More bees coming

This week, May 14th, I'll pick up more bees. I had ordered this Nuc back in January I believe...and paid for it which is always a plus. A Nuc is five frames of bees with brood and queen.  I will then put them into their permanent home in a hive right next to the active one.

I was just out watching the bees at the first hive and they were beginning to bring in light yellow and orange pollen in the little sacs on each side of their tiny bodies.  Dandelions are in bloom so I expect the orangey pollen is from them.  Daffodils and lots of lawn flowers that are beautiful before the first mowing I saw some bugle weed in bloom and lots of other flowers but don't know their names.  The weather today is in the high 70's and we're in a warm spell right now so I should see a lot of activity in terms of bees and nature in general. I love spring.

I will get into the hive this week since I've had the current hive for almost three weeks.  I'll see how they have filled the frames in their hive.  Because this first hive was a "package of bees", they came with no frames or brood.  And the queen had to be introduced to them.  So it'll be interesting to see how they're doing in there.  From the outside looking in, it looks like they're doing well.  Stay tuned!

I keep thinking of winter

I've probably mentioned this before about my winter plan this year.  But it bears repeating, if only to get it out of my system.  I am determined to not lose my bees this coming winter.  So I will make cedar shavings pillows!  I have one bale of cedar shavings and I will be making pillows that will fit into a super (this is the box where you collect the honey in the summer). This year, we'll also put a few into use in the winter.  The super will have a screen stapled to the bottom so no bees can get into the box. The shavings will catch any condensation that drips down onto the bees and freezes them during the winter months.  I'm convinced that's what happened to my bees this past winter. So I will be making the cedar pillows this summer to be ready for them later.

A great day for foraging

May 4, 2014
This afternoon, I headed to my favorite spot for fiddleheads here in Southern Vermont and after a slow start, I found a great patch and picked a little from each bunch.  I do that so that more will come next year.

As I was leaving, I saw a group of people in a nearby area and so I hurried away from my spot, hoping they didn't see where I had been or what I had been picking. I worry so about patches of ferns going extinct from overpicking so I at least try to do my part by taking just a little.  Although you can see in the photo that I picked plenty!  More than I ever have at one time.  The timing was perfect.  Some that I saw had already grown too tall and were closer to ferns than fiddleheads.

Then I decided to go check out the ramps that grow nearby.  I had checked on them a week or so ago and they hadn't formed bulbs yet so I checked with some expects on the yahoo group, Northeast Mushrooms and they advised me to make good use of the leaves which are just as good as the bulbs.  I love the bulbs sauteed and then cooked in cream with parmesan cheese over the top. They are delicious.

But I will try sauteing the greens like I would spinach or chard only I won't need to add garlic to these leaves!  They already have a garlic flavor, for those of you who have never had ramps or wild leeks.

All in all, a great day for foraging!  Bon Appetit!