***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[CruchyJeepMama]

My kids and I took "the girls" out for some fresh air today. Their coop/run isn't finished yet (hopefully it will be done this weekend). So I put them in a make shift pen.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Please pray for the safe return of my dear friend's 14 year old niece, Charice Beaumont. She disappeared on her way to school this morning, and no one knew until she didn't come home that day. Please follow the search and share with any and all friends and families that may have Utah ties!

 

[poultryand bees]

We are on goat watch again..... Took turns all last night with DH. Fingers crossed for more kids today.
I don't want to speak on P&B behalf, but the honey supplier in my area is completely out of honey. 2 yrs worth of drought has been rough on production.
Excited to hear Jaxon will be attending poops with P&B he is such an entertaining boy. Sent a PM about guinea colors. Ours have been laying sporadically. I am sure the weather doesn't help, or they have improved their egg hiding skills.

We had a llama cria born last week. Didn't even realize the llama mama was pregnant. Llamas are sneaky that way

As for raw honey - I am pleased to announce that the governor signed the Oklahoma Honey Sales Act last week, which will allow small beekeepers such as myself to lawfully sell raw honey directly to consumers, such as at Farmer's Markets, craft fairs, from their homes or otherwise in person - without the requirement that the honey be bottled in a Health Department inspected honey house. This is a big deal as the current law prohibits even the gifting of honey that hasn't been processed in a licensed honey house. For those of us with only a few hives, the start up fees of over $500 for the inspections and licenses just didn't make economic sense. This is a major major step forward and should increase the availability of raw honey in Oklahoma.

As to bringing honey to POOPS, my supplier (who did have a licensed honey house) retired at the end of 2012 so until my bees get busy I won't have any honey available for sale.

Yes, it has been a rough 3 years for the bees. Between the heat that caused them to spend the majority of the day bringing water to the hive to cool it down and the reduction of nectar in plants that managed to bloom despite the drought, they have had a rough time. Most beekeepers had to feed their hives last winter - even if they didn't pull the honey off of them to harvest. This crazy cold and warm weather this Spring is also rough on the bees. The queens have been laying eggs and when it gets cold like it did last week the bees aren't able to keep all the brood warm enough to hatch.

 

[poultryand bees]

Please pray for the safe return of my dear friend's 14 year old niece, Charice Beaumont. She disappeared on her way to school this morning, and no one knew until she didn't come home that day. Please follow the search and share with any and all friends and families that may have Utah ties!

Praying for the safe return of this precious young lady, and comfort and strength for her family

 

[krazykat0373]

My kids and I took "the girls" out for some fresh air today. Their coop/run isn't finished yet (hopefully it will be done this weekend). So I put them in a make shift pen.

LOL!

Please pray for the safe return of my dear friend's 14 year old niece, Charice Beaumont. She disappeared on her way to school this morning, and no one knew until she didn't come home that day. Please follow the search and share with any and all friends and families that may have Utah ties!

Hope they find her! I shared on my FB page also...

 

[BScott03]

I am starting my first BYC adventure! I ordered 15 Barred Rock's that will be here in about a month! I live in SW OK! Glad I found this forum and do excited to start my BYC adventure

 

[okracefan]

We had a llama cria born last week. Didn't even realize the llama mama was pregnant. Llamas are sneaky that way

As for raw honey - I am pleased to announce that the governor signed the Oklahoma Honey Sales Act last week, which will allow small beekeepers such as myself to lawfully sell raw honey directly to consumers, such as at Farmer's Markets, craft fairs, from their homes or otherwise in person - without the requirement that the honey be bottled in a Health Department inspected honey house. This is a big deal as the current law prohibits even the gifting of honey that hasn't been processed in a licensed honey house. For those of us with only a few hives, the start up fees of over $500 for the inspections and licenses just didn't make economic sense. This is a major major step forward and should increase the availability of raw honey in Oklahoma. As to bringing honey to POOPS, my supplier (who did have a licensed honey house) retired at the end of 2012 so until my bees get busy I won't have any honey available for sale. Yes, it has been a rough 3 years for the bees. Between the heat that caused them to spend the majority of the day bringing water to the hive to cool it down and the reduction of nectar in plants that managed to bloom despite the drought, they have had a rough time. Most beekeepers had to feed their hives last winter - even if they didn't pull the honey off of them to harvest. This crazy cold and warm weather this Spring is also rough on the bees. The queens have been laying eggs and when it gets cold like it did last week the bees aren't able to keep all the brood warm enough to hatch.

If I wanted to start beekeeping, were do I start. I have a nice little spot back behind the pond dam that I think would be a good spot.

 

[Elbert Garrett]

I am starting my first BYC adventure! I ordered 15 Barred Rock's that will be here in about a month! I live in SW OK! Glad I found this forum and do excited to start my BYC adventure

Welcome to BYC!

Barred Rocks are a fine choice, good luck and have fun with them!

 

[jcatblum]

I got a bee book in the mail last wk. Backyard BeeKeeper. We are far away from getting bees of our own, but on my to do list. Awesome to hear about the new bill! Also house & senate passed a home bakery bill (waiting to be signed). You will be able to sell up to $20000 of baked goods from home. No fruit or meat in the products I think.

Still waiting on my fat pregnant doe! We had some people over yesterday & they watched her for about an hour, certain she was going to push out some kids. I am going to walk her around the yard some & hope that she has these babies before the cold front comes in.

 

[NanaKat]

Have kept bees for a number of years...at one time had six hives going. Never knew it was against the law to give away our honey...

Boys are on their way to the vet to get the stitches removed from cow 340's eyelids. she is the one that may have eye cancer...it's been treated with injections in the eye and has had stitches removed and replaced. Hopefull this is the last time for treatment. Great gentle cow with a beautiful calf by her side. She is ten years old this spring.

Worked in the barn yesterday building a juvenile coop. Put leg bands on many of the older juvies. I want to be able to put them outside after this next weather slump.

Hope all the babies are born before the cold front. Goats are really cute.

There was a great article and photo of our own OKIE BYC member DGibson in the Shawnee NewsStar Sunday edition of "She's OK!" Magazine. The article was about the trend for backyard flocks. Don made for a great interview. I'll bring my copy to POOPS.

Oh and for those of us who love crawdads....there is a "Ragin Cajun Crawfish Boil" on April 20 at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee...contact number is 405-213-6544...for information.