B+

Well, it was finally time to check on the bees...

Looks like they've been busy building comb, and we pulled a few outer frames to look closer...

And so we added the second hive body to give them more room to build and expand.

They were still very mellow and not too concerned with us humans, so long as we moved slowly and didn't shake things up.

All good for now...until the honey super goes on in July...

Plus, yesterday the cat and I found a little friend in the cellar, hiding amongst the Market stuff:

Little Miss Garter Snake was trying to hide, but we got her and found her a more appropriate place to hang OUT...

And have you seen that show on television that chronicles what would happen to the Earth once the humans are gone?  Well, the plant growth would be swift, immediate, and engulfing for one thing...so we spent a little time battling back the beast:

Bill's green concord grapes were sucked under a year or more ago, and we liberated them!  Always important to keep the DH happy...

In Review (or how to knit several posts into one)

Plant Something: At this time of year, it's hardly news to plant something...but the corn is in the ground, and about a third of the vegetable plants, and raspberry starts, and the best so far was some horseradish from a friend farmer, Becky.  Horseradish fans - when do you harvest and grind?  Why? I've heard both Spring and Fall...

Harvest Something: I've told you about my aspirations of supporting myself from our farm...how about including the wild?  I picked fiddleheads from our camp a while back and made a nice big dish for dinner - yumm!

 

Preserve something: (Allow me a little latitude on the word "preserve") we are trying doggedly to incubate and hatch heritage turkeys.  After fifty eggs, rats, skunks, bad weather, faulty thermometers, four different incubators and pretty uncooperative hens, we are just letting nature handle things.  This season, the preservation of Narragansett, Bourbon Red, and Midget White populations is just going to have to rely on the whims of nature.  

So far:

Born this morning.

Prep something: Spent days and days winding and dyeing yarn for the summer festivals and markets.  Don't want to touch sock yarn anytime soon...

Cook something:  In the never-ending quest for things made with maple syrup instead of cane sugar...I present maple-banana-fudge bars: (a made-up recipe, but my ample butt can attest to the goodness)

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

1 C maple syrup, Grade B preferred

1/2 C softened shortening (butter)

2 free-range eggs

2 C flour

1/2 C rolled oats

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 C walnuts, chopped (optional)

2 Soft ripe bananas, mashed

Cream shortening and maple syrup.  Add mashed banana.  Mix, then add eggs and mix again.  Sift flour, oats, soda, and powder together and add to liquid ingredients in portions; mixing after each one.   Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  Pour batter into prepared 9x13 pan, bake for 40-45 minutes.  Test for doneness with the toothpick thing...

Manage reserves:  (Well, more emphasis on the "manage" than the "reserves")  About a week ago now, we checked the hive to make sure the queen had been released.  Yep.  She's left the wee box and is off to laying eggs and eating royal jelly, or something like that...

Work on local food systems: We've finished taking memberships for this year's CSA and have compiled the little surveys on what folks want.  Beets are a new request, and less greens and lettuce was mentioned a few times.  Other than that, we appear to be on target.  We are trying more dry beans this year, more onions, broccoli and herbs.  First Market weekend: June 6th.

Reduce Waste/Recycle:  We finished our 3-bin compost system.  (Plans from the Winter issue of Organic Gardening magazine)  Due to the presence of bears in the neighborhood, we cannot compost food waste; just chicken coop droppings, barn sweepings, grass and weeds, etc.

Learn Something: Never think that you're done learning anything.  Even after all the socks I have knit, I learned a new technique - knitting on two circular needles.  And I like it!

Be a friend:  I have connected via the phone with one of my blog buddies, Michelle.  It is always so interesting to hear an actual voice to go with the persona you have already put together in your head. We are having a wonderful time delving into the world of sock knitting...actually, I already live there, and I am pulling her in to join me...(*evil grin*)

Pygoras for Sale

Reg. Pygora goats for Sale $150 each; White Doe and Silver wether - you must take both. 4-H discount of $50.

Almost since the inception of the farm we have had the Pygoras.  They are an excellent hobby farm animal - milk, fleece, and meat.  Not too large, and not too small.  But we have decided to concentrate on sheep as our primary ruminant for now - with all the projects we have going on, it was time to consolidate.  We've used them mainly for fiber - and even now we are not taking full advantage of that.  So it is time to find them a new home.

