tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46995573548898226822024-03-13T10:18:48.501-07:00Honeybee ReverieJen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-89123405241527280742014-09-08T20:24:00.001-07:002014-09-08T20:35:41.709-07:002014 Honey for Sale from My Hives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6EEVLNbthv4dWMRSYxma8Heydj78SLyR6Nv9_rEj3zVJNmrn9tYMSfkfYae7wkt0I2pgmid7SouHau1Imf02TItxEgOyPbYKuIK6n6rwpoJbTEg9YAGXTPK_2lGlPDYaIMVSXPbHGPw/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6EEVLNbthv4dWMRSYxma8Heydj78SLyR6Nv9_rEj3zVJNmrn9tYMSfkfYae7wkt0I2pgmid7SouHau1Imf02TItxEgOyPbYKuIK6n6rwpoJbTEg9YAGXTPK_2lGlPDYaIMVSXPbHGPw/s1600/IMG_1154.JPG" height="640" width="422" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fresh, raw Oregon honey from this summer’s harvest is now
bottled and ready for sale! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Raw honey straight from the beekeeper is like nothing you’ve
ever tasted before. My goal is to turn
you into a honey connoisseur. Spoil
yourself or give one as a gift! You’ll
never buy supermarket honey again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For <b>local
customers</b>, my honey is available for sale in a variety of sizes (glass and
plastic jars). </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For customers further afield, </span><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">flat rate shipping</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> is available (1 lb. plastic jars only)</span>.<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please see below for ordering information.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2slM7X_fKracJTX6ITRuW_RosUxMbZ_1BK4nGrPnWqAlQJlp9I2GonmdZ3RuvJq0AGSQzF9ZtmaE4EAqqIhi3HDfCuw3zBgifsDRUXeqiyOS9Hk00_6ZgWMhF8OWIt3kY62bWTyvuvyk/s1600/IMG_8781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2slM7X_fKracJTX6ITRuW_RosUxMbZ_1BK4nGrPnWqAlQJlp9I2GonmdZ3RuvJq0AGSQzF9ZtmaE4EAqqIhi3HDfCuw3zBgifsDRUXeqiyOS9Hk00_6ZgWMhF8OWIt3kY62bWTyvuvyk/s1600/IMG_8781.JPG" height="451" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Honey from my bees comes out of the hive on frames which I
spin in an extractor. The honey is then
filtered through a series of sieves to remove impurities and bits of
beeswax. The resulting honey is clear,
smooth, and never heated. A true raw
product straight from my hives. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Light South Corvallis honey</i></b>: these hives produce a light, very sweet honey
with floral tones and bright citrusy flavors.
They forage on a huge variety of flowers, herbs, vegetables, blackberry,
and native species near Willamette Park.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>Dark North Corvallis honey</i></b> (limited
quantities): my hives in this area
produce a darker, slightly richer honey. The taste is similar to dark honeys
with traces of buckwheat. These bees are foraging on the many native tree and shrub
species near Chip Ross Park, blackberry, and nearby vegetable and flower
gardens.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To Order<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>CORVALLIS PICK-UP ONLY</u>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glass mason jar, quart - $19.50</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glass mason jar, pint - $9.50</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glass mason, 8 oz. - $6.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 lb. plastic queenline jar - $7.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Half gallon - $32.50</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gallon - $65.00<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please send an email to <a href="mailto:honeybeereverie@hotmail.com"><b><span style="color: blue;">honeybeereverie@hotmail.com</span></b></a> and
specify size, quantity, and color (dark honey available in limited
quantities). I will send you a PayPal
link for payment, or cash is acceptable upon pick-up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>SHIPPING CUSTOMERS</u>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1 lb. plastic queenline jars - $7.00 each (plus $13 flat
