, because heat kills the
beneficial enzymes. Our goal is to bring you a pure, natural and
delicious treat with its health-related benefits intact. <br />
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If you have any questions, feel free to ask us. Wikipedia has a thorough article on honey, and details best temperatures under the section titled "Preservation."<br />
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For more information on the natural benefits of honey, visit the National Honey Board's <a href="http://www.honey.com/honey-at-home/honeys-natural-benefits/" target="_blank">website</a>.<br />
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Our thanks to the Tatums at Loresco, Ronnie Jones Construction, the Brocks at Shelter Insurance, Johnny Wigley at Southern Landscaping, the DeLois Smith All-Star Team and everyone else giving the gift of honey this year. We appreciate you!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-31644795841930984632012-11-01T15:20:00.001-05:002012-11-01T15:20:57.935-05:00Mississippi State FairWe went to the State Fair this year, the first time since I moved to MS.<br />
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We took my favorite 4-year-old, who made the day so very memorable with his excitement. He never complained or asked to be carried. On the way home he said, "We had a big day. We can go again." <br />
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Of course we stopped by the honey booth! We didn't enter anything this year, but this gave us a good idea of how it's done.<br />
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-38643611371765465292012-11-01T15:09:00.002-05:002012-11-01T15:09:55.263-05:00Mississippi Beekeepers Association ConferenceLast Friday and Saturday we attended the annual MBA conference. For me, it was very convenient, as it was held in the conference center at my workplace -- the Bost Extension Center at Mississippi State University.<br />
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Event organizers had a stellar line-up of speakers.<br />
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Randy Oliver, whose site www.scientificbeekeeping.com is a repository of all kinds of research-based information, knocked our socks off with his keynote address. He and his sons run 1,000 hives in Grass Valley, CA. He is full of energy and enthusiasm for maintaining healthy colonies. He also convinced me that raising queens isn't as hard as I think it is. ;-)<br />
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Russian bee breeder and long-time MBA leader Harry Fulton greeted everyone and taught packed sessions on beginning beekeeping. It was heartening to see so many people interested in taking up beekeeping as a hobby. (I didn't even get up and give a testimony about how they *think* it's going to be a hobby and then it takes over their lives . . .)<br />
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<a href="https://kelleybees.com/" target="_blank">Walter T. Kelley Company</a> and Dadant were both on site to sell equipment and all sorts of bee-related goodies, like these signs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAd-0WoGTz3pIxEcnnZEf7OgtinhEfC1Z6SxUO88KewZTyMJB6sKp83hbX5JGj4zbMboPMumJ8pd2HaUtS7xP62jB7n5AFN9CNZMF71WwbsyqS_KoPV3uEYVj8HLLEv-JC6i7nMTNAypqt/s1600/IMG_5593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAd-0WoGTz3pIxEcnnZEf7OgtinhEfC1Z6SxUO88KewZTyMJB6sKp83hbX5JGj4zbMboPMumJ8pd2HaUtS7xP62jB7n5AFN9CNZMF71WwbsyqS_KoPV3uEYVj8HLLEv-JC6i7nMTNAypqt/s400/IMG_5593.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of my favorite presentations was given by Ed Levi, a retired apiary inspector from Arkansas. He has traveled the world to help struggling beekeepers improve their practices for more financial stability. His amazing photos included traditional hives, a house with a hive kept in the wall for instant access to sweetener, and photos of honey hunters who have to avoid tiger attacks while harvesting. <br />
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Thanks, MBA, for a great conference!<br />