They are The Oaks Cicero, b. 2004 and The Oaks Clio, b. 2004.  

If you know of anyone who would like to add to a fiber/spinners flock, or if they just need two more goats, let them know.  They can contact the farm through our e-mail:

petersburghmanor@yahoo.com

Bees!

I went to BetterBee Friday afternoon and picked up our bees. (They suggested I should put them in the truck cab to drive them home; I declined.) They came in a screened box.  And we had the hive ready - one super and parts; all painted for durability and cooling.  (No paint on the surfaces the bees will contact.)

Here's a picture of the frames before bees (we'll get more pictures like this as the season goes on):

The smoker won't work with new bees; so you have to spray down the bees, all the frames, and the box with sugar water.

You pry the cover off the box of bees and remove the queen - she is in a little box with several drones attending her.

Then you shake the box of bees hard to get them all to the bottom, invert the box over the hive, and shake hard again to allow the bulk of the bees to fall into the hive. (The idiocy of shaking a box of bee just inches from oneself was not lost on me - but it worked.)

Once most of the bees are in, you replace the frames, and hang the queen box between two frames.  (Ours fell in, and I had to retrieve it, but it worked the second time.)

Put everything back together, and marvel at how easy it was, how calm the bees seem, and how quickly they seem to settle right down to business.

And of course, say "thank you" to the photographer:

Garden like you can't go to the store

It's not my phrase; I read it on one of the fantastic blogs I read, but it has been bouncing around in my head all week.

Really.  What if you couldn't go to the store?  The plants and animals around you take on a whole new meaning.  Work in the garden takes on a new intensity; projects like the bees seem even more important.  

I've wanted to try eating just from my own hand for several years now; my last attempt was sidetracked by medical issues.  But I am going to try it again this summer and see how it goes.  How long before I have my first choc-o-holic freak out and need to mainline a brownie?  How long before my MSG levels drop dangerously low and I have to snort an eggroll or frozen veggie nugget?  Can Diet Pepsi withdrawal give you the shakes?  Hmm...we shall see.

Victory Garden logo from Victory Garden Supplement specially written for The New Garden Encyclopedia, 1943

It gives the message of this old logo even more impact - no?  I know many of us raise food - but what are you doing differently THIS year?  I'd be interested to hear...

Sisterhood

When I started blogging, I never dreamed that I might one day use the word "sisterhood" to title a post, but it has been one of the most unexpected and joyful parts of this cyberworld experience.

A while back, I was tapped for a blog award by a cyber twin of mine - Michelle.  She was recognizing the amazing similarities and fun parallels of our two lives, and I have been thinking about the significance of her award for some time now.

It is so easy to get caught up in your own little world and believe that your circumstances are uniquely your own, and nobody else could possible share your worries, your dreams, your ideas, or your thoughts.  Michelle rocked me out of that bubble in a most delightful way, and I have thoroughly enjoyed finding out how similar our personalities and lives can be, while still being very different - she on the West Coast, I on the East. I think she has a faith much deeper than mine, so where I might be labeled the skeptic, she is the believer.  But from this relationship, I am constantly learning.  And it is that aspect of it that I think I like the best.

Blogging has taught me endless skills, viewpoints, factoids, perspectives and launched a thousand ideas.  It has also deepened and fortified relationships that I might otherwise have let go.  Last week, Karin, had a blog contest and I actually won! (That was VERY surprising to me, as I never win anything...)  But more importantly, she is a wonderful person that I might otherwise have lost the opportunity to know.  I met her through her yarn shop, but my life has changed so much in the last two years that even if it were still open today, I would almost surely never be able to visit - as Albany fades further and further from my sphere of travel.  She is very talented, and wonderfully passionate about all kind of important things (which of course, includes knitting) but she is not a farmer.  And doesn't need to be - but our interests still mesh.

( I won this - how cool is that?  BTW - the red yarn is the exact color I have been searching for to match a gifted piece of jewelry, it must be fate...)

And even in my ever-shrinking circle of contacts these day, I have found sisterhood in the neighborhood.  Two women whom I met through the Farmer's Market have become welcome "partners in crime" and they seem to be able to inspire me or enable almost all of my addictions.  Can you believe they dragged me off to a poultry swap and made me walk away with yet another chick? 

