For the past month we have had a hive here on the farm. I didn't want to say anything just in case it didn't work out for us. But so far so good.
I drove to the East side of Indianapolis for these bees. They said there would be around 3000. Now, I am a big ole chicken when it comes to bees. Those boogers hurt. Can you imagine 3000 bees loose in your car? They would own my car and I would walk home. But I went and no one would go with me. Bigger chickens.
When I got there, it was kind of hard to find. But once found, you knew you were in the right place because there were honey bees flying all over the place. I really wasn't sure I wanted to get out of the car. But I did. I must have put on my big girl panties that morning.
These people are the nicest people you would ever want to meet. I must have looked like I was scared as heck because I was met at the door and ushered in. I didn't see them do that to anyone else. One of the owners stood right by my side and answered every question that I had and a few I didn't even know that I did. Then can the dreaded moment.......they brought the bees out.
3000 bees can fit in a very small container. They are seriously buzzing. But not really angry. I asked if they would ride OK home for over 2 hours in my car. He said "Hon, these bees are buzzed on sugar. They don't know where they are and don't really care" Then he said something that knocked him down in my estimation a peg or two. "You have to touch them. You have to carry them out to your car, you know" There was no handle, no towel, no nothing. I am still not sure how I got those suckers in my car. But they were there when I got home.
Have you ever driven with a bee buzzing in your windshield? Try driving when you know there are 3000 of them in your car. Seriously, it is pee your pants kind of fear.
Now they are home and you have to do something with them. I mean they can't stay in the tiny container forever. I was voting yep, they can. But I didn't do it. I listened to the man when he told me how. So I told my dear husband how I was going to do it. And of course he said "That can't be right" Haven't heard that one before, have you ladies.
Anyway, I will spare you the details of you have to take the can out and expose what looks like the grand canyon of holes and hope the bees don't fly out just to get the queen and close the hole back up. Then fix the queen and then liquor the bees up with more sugar water and hit the box on the hive so they will come out. Oh hell NO. But guess what, sugar drunk bees, don't care. And the hit is gentle. More like a love tap with some force to get them out. It worked.
Then you got to feed them. What???? I planted a million flowers for them, isn't that enough. Nope. They have to have sugar water in their hive. Well, geez, it's like giving birth. So now you got to open up the hive remove the box the queen came in and pray she isn't still in there and dead. (she wasn't) and fill up the food reservoir. Smoke'em if you got em boys. This does calm them down. But I go dress to kill in the latest ensemble and yes white does make you look fat. So far we have had to feed these little pigs about once a week. I have no idea why I am weeding flowers for.
But things are going well. We have had to add another section already and it has only been a month. They should be making enough food or laying enough eggs to get through the winter. I am hoping so.
PS: Dear Hubby has taken over. I am not telling him that he is doing anything wrong. I sure don't want to get stung. Female Farmers are not stupid.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
WE'VE GROWN AGAIN!!!!
This year has been a year of growth for Appleseed Farm.
1. The fencing is done to keep those adorable little Bambi's from eating our blueberry bushes. While we love to watch them as much as everyone else does, we are tired of feeding them all of our blueberries. Well, not the berries but the bushes. Those little suckers would eat the plants right down to the ground, no matter what we did. I was fixin to go all redneck on them, but my sweet hubby decided that maybe I would be of more help out of jail than in and built the fence before I got arrested for shooting all those cute little so and so cuties. Now, I just have to scare the ones that are brave enough to jump or crawl under the fence. I threaten them with deer camp whenever I catchem'
2. We have added not one, but 2 new greenhouses to the farm. The first one was put up early enough in the spring in order to use this year, the second one will be in use for the fall. We were able to grow things that the deer would not allow us to grow (they would eat them, of course). We had some awesome green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. We haven't mastered the huge learning curve to garden in the greenhouse, but we will.
3. New chickens were added to the farm. I had decided to take a year off from animals and then get the pigs, goats and chickens next spring. But my Dad decided to try and hatch chicks and I inherited 40 10 day old chicks. They are about 9 weeks old now. I am about ready to start butchering some and getting layers ready for the winter.
4. We got a new van for deliveries!!! It is the coolest thing. It is not new but new to us. We can put so much stuff in it and still have room left over. It helps to keep things organized.
I think that might be all that has grown. Hopefully soon I will have pictures soon.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
1. The fencing is done to keep those adorable little Bambi's from eating our blueberry bushes. While we love to watch them as much as everyone else does, we are tired of feeding them all of our blueberries. Well, not the berries but the bushes. Those little suckers would eat the plants right down to the ground, no matter what we did. I was fixin to go all redneck on them, but my sweet hubby decided that maybe I would be of more help out of jail than in and built the fence before I got arrested for shooting all those cute little so and so cuties. Now, I just have to scare the ones that are brave enough to jump or crawl under the fence. I threaten them with deer camp whenever I catchem'
2. We have added not one, but 2 new greenhouses to the farm. The first one was put up early enough in the spring in order to use this year, the second one will be in use for the fall. We were able to grow things that the deer would not allow us to grow (they would eat them, of course). We had some awesome green beans, cucumbers and tomatoes. We haven't mastered the huge learning curve to garden in the greenhouse, but we will.