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-86688915737377903602012-09-17T19:45:00.004-05:002012-09-17T19:45:40.317-05:00900 pounds and countingOn Saturday we extracted about 300 pounds of honey from the Delta. We've had to order more storage containers, as we still have honey at Mayhew to harvest, including what we hope is delicious comb honey.<br />
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If you know of any businesses that need a holiday gift for clients, we'd love to help! Last year we shipped our honey all over the world -- the business owner provided the mailing labels and greetings, we boxed everything and took it to the post office. <br />
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Cooler weather is making the honey harvest more pleasant! I've also started my fall garden in my raised beds.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-75828025618189910412012-08-29T12:14:00.000-05:002012-08-29T14:17:47.560-05:00Calling All Honey Customers!We have been blessed with a bountiful harvest. If you have empty PBBF honey bottles you need refilled, please let us fill 'em up! Remember there's a $2 discount on refills, so the prices drop to $13 for a 3-lb refill and $5.50 for a 1-lb refill!<br />
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We'd love to fill your honey bottles and make room in the bottling tanks. Both are full and we've only harvested from two bee yards.<br />
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Bring your bottles to us with your name on them somewhere (a Sharpie marker on the lid works well), and Mark can fill them up with super fresh honey from this summer's harvest.<br />
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Coming soon: 2-lb bottles. For those of you who just can't decide between the 1 & 3!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-40040872713282404182012-08-13T12:26:00.000-05:002012-08-13T15:34:11.483-05:00Honey Bon Bons?The W hotel in Minneapolis, MN has beehives atop its lounge, and the harvested honey is turned into bon bons for their guests. The news story is <a href="http://www.kare11.com/news/article/986218/396/The-making-of-rooftop-honey-at-the-W-Hotel" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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I've never been to MN, but I'd love to go and taste those bon bons. Or apparently I can order them online, $7 for three from <a href="http://mademoisellemiel.blogspot.com/2011/07/honey-bon-bons.html" target="_blank">Mademoiselle Miel</a>. Which would likely be a lot more economical.<br />
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Given that my last bottle of gummy vitamins arrived melted into a giant vitamin glob, ordering these chocolates will have to wait until it cools off in MS.<br />
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Aaaaand she also has salted honey bon bons. Le sigh.<br />
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People may think honey is perfect as it is, but what can't be made better with chocolate?!?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraxIlmTIE_Hy_HXGWOHXWBf03syMlOxkB2lqvvT-tvj9ybhPZZ9G4Hk_iOoAyI3fPKk5jF2YCGihL3L0jTUo8qTgc152qsu_0fNzzjjEmPYH6A80kNsHeMzPUkHXQEw_2l-Jbz2c6iYyg/s1600/new+package.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraxIlmTIE_Hy_HXGWOHXWBf03syMlOxkB2lqvvT-tvj9ybhPZZ9G4Hk_iOoAyI3fPKk5jF2YCGihL3L0jTUo8qTgc152qsu_0fNzzjjEmPYH6A80kNsHeMzPUkHXQEw_2l-Jbz2c6iYyg/s1600/new+package.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Mademoiselle Miel's blog.</td></tr>
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Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-12912743135496645792012-08-01T18:14:00.000-05:002012-11-01T15:23:14.999-05:00Slatted Bottom BoardsMark invested in some slatted bottom boards this year, to help with ventilation.<br />
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Some beekeepers think it's an unnecessary expense.<br />
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We like them for the following reasons:<br />
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<ul>
