Nesting Time!

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is just a few days away!  Is it just me, or does time go by much quicker these days?  It seems I'm so rushed now after work.  I tutor most days of the week and don't get home until close to 5pm so I've been going out with a headlamp to take care of feeding and other chores.  I do love the time to nest inside but it makes getting anything done a real pain. 

The chickens are in nesting mode as well.  This time of year, with decreased hours of daylight, the ladies don't lay much at all.  I've had 3 eggs this week and will be setting those aside for a Saturday morning breakfast, keeping them all for myself!  Their coop is full of fresh straw to keep them warm at night and I look forward to the newer hens laying more in the Spring.  I should have plenty of fresh eggs to share.  Over the winter I will be researching new breeds to raise.  I'd like to get a few funky chickens.. mohawks, fuzzy feet and such and hope to get started on building a new coop soon. 

Charlie and Butterbean are enjoying a newly expanded paddock. Their grazing area is now doubled and they seem happy to run into their shed with full bellies every night.  This is only after they get  their  daily treat of "All Stock", which is a molassas covered barley they love.  Their winter coats are thick and full to keep them warm at night.  I'm still giving thought to expanding the herd soon but don't know that I'm ready to start breeding and milking just yet. 

I am beginning to think that my skills as a beekeeper are lacking, seriously.  I'm trying not to be discouraged but I am just not having the best luck.  I combined my two weaker hives earlier this week and it did not go as smoothly as I'd hoped.  I was already stressed because I had to kill a queen for the first time, something I did not want to do.  While looking through the weakest hive to find the queen, she managed to fall to the bottom of the hive and a lot of the few remaining bees in the colony followed her.  This means they were not on the frames that I needed to move to the other hive.  A long and depressing story made short, the few surviving bees from the weakest hive are now combined with the "stronger" of the two and I'm waiting for them to eat through the layer of newspaper that separates them for the time being.  For those of you wondering.. when combining two hives one queen must be killed.  If not, the two queens will fight and the other worker bees will also attack an unknown queen resulting in more deaths.  Therefore, it's best to kill one of the queens.  A layer of newspaper is placed between the two boxes.  The bees from the two colonies are able to smell one another and eat through the paper over about a week period and are given time to adjust to new bees being in their territory.  This lessens the likelihood of an all out bee battle.  To add to all of this, I'm having to feed them sugar water still and will probably have to continue through the winter.  All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that these are some really tough ladies who will keep each other warm through the winter.  If not, I'll be ordering even more in the Spring.

The garden is doing well.  I've got tons of greens and have been eating salads as much as possible.  I've had a few folks come out to pick their own but haven't had as much business as I'd hoped for.  I think it adds to the experience of getting a box of garden fresh goodies if you can pick them yourselves.  Busy schedules seem to always get in the way, which is exactly why I haven't been able to deliver boxes during the fall.  The short days and busy work make it very difficult to get into "town" to deliver.  I'm hoping folks will be up for the drive out to Mill Creek to gather their own sweet potatoes, arugula, lettuce, chard, radishes, chives, cilantro, and collards.  I've already started flipping through seed catalogs for Spring and am again in love with the colors and varieties!  Every year is something new. 

I have been making plans for a hoop house and/or greenhouse and again, as soon as I win the lottery they will be constructed.  Until then, I'm saving scraps of wood, windows, and anything else that I might be able to one day use.  If you come across old windows or wood put it aside for me and I'll be more than happy to come out and get it from you. 

This week, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, enjoy time with family and friends.  Be thankful.  And take a minute to think about where the food in front of you comes from.  Most of America goes to the grocery store for our Thanksgiving meal.  Canned pumpkin pie filling, prepackaged Turkey, and green beans in a can.... If you know your farmer, thank them for putting time and love into the food that sits on your plate.  And cherish every bite. 

