So I think some people have been having trouble finding the vid as i posted it to an old post. new video, old post, bad combination. Either way, here it is again! Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr2YltHxrH8
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
First Inspection
Hello all. I have a video that is pretty much the entirety of what I did yesterday. Before the video starts, I feel that I should say that I had already removed the sugar water can. Well. Here you go.
Tip of The Post:
Save your jars! Any jars. Honey jars, jam jars. Use them to hold leftovers or tomorrow breakfast or as a to go cup for oatmeal. Get creative. We use one of ours for Swedish oatmeal and another for a brown sugar and dried fruit topping for it. it can be easily thrown in a purse or eaten right out of the fridge. We use another to hold leftover melted butter for, say, pancakes, and yet another for homemade raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and tabouleh.
Save your jars! Any jars. Honey jars, jam jars. Use them to hold leftovers or tomorrow breakfast or as a to go cup for oatmeal. Get creative. We use one of ours for Swedish oatmeal and another for a brown sugar and dried fruit topping for it. it can be easily thrown in a purse or eaten right out of the fridge. We use another to hold leftover melted butter for, say, pancakes, and yet another for homemade raspberry sauce, whipped cream, and tabouleh.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Hiving the Bees!
A video collection of me and my father installing our first package of bees set to fabulous tunes! The movie does all the explaining. You'll have to click the link for reasons unknown to me.
Well here you go! Have fun!!
Friday, April 13, 2012
New Arrivals!!!
The bees finally came! It turned out that the eleventh was the date they were shipped out from Ohio. It took them three days and I could tell that they were uncomfortable ones by the agitated noise they were making when I walked into my bathroom. Yes. My bathroom. My father came home before me and decided that the garage was too cold for them and thus decided that the bathroom would be a good alternative.
So we sprayed them with the sugar water solution as detected, and they became very excited. The lot of them were hungrily lapping up the syrup from the sides of the cage and all I have to say on that subject is that their tongues are so cool!!! My boyfriend and mom thought they were creepy, but I couldn't help myself as I sat on the tile floor watching them eat. Strangely enough they seem resemble oods from Doctor Who. It just fascinates me.
They eventually quieted down after a while and started to clump up the way I know content bees tend to do in the package, but they were off to one side and not down the middle arround the feed can, so I was worried about whether or not the supplier had placed enough food in their crate. I decided to be on the safe side and, though no one told me to do this, I took a small chunk out of my pollen patty and scraped it against the cage sides in a few places. They seemed immediately different in tone of buzzing and I could tell they were happy by the way they surrounded the small circles of food. I guess my girls needed protein!
Hopefully the addition of pollen didnt excite them too much, because the buzzing has increased again. I sit in my room typing this, and I can hear them from the bathroom next door. Even if it has, they have over a half a day at least to eat up and quiet down. Fed bees are happy bees anyway, and I want them as pleasent as possible for when I dump them into their new home.
Also, I have purchased a pack of sunflower seeds that I hope to get growing soon. I like to think of it as a welcomeing gift to the new girls.
Environmental Tip Time!
Power time! That is power saving... time. Either way, the point is that electricity has an impact as well. Whenever you leave a room, turn out the lights, TV, and whatever else you may be using. Even when you have, say, the coffee maker plugged in but not on, it's using energy. Unplug appliances and chargers whenever your not using them, and unplug larger things like TVs and computers when you leave on vacation. Remember. Even when your not home, energy will still be used, but it won't be used to help anyone. It'll save you some money as well.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
I have learned my lesson...
So I have now realized what will happen when I procrastinate posting for.. um.. Over two weeks now. Gosh is there a lot to tell. When I started this post (Monday), I was sitting outside on my father's laptop as I write, my back door open and my dog off leash. Only one explanation for such an occurrence, and that would be that the fence has been installed!!! It was put up this Monday, and I would like to say that I am very happy with the work! Now that that's said, I shall do a recap. It'll be en medias res for those Odyssey fans out there. Or perhaps picture frame writing for the Catcher in the Rye lovers. Either way, bad english class lessons aside (Iago?? Sorry. Had to do one more.), I shall now start form where I would have two weeks ago when I should have posted.