<li>bees don't beard on the front of the hives -- they can congregate down below the brood chambers. If you have an urban bee yard and it freaks out your neighbors to see bees bearding ("They're SWARMING!"), slatted bottom boards might be a good option for you.</li>
<li>ventilation. Mississippi is hot. We have screens on top to help with temperature, but the extra ventilation may help us cut down on common bee diseases, like Nosema.</li>
<li>the bees seem calmer. Maybe it's because they don't feel as crowded, but our colonies on the slatted bottom boards don't seem as aggressive.</li>
<li>we can still use oil traps for pest control, rather than chemicals. </li>
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Here are two pictures. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzALhtZzMr_rfnNehndjDnaZp7Eem3BZSTWlGOJ0HbC-FSMd-tjgBxJvz_JA_AbmlL8nP6ylTt1iOU-524x3dE52LzCZ8YxCILQuka3p3A0gl9am3HDHP-Ull-gA-4gRDDRiEPbY-dQRUi/s1600/slatted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzALhtZzMr_rfnNehndjDnaZp7Eem3BZSTWlGOJ0HbC-FSMd-tjgBxJvz_JA_AbmlL8nP6ylTt1iOU-524x3dE52LzCZ8YxCILQuka3p3A0gl9am3HDHP-Ull-gA-4gRDDRiEPbY-dQRUi/s640/slatted.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hive entrance is to the right.</td></tr>
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-33427724615042162862012-07-27T17:07:00.000-05:002012-07-31T19:32:15.985-05:00The Hilts' Visit to Bee HillSome dear friends stopped by as part of their vacation. I've known Becky & Jay since we were all in college together at FC. They still live in Florida, though we're trying to convince them to relocate here.<br />
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We took them to Stafford's Big Burger in West Point for a Mississippi culinary cultural experience: fried pickles and fried green tomatoes. Oh, and I had a strawberry shake for supper. Annabelle really liked the fried pickles. My kind of kid!<br />
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They wanted to see the bees, so Mark got them all suited up and Becky took my camera. The bummer was that it was set on manual focus. Boo.<br />
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Here are a couple of pictures from their sunset visit to Bee Hill.<br />
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We really need to invest in some kid-sized bee gear!<br />
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The next morning we fed them deer steak, deer sausage, biscuits and eggs.<br />
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Then Dougray had some target practice.<br />
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It's a Redneck Vacation Extravaganza, y'all! Come & see us!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-46918377857924742172012-07-21T14:39:00.000-05:002012-07-21T15:50:01.442-05:00Bee Yard Inspection at Prairie Wildlife<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday Mark drove out to Prairie Wildlife in West Point to add honey supers in anticipation of the soybeans blooming. He was upset to find that since his last visit two or three of the hives' lids had been blown off in the recent storms. We have no idea how long the bees had to put up with all of that light, wind, and rain! Not their favorite way to live.<br />
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So today, after the rain storm and power outage (!) he loaded the 4-wheeler onto the trailer, put heavier lids in the back of the truck, and we headed out. Thankfully, it was only 75 degrees! Not that it lasted . . .<br />
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We looked through all of the hives except the "tower of power" on the end. For the most part, they're doing well, though growing more slowly than we anticipated. Most are not generating excess honey stores yet.<br />
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We found one hive that was queenless but loaded with honey and pollen. We combined it with one of the hives that had been exposed to the elements, but still had a healthy queen. We hope they'll join forces and create a strong, healthy colony.<br />
