Recently, my son-in-law informed me we had a swarm of bees near our bee yard at our farm hanging from a low branch. My son and I jumped into our bee suits and went to work, quick, before they could fly off somewhere. We placed a hive box under them. I took a big stick and smacked the branch–hard. The bees fell in a heap on the box. We let them rest about a half hour. They settled in nicely….
It’s that time of year again! Memorial Day not only signals a time to remember those who sacrificed for us. It’s also a time at our house to make strawberry preserves. It’s simple, really. Wash and stem strawberries. Cut them into pieces. Measure the cups and add the same amount of sugar. Put in a LARGE pot and slowly bring to a boil. ( I usually put 2 pounds of berries in a 6 qt. pan. Watch it so it…
Last week I showed you my stock tank raised beds. This is my newest one. This one was “free.” A friend offered it to me sight-unseen. I agreed to pick it up across town. I rounded up my sons to help me load it. When we got it home, the 10 foot by 2 foot bed fell apart. The wood was rotten. All that was useable was the metal legs and frame. My eldest son took measurements the next…
What a difference a month makes! Now instead of my broken stock tanks filled with dirt, I have onions, tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, snow peas, cabbage, basil, oregano, rosemary and lemon thyme growing like crazy. I’m working on another raised bed I’ll write about later. It was a “free” one that didn’t turn out so free. Has the wet spring helped in your gardens?
I think Amaryllis are supposed to bloom at Christmas time. Mine wait until around Easter. I see them as trumpets announcing the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. I’ll share a poem I wrote once when my Amaryllis bloomed. AMARYLLIS Pregnant Amaryllis bulbsends forth tender shoots.Brims with promise of beauty;announces another glorious springon the horizonto quench the droughtof winter.
I saw this recipe online the other day. The name brought back memories of grade school. The dear lunchroom ladies made these from scratch every day. Instead of my regular recipe, I made these for Easter last Sunday, but I tripled the recipe. They must have been okay. There were none left by the time the 33 guests took some home. Thought you might like to try them. Cafeteria Rolls Yield: 1 1/2 to 2 dozen depending on how big…
Dear Human, Please, please, please don’t spray those dandelions yet. Wait until the blackberry blossoms set. You see, my larder is bare.Dandelions are the current fare. If I forage poison I’ll not escapea very certain unpleasant fate. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Sally-Jadlow/author/B007F5H0H4?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=f8912a6c-a812-4137-96fd-9bffe8a8fdc8
With a box of bees with a mated queen currently costing $225.00 I’m going to try to attract some swarming bees this spring who are looking for a new home. I’ve placed a cotton ball with a few drops of a bee-attracting lemon scent inside this box called a nuk with some empty honeycomb frames. Early spring is the best time to catch them so they will have time to establish a strong colony to go through the winter. They…
I had several 100 gallon water troughs at the farm that had cracks which would no longer hold water. Rather than throw them in the land-fill, I decided to put them to good use. My son and I set them around the edge of the patio. I had him drill extra holes in the bottom for good drainage and holes in the top to attach chicken wire to the top. We put old sticks in the bottom, then added a…
About five weeks ago I wrote a blog about seeding clover for my bees to feast on in order to make delicious honey. Last weekend I searched for any sign that the sowing of clover seeds in February snow was a success. If you look closely, you can see some tiny clover leaves peeking through the ground cover of dead grass and fall leaves. All three hives made it through that -20 degree weather. I feel very fortunate, because many…