Fall Happenings

I am sitting on my back porch on a beautiful Fall morning with a nice cup of coffee... I could not be happier but what is that sound???  My bees are not as happy and all I can hear is their buzzing around the yard!  I went into my three hives yesterday to inspect the situation for the upcoming cooler weather.  What I found is not what I was hoping for.  One hive is doing great.  They have plenty of honey to get them through the winter.  Their numbers are strong and they are content to feed on goldenrod.  The other two hives, however, are a total mystery to me.  I found NO honey in either hive.  They have been weak all season and I was hoping the fall bloom would strengthen them, but to no avail.  I made the decision to take off the extra boxes since bees will freeze if given too much space and wax moths will come in.  After taking off the boxes I noticed that the two weak hives were attacking one another.  I went to bed in hopes of a resolution in the bee wars but came out to find hundreds of bees on the outside of the hives.  Not a good sign.  I quickly put on my gear ad replaced one of the empty boxes to give them more room.  I'll watch them for a few days and see what happens.  The real concern is the lack of honey.  Bees need honey to eat during the cold winter months and since mine have none, I am going to have to feed them.  This is not something I normally like to do since sugar water is not their natural diet but I am forced to give it a try.  Without it, they will surely perish.  I am keeping my fingers (and toes) crossed for a mild winter and determined bees. 

My friends Kelly and Erica brought over their shiny red "Whiz Bang Chicken Plucker" and I'm going to give it a whirl today.  I've always plucked chickens by hand so today will be a new experience.  I've already processed most of the broilers but three chunky birds are still waddling around the coop.  Today is their day.  They have proven to be very tasty and at about 10 pounds each, they provide a lot of meat.  I cooked one in a browning bag covered with Apple Butter and it was the tasiest chicken I've ever had.  I plan to add the others to the freezer and enjoy them through the winter.  I do have some Mango Chutney just needing to be enjoyed so chicken may be on the menu tonight in Mill Creek! 

Charlie and Butterbean, my dwarf Nubian goats, are starting to get their winter coats and have fluffed up quite a bit.  A few weeks ago Josh, Jordan, and I spent a whole day making a new paddock for them using electric wire.  They have now eaten most of the green in the area.  It amazes me how much they are able to clear out in only a short time.  One of my students came over yesterday and just loved spending time with them.  He fed them carrots, one of their favorites, and discovered that Charie will take a carrot right out of your mouth!  They are entertaining and cute to say the least!  I am giving more thought to breeding Butterbean so that I can venture into the world of milking but do believe I'll hold off until I've gone through a winter with them first. 

The garden is alive and beautiful!  I now have planted the following:  3 varieties of lettuce, swiss chard, arugula, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, cabbage, spinach, kale, corn salad, leeks, onions, garlic, beets, radish, carrots, and cilantro.  The first salad of fall was wonderful and I look forward to many more. I also look forward to starting up with CSA boxes again and should be able to make a full delivery in a few weeks. 

On another note, my house now has a beautiful new red roof!  After working for 4 days straight, it is finally done.  Thank you to my amazng brother for all of his hard work.  Friends also came over to pitch in and without them I'd probably still be nailing!  I chose to go with Ondura roofing.  It is a recycled composite material that I am very happy with.  The waste was close to nothing since we were able to put it right over the one layer of shingles on the roof.  The only drawback is that it takes a lot of nailing and a nailgun can't be used since there are rubber washers on each one. This was a project that has, most literally, been hanging over my head for quite a while.  Now maybe I can start saving for a shiny new TRACTOR!!!! 

Happy Fall to all!  I'm off to kayak the Newport River today and enjoy the perfect North Carolina temperatures. 

Slow Times In The Garden

My poor, pitiful garden...  Right now I have two eggplant bushes that have somehow managed to survive the flooding, and okra.  Everything else rotted from the roots up.  To remedy this problem, I've had lots of help building raised beds.  I'm spending my days after work filling wheelbarrow loads of dirt to take over.  However, even this is a problem since the yard is saturated.  The wheels dig into the ground and pushing gets ten times harder.. not to mention the unsightly ruts left in the grass!  For now, I just keep wheeling along and hoping to fill each box before planting time arrives!

The seedlings that I have planted are doing well.  I have lots of lettuce, arugula, kale, asian greens, broccoli, and collards.  The other seedlings will come from Newport Garden Center.  They have a great selection right now and I always enjoy the conversation when I stop in for feed or plants. They are great folks and I'd encourage you to support your local growers! 

I'm heading up to Raleigh this weekend for the Carolina Farm Stewardship Eastern Triangle Farm Tour.  You can find out more information on their website at http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/.  They are a great organization with lots of helpful tips and wonderful programs.  I'm looking forward to touring the farms on this year's list and am secretly hoping to pet a few adorable baby goats! 

For now, I'm trying my best to stay positive and looking forward to the time to plant.  The rains over the last few weeks may have wiped out my summer garden but that's the wonderful thing about gardening.. you can pull up one plant and start all over again! 