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It was nice to be out with Mark, working the bees together. I've missed it.<br />
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Photo highlights:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbISMH_DN8HSLBJdLzldgbklRWgIbLwLlw4UkbEFC5rwNetgxqFfZpAsHS-VJrQbqsSWaXVbMYhoTHq3g4LWbl6gZNvUofGuaMaiRec8F4gePQkXHq0U_Vt2TOEl4NMwtf7jR61ynQLOY/s1600/not+smoky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghbISMH_DN8HSLBJdLzldgbklRWgIbLwLlw4UkbEFC5rwNetgxqFfZpAsHS-VJrQbqsSWaXVbMYhoTHq3g4LWbl6gZNvUofGuaMaiRec8F4gePQkXHq0U_Vt2TOEl4NMwtf7jR61ynQLOY/s640/not+smoky.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It wasn't smoky . . . my lens fogged up when I got out of the truck. ;-)</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dm_DOVXYGvFyo4o8_eGrduRFKf7NNRhucCP1269pXUw9TRWrLfEjj7CltH1WLG9nuAB6RHvtQgpapOCn3KW6UFRbhp49lYUz6HF7k46xZPvxFwlLGluhuNqwLA1P0bmXOlG2vtI4bY1Z/s1600/hives+before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dm_DOVXYGvFyo4o8_eGrduRFKf7NNRhucCP1269pXUw9TRWrLfEjj7CltH1WLG9nuAB6RHvtQgpapOCn3KW6UFRbhp49lYUz6HF7k46xZPvxFwlLGluhuNqwLA1P0bmXOlG2vtI4bY1Z/s640/hives+before.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the hives, before we inspected.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CEaRGWfrtgMD-5B9sNpAWNZC1NGDjXPvXYPI2RTP-PaZOEEMJ9SVySZ3XI2rCWjlzAtcizOKgv2MBdU2JtyNxJ2XYmyAPFsqgD5cK74dio2CWrwNN-SkMNojm7_gjFiTIeaJSYWmD2vo/s1600/queen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4CEaRGWfrtgMD-5B9sNpAWNZC1NGDjXPvXYPI2RTP-PaZOEEMJ9SVySZ3XI2rCWjlzAtcizOKgv2MBdU2JtyNxJ2XYmyAPFsqgD5cK74dio2CWrwNN-SkMNojm7_gjFiTIeaJSYWmD2vo/s640/queen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you can't see the queen here, folks, I can't help you. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2SVbZRnSGhVM7G4PbIou3fk8dVRvXS1ONDNGLTO-eYlLTZfRUWEQM_06xHbIEyT-Dab1s8CTNwTRIdziA9BitqbPmh0OYtQTqnOvvM5hLw3zUZr1WogLp3Z7z0JVO7UH4GgCouCfa8AY/s1600/packed+in+babies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj2SVbZRnSGhVM7G4PbIou3fk8dVRvXS1ONDNGLTO-eYlLTZfRUWEQM_06xHbIEyT-Dab1s8CTNwTRIdziA9BitqbPmh0OYtQTqnOvvM5hLw3zUZr1WogLp3Z7z0JVO7UH4GgCouCfa8AY/s640/packed+in+babies.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These bees are making use of every cell -- pollen is interspersed with uncapped and capped brood.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0IFD3890mIkYBwK3wn8A7iPaPq4XHVUC04HWaqnXzKgnlRaNHwRXzpj0bf02cy5NNVF13Am4BsU2Q84JnxgWG6NiB_kWZpriRR9yQP2zEUeYl9epBE4ygZ-gWhqqSvWsZ97kBRCp-hjQ/s1600/pretty+comb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk0IFD3890mIkYBwK3wn8A7iPaPq4XHVUC04HWaqnXzKgnlRaNHwRXzpj0bf02cy5NNVF13Am4BsU2Q84JnxgWG6NiB_kWZpriRR9yQP2zEUeYl9epBE4ygZ-gWhqqSvWsZ97kBRCp-hjQ/s640/pretty+comb.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty, fresh brood comb. Well done, Queenie!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVXzD7b1tlBN-G4WH8Swv-KqiQqIsHH9moNLM51eS0j1dfv0tiAiIoc60Re2qT7Za643eaV6_9cje9fWAqCsELte1dPLh80k-Dretf2MCJ5mdcKsKclmBO-9TFe0FcaU_rJA-5qCVzY9j/s1600/combining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDVXzD7b1tlBN-G4WH8Swv-KqiQqIsHH9moNLM51eS0j1dfv0tiAiIoc60Re2qT7Za643eaV6_9cje9fWAqCsELte1dPLh80k-Dretf2MCJ5mdcKsKclmBO-9TFe0FcaU_rJA-5qCVzY9j/s640/combining.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newspaper combining a healthy colony with a queenless colony.</td></tr>
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-50053348302028375172012-07-21T12:58:00.000-05:002012-07-21T12:58:31.293-05:00Ah, Summer!We've been busy, as have the bees!<br />
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After inspecting Bee Hill, Mark spent the 4th of July painting honey supers. He anticipates a big harvest.<br />
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We're in the final stages of redesigning our logo and honey labels, and I'm *very excited!* I'll give you a sneak peak when everything is finalized.<br />
