Winters Renewal
Winter is an introspective time. It’s a time of resting the creative mind but also preparing for the work that lies ahead.
We usually spend our winter month’s tidying the flower garden, which requires moving numerous tractor loads, to the delight of my boys, of aged plant material to the compost. Going through the endless seed catalogs and deciding what new and exciting seeds we will plant takes time. Inside the studio the worktables are filled with beeswax, tools and clay for candle making, sculpting and mold-making. As we work, our wood stove glows from within. During this time we also update our website and product information as well as clean and assess inventory. Staying on top of orders is a priority as well.
In these cold winter months we huddle together like the bees of our hives knowing that with winter’s renewal we will be ready for a busy and prosperous new year.
Adventures in beekeeping #2
I wish I was writing to tell the stories told during the long hours of a sourwood honey harvest, but this year that will not bee. Many factors could be cited for the dearth of honey including the rainy weather, our inexperience, establishing new hives, but ultimately I think it’s just the nature of beekeeping. The reality check is we began the season with 8 hives of Russian bees, yet after a succession of mid summer queen supersedures, we now stand with 4 hives. The existing hives are thriving and healthy, which gives encouragement as we head into the fall and winter season. In preparation for the winter I have been feeding the bees regularly and have tested for varroa mites with a powder sugar dusting. We look forward to meeting Spring with vibrant hives and the anticipation of a great honey season.
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