Greg has promised to write up the saga of our bee swarm. As a cliffhanger, here’s a look at what we came home to on Wednesday evening!
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Our Bees Swarm!
Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
Bee Class at Stone Barns
Saturday, October 15th, 2011We took our third and final bee class at Stone Barns. We always learn a little something, even if the class is geared toward absolute new-bees. Get it? New-bees?
The Farm Gets a Second Hive of Bees
Sunday, May 22nd, 2011Our replacement bees for the Green Hive are doing just great. But we decided to double our chances of having the bees survive over the winter by doubling our number of bees to begin with. So Sunday, Al the Bee Guy came down from Cortlandt Manor to install our second hive, now known as the White Hive. This summer, we’ve got twice the number of little workers helping us out in the fields and orchards.
With Our First Jarred Honey, Sour Cherry Farm Debuts a New Label
Friday, April 22nd, 2011After harvesting the honey, we finally got around to packaging it. Ladies and gents, we present to you our new label, logo and all things SCF. Hope you like it!
We’ll be using the label (and, we think, the jar) for our jams and preserves, too.
Apricot Blossoms and Hyacinths
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011Finally! The long, cold winter seems to be passing, ever so slowly. In its wake, blossoms of apricots and plums, and a few more colorful bulbs.
Gosh the apricots were incredible last year. (A look at them here.) More signs of spring at the farm, after the jump.
The Farm Gets New Bees
Monday, April 18th, 2011Al the Bee Guy came down from Northern Westchester bearing gifts: a 3-pound package of 15,000 little helpers for Sour Cherry Farm. They arrive in this screened-in box and he pours them into the hive like water. Here are the few left, moving into their new home.
Harvesting Honey at the Farm
Sunday, April 10th, 2011While we wait for our new bees to arrive, it seemed an opportune time to harvest a little bit of honey. You know, while they’re not there to sting us and all? Al, our bee guy, advised us not to take all of it, but he did say a few frames would be OK. So here goes, our first honey harvest:
Bad News on the Bees: We Lost the Hive
Saturday, March 5th, 2011The bees have become part of the family here at Sour Cherry Farm, so we were heartbroken to open the hive on the first warm day of winter and find that they were no longer with us. We did try to figure out if they had been attacked by mites, or if perhaps a hive disease called American Foulbrood had killed them. We’re still not sure, but we do know this: there weren’t very many dead bees in the hive.
A few photos of this sad occasion, after the jump.
Bee Class at Stone Barns
Sunday, February 6th, 2011Stone Barns Center has started a series calleld “Beekeeping for Newbees,” and Greg and I were there to learn all about setting up the hive, the queen’s nuptial flight and other bee-related knowledge.
Dan Carr, Stone Barns livestock assistant and beekeeper, lectured about setting up, ordering stuff for the hive, working with the hive and identifying brood, queens and diseases. Throughout the summer, there will be other classes to learn about hive inspection, treatments for mites, supering, harvesting and processing honey, and preparing for winter. Yay! We will go to all of them to better learn how to take care of our girls.
Opening the Bee Hive
Wednesday, September 15th, 2010Here, John and Philippe demonstrate how to open a bee hive and check that the girls are doing OK.
Garden Update: Coneflowers, Cosmos, Blackberries and Butterfly Bushes
Sunday, July 25th, 2010Here’s our occasional update on the progress in the fields at Sour Cherry Farm. The early summer harvest is slowing down, and we’re getting more flowers and ornamentals as we wait for late summer tomatoes and fall crops like figs, apples and pears. Here’s a look at what’s going on.
Bearding Bees
Monday, July 5th, 2010We were quite frightened when we first saw the bees doing this. But once our bee friends told us it was completely normal, we quite liked watching them try to stay cool in hot weather. It’s called bearding. And it does rather look like a beard, doesn’t it!
Bees Bearding and Buzzing
Sunday, June 27th, 2010The Bees are Buzzing!
Saturday, June 12th, 2010I ran the lawnmower in front of the bees, and boy did they get all uppity about it! They were buzzing so much I had to get the camera out. So here’s a look-see.
More photos, after the jump.
The Farm Gets Bees!
Saturday, May 8th, 2010After our trip to see Stephen’s bees, Greg was a goner. His heart was set on getting bees, no matter what. He was all crazy researching where to find them — and really the closest place was up near Saratoga Springs, and they’d only allow you to come pick them up on the Friday before Memorial Day. We we distraught. How to drive 7 hours the Friday before Memorial Day? How do we get the bees home without them buzzing all over the car? Will be able to set up a hive before then?
Luckily, I texted my pal, Jon, who has bees at his restaurant. “Where did u get your bees?”
In 30 seconds I had an answer: “Al the bee guy.”
And so that’s whom we called. Al the bee guy. He brought the bees the following Saturday.