 

The telltale eye ring, green-grey feet, and patterned feathers gave this little peeper away as an Ameracauna.  The moth-eaten, scraggly look gave it away as a face only a mother could love.  In stepped Madison, lover of all things chicken, and viola!  it lives with us.  How could I say "no" when green eggs are one of our best sellers?

Yeah...it was purely a business decision.

Notes

For those of you that can access NPR, there was an interesting piece on the Hear & Now program with Robin Young.  Her April 22nd show contained a piece on the

Farm Census and its trends and potential impact and an interview with a mid-size farmer in Vermont.  It was very interesting to hear about the growth in small and woman-run farms...you can listen to the show if you go to the website...

On letter writing...I received my third form letter response from White House.  The first was a generic postcard from the fellow in charge of White House correspondence.  (yawn)  The second was another generic postcard, this one signed by a computer with the ability to forge the presidential signature.   And finally a form letter, referencing one of the many topics I have written about, again signed by some automated something or other.  (At least they took the time to read my letter and make the proper choice of form letter to send back...)

Of course, it would be nice if they would get my address right, and send my mail to Petersburgh (with an "h").  I've written and told them of the error...but I don't really expect a change...

Commercial Break

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to bring you several important announcements.

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival - May 2 & 3  Howard County Fairgrounds  West Freindship, MD.  Dye-namics Yarn will be on sale at the G&W Sharpening booth in Barn 3.  Please stop by and see what Stacey and her family have to offer, and tell her you said "hello"...

Bennington Mayfest - May 23  Downtown Bennington, VT.  Dye-namics Yarn will have a booth in the all-day craft and culture event in Bennington.  I don't know our exact location yet, but just look for an olive green tent and two crazy ladies with WAY too much sock yarn for sale...

And for anyone keeping track, the first Sock Madness Knit off is down to the Elite 8, awaiting Pattern #3...

And this just in....

Vermont Sheep and Wool Festival - October 3 & 4  Tunbridge Fairgrounds  Tunbridge, VT. I literally just found out...booth location to follow (when they let us know).  And by then, we may have more to offer than just sock yarns...although there's nothing wrong with just sock yarns.  

What the...?

Sometimes all you can do is shake your head.
Despite ample nesting boxes, I have hens who insist on packing themselves into this cramped cage used for chick transport that is about 10 inches each side. (How can that be comfortable?)

And after sitting for the better part of an hour yesterday, one of our Ameracaunas produced this:

(Is that like a chicken fart?)

I saw Hattie, my oldest ewe, making funny noises and motions with her mouth as if she were sucking on a sour ball candy, so I went over and held out my hand and opened her mouth.  This fell out:

(Was it hers to start with, or did she pick it up out of the grain feeder?  And if there were tooth fairies for sheep, would this be one dollar, or more?)

Happy Easter!

The Best Thing Ever

Twelve years ago today, at 8:19 in the morning, I was blessed.

She knew at 2 she was going to be a farmer.  Or, maybe she was telling ME something...

At last...a break in the action

Maple season is finally over.  We look forward to it's arrival every year, and are always happy to see it go, simply because there is so much else to do!  And it seems I cannot blog AND do maple syrup.  Either I am away at the trees gathering, chopping wood, or cooking, or when I am inside finishing I must NOT get distracted by the computer or we will have maple goo all over the stove.  And I haven't found a profitable use for maple goo...

My constant companions are never far away; following me everywhere, but also contented to catch a nap in the back mud hall while I have a snack or hit the loo.  Normally, I would NEVER show you the nasty mud hall, but how else to share the view out my back door? - Max is in his bed, and Candy (who we have now figured out is a boy - sorry, Candy for a year of calling you "girl"...) with head tucked under for a quick wink.

And there's been a little bit of time for some charity knitting by the maple fire, as well as tucking in several flats of onions, mesclun, herbs, broccoli and lettuce.

EVERYBODY is laying, even the turkeys!  The Bourbon Reds have mastered the art of walking around the pen without stepping on the eggs, so we are incubating a pair of those, and have sold some.

And we have three new additions to the flock:

Our Silkie just died, and I got the opportunity to replace her. And I thought one chick amongst all those hens might get picked on, so better to have a companion, and besides, how could I choose between the two colors, and well, what if I had somehow chosen two roosters?  Just to better the odds, I had better get a third, that way we will at least have a hen to breed if we chose poorly and got two roosters, and, well, you understand...