On March twenty-eighth, my mother and I searched through the web and a few catalogs, fliers, and recommendations we had received in an attempt to find the best options for purchasing bee equipment. It took hours. Eventually we added up the figures and decided to go with what we had named "Option 'C'"- the cheapest option. Well. I guess I should put it as "the most cost effective option," but its all the same. The paper we scribbled on looks as follows:
C: Long Lane
Hive Components 238
Pollen Patty 3.5
-Cannon Bee 89
-Nature's nectar 4.25
-Pkg Bees97 120
------------
431.75
466.75
Bassically I spent the day learning how to order off the phone. Sadly, when we went to the city after all was said and done with the orders they were already closed. We ended up going the next day before practice and put in for the fence permit. It was finished in two days and the fence scheduled for the past Monday (relative to now).
The only other thing to say really is that the equipment came a while ago and I think I am happy with that as well. It seems to be good quality and it's sturdy enough for what I'm doing. Plus the people were very kind- promising to have it in my possession before the bees came. I have tried on my vail- it works well enough with the exception of the missing hat that I have replaced with a ball cap. I also practiced with my smoker. It took a bit of work because I started with the smoker fuel at never lit and only smoked. None of the other kindling caught on fire. I eventually gave up and found a piece of paper that I set ablaze. Then the fire for roaring! I burned my right thumb a bit, but it's nothing bad- already healed. I played with that for a bit and I believe I have the hang of it. The last thing I can say I have acomplished was the construction of the base of the hive. The only issue is that even though I took the bricks from the path we were removing anyway, my mother doesn't want them gone for fear of a twisted angle. I can't blame her. So I'll put those back soon and use some of the bricks by the garage.
Environmental Tip of the Post!
I know this ones easy, but it should be noted. Remember to turn off the water when your brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Fix any leaky faucets as well. Also, try to shorten your showers to below seven to ten minuets or so. This one will be really hard for me and it always has been. That's why I'm bringing it up. So save water and energy by keeping down the running water and turning down those thermostats. I barely have mine one anymore with this nice weather.
On March twenty-eighth, my mother and I searched through the web and a few catalogs, fliers, and recommendations we had received in an attempt to find the best options for purchasing bee equipment. It took hours. Eventually we added up the figures and decided to go with what we had named "Option 'C'"- the cheapest option. Well. I guess I should put it as "the most cost effective option," but its all the same. The paper we scribbled on looks as follows:
C: Long Lane
Hive Components 238
Pollen Patty 3.5
-Cannon Bee 89
-Nature's nectar 4.25
-Pkg Bees
------------
466.75
Bassically I spent the day learning how to order off the phone. Sadly, when we went to the city after all was said and done with the orders they were already closed. We ended up going the next day before practice and put in for the fence permit. It was finished in two days and the fence scheduled for the past Monday (relative to now).
The only other thing to say really is that the equipment came a while ago and I think I am happy with that as well. It seems to be good quality and it's sturdy enough for what I'm doing. Plus the people were very kind- promising to have it in my possession before the bees came. I have tried on my vail- it works well enough with the exception of the missing hat that I have replaced with a ball cap. I also practiced with my smoker. It took a bit of work because I started with the smoker fuel at never lit and only smoked. None of the other kindling caught on fire. I eventually gave up and found a piece of paper that I set ablaze. Then the fire for roaring! I burned my right thumb a bit, but it's nothing bad- already healed. I played with that for a bit and I believe I have the hang of it. The last thing I can say I have acomplished was the construction of the base of the hive. The only issue is that even though I took the bricks from the path we were removing anyway, my mother doesn't want them gone for fear of a twisted angle. I can't blame her. So I'll put those back soon and use some of the bricks by the garage.
Environmental Tip of the Post!
I know this ones easy, but it should be noted. Remember to turn off the water when your brushing your teeth or washing your hands. Fix any leaky faucets as well. Also, try to shorten your showers to below seven to ten minuets or so. This one will be really hard for me and it always has been. That's why I'm bringing it up. So save water and energy by keeping down the running water and turning down those thermostats. I barely have mine one anymore with this nice weather.
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