3. New chickens were added to the farm. I had decided to take a year off from animals and then get the pigs, goats and chickens next spring. But my Dad decided to try and hatch chicks and I inherited 40 10 day old chicks. They are about 9 weeks old now. I am about ready to start butchering some and getting layers ready for the winter.
4. We got a new van for deliveries!!! It is the coolest thing. It is not new but new to us. We can put so much stuff in it and still have room left over. It helps to keep things organized.
I think that might be all that has grown. Hopefully soon I will have pictures soon.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Bloomingfoods!!!!
Great News for Appleseed Farm!!!!
PourAPie is now being sold at Bllomingfoods in Bloomington, Indiana. Bloomingfoods is a coop store offering local, natural and organic foods. They are very supportive of the local food movement. Being local, we are able to make our PourAPie as it is ordered and make the delivery as soon as it is ready. How fresh is that.
Thanks Mac for believing in us
Charlotte
PourAPie is now being sold at Bllomingfoods in Bloomington, Indiana. Bloomingfoods is a coop store offering local, natural and organic foods. They are very supportive of the local food movement. Being local, we are able to make our PourAPie as it is ordered and make the delivery as soon as it is ready. How fresh is that.
Thanks Mac for believing in us
Charlotte
Monday, January 23, 2012
Ta Da Pictures of the Aprons
These and several other styles can be found at our etsy shop. YES, I DID IT. I bit the bullet and openned a shop on etsy. Our shop is appleseedfarm1.
Now for a store front......
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Great week to be a farmer
This past week has been so busy, you would think it was planting season. Tues and Thursday, I went to Indy for the Horticultural Conference. The first day, I took classes all about record keeping. Not just financial but also planting wise as well. I am a poor bookkeeper to say the least. If you doubt that, just ask my accountant. On Thursday morning, I took classes on high tunnels and hydroponics. Very good speakers. I should have went to the first class but did not want to hear about protected plants. Silly me thought it was about plants that were copyrighted protected. DUH, when the whole morning was about high tunnels. So, I missed a good class. But did get to sleep in a little longer.
Tuesday night, I was a speaker at a women's meeting at St. Mary of the Woods. I spoke about how I grew up, what my life was and is like, and how I started and continue to grow the business. All that in 20 minutes.
Thursday evening I jumped a mile outside my comfort zone. I went to a networking meeting. Now, kids, I have to tell you that I stink at marketing and networking. I am happiest on the farm. But go I did and I stank at it. I hardly talked to anyone BUT I did go. So at least points for me. The more I go, the more comfortable I will get.
Friday evening, we had freezing rain come to the farm. OK, it came all over but it did something wonderful for me. This was the first weekend that I didn't go anywhere but also didn't have company. It doesn't happen often, nor do I want it too. But occaisionally it is nice. It started to rain on Sunday a little so the roads have become a little passable but horrendous fog came in. Boo for me, home again.
Planting in the seedling room has begun. Read an article about growing root veggies in troughs. Giving it a try, I'll let you know what happens.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte..
Tuesday night, I was a speaker at a women's meeting at St. Mary of the Woods. I spoke about how I grew up, what my life was and is like, and how I started and continue to grow the business. All that in 20 minutes.
Thursday evening I jumped a mile outside my comfort zone. I went to a networking meeting. Now, kids, I have to tell you that I stink at marketing and networking. I am happiest on the farm. But go I did and I stank at it. I hardly talked to anyone BUT I did go. So at least points for me. The more I go, the more comfortable I will get.
Friday evening, we had freezing rain come to the farm. OK, it came all over but it did something wonderful for me. This was the first weekend that I didn't go anywhere but also didn't have company. It doesn't happen often, nor do I want it too. But occaisionally it is nice. It started to rain on Sunday a little so the roads have become a little passable but horrendous fog came in. Boo for me, home again.
Meet the 4 generations of Appleseed Farm.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte..
Monday, January 9, 2012
New Year New Goals
Hard to tell this is January here on the farm. It has been as high as 60 degrees here in Fairbanks, Indiana. That means we have been able to tackle some of the outside chores that we don't usually get to until March or later.
Robert has been out on the tractor the last 3 days. He was able to turn the upper field to expose the weed seeds to the sun. Hopefully they will germinate and then we will turn the field again. Since we don't spray chemicals around here, weeds are a constant battle. For the other two fields that we plant in, he decided that we would try another method that a local old time farmer told him about. We burned the fields, this is supposed to kill the weed seeds. This big time farmer told him that this is what his grandpa did to his fields instead of spraying the nasty chemicals. Time will tell. I hope it works.