rate shipping)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I ship honey using U.S. Postal Service flat rate
boxes (U.S. addresses only). Shipping for up to nine jars of
honey is $13.00. Go in with friends to
really save on shipping costs! A full
box of jars is only $1.44 shipping per jar.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please send an email to <a href="mailto:honeybeereverie@hotmail.com"><b><span style="color: blue;">honeybeereverie@hotmail.com</span></b></a> and
specify quantity and color (dark honey available in limited quantities). I will send you a PayPal link for payment. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Thank you for your support! By purchasing honey from small scale local
beekeepers you are promoting the health and vitality of honeybees in your
community.</i></b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">A NOTE ABOUT
CRYSTALLIZATION:<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is the natural tendency of
honey to crystallize (become opaque and nearly solid). Certain varieties
will crystallize sooner because of differing sugar concentrations in the nectar
sources. Colder temperatures, especially below 65 degrees, will speed the
crystallization process so please consider storing honey in a warm place, at
least 70-75 degrees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crystallized
honey is still perfectly good to use and has not spoiled at all. Some prefer it
because it does not run and spreads nicely. Crystallized honey can be slowly
and gently warmed to around 104-110 degrees in a water bath or low oven to melt
the crystals and return it to its original clear state. This is best done
gradually and without overheating to make sure the natural enzymes are
preserved and the honey retains its raw nature and original flavor. <b>Resist the urge to microwave your
crystallized honey!</b> It is hard to control the temperature with
microwaving and the honey can quickly become overheated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 16.5pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is also common for a small amount of suspended wax to remain at
the surface of non-crystallized honey. This is normal and an indication
that you have a jar of quality, raw honey!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-50916658686250313232014-04-10T14:40:00.000-07:002014-04-10T14:41:47.492-07:00Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVT6025MD96tg0lpRFzAhjDdmIb26zI5Bc0OhgAQyQXlCf1N6Jf0gHKcs45fRhe8zG5MZeG8EgujwunOATV_pobbRcSfdssl_Svk7JFZ-aaKVFh__AKjeH0no6VuyiYqIsAIfNDahzs/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVT6025MD96tg0lpRFzAhjDdmIb26zI5Bc0OhgAQyQXlCf1N6Jf0gHKcs45fRhe8zG5MZeG8EgujwunOATV_pobbRcSfdssl_Svk7JFZ-aaKVFh__AKjeH0no6VuyiYqIsAIfNDahzs/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I checked in with my backyard hive the other day, expecting to find them busily working on drawing new foundation and storing nectar. They were doing that (see above), but...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiyEgeDhAcscMbVw_4Rxpr4hlv5-Z0zda8GWY48L2m482RFtd_WuBVKzmSpYPwVz4x3Im6cHCTfbr19M9qJavPlr7kuRLTbQQs93arA_EqZ6MOsf9HTC0qAzx8_bh_683Qxpf3cf7EnE/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiyEgeDhAcscMbVw_4Rxpr4hlv5-Z0zda8GWY48L2m482RFtd_WuBVKzmSpYPwVz4x3Im6cHCTfbr19M9qJavPlr7kuRLTbQQs93arA_EqZ6MOsf9HTC0qAzx8_bh_683Qxpf3cf7EnE/s1600/IMG_0358.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...apparently they are working on some side projects as well. Dang! This is the fancy pants Russian hygienic queen I bought last year. Multiple capped and uncapped swarm cells in the middle brood box (I use all 8 frame westerns). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a queen larvae swimming in a bath of royal jelly. And WOW, my gloves are dirty!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is another surprise for me. Look closely...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Multiple varroa mites in a single drone cell. I check the mite board on this hive regularly, and I have counted maybe one mite in the last few weeks. But scrape open the drone cells and it's a different story. This highlights the importance of monitoring and testing for varroa beyond just visual inspections of a mite board. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not all doom and gloom though. The bees and brood look good and they are bringing in loads of nectar and pollen. Swarm season is upon us! I hope this queen stays.</span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-81722562875620898482014-04-01T23:17:00.002-07:002014-04-01T23:18:30.871-07:00Today in the Apiary...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...I marveled at how many bees there were (and how much I love my <a href="http://www.nectarbeesupply.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>gloves</b></span></a>)...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...scolded myself for letting the syrup run out of the top feeder...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...reluctantly treated another hive for mites....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...checked to see that my <a href="http://nectarbeesupply.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/2819/" target="_blank"><b>new local queen</b></a> was released and happy...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and she was...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...and wondered how in the world this particular hive continues to build wax in the wrong place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Overall, a good day.</span></div>
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-92189537673669075552014-03-31T14:40:00.001-07:002014-03-31T14:42:02.894-07:00It's spring in Oregon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lots of emerging bees and lots of mites can only mean one thing - spring is here! This was after a formic acid treatment. It's pretty cool to see where the brood cluster is concentrated - all without opening the hive. </span></div>
Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com2Corvallis, Corvallis44.564568 -123.26205tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-53656710207339422622014-03-21T14:40:00.003-07:002014-03-21T14:40:50.768-07:00{ this moment }<div style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 19.5px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center;">
{this moment}</div>
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A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.<br />- from Amanda Soule<br /><a href="http://www.soulemama.com/">www.soulemama.com</a></div>
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-5243646450031818142014-03-18T19:36:00.002-07:002014-03-18T19:36:30.510-07:00Gorging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Are your bees doing this right now? Mine can't seem to get enough. </span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-52822650577351164702014-03-16T20:15:00.003-07:002014-03-18T19:32:45.013-07:00There Are Two Queens In My Hive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This weekend my bees discovered the joys of reading <a href="http://www.savagelovecast.com/" target="_blank">Dan Savage</a>. I can't argue with them, I love the guy too. But let's back up a bit...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I recently acquired the space to start a new apiary in South Corvallis. I moved two hives from other places here last week. This is going to be an interesting place to have bees - they grow lots of chinese medicinal herbs here, in addition to blackberries, blueberries, and tons of vegetables. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bees in Green (H1) have been going nuts lately. So much so that I needed to reduce their population in the feeble hope of reducing the likelihood of swarming. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Look how covered this one is with pollen! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I grabbed a variety of frames from Green and put them in a new box on top of Blue, which had a smaller population (and only two brood boxes). When equalizing hives you try to transfer as many nurse bees as you can, spray them a bit with sugar syrup, and separate this box of strangers from their new colony with a layer of newspaper. By the time they chew through the paper they should be fairly acclimated to the smells and order of their new hive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hence Mr. Savage is in my hive, probably having his face chewed on by hundreds of bees as we speak. He has probably written about bee fetishes, don't you think?