Psst..I write letters...

Something you should know.  I come from a family line of letter writers. (Not the friendly, correspondence between pen pals.)  I mean the ones to politicians and "responsible" folks who are supposed to get things done.

I never planned on taking up the pen.  In fact, I kind of poo-poo'ed the idea.  Until I became a farmer.  That's when I realized I needed to speak up.

But I go to bed wondering - who is listening?

Apparently, not the President.  Yeah, I've been writing to Barack.  Every day.  And I really shouldn't be on a first name basis, because, actually, he has never written back.

Not that I actually expected a response.  I'm not THAT loopy.  But some sort of response just to show me someone is actually opening the mail in Washington and not using it to fuel the White House furnace - would be nice.

I've sent somewhere in the neighborhood of 5o letters.  You'd think that many letters would at least earn me a computer-generated response.  A polite, milk toast form letter telling me about all the wonderful things Barack is doing for our country.

But he's not even listening.

Am I stopping?  Nope.  

It's not called "harderthanitlooks" for nothing.  But if you wanted to join in...why, who am I to stop you?  I'm thinking of doubling my efforts...

We need a measurement!!

Well, if you thought NAIS was a bad idea...wait till you hear this one...

As usual, the government has the right idea, but the WRONG implementation.  No one would argue the importance of food safety.  But in this legislation is written the language to put all Farmer's Markets under monthly inspection and mountains of  paperwork, and put ALL small farms that sell anything food or animal under the random and constant scrutiny of the Federal Government.  Talk about record keeping....!

We have to fight ignorance with facts.  The fact that small, organic farmers are helping preserve and secure the food system.  The fact that small, organic farms support both the community and the farmers themselves.   The fact that hobby farms support diversity of species, heirloom and heritage varieties, and traditional methods.  The fact that family farms would never poison the food system - the same food system they eat from.  The fact that small farms are healthy and sustainable agriculture.

But we also need another "fact" - we need a measurement.  A definition.  You can't seek relief from the government and its regulation unless you can tell them exactly what you need.  How do we define "small/ (organic) family/ hobby/homestead  farm"?

What definition do we use?  Is it acres planted?  Is it the amount of food produced?  Is it the number of animals raised?  Slaughtered?  Sold?

I've talked to folks who stay below the organic certification radar by producing less than $10,000 of sales.  I've talked to legislators that want to consider anyone raising 10 or fewer pigs and cows as "exempt" from slaughter regulations designed to monitor the big guys.  I've heard of insurance companies dropping policies if the owners sell so much as one dozen eggs.  I know farmers that strive to stay completely "off the grid" personally, but support themselves through barter and cash sales.  70% of all small farms can't support themselves completely and rely on a second income source.

So, how do we define ourselves?  How do we identify the threshold at which government record keeping and inspection keeps the food supply safe yet does not drown the small farmer?  I'd love to know what you think.  But more importantly, let your Representatives know.

HR 875 needs more work.  And I'm not the only one who thinks so...

Snippets

Just a few snippets of stuff to show you...

For those of you following the bee saga, (and there are a bunch so I will report back as often as I can) the hive is all put together.  It took two days, mostly because there were LOTS of parts, but I have two hive bodies, two supers, a hive-top feeder, and a ten frame set up. (That means constructing 40 frames, with brittle tissue-paper waxed foundation that tears if you breath wrong...)

 

But as I worked, I began to really enjoy it, and part of the experience was the smell.  The fresh cut pine boards and beeswax foundation gave off a really nice aroma.  I am very happy I chose the wood bodies vs. polystyrene, and wood frames vs. plastic.  I think the bees will be happy, too.

Madison's California cousins were here last week, and I forgot to share some photos.  Here is one taken by my brother-in-law (an awesome photographer) and pretty much sums up what the week was about:

And I found a really neat picture of Madison's Japanese cousins that my brother had posted on Flickr:

I wish I could tell you the circumstances of the photo - usually they are two very happy country boys decked out in tye-dye everything, but I am still waiting for the explanation myself...

And maple season is officially underway here in the Northeast.

Yesterday I spent all afternoon helping a friend chop wood, load sap, and boil, boil, boil...My early small runs were turned into thick syrup for breadmaking, and I did them here at the house.  This year the bulk of our sap will be cooked over there...wish I could do an aroma blog - you would LOVE the smell of boiling sap!

Apparently, the bees are the smart ones...

Saturday was my beekeeping class at BetterBee in Greenwich, NY.  We are going to try one hive this year, and see how it goes.  

My experience with the staff was my first clue...

Me: I am here to pick up my equipment order that I placed a month ago when I signed up for the class. 

(Note:  Actual Bees come in May, but you have to assemble equipment, paint it, put it in place and read A LOT before they get here...)

Staff: I'm sorry, the order is all in stock except one item, so we can't give you the kit.

Me: What is the backordered item?  Can I take the frames, etc. today and get started on assembly, since I am here with the truck?

Staff: The backordered item is the hive tool.

(Note: You need the hive tool for actually working the hive once the bees have arrived and are setting up shop. )

Me: Well, that's OK, I'll get that item when I come and pick up the bees.  Can I pay and take the rest of the order now?

Staff:  No, because I can't figure out how to make a notation on the computer that you have taken your items without the hive tool.

Me:  Can you print out my receipt and write a notation on there with your signature, verifying that all I need to receive is my hive tool?

Staff:  No.  But let me see what I can figure out; I think I can figure out a way to give you all the hive parts now, and then ship the protective clothing, smoker and hive tool when it arrives if you will pay the extra shipping.

I ponder the idiocy of this woman while she happily pounds away on her calculator, computer keyboard, and paperwork, and find myself standing next to a display of items in the company store, including a bunch of hive tools for sale as individual pieces.

Staff: Your total today will be $311. 08, and with an additional $18.00 shipping I can mail the protective clothing, smoker and hive tool when we have everything in stock.

Me: Why can you only give me half the order now, when only one small piece is missing?  And how did my total become $311.08 when the entire package is listed in your catalog for $259.00?

Staff:  Well, we actually do sell the hive parts and the other items as two separate packages in the catalog, so I can order it that way and "trick" the computer into printing out a receipt that shows you received your hive parts and still need to receive the other stuff.

Me: And the $311.08 total?

Staff:  Blank look, lots more pounding away on the calculator and keyboard.

Me: According to my math, the total with taxes should be $284.94.  I am not paying additional shipping, I will pick up the protective clothing, smoker and hive tool when I come in May to pick up the bees.

Staff:  (amazed) You're right!  

This whole mess has taken almost a half an hour already, I give up and leave the shop with my receipt, walking by the pile of hive tools...to pick up my ready-to-assemble hive.

I realize the pile of parts has no real resemblance to the kit picture in the catalog, but I am convinced I can follow the directions and assemble the hive...

Cat: You're kidding, right?  There are no instructions here!
Me: Shut up.  We can figure it out from the catalog and pictures.  First step, nail the big pieces together, then we worry about the small stuff.  What does the catalog say about nails?

If I follow the catalog text, I use 7d nails.  If I read the note, I DO NOT use 7d nails, I use 1-1/4" nails.  (But I can order both from the catalog!)  And, drat!  no hint about how many hive bodies the 1-1/4" nails will assemble...Do I dare turn to page 28 for information on frame nails, whatever those are?

Me: Is it me?  I am beginning to think bee stings may be the least of my worries...

Sheep?

Michelle wondered if I still had any sheep.  Well, you don't see much more than this these days...
It's kind of too cold to sit with anybody as Ole Man Winter gives us his final blast...and it's the goats that want all the attention, anyway!

So I've taken the leap and begun to play with my fleeces.  The first one is an uncoated shearing from Victoria (I think), a ewe we no longer have.  I don't know where it falls on the VM scale, but working with it has definitely triggered my latent OCD, so it's going to be pretty VM free by the time I get done with it...

First, I laid it out on the table to get a look.   Thankfully, no poo tags or really bad stuff:

                                                         (ahh...the bouquet of lanolin....)

And then two hot soapy soakings and half a dozen hot water rinses in the tub.  (Before you say it - we have a front loader that won't allow mid-cycle openings of the drum...so this is all we have.)

And now for the drum carder...which is a mystery to me as well...but we're trying nonetheless...

I picked this up at the NYS Sheep and Wool festival last fall.

My impressions so far is that it seems rather unevenly paced as I try to fill the larger wheel, but I have cleaned it off and sent the wool through a second and even a third time.  The result is lofty, but lighter than the rovings I have purchased.

Next:

We break out the spinning wheel...yikes!