I have been outside cleaning out the last of the raised beds. We still had the peppers and eggplants in some of them. Of course, they haven't been producing since the killing freeze but the dead plants were still there.They had to go into the compost pile. I also had to cover the garlic with straw. (Holy Moly has straw gone out of sight, in our neck of the woods, it is over 5 bucks a bale) I can't cover the strawberries just yet because they are still green and growing. The deer haven't found them yet, I think because the garlic is planted in a couple of raised beds close by.
Ok, Dudes...goals for this year
1. Blog at least once a week and add pictures. Hard to follow the farm with only my not so adequate texts
2. Pull the new orchard trees into straight alignment.
3. Put new rock around the raised beds (mulch was not a good idea)
4. Get new greenhouse up and running
5. Plant 200 more blueberry plants
6. Build leanto so I can get the tractor out of my barn. (can't move in there)
7. Get milk goats (Dad, here I come with a zillion questions)
8. Get a certified dairy for the milk goats
9. Learn to make cheese from goat milk
10. Get rid of the brown rot in the peach trees
I could list things all day. Work on the farm is never done. But it is a way of life that I love. Hope to see you all soon.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
Robert has been out on the tractor the last 3 days. He was able to turn the upper field to expose the weed seeds to the sun. Hopefully they will germinate and then we will turn the field again. Since we don't spray chemicals around here, weeds are a constant battle. For the other two fields that we plant in, he decided that we would try another method that a local old time farmer told him about. We burned the fields, this is supposed to kill the weed seeds. This big time farmer told him that this is what his grandpa did to his fields instead of spraying the nasty chemicals. Time will tell. I hope it works.
I have been outside cleaning out the last of the raised beds. We still had the peppers and eggplants in some of them. Of course, they haven't been producing since the killing freeze but the dead plants were still there.They had to go into the compost pile. I also had to cover the garlic with straw. (Holy Moly has straw gone out of sight, in our neck of the woods, it is over 5 bucks a bale) I can't cover the strawberries just yet because they are still green and growing. The deer haven't found them yet, I think because the garlic is planted in a couple of raised beds close by.
Ok, Dudes...goals for this year
1. Blog at least once a week and add pictures. Hard to follow the farm with only my not so adequate texts
2. Pull the new orchard trees into straight alignment.
3. Put new rock around the raised beds (mulch was not a good idea)
4. Get new greenhouse up and running
5. Plant 200 more blueberry plants
6. Build leanto so I can get the tractor out of my barn. (can't move in there)
7. Get milk goats (Dad, here I come with a zillion questions)
8. Get a certified dairy for the milk goats
9. Learn to make cheese from goat milk
10. Get rid of the brown rot in the peach trees
I could list things all day. Work on the farm is never done. But it is a way of life that I love. Hope to see you all soon.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
Friday, December 2, 2011
It's Begining to Look a lot like Christmas
Everything is coming up Christmas. I love it. Yesterday, I put up 4 trees in the house. I still have 2 more to go before that is done. This is the first year in about 10 years that I have been in the Christmas spirit to do all the decorating. But, Moonlight and Mistletoe, I am spirited this year.
I think it may be a two fold reason.
1. After years of hard work, Appleseed Farm is starting to come into it's own. In this economy starting and growing a small business has been frustrating, rewarding, loving every minute of it. But difficult to say the least. But it now has been worth it and we are starting to think of expanding. HOW COOL
2. The more important one to my heart, are my grandchildren. I have a grandson who is 5 and 2 granddaughter who are 4 (not twins). Of course there is Wyatt who is 11. It has been fun experiencing Christmas through those little eyes. Each light, each tree, each package brings sparkle to their eyes. That has been a hoot or ho ho ho. Sam loves to sing Jingle Bells whenever we are working on anything, doesn't even have to be related to Christmas. I'm hoping for a Christmas picture of all 4 of them soon.
Gotta go because it is beautiful here and I need to go trim in the blueberry fields. Hoping to blog a few more times before Christmas. If not, Merry Christmas. Hope to see you in church for candlelight service.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
I think it may be a two fold reason.
1. After years of hard work, Appleseed Farm is starting to come into it's own. In this economy starting and growing a small business has been frustrating, rewarding, loving every minute of it. But difficult to say the least. But it now has been worth it and we are starting to think of expanding. HOW COOL
2. The more important one to my heart, are my grandchildren. I have a grandson who is 5 and 2 granddaughter who are 4 (not twins). Of course there is Wyatt who is 11. It has been fun experiencing Christmas through those little eyes. Each light, each tree, each package brings sparkle to their eyes. That has been a hoot or ho ho ho. Sam loves to sing Jingle Bells whenever we are working on anything, doesn't even have to be related to Christmas. I'm hoping for a Christmas picture of all 4 of them soon.
Gotta go because it is beautiful here and I need to go trim in the blueberry fields. Hoping to blog a few more times before Christmas. If not, Merry Christmas. Hope to see you in church for candlelight service.
See ya on the farm
Charlotte
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