Stella's Social Club

[rancher hicks]

I hatched a bunch of Kathy's line last year for Kim. I do not remember any with eye liner.

Maybe @kathyinmo will jump in and help.

It's just a little - near the back of the eye. I'll try to post a pic.

 

[mlm Mike]

LOVE the colors Mary!

Saying goodbye to Tank tomorrow. Sweet boy is headed to North Carolina where he has two older girlfriends waiting for him! That leaves just Sofie, whose sale has fallen through not once but twice.

Cute. Safe travels Tank!

 

[The Sheriff]

Yummy! Fancy cooking in the motorhome eh?

Going stir crazy in here!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Today was honey extraction day. It's a disappointing year for honey, but I kind of expected it with the drought and the cold/rainy weather we had during the blackberry bloom. The bees are doing very well otherwise! No issues with taking the honey, and I didn't have to smoke them with all the smoke in the air from the wildfires burning right now.

I got some new equipment this year, which was very nice for extraction!


Thanks Rinda for the tip on the wet wash cloth to wipe off the hot knife, it worked like a charm!

I remembered to bring a bucket with me to the hive to make carrying the frames easier. Here they are in the uncapping tank ready to go.


The honey starts flowing.

Empty frames ready to go back into the hive for the bees to clean up the mess.




I seriously doubt I will even get 1/2 the amount of honey I got last year, but that's okay, I still have some left from last year. There will be plenty for our family. And next year, hopefully I'll have 2 hives make it through winter and collect honey from both hives!

 

[drumstick diva]

Kelly, mmm mmm love "real" honey- had some once from a friend in W.VA she said it was a locust year. Best honey I ever had in my life. I didn't even mind the tiny leg, I found in some.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I run mine through a sieve, so no bee parts in my honey. I've never had pure locust honey, I may have to try it sometime. I do know there are some locust trees in my area, so I'm sure some of it makes its way into my honey.

This years honey tastes more fruity. It's very tasty, just a different flavor. I know the catalpa trees bloomed really well. In a few days when I bottle it (after air bubbles settle out), then I'll be able to compare color.

I'm going to put a swarm trap out next spring at my MIL's house, and possibly a hive too. She has a massive tulip poplar that I want the honey from.

 

[mlm Mike]

There is a lot of equipment for bee keeping and honey extraction.

 

[robhuncor]

Today was honey extraction day. It's a disappointing year for honey, but I kind of expected it with the drought and the cold/rainy weather we had during the blackberry bloom. The bees are doing very well otherwise! No issues with taking the honey, and I didn't have to smoke them with all the smoke in the air from the wildfires burning right now.

I got some new equipment this year, which was very nice for extraction!


Thanks Rinda for the tip on the wet wash cloth to wipe off the hot knife, it worked like a charm!

I remembered to bring a bucket with me to the hive to make carrying the frames easier. Here they are in the uncapping tank ready to go.


The honey starts flowing.

Empty frames ready to go back into the hive for the bees to clean up the mess.




I seriously doubt I will even get 1/2 the amount of honey I got last year, but that's okay, I still have some left from last year. There will be plenty for our family. And next year, hopefully I'll have 2 hives make it through winter and collect honey from both hives!

Good job on the honey extraction, Kelly! I was wondering if the smoke from all the fires in your area this season might have kept the bees from ranging as far as usual. I'm not a beekeeper - just interested - maybe it's a dumb idea.

 

[lonnyandrinda]

Woohoo! Good job Kelly! Isn't an uncapping tub such a wonderful thing? Makes everything go so much smoother and less messy!

I'm sure the smoke is keeping the bees closer to home, yes. Good observation- not a dumb idea.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I love the uncapping tank. It's so easy.

Thankfully, the wind came in and blew all the smoke away. We are getting a few rain drops now. Hopefully, the wind isn't hampering efforts to put the fires out.

I'm sure the smoke affects them. Not a dumb question at all.