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green and Blue have cute apiary buddies now, too...</span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-4642255789298763932014-03-12T18:52:00.001-07:002014-03-12T18:52:09.681-07:00Eye candy.<p dir="ltr">Here is one from yesterday in the Goodnight hive. More luscious than I can describe, and why Italians will always have a place in my apiaries. I swear she was marked though...</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIXMay30wncG5jNwZRtPIXDEM_09JCSD5A7sWtuRw3xLGxYSpvdH59k22JARGLbzNFWmWdgxw40hJCDFQzz0i4J8cvvEidVGqTCh_HRdxjLzsFrML8cYG4M2E7FpZP6ixU4HCzg3n8gs/s1600/IMG_20140311_135506.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIXMay30wncG5jNwZRtPIXDEM_09JCSD5A7sWtuRw3xLGxYSpvdH59k22JARGLbzNFWmWdgxw40hJCDFQzz0i4J8cvvEidVGqTCh_HRdxjLzsFrML8cYG4M2E7FpZP6ixU4HCzg3n8gs/s640/IMG_20140311_135506.jpg"> </a> </div>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-4390635596208444202014-03-12T18:47:00.001-07:002014-03-12T18:47:46.983-07:00And again...<p dir="ltr">Here's another one, I'm just so excited! The bees are getting really active, especially the Italians, who have depleted their winter honey reserves but otherwise look fabulous. Here they are eating leftovers of last year's cappings. Emergency feeding!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzYofDbU6shqp9EXuChGtCq04sdla5PExG658d-PUfQ9osYGhHGYxF5awboq0X5HOGTzcBe8CRipNuKR8Fi4hGArTPC7zNLJY28bFTzYrTK3hAhCjd2qw4ziJvy8R7pl8IaZmdMMgs1Q/s1600/IMG_20140304_173545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJzYofDbU6shqp9EXuChGtCq04sdla5PExG658d-PUfQ9osYGhHGYxF5awboq0X5HOGTzcBe8CRipNuKR8Fi4hGArTPC7zNLJY28bFTzYrTK3hAhCjd2qw4ziJvy8R7pl8IaZmdMMgs1Q/s640/IMG_20140304_173545.jpg"> </a> </div>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-80666704684316065602014-03-12T18:41:00.001-07:002014-03-12T18:41:21.281-07:00Oh, well that was easy!<p dir="ltr">So I'm a little late to the game, but I just figured out how to post photos straight from my phone (duh). Many more blog posts to come, as I can now do them from the bee yards!</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfCd6wmQV-NqcqeZDxd2atVsWY7ttQbiIdBxlDjOLnh5g94X2u32iu2_10P4syeigBdYA_Pt8CJT7wU3WnkxkgV1p2ayKd240F2qavF655eCSeq04H5IPLeKEyHZjQZ8-AjQawbDbZTg/s1600/IMG_20140302_164612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglfCd6wmQV-NqcqeZDxd2atVsWY7ttQbiIdBxlDjOLnh5g94X2u32iu2_10P4syeigBdYA_Pt8CJT7wU3WnkxkgV1p2ayKd240F2qavF655eCSeq04H5IPLeKEyHZjQZ8-AjQawbDbZTg/s640/IMG_20140302_164612.jpg"> </a> </div>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-27017246779891703692014-01-02T22:14:00.000-08:002014-01-02T22:14:27.808-08:00New Year's Resolution...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>...more posts coming soon.</strong></span></div>
Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-76739139610375542122013-06-27T22:45:00.000-07:002013-06-27T22:49:09.630-07:00A Little Something for the Ladies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...if you're a wood/wax/leather/stinging insects kind of lady, which I know you are. You're welcome.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-7604940529528707382013-06-06T22:18:00.005-07:002013-06-06T22:18:52.593-07:00Luscious queens and micro-colonies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My </span><a href="http://nectarbeesupply.wordpress.com/2013/06/02/old-sol-bees/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Old Sol queen</strong></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> arrived today, so what better time to try out our new </span><a href="http://nectarbeesupply.wordpress.com/2013/06/07/we-now-carry-nucs/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>western nucs</strong></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">? The majority of my hives are all westerns, meaning I use western hive boxes for both brood and honey supers. The problem with this system (only ONE of many according to deep fans) is that standard deep nucs are useless if we want to make splits or keep a queen on reserve. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First I made triple-sure the queen wasn't on a frame I was taking from the existing colony. Look at that Italian queen. Large and slow and sexy (isn't beekeeping great?). You wait right here, ma'am.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pulled a few frames of solid capped brood covered with nurse bees, shook a couple frames of extra bees in for good measure, added a frame of honey and pollen, and placed the queen cage.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The western nuc! And just like that, one colony becomes two, and I have a premium queen on reserve if I need her. </span><br />