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Today I met the new Extension apicultural specialist, that is, beekeeping expert. I've got a news release about him coming out this week at work, which I'll post here after it's out. He came to MSU from USDA's bee breeding lab in Louisiana, but has been a beekeeper since he caught his first swarm at age 8. Welcome to MS, Dr. Jeff Harris!<br />
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My garden is surviving. The hummingbirds are in constant battle over the feeders -- and we have 3! I'm selling honey in fits and starts through a couple of different Facebook pages. The spring harvest is almost gone. The soybeans are in bloom.<br />
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Tonight Mark is assembling frames to make cut-comb honey. This involves papery thin sheets of wax, bobby pins, and teeny-tiny nails. <br />
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All in all, life is good at PBBF. I hope your summer is going well, too!Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-18796614630216045282012-06-26T12:24:00.003-05:002012-06-26T12:28:37.316-05:00U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Info. on PollinatorsIn support of National Pollinator Week, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service did a series of <a href="http://www.fws.gov/news/blog/index.cfm/2012/6/18/Pollinators-in-Peril" target="_blank">blog entries </a>on pollinators. They also have a <a href="http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/Index.html" target="_blank">web page</a> about pollinators and showed off the new pollinators poster, "Pollinator Pathways" by Steve Buchanan. I may have to stop by our local NRCS office and see if they have any!<br />
<img alt="Join the Conversation about Native Bees" border="0" height="407" src="http://www.fws.gov/pollinators/images/thumb_PathwaysposterFINAL-2012.jpg" width="450" />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-18323483250291530802012-06-25T08:58:00.003-05:002012-06-25T08:58:21.122-05:00Velcro flower petals?Flower petals appear to be smooth, but this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/science/flowers-petals-are-a-sticky-carpet-for-bees.html" target="_blank">article </a>discusses a study that shows the petals act like Velcro to bee feet!<br />
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<br />Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-79595929988992507652012-06-19T19:19:00.000-05:002012-06-19T19:19:24.841-05:00A Visit to the Dutch Gold Facility in PennsylvaniaIn the book <a href="http://kerirecommends.com/2012/05/20/robbing-the-bees-a-biography-of-honey-by-holley-bishop-copyright-2005.aspx" target="_blank"><i>Robbing the Bees</i></a> (link goes to my book review) by Holley Bishop, she talks about the <a href="http://www.dutchgoldhoney.com/about-us/the-original-honey-bear" target="_blank">first honey bear</a> container's creation leading to a family business that is known as <a href="http://www.dutchgoldhoney.com/" target="_blank">Dutch Gold</a>, in Lancaster, PA.<br />
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In addition to a display of historic beekeeping equipment, they sell containers and an assortment of varietal honeys. They buy honey from all over the world and stack the barrels in their warehouse. Because the honey sugars, the first step is to put the barrels in a hot room for about 3 days before pouring it into a large vat. Through a glass window we watched how they steam the honey barrels to get out all of the product. The honey is then heated to 180+ degrees, blended into one of their recipes to get the desired flavor, cooled to about 140 degrees, and piped into bottles. It's honey bottling on a scale I've never seen -- a true mechanical assembly line moving at a rapid pace.The honey has to stay hot to move swiftly through the machines.<br />
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Each bottle is weighed, labeled and boxed to be shipped. At the time we visited, they were bottling for Costco, which has its own honey label. Many grocery store chains also carry Dutch Gold honey, but under the store's own label.<br />
