Archive for the ‘news’ Category

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

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.

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

Sailors Beeswax holder


2013
02.12

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

Swarm Traps that catch bee swarms under them


2013
01.17

A fellow beek from Poland read my swarm trapping book and built a trap. It caught bees, but under it.

Honey plant blooming during sarm Texas winter


2012
12.10

I was out in a field north of Houston and saw Indian Blanket blooming on Dec 8.

Beekeeping Fan Store Added


2012
08.20

So I’ve been wanting to put out some T-shirts that help promote beekeepers in our society. You know – cool shirts beeks would love to where. The problem is, I’m just an engineer and my aesthetic aptitude scores show I’m in the bottom 2% of the nation. I mean hey, you’ve seen the shirts I wear in the videos. Nuff said.

So I want to try to tap into my audience. I’m looking for any artist out there who’s got really cool ideas for a Beekeeping shirt.