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-725533521205731092013-06-03T22:12:00.000-07:002013-06-03T22:17:09.657-07:00They're Smoking More Than Bees<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Read that product description above. So hilarious I can't stand it. I've used a smoker many times in my hives, and I can honestly say I have never felt smog entering my alert posture. If you have, please comment - I'd love to know how that feels.</span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-54897823518692371512013-05-22T16:54:00.001-07:002013-05-22T21:56:33.118-07:00Been Caught Stealin'...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a sweet day when beekeeping errors can be transformed into oral ecstasy. Chewy, squeaky, drippy, hint-of-meadowfoam oral ecstasy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-67324621387941608912013-05-06T17:00:00.000-07:002013-05-06T17:01:39.637-07:00What Do You See When You Close Your Eyes?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-67227189299465693752013-05-02T22:54:00.004-07:002013-05-02T23:12:49.381-07:00Exodus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.honeybeereverie.blogspot.com/2012/09/this-is-beeman.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Beeman</span></a> moved his hives to a new location near the McDonald-Dunn Forest. I have a little hive there, too. </span> </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Today I was checking in on my </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.honeybeereverie.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-virgin-diaries-part-i.html" target="_blank">virgin situation</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"> and noticed more activity than usual at the entrance to one of Beeman's hives. His bees are usually busy on a hot day like this...</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">...but today they were acting weird. Loitering, even. And there were drones emerging, too.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Then they started <span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>pouring out of the hive like liquid</em></strong></span>, with the most incredible sound you can imagine.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They kept coming, and COMING, AND COMING.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Once in the air they appeared very disorganized. But be patient...</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bees have perfected the <span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>art of organized chaos</em></strong></span>. Eventually a pattern to their movements became evident and I was able to determine which tree they had chosen.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Maybe four or five minutes later, and the entrance is back to normal. Minus a few thousand bees of course. And the queen.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">They chose a tree not fifteen feet from their original hive. Just for fun, I wanted to capture Beeman's colony and put it in my own hive. That is way too high though.</span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So h</span>ere they rest, clustered tightly around a branch, protecting the queen and weighing their options. To a beekeeper swarms can be a frustration and represent a loss of hive productivity and honey-making potential. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But in terms of the bees it is colony-level reproduction and a sort of <span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>cleansing ritual for the hive</em></strong></span>. I have observed many swarms in flight, but I am still blown away that I was able to see this one come to life. </span> </div>
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<br />Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-54774446876250432752013-04-24T22:34:00.001-07:002013-04-24T22:34:47.381-07:00The Virgin Diaries - Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJwzAVckWvsKZk2EUDNCSOQ60-8FqWi_rYKNuLYOyY7k30UncWYMNwssNAQQ4ZMzOlDxb3jT6-OpCyNoiaL8kg3zwLQ7Y_N8763feDg_t0IxqCBX6zsfGHY5MtMi9COXEoTpeMWcn4jE/s1600/IMG_7773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJwzAVckWvsKZk2EUDNCSOQ60-8FqWi_rYKNuLYOyY7k30UncWYMNwssNAQQ4ZMzOlDxb3jT6-OpCyNoiaL8kg3zwLQ7Y_N8763feDg_t0IxqCBX6zsfGHY5MtMi9COXEoTpeMWcn4jE/s640/IMG_7773.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is what I love about beekeeping. You never know what you're going to get when you open a hive. In this case it was <span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>virgin queens</strong></em></span>, and lots of them. Beeman's hives are bursting at the seams, and this one seems a bit restless and unsatisfied. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Swarm cells. Supercedure cells. Cells constructed and then abandoned. Cells ripped apart by an emerging virgin queen. Cells intact housing a virgin queen. This hive doesn't discriminate.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKRVqveGtdHdnNd7xV42G1IThB11PpZDLPnoJbz0k2wmmpJvbEJRAjSpby-61ymKOvmCMa41ET_MG5JwLRQMUZrRkSiTFKKYKdrI8RbzlCWCs8MovTeTwucFu_Y-8isCp_n14UhVqB6s/s1600/IMG_7787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLKRVqveGtdHdnNd7xV42G1IThB11PpZDLPnoJbz0k2wmmpJvbEJRAjSpby-61ymKOvmCMa41ET_MG5JwLRQMUZrRkSiTFKKYKdrI8RbzlCWCs8MovTeTwucFu_Y-8isCp_n14UhVqB6s/s640/IMG_7787.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I removed a cell and opened it up out of curiosity. There is the live queen, <span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>sitting in waxy darkness</strong></em></span> waiting to learn her fate. She is small and unmated, with a slender abdomen not yet ready for egg-laying, and she's all mine.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTY1y267ZRUSmFn-zfieglKEwhE3qts73X5vd045ZhJsXYbGyu55-ZnCd0ExUZ-l3shf3Q0d4vnLQ0n-9n7h37WL1vC0I7PqDroboEus8Hhz3r_94xCw6IZvOWHvmCS6AD77CuV52wC_w/s1600/IMG_7775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTY1y267ZRUSmFn-zfieglKEwhE3qts73X5vd045ZhJsXYbGyu55-ZnCd0ExUZ-l3shf3Q0d4vnLQ0n-9n7h37WL1vC0I7PqDroboEus8Hhz3r_94xCw6IZvOWHvmCS6AD77CuV52wC_w/s640/IMG_7775.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Into a queen cage she goes until we decide where to put her. Imagine being suspended in a cage, in darkness, with thousands of others clamoring for your release, when you'll either be accepted as the future of the hive or killed on the spot. What a game of chance.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the swarmy virgin-factory. This hive is literally spilling over with bees. <span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Dripping, buzzing, crowded, restless bees.</strong></em></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD7cQZwdmCP_cLPf3nckDNTuYft9W5jWx9gmArRadXDkqVE2zghpcblu5XdX_v00SVIqXgUZRn9NKZsbiZ4ubR-Te2xGS6Jbw7eiUecj9uLtnLsglEaEFgMJOtT4pf8Hw2V0QWyCCAEI/s1600/IMG_7788.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuD7cQZwdmCP_cLPf3nckDNTuYft9W5jWx9gmArRadXDkqVE2zghpcblu5XdX_v00SVIqXgUZRn9NKZsbiZ4ubR-Te2xGS6Jbw7eiUecj9uLtnLsglEaEFgMJOtT4pf8Hw2V0QWyCCAEI/s640/IMG_7788.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I caught another live one just hatching. In the cage you go.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgans6HaP43z2Jpz40xDT2AfEwvKXQ7SYyoFUlhCXIBTeK7LdvKuSaKU-z8Mf8Ohqi6VJf7aNGGPVQHonAVEfDeAHkKx1P4qXqnChbS1sjNcGEKrPuRK1Ll1lUrIioMYMy93tOQKlwFcc0/s1600/IMG_7790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgans6HaP43z2Jpz40xDT2AfEwvKXQ7SYyoFUlhCXIBTeK7LdvKuSaKU-z8Mf8Ohqi6VJf7aNGGPVQHonAVEfDeAHkKx1P4qXqnChbS1sjNcGEKrPuRK1Ll1lUrIioMYMy93tOQKlwFcc0/s640/IMG_7790.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sidenote: to the beekeeper go the spoils. <em><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Always reserve a taste for yourself.</span></strong></em></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another nice queen cell. Let's open it and collect another.</span> <br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By this time the hive has been open for a while. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WVwbfrr9vj-1B9NfiCjefs446CMC9uuUoVR8dmCcmBarNXGflTf8GZUFQl0XEiB2LRqelQ0wIvjrsYFLRYAC7meb_zdkkaCdMlMLiquuQZQefklAxjv1bHdsIGJWY2c4-tsFB_s7lsc/s1600/IMG_7796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WVwbfrr9vj-1B9NfiCjefs446CMC9uuUoVR8dmCcmBarNXGflTf8GZUFQl0XEiB2LRqelQ0wIvjrsYFLRYAC7meb_zdkkaCdMlMLiquuQZQefklAxjv1bHdsIGJWY2c4-tsFB_s7lsc/s640/IMG_7796.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We ran out of queen cages, so for now they'll live in these jars. When I dream of my perfect bedroom, <span style="font-size: large;"><strong><em>there is an observation hive in the wall above my bed</em></strong></span>, and jars like these on shelves.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewY95PmGtKGo0Z4v1p3QRILFQEg5uOYopBH_TYe91E3ZUXMqobtM0ikMr27wzSPNyaqI3btXz3XDAZCgO0O4VNhplahyhy4gLOPYL8ppESKpU7qJZaQQRoFqWrWUP4vDGuAkIqquGHXU/s1600/IMG_7797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewY95PmGtKGo0Z4v1p3QRILFQEg5uOYopBH_TYe91E3ZUXMqobtM0ikMr27wzSPNyaqI3btXz3XDAZCgO0O4VNhplahyhy4gLOPYL8ppESKpU7qJZaQQRoFqWrWUP4vDGuAkIqquGHXU/s640/IMG_7797.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That dark beauty is a definite keeper. In fact, I may take her with me and make a split from my hive at home. A virgin queen is a gamble - she has to make it out on a mating flight and then back again, but experimentation and a bit of uncertainty are the spark of beekeeping for me.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd_rZKtOh_jO36WCa9GWb3UMgfSsol2Y2-AeAKa4yHQMX1LJzRJlqYU_UnnsMI5dXbnbLiXVJ6yht68XMz2sKZD-atNNHEvKdb-4TPdf6G0x4wcJZ_rToASRMuFCoohpdsmucufv6Ke4/s1600/IMG_7807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQd_rZKtOh_jO36WCa9GWb3UMgfSsol2Y2-AeAKa4yHQMX1LJzRJlqYU_UnnsMI5dXbnbLiXVJ6yht68XMz2sKZD-atNNHEvKdb-4TPdf6G0x4wcJZ_rToASRMuFCoohpdsmucufv6Ke4/s640/IMG_7807.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beeman has incredible colonies. The swarmy virgin-factory is one of his.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVXhyphenhyphenYGig8PAhKP7Z5HK_5aau40bB8PLre9uCOWcxk3QfZ8DoSAlohLBlF6nNZ-6p98sEXGMAqqN3PHUq-TAUVtknNNXY2xgBUndAVHzksAYhao0UMF5N3NurbiydngLb1KqceuyPZqU/s1600/IMG_7818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVXhyphenhyphenYGig8PAhKP7Z5HK_5aau40bB8PLre9uCOWcxk3QfZ8DoSAlohLBlF6nNZ-6p98sEXGMAqqN3PHUq-TAUVtknNNXY2xgBUndAVHzksAYhao0UMF5N3NurbiydngLb1KqceuyPZqU/s640/IMG_7818.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In all, we gathered six new queens from that hive that were healthy and strong enough to save. Two are going with me, and four are co-habiting this nuc for the time being (two in cages and two unhatched cells).</span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-25481958886411082572013-04-22T21:27:00.003-07:002013-04-22T21:27:50.262-07:00Wisp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2e7ZzRnOdjsP50MQ8UNglyB1oSyEh0Poub_WMhBR-wKJ7Mu2efBzfaUAQqaxP4rco9nDV75AdllNo5M3by07RpfCm-jJI5dh2IsYKnsLKpsTudskPUJIi-tPG_Noh7GnXqayFyLq2Ra4/s1600/IMG_7815_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2e7ZzRnOdjsP50MQ8UNglyB1oSyEh0Poub_WMhBR-wKJ7Mu2efBzfaUAQqaxP4rco9nDV75AdllNo5M3by07RpfCm-jJI5dh2IsYKnsLKpsTudskPUJIi-tPG_Noh7GnXqayFyLq2Ra4/s640/IMG_7815_2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The bees have woken up for the season, and so has my blog. <br /><br />Everything I love about beekeeping is in this photo right here. </span>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-30619710305723829332013-03-28T08:47:00.005-07:002013-04-22T22:09:21.264-07:00Somewhere, Bees Are Flying...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDdEv6z0AvpqCsMzJxVm7MrKdnY4FqOEnF-rozxz7PFHn5BKn9oe_EqvnwnmNitbH9wKgorOXNfhuica1_rpe5ecqCKEJoV9dfd3CngiVek_46zmPnmFZpaEBtH3H8ayhfLN5BXTzjmI/s1600/fl_banana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDdEv6z0AvpqCsMzJxVm7MrKdnY4FqOEnF-rozxz7PFHn5BKn9oe_EqvnwnmNitbH9wKgorOXNfhuica1_rpe5ecqCKEJoV9dfd3CngiVek_46zmPnmFZpaEBtH3H8ayhfLN5BXTzjmI/s640/fl_banana.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On this cloudy, drizzly Oregon day it feels appropriate to post some pictures of bees flying in the sunshine, gathering nectar and pollen from exotic sources. My bees are clustered inside their hive, thinking how tired of they are of pollen patties and dampness. <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">I won't show them these pictures.</span></em></strong> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Above, a bee pollinating a large banana flower.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiielLTTxglnzmVX4dJp9midEXY36nIWqNihArUjUp9kYpCe-PP92TchyP3mY9pIVa9N4juvWLX2rK2AHqoCr4CcvVDZsCl7JCLGSxci6_TETm9JIRMP_Qzx_NO7GPSpZmFH5BJCsWe2B4/s1600/fl_orange.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiielLTTxglnzmVX4dJp9midEXY36nIWqNihArUjUp9kYpCe-PP92TchyP3mY9pIVa9N4juvWLX2rK2AHqoCr4CcvVDZsCl7JCLGSxci6_TETm9JIRMP_Qzx_NO7GPSpZmFH5BJCsWe2B4/s640/fl_orange.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Seductive orange blossoms...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lme11Ati_WELkRb1ASZs9fQXxgSlb6udVua6OANOLiXeYaJJBfYaHnJtQWv9aiAUU49mluRC4vwVwPviE6cEdYXRZEwfsnnM2Q_XOKwHncMRes7v2nkjnOm9K81e6iVJ5dPtPugztnI/s1600/fl_sweat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lme11Ati_WELkRb1ASZs9fQXxgSlb6udVua6OANOLiXeYaJJBfYaHnJtQWv9aiAUU49mluRC4vwVwPviE6cEdYXRZEwfsnnM2Q_XOKwHncMRes7v2nkjnOm9K81e6iVJ5dPtPugztnI/s640/fl_sweat.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A large black sweat bee on Rosemary....</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxhg_yyauboUrZZjBoK_8_JORnpw_fsvAlAoDkvATL5lV8TR78incyvdaduw9lG2QyB1xB3J4xfYJ6WEHkGuFx0VrHmhzAmniWMJYOcSKLSB0SW4TedCWuFiSGnHjb7Fv-woyKYa6_dk/s1600/fl_palmetto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqxhg_yyauboUrZZjBoK_8_JORnpw_fsvAlAoDkvATL5lV8TR78incyvdaduw9lG2QyB1xB3J4xfYJ6WEHkGuFx0VrHmhzAmniWMJYOcSKLSB0SW4TedCWuFiSGnHjb7Fv-woyKYa6_dk/s640/fl_palmetto.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Sabal palmetto</em> inflorescences. Palmetto honey is exquisite - sweet and spicy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1ANt6ZfTrMkwtL6Mxu0tVGZURKqZYKcxJInB0wwQeXW3FJKR2Z3cDDNvMhlOLvLYy7PWzjY8qvNN_I0u6nuP9jSTwqYiAzmIKkvXx-QTVbPemQaC5WQHCYKXAoQw2gRdb24aRwmLTBk/s1600/fl_rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH1ANt6ZfTrMkwtL6Mxu0tVGZURKqZYKcxJInB0wwQeXW3FJKR2Z3cDDNvMhlOLvLYy7PWzjY8qvNN_I0u6nuP9jSTwqYiAzmIKkvXx-QTVbPemQaC5WQHCYKXAoQw2gRdb24aRwmLTBk/s640/fl_rose.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Roses blooming - in early March. </span></div>
Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-77575709460367036492013-03-10T18:15:00.000-07:002013-03-10T18:15:38.928-07:00Fast Forward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GNzdIkr2ScNm53l6EBayZAEe5AxvSyTfcQAYK0-RBPKY-CE-cwstwCApwmbKBYjx3pVTwiZF3ldeCXxOngAYjeRmgOKuyRyOTa2asafjYPcrsG2DuBlKNq7vHGhDvQPcbRyQKrbjiCs/s1600/IMG_6887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GNzdIkr2ScNm53l6EBayZAEe5AxvSyTfcQAYK0-RBPKY-CE-cwstwCApwmbKBYjx3pVTwiZF3ldeCXxOngAYjeRmgOKuyRyOTa2asafjYPcrsG2DuBlKNq7vHGhDvQPcbRyQKrbjiCs/s640/IMG_6887.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I admit it.<span style="font-size: large;"><b><i> I'm a Florida girl</i></b></span>. And this week I am back home visiting family and friends on the first solo trip I have taken in over seven years. Although I love everything about Oregon and have no plans to leave, my heart is still in Florida. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I was in Gainesville - home of the Gators and place where three generations of my family have gone to school. And of course I went bee-hunting. I found some on the edge of the prairie...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbua9ZLccT42_ia-PdEcyHgxEVWdUmwBa_z6cqsnfw51R4LdPhX_zyRXer13ARWTy5x3kItOS-xWfC4aYmtrPSxGCNSJ8_3RbALk-EBm0LN_puQD7tX63BfQ0StWvD5PVHItmboXCzHs0/s1600/IMG_6886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbua9ZLccT42_ia-PdEcyHgxEVWdUmwBa_z6cqsnfw51R4LdPhX_zyRXer13ARWTy5x3kItOS-xWfC4aYmtrPSxGCNSJ8_3RbALk-EBm0LN_puQD7tX63BfQ0StWvD5PVHItmboXCzHs0/s640/IMG_6886.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These bees are are too busy flying over fields of flowering brassicas and strawberries to care about their comrades in Oregon, still clustered tