Bees & Pollinators

15 articles
Winter Bees

Winter Bees

The bees are cleaning house! A couple of days ago the sun was shining and it was pretty warm out (50ish is my guess), so the bees took the opportunity to clean out their dead.  One by one they flew out with a dead bee in their clutches and simply dropped said bee on the ground in front of their…
January 4, 2012
The Urban Farm Fall To-Do List

The Urban Farm Fall To-Do List

So, the summer veggies are in swift decline, the weather man is teasing us with "chilly weather" ahead and my Fall To-Do List just keeps growing and growing.Clear the Beds - Tomatoes, carrots, beans, potatoes, corn, cucumbers, bell peppers and jalapenos all still need to come out of their beds.  The problem is, a lot of it is still producing…
October 4, 2011
Bee Stings & Balloon Faces

Bee Stings & Balloon Faces

So...apparently I'm allergic to bee stings.  How allergic?  Well, the kind of allergic that swells up your face so you look like a balloon and makes the doctor give you an EpiPen "just in case you go into anaphylactic shock next time".  Awesome.I'll spare you the horrifying pictures of my face (which was swollen yesterday and twice as swollen today...the…
September 27, 2011
The Birds & the Bees of Squash

The Birds & the Bees of Squash

Have you ever wondered how you can tell which of your flowers might become an actual squash?  I sure have.  Because, while the flowers sure are pretty, I'd much rather have a meal than a few flowers.This is a male pumpkin flower...This is a female pumpkin flower. How do I know?Because she is pregnant :-)When her baby is ready, it…
August 23, 2011
Are We Being Robbed?!?

Are We Being Robbed?!?

Recently, Tool Lady and I saw some unusual behavior happening right outside our bee hive...The bees seemed to be moving very quickly and strangely right outside of the hive. At first we thought it was a robbery in progress.  You know, the whole fight to the death panic ensuing madness that happens when another entity is trying violently to steal…
July 10, 2011
The bad, the ugly and the upside…

The bad, the ugly and the upside…

Sometimes, when I write a blog, I want to only show the good, beautiful, happiness that is happening with the yard or the chickens.  Don't ask me why, maybe it's just in my nature.  However, it's not the whole truth and I know that I enjoy reading of other urban homesteading struggles because those who share their struggles are telling…
May 15, 2011