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Our guide assured us that they go through strict protocols to make sure the honey they buy both domestically and abroad is high quality. They send honey samples to a lab in Germany to test it for antibiotics and other impurities before they agree to purchase from any beekeeper.<br />
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It was a fascinating visit, but one that convinced me -- more than ever -- of the importance of buying local honey. Yes, super-heated honey will not sugar, is a pretty color in the jar, and will likely have a consistent, if generic, honey flavor. But the minerals and enzymes that make honey something more than liquid sugar are gone. If you go to the National Honey Board's <a href="http://www.honey.com/nhb/about-honey/" target="_blank">website</a>, you can download a free PDF about the "Reference Guide to Nature's Sweetener" to learn more.<br />
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In return for our free tour, we bought two bottles of varietal honey we don't see often: raspberry and orange blossom. Our tradition of buying honey while traveling continues -- more on the "real, local" honey we purchased in a future post.<br />
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Photo highlights:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7WrTl8pId1qn40gwVtBNfLk3Bt_sTCulut8DZ_jCfanPXct1d4b2P2tscdWRkOeW3ktgFWI2SWgLTqLgAU5kb0PhbtuKGG2_QsSRTaiTWDP8r8odFzeFc-Pgjp6C5vHe2RQJgwiEao4I/s1600/mark+at+dutch+gold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7WrTl8pId1qn40gwVtBNfLk3Bt_sTCulut8DZ_jCfanPXct1d4b2P2tscdWRkOeW3ktgFWI2SWgLTqLgAU5kb0PhbtuKGG2_QsSRTaiTWDP8r8odFzeFc-Pgjp6C5vHe2RQJgwiEao4I/s640/mark+at+dutch+gold.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite beekeeper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQ3rYB2Tti-0megSTB0zXrO3EEGVBvicrYNJ0-eX6itffQzFpErnNQPNzNz5tfx13FOWN8stxm9DT00viK6d05CPLhOcJCRJ3wwchRG50_sX1x83XOuUdeySG7cFwj28Tbpe9cyAcTClr/s1600/national+beekeepers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQ3rYB2Tti-0megSTB0zXrO3EEGVBvicrYNJ0-eX6itffQzFpErnNQPNzNz5tfx13FOWN8stxm9DT00viK6d05CPLhOcJCRJ3wwchRG50_sX1x83XOuUdeySG7cFwj28Tbpe9cyAcTClr/s640/national+beekeepers.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An historic photograph.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk1Pyg2CsXKu4v2t7jCf46MMjkzrAkqaRYjK7sKko4dXTrCr01WIeUzKpSBu5FKjZA1flSKH9ZM228gVciwp4c2qsYZflUsFNNdhd_sdB9dhXxk-cwdG7nzvWduiLJJzEX0OHArtGuhzG/s1600/old+skeps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk1Pyg2CsXKu4v2t7jCf46MMjkzrAkqaRYjK7sKko4dXTrCr01WIeUzKpSBu5FKjZA1flSKH9ZM228gVciwp4c2qsYZflUsFNNdhd_sdB9dhXxk-cwdG7nzvWduiLJJzEX0OHArtGuhzG/s640/old+skeps.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A collection of old smokers.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmp5CzSwNfEMe4hbvfSg3ApY2jc04sKXKws_4y1aM0JJh5yvjyBO6Qd3C5Mohht4-zjfyLriYjgzgqQw9ok4yhAbnl3q-7d2EBKMRd0W8-EwFQ8K218HIvkgFl2J6Tka3QvsOynqCth2q/s1600/skeps+and+hives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmp5CzSwNfEMe4hbvfSg3ApY2jc04sKXKws_4y1aM0JJh5yvjyBO6Qd3C5Mohht4-zjfyLriYjgzgqQw9ok4yhAbnl3q-7d2EBKMRd0W8-EwFQ8K218HIvkgFl2J6Tka3QvsOynqCth2q/s640/skeps+and+hives.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skeps and hives.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-30520855874084454112012-06-09T17:46:00.000-05:002012-06-09T17:46:26.713-05:00Golden Triangle Beekeepers' MeetingLast Thursday we hosted a meeting for local beekeepers. Reid Nevins, the Lowndes County Extension Service director organized it. We took a field trip to our bee yard, and Mark talked about some of the new equipment he's trying, such as a slatted bottom board for more ventilation, and the oil traps to control small hive beetles.<br />
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Several very experienced beekeepers attended, so newer beekeepers had plenty of people to talk to -- if they would. Beekeeping tends to attract some solitary, quiet individuals!<br />
