Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[Farmerboy16]

A co-worker told me a few days ago about a group of 4th graders that had come to the dairy farm a few years ago where I work now. And as he was giving them a tour of the farm, some of the kids raised their hands and asked "Why are you doing all this work when you can go to the store and buy milk there?" *facepalm* So sad...most people nowadays don't know where their food comes from, let alone how their food is grown/raised! If you have kids, take them to as many different farms as you can, so they can learn how hardworking farmers grow/raise food to feed the world.

 

[gaitngirl]

This is my first year getting any significant amounts of honey from my honeybees. It is so nice to finally be able to have fresh honey produced from my own backyard! I got just over 20lbs after it was removed from the wax.







Some of the filtered honey in jars. My flash wasn't cooperating, but it is a fairly light gold color.

I've been thinking about doing the apiary thing but I was told that horses and honeybees don't do well together. I have a horse and a mule. Does anyone else have horses and honeybees? Any issues?

 

[taprock]

Rather than go through all of the incubation threads, is there a quick answer here?

The incubator is on a table that is a tad wobbly. The cats jump on the table for a second or 4.
Will that slight wobble affect my eggs?  

RaZ I'd personally make sure that the table was stable, .

Yes you want stable, some wiggles are ok, just think of what a hen does re-repostitioning her eggs all day.

Stacy that chick is adorable.

Tomorrow I go to present my Beaks'N Books program to the elementary school teachers. As a promotion my director wants me to take a chicken to the class rooms. What is so great about it is the fact I was going to something like it on a volunteer basis, but now I get paid to teach kids about chickens.

 

[Folly's place]

Bees and horses; no problems that I ever saw! A few years ago, when we had nine (!!!) horses, four steers, and many chickens, we also had a beekeeper who had 125 hives on our farm next to one of our five acre pastures. No issues at all, and I was only stuyyng once, when I accidentley grabbed a worker bee. This year we have six hives next to a pasture, again with no problems. Ground wasps, on the other hand, are a different story! Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Bees and horses; no problems that I ever saw! A few years ago, when we had nine (!!!) horses, four steers, and many chickens, we also had a beekeeper who had 125 hives on our farm next to one of our five acre pastures. No issues at all, and I was only stuyyng once, when I accidentley grabbed a worker bee. This year we have six hives next to a pasture, again with no problems. Ground wasps, on the other hand, are a different story! Mary

 

[Opa]

My thermos is filled , the bait is cut, and now as soon as David gets here I'm headed for St Joseph. One of our customers gave us a perch fishing trip as a thank you. Hopefully the lake is calm and the fish are hungry.

 

[Farmerboy16]

Sracy- The honey looks so good! I love raw honey and want to raise some honey bees for some honey, but my dad has some fear of bees, and kills any that he sees. So, will have to wait until I have a place of my own, or find someone close by that raises them that I can trade eggs/ dairy product/ meat for some honey.

 

[Amastacia]

I guess I'll just have to keep visiting the cider mill for now.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/build-a-cider-press-zmaz76soztak.aspx#axzz2dMMPKHWb

here is a fairly simple home made press if anyone is interested. this is what my DH is planning on following when he builds one for me next year.

 

[SillyChicken]

have a good fishing trip Sam!

I had a little hamster just like that when I was a kid... his name was Sherman.
I have a possible lead on some corn cribs. If they don't pan out for me I'll put the info on here if someone else wants them.

 

[Jake Levi]

That is beautiful honey !!

I love it, so, as a diabetic I have a teaspoon of it in two morning coffees, and that is my sugar ration for the day. The past year I havent had any hives, have kept 3-4 for some 50 years, with a year or two off for moves. I love having bees. I have had as many as 12 hives but thats far more honey then I can use .

Years ago when first starting out I got all bundled up and almost smoked hives to death when lifting a lid, I have learned a lot since then. Before writing this I have been seriously trying to think just how many times that I have been stung, by a honey bee. The best that I can come up with is 5, 5 times in just over 50 years, That isnt too bad. Considering the amount of contact I have had with them.

I have found some very simple rules. First, act normal. Move in a calm deliberate manner. Erratic and fast movements trigger alarms to bees. I have watched cattle, horses and sheep graze by and even underneath hives without problems. I only work around or with my hives on sunny days, and after the hives have had time to wake up and get into their own routines. I talk, hum, even sing, they know I am there, and being calm keeps them calm.

I have often taken lids off to check the hives, but, only on a sunny day, and I am acting calm when the bees come out to see what is going on. If, I am going to be removing anything I give a couple whiffs, no more, of smoke in the entrance, wait a minute and then do whatever I am going to do. If a bee lands on me I ignore her.

So, bees are our friends, they really are, you only have to be a friend to them.

This last hatch of the summer is better then the first but, I still had four out of 14 that didnt hatch, I didnt candle them so that could be a factor. But I have a beautiful clutch of varied colored chicks, from a dark chipmunk to snow whites, which I expect to color up like their Dad.

Life goes on and it is good, and better with Icelandic Chickens !