Awesome Resource for NGOs in Africa

2018
01.02

The most awesome field manual out there for Beekeeping missions on the continent.

http://teca.fao.org/resource/basic-beekeeping-manual-pam-gregory-and-gay-marris

Back from Middle East and Europe

2017
07.13

Spent March and April in Germany, Poland, and cruising the Middle East up the Red Sea and out the Suez canal.

Garden and Orchard update May 1, 2017

2017
05.01

Another Spring upon us. The winter was inconsistent with periods of cold and warm, thus most of my fruit trees didn’t get enough chill hours to bloom.

In the front yard, I got a Celeste fig planted near Biff Polywog, our sea dragon.

Celeste Fig and a sea dragon. Fig has a anti-deer cage.

The front yard swale now has 2 Jujube trees (Honey Jar and Li?), 2 Pomegranates (a Wonderful and an Eversweet?), some family purple Irises, and soon another Fig from Dad’s place I call a Center White as it is a white fig with closed eye.

Concrete poured for new honey house

2016
09.03

So I really don’t *need* a honey house. Really just a shed to store beekeeping stuff and other projects I have. Plus, I really want a workshop to be honest.

After a few months of on and off excavation, the pad has been poured.

The excavation in the limestone was around $1800, the form $200, the concrete $1700, and the pumping $500. Not cheap, but I wanted a strong foundation.

I don’t use rebar in concrete, as it is overused in construction in places it does more harm than good, like foundations. Once rebar goes into a foundation, it can take a 500 year lifespan foundation and damn it to only last 65 years. This is the problem with reinforced steel, it tempts engineers to save a few bucks by cutting corners on concrete volumes. Roman foundations didn’t have rebar, and their bridges are still in use today. The modern solution is adding fiberglass threads in the concrete, which I did. Plus, I made my foundation 2x as thick as normal. This structure will outlast my house by hundreds of years, hopefully.

Garden update May 30

2015
06.02

May 30 – Here is how the garden looks. We’ve survived 7 inches of rain and a flood so far.

The no-till corn patch is not as high as its raised bed neighbor.

The no-till corn patch is not as high as its raised bed neighbor.

Raised bed corn and tomatoes with deep pipe irrigation of 1min every 2 days.

Raised bed corn and tomatoes with deep pipe irrigation of 1min every 2 days.

The watermellons are doing well in the raised beds in between the corn.

The watermellons are doing well in the raised beds in between the corn.

The Arbequina tree is still only 1 foot tall, but new growth is happening.

The Arbequina tree is still only 1 foot tall, but new growth is happening. Deep pipe irrigation.

This pluot tree gets more shade, I don't know why it has grown most.

This pluot tree gets more shade, I don’t know why it has grown most. In the background you see the solar wax melter.

This tree also gets some shade, but it isn't a vigorous as the others.

This tree also gets some shade, but it isn’t a vigorous as the others.

The far left grapevine in the most sun is doing well.

The far left grapevine in the most sun is doing well. The idle hydroponics is in the background.

Spring Garden

2015
04.21

Spring is a busy time for beekeepers, especially if you have a garden as well. I may not be a great gardener, but I do keep a garden, and this year I’m trying to expand and use less water too.

I’ve got a few volunteer plants coming up that I want to keep. One is a pecan tree next to my rain barrels, I’m going to have to transplant this one farther from the house.

Pecans come up in odd places due to squirrels hiding them.

Pecans come up in odd places due to squirrels hiding them.

 

I’ve put in grapevines again, 2 Flame Seedless and one Concord.

Flame seedless

Flame seedless grapevine #2.

Flame seedless. Note at base, I planted a watermellon seed.

Flame seedless grapevine. Note at base, I planted a watermellon seed right beside the deep pipe irrigation.

While I'm not a big fan of concord, it was just $8 at home depot, and it was the last one that seemed alive.

While I’m not a big fan of concord, it was just $8 at home depot, and it was the last one that seemed alive.

I’ve put in drip irrigation but converted the emitters to go into deep pipe irrigation.

Migratory beekeeping at least 2000 years old

2013
10.27

http://www.honey-health.com/egypts-wandering-beekeepers/

The ancient Egyptians were said to placed the hives on boats, and drifted along the Nile to provide the bees with fresh flowers on the banks. They did this when the bees had spent or depleted the flowers in any given area, to insure that honey would still be of plenty

Winners of T-Shirt contest picked

2013
04.06

Finally picked the winners of the T-shirt contest, then realized as soon as I announced the winners I would have people wanting shirts. So I’ve already got the shirts set up on Printfection! Now, I just need to finish the video and post!shirts-screencap

Berlin Beekeepers Video

2013
02.20

A nifty short 3 minute news clip on Berlin beekeeping on rooftops.

Sailors Beeswax holder

2013
02.12

I was in a museum near Monterrey, CA over the holiday break.