Rain!!!

Due to the endless rain over the last few weeks, and more to come this week, I've decided to postpone the Crop Mob scheduled for this weekend, until a later date.  My yard is a pond and the garden is even worse.  I'll update everyone as soon as a new date has been set.  Thanks so much to everyone who has offered to come out and help. 

Rain, Rain, Go To The Midwest!!!!

Yes, that's my yard!!!!  It is so hard to believe that parts of the US are suffering from extreme drought.  We here in eastern NC are most certainly not!  It has rained every day for the last two weeks and my yard is at capacity!  The shots you see above are areas surrounding the exisiting garden.  As you can imagine, the veggies are none too happy with the situation!  While they need water, too much can be just as bad as too little.  At this point, I still have beans, eggplants, peppers, and okra holding on but I am not putting a lot of faith in their ability to produce quality vegetables after this set back.  Unfortunately, I've had to let my CSA subscribers know that they may not be receiving another box for a few weeks.  The decision to have folks pay for boxes as they get them is one that I am glad I made.  While I may not get the money I need upfront to start the growing process, I feel that my customers are happier knowing they only pay for what they receive, when they receive it, and that makes me feel better.  The recent weather is a perfect example of why I decided to venture from the typical "CSA" model. 
I have started a ton of seedlings and they are all doing well.  I'm really looking forward to the fall garden.  I love nothing more than fresh greens!  I've got a variety of goodies planned for the fall and can't wait to deliver! 

On the business front, I have made a bit of progress but mostly am just waiting to win the lottery!  I do have a meeting set up with the health department today to find out what it takes to actually get a commerical grade kitchen set up.  I really want to be able to offer cooking classes and give folks the option of actually eating what they cook.  Food laws being what they are, it's going to be a fairly difficult, and expensive, process but I know it will be worth it in the end.  I'll keep you updated.
Until then, happy growing!

Crop Mob!!!

Join the Carteret Local Food Network for a CROP MOB at Two Bees Farm!!
What is Crop Mob?
 A crop mob is a group of folks who come together to build and empower communities by working side by side. We work together in the spirit of mutual aid. Volunteers show up at a farm to offer their know-how and a helping hand in the spirit of community to assist a farmer with the endless projects that never seem to get done.   Come take part in something meaningful and productive!
We will meet at Two Bees Farm on September 8.  In the event of rain, we will reschedule for September 15. Work will begin at 9 am and continue until noon.  After a morning of hard work we will enjoy a potluck lunch and celebrate community.
Bring a dish to share, plenty of water, a playful spirit, and your tools (shovels, rakes, gloves, etc.). 
Projects to be accomplished include:  tilling ground for grapes, berries, and gardens; building raised beds and grape vine trellis, amending garden beds with compost, clearing land for new planting areas, and honest, hard work! 
Two Bees Farm is located at 753 Old Winberry Road, Newport NC.  Please contact Tanya Scott at 252-342-3447 or seahorsenc@gmail.com for additional details. 

The crop mob concept started right here in NC.. You can read more about it at www.cropmob.org

Runaway Goats!

Things have been so busy that I've barely had time to sit down at my computer, much less update the blog.  Summer brings constant chores and the hot weather has made it rather painful to get them done!  I find myself waking at an insane hour for someone who is "off for the summer" but it's the only time I can get work done without melting away! 

The garden has done well.  I've picked Asian Yard Long Beans all summer and they are yummy!  My squash started off strong but has finally been taken over by my nemesis, the squash vine borer.  I've watched peppers, okra, tomatoes, and other wonderful summer crops come and go.  Just last night I planted seeds for the fall garden.  It's hard to believe that it's time already! 

Charlie and Butterbean decided to go on a little adventure.  They made their way over to the soybean field next door and just kept going!  They showed up this morning on a neighbors back porch.  He was drinking his morning coffee and looked up to see the goats peering through his back door!  I loaded them up in the backseat (yes, I said that...) and brought them back home.  We'll see how long it is before they decide to take off again? 

Veggie box deliveries have been steady and I think everyone is pleased?  They have included a nice variety of veggies, honey, eggs, and other "gifts".  I have decided to keep the list to 6 for the fall as I'm finding that I just need more time and energy to get things done here before committing to more customers.  I'd rather make a small group happy!