News from the Homestead

I haven't sent an update to my Kickstarter followers in awhile.  As I interact in the community, surfing, going to events, it's amazing how often people ask me how things are going with the beehives or with the chickens.  It's like another unexpected effect, the parade of families or folks walking dogs who make it part of their journey to give the chickens a visit.  I see children talking to the chickens every day!  So to my community of readers on the internet...whomever you may be...here's the update.

Topbar Hive inspection with friends from the Bee Society

The bees have proven to be a complicated and slow endeavor with much wonder and exploration but very little honey.  You can catch up on my bee chronicles by reading this post and this post and this post and this post and this post.  Where we stand today is total loss of Hive #1.  It has been dismantled and awaits a new colony next Spring.  Hive #2, the topbar hive, is thriving.  The bees have built out several new frames of comb and the Queen is busy laying eggs.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of honey, so I haven't harvested any comb and have basically left this hive untouched.  My plan is to give these bees this first season to establish themselves and then next year I'll probably be able to harvest honey twice, once early in the season and a second time towards the end of the season.  There is a little bit of a mothy, sticky insect laying eggs with little white worm larvae.  I am encountering them in the spaces between the wooden bars, the area where the bees fill in with propolis.  I seem to split the little larvae's bodies open when I use my hive tool to pry the bars apart.  But it is so far only a minor infestation and I have left the bees to deal with the problem themselves.  This weekend I will be getting some much needed training.  A topbar hive specialist, Les Crowder is coming to San Diego to offer a two day workshop for members of the San Diego Bee Society.  So I will spend the weekend immersed in all things bee and I will have a lot more to say about my own hive next week after an inspection with all my new bee knowledge.

The chickens are doing great.  With the weather getting colder and the days shorter two ladies have stopped laying eggs, but two are laying daily.  My babies have grown up so much.  They are almost 5 months old and so far it looks like they will both be keepers, I think they are both hens and not roosters.

Here's my Yellow Baby

And here's my Grey Baby

Eating fresh grass makes for deep yellow yolks rich in beta carotene.

Goldie is joining in the Fall Spirit with some pumpkin scraps.

A proud mom with her best egg layer, Goldie!