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Thanks to everyone who joined us. I can't promise I'll remember your names, but the more we get together, the greater the chances are!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ae0FXJkNg5K1RMXD9MA7qkQcajwtfzYMNd32UZnNUjue6JfNwzhzWk5FLJMQHQF5GGe9idKi7C4y5JMgNA8L5bl-gUagn8vIshz_FHFb4FnP4JWzBeAzlZx6I2MRN_TgT8ZRsruMijSh/s1600/beekeepers+meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ae0FXJkNg5K1RMXD9MA7qkQcajwtfzYMNd32UZnNUjue6JfNwzhzWk5FLJMQHQF5GGe9idKi7C4y5JMgNA8L5bl-gUagn8vIshz_FHFb4FnP4JWzBeAzlZx6I2MRN_TgT8ZRsruMijSh/s640/beekeepers+meeting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
P.S. Bob, from this <a href="http://prairieblossombeefarm.blogspot.com/2012/05/our-girls-get-job-done.html" target="_blank">post</a>, joined us.Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-78245192287703359352012-06-08T18:46:00.000-05:002012-06-08T18:46:00.592-05:00Honey Turkey Rollers from the National Honey Board<div id="article-title-h1">I made these Monday night and they were a big hit. It will come as a surprise to no one that I added fresh baby spinach to them. Gotta get those veggies in! (Okay, I also used more turkey, I suspect, but the key here is the sauce -- delicious! Especially with PBBF honey!) Sarah made sure the end pieces, which weren't quite full, didn't go to waste. :-) Enjoy!</div><h1 id="article-title-h1">Honey Turkey Rollers</h1><img alt="Honey Turkey Rollers" class="right" src="http://www.honey.com/images/recipes/1782.jpg" /><br />
<div class="comment"><b><i>Makes 6 servings</i></b></div><ul><li>8 oz. cream cheese, softened</li>
<li>1/3 cup honey</li>
<li>1/4 cup mustard</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional</li>
<li>6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas</li>
<li>1-1/2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded</li>
<li>12 thin slices turkey</li>
</ul><div class="directions">In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add honey, mustard and onion powder; mix well. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey cream cheese mixture out to the edge of each tortilla. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese, leaving about 1 inch around the edge. Place 2 slices of turkey on each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes, then slice each tortilla log into eight 1-inch rounds and serve.</div>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6405474470859958432.post-60585753162325160642012-06-03T14:20:00.001-05:002012-06-03T14:20:00.090-05:00Blueberry Pie<span style="font-size: small;">The delicious blueberries available this time of year are possible thanks to pollinators. Here in Mississippi we have the Southern blueberry bee to help, along with many others. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Some friends had us over Monday night, and invited us to pick blueberries to take home with us. I've been in blueberry heaven ever since.<br />
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Here is my favorite recipe for blueberry pie, from Frances Barham's cookbook, recipe by Kim Latham.<br />
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Crust for a double crust pie<br />
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2 Tbsp. lemon juice<br />
3 cups blueberries (you can use frozen if needed)<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
3 Tbsp. cornstarch<br />
1 Tbsp. margarine (I've used butter, and tend to use more than 1 Tbsp. -- I dollop generously!)<br />
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Sprinkle lemon juice over blueberries. Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then stir into blueberries. Put into pie crust. Dot with margarine. Cover with top crust and cut vents in the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown. **You may want to put a cookie sheet on the rack underneath to catch any juices that overflow. Or, you can be like me, and get to clean your oven. ;-)<br />
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Enjoy! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Keri</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Call Mark if you need honey! 662-418-4422<br />
</span></span>Kerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07754424789728293252noreply@blogger.com0