On the farm — Blackberry Land

PNW Bee Hive Winterization 2.0 - Using the Bee Cozy

This past Fall I decided to try the Bee Cozy from NOD Apiary Products. Note, this is not a paid review. Just my personal thoughts on how well this product performs.

On the farmDianneFebruary 18, 2022beehive winterization, bee hive winterization, pnw bee hive winterization, PNW winters and bees, winterizing bee hives, winterizing bee hives in PNW, bees and winter, langstroth hive winterization, Vivaldi board, vivaldi boards, bee cozy, Bee Cozy, Bee Cozies, bee cozies, beesComment

Signs of Laying Worker Bees

Bees. They are endlessly fascinating. Recent case in point: Discovering the existence of laying workers. Allow me to explain.

On the farmDianneMay 3, 2021Bees, laying workers, laying worker bees, Laying Worker Bees, hopelessly queenless, queenless, drones, drone bees, signs of laying worker bees, signs of laying workersComment

New Chicks & Their Set-Up

Got new chicks to add to my little flock. The chick brooder I used before worked so well, I’m using it again.

On the farmDianneApril 21, 2021chicks, chick brooder, brood box, baby chicks, raising baby chicks, Brahma, Speckled Sussex, Dominique, Plymouth Rock, Buff Orpington, coccidia, brooder set-up, ChickensComment

Beekeeping Journal, Winter 2021

I’ve learned that after putting them “to bed” in the late fall, the primary job is making sure they have enough food to get through the long, wet winters here.

On the farmDianneJanuary 20, 2021Bees, beekeeping, beekeepingtips, beekeeping 2020, bees and winter, Vivaldi board, feeding bees, dry sugar for beesComment

Beekeeping Journal – Summer/Fall 2020

2020…what a year of surprises; and no less so than in my little apiary.

On the farmDianneNovember 16, 2020beekeeping journal, beekeeping, beekeeping 2020, Vivaldi board, fume board, apiguard, honey bound, honeybound, Bees, bees, honey seasonComment

Robbing Bees

At first, I thought the robbing bees were from my own hives, but after watching the travel pattern, it became clear this gang was from elsewhere far beyond.

On the farmDianneJuly 21, 2020Bees, bees, robbingbees, robbingscreen, HoneyBeeSuiteComment

Bully Chicken Story

Well, this is unexpected. After four years, one of my chickens has become an irrepressible bully.

On the farmDianneJune 24, 2020chicken, chicken flock, chicken bully, bully chicken, coop dynamics, chicken rehab, chicken cage, diy chicken cage, chickens, bully hen, Chickens, Bully ChickenComment

Abscesses: Horse Hoof Hell(p)

Best practices and products for saving brain cells while getting your horse back on the mend from painful hoof abscesses.

How to Keep Your Chickens’ Drinking Water from Freezing

A DIY Water Heater for Your Chicken Run

On the farmDianneDecember 1, 2019DIY heater, DIY poultry water heater, chickens, Chickens, having chickensComment

PNW Bee Hive Winterization 1.0

When I first got into having bees, I had absolutely no clue how much extra support the little critters would need to make it through a rainy, cold, sometimes snowy Pacific Northwest winter. My first year ended in disaster. Thankfully, my 2nd winter turned out much better. Here’s what I did.

On the farmDianneOctober 27, 2019bee hive winterization, winterizing bee hives, langstroth hive winterization, pnw bee hive winterization, winterizing bee hives in PNW, PNW winters and bees, bees, beekeeping, BeesComment

The Vivaldi Board – I’m such a fan!

What was originally purchased for winter use has become an integral component of my year around beekeeping set up. I’m a big fan of the Vivaldi Board.

On the farm, PopularDianneOctober 14, 2019bees, beekeeping, Bees, bee hive winterization, pnw bee hive winterization, winterizing bee hives in PNW, PNW winters and bees, Vivaldi board, vivaldi boards, bearding, keeping bees cool, keeping bees warm, Popular Comments

Molting Chickens? It Must Be Autumn & Time for an Egg-Laying Vacation

The days are shortening, the air is crisper, the evening temps are dropping into the 30’s, and there are feathers everywhere in the chicken run. ‘Tis the season for molting!

On the farmDianneOctober 10, 2019chickens, having chickens, molting, molting chickens, chickens and egg laying, heat lamp, meal worms, egg-laying break, ChickensComment

Beekeeping Journal – Summer 2019

When the outside world seems increasingly fractious, the world of bees is a respite. Even when things are a bit challenging in and around the colonies, hearing the hum of bees as they fly in out of their hives is calming, and somehow meditative. Here are notes from the last couple of months of beekeeping.

Our "Chunnel" (aka Chicken Tunnel)

A Solution for More Protected Room for Our Peeps

On the farm, PopularDianneJuly 25, 2019the chunnel, chunnel, chicken+tunnel, chicken tunnel, yolk factory, chicken run, chicken run expansion, chicken run addition, chickens, chicken, ChickensComment

Kensington Fly Sheet: (Nearly) 3 Season Coverage for Dodge

During the Spring and Fall, when temperatures can be quite cool overnight yet warm during the day, keeping him in the right weight of blanket becomes a challenge