I am realizing that I haven’t been writing much about the farm recently, just our trips. But today was a farm day. We moved the pigs to the larger pen. They will have more room to roam.
The chickens are growing up, and I am enjoying watching the young roosters develop. They are so beautiful.
Plus I enjoy watching the white peacock (hopefully). The bird behind him I think is a peacock.
This afternoon I decided to take on dismantling the bee hive. It failed last winter with all of the bees dying. I thought it was due to starvation even though they had food I had made for them. I had thought that I made it wrong so they couldn’t use it. But I figured I could at least harvest some bees wax from the hive. I started taking it apart in the back yard.
Here is some of the food I made for them, still not eaten.
But surprisingly there was some honey in the hive. I opened up the combs and laid them on some pans to let the honey drain.
But then some local honey bees started showing up, attracted to this honey. Then more bees came, and currently we cannot walk out our back door onto the porch.
I am happy to donate this honey to the local honey bees, But probably should have handled this better. Still hoping to get some wax to make candles with.
I am making a pot roast for dinner. I harvested some of our carrots for this. These are the biggest carrots I have ever grown. Usually the underground rodents eat them and what is left are stunted. We have moved the carrots to our old manure spreader with sandy soil in it, and it seems to be working well. No success with the potatoes in there though, but I am still happy.
That is my farm day. I hope you had a good day too.
Hansom Cocks & Boars 🐔🐷 ;}
Donna, I’m so sorry about what happened to your hive! You hadn’t mentioned it, at least that I remember. It seems strange that they didn’t eat the food you made for them. I remember you making it. Do you plan to start another hive?
Your chickens are all so beautiful! And it’ll be interesting to see how those two peafowl turn out – cocks or hens. Waiting can be so tedious, can’t it, in some cases.
Your pigs are really growing, aren’t they!
It was so sad that I didn’t mention it and didn’t want to look inside to see all of the dead bees. I am not sure if I will try again. This is my third failed attempt but last longer than the last two. It is hard to wait to see what happens with the peafowl. They are getting annoying, exploring outside of the barnyard so I have to corral them in every evening. Hopefully I can keep them alive. The pigs are growing. Our previous attempts at three pigs were failures as they killed the third one each time. If they start fighting badly we may separate them but then it is harder to stay warm.
We lost bees three years in a row and we’re sure it was because we had a “false” spring, they ate up their stores, then winter came back and they all died. We left the hive body in place and have had wild swarms come to our hives and finally had a hive survive last winter. This spring that hive swarmed five times and we thought sure they wouldn’t make it but they have and we have a super of five full frames and they’re still working hard. Eddie added another hive body to the existing and they filled both for winter stores. We will probably take the super off the first of September when he checks it again and hope that they make it through the coming winter. I use so much honey in my cooking and just for eating. I honestly think the honey has helped my allergies spring and fall.
Your birds are gorgeous and I can’t believe how big your hogs have become. Butcher season is just around the corner.
Have a great week!!!
Rita
I think I may have taken too much honey too late last year. But again surprised that there was some honey left ( but not much). They may have gotten cold with the lack of nutrients. I have left the hive out each time and no one else ever moves in. I wish they would. Exciting that you are having some success with yours. Honey is great. Tom has it in his coffee every morning. Interestingly the bees came back yesterday and swarmed our back porch again although I had cleaned everything up. There must have been some odor left. I felt bad because there was nothing for them. Our hogs are getting bigger. I hope that the butcher is not too late this year as they are going through a lot of food.
Congrats on the carrots! glad that growing them inthe manure spreader has worked out so well. Losing those tasty crops rodent damage can be so disheartening.
Thanks. It is disheartening. Something is eating our tomatoes in the hot house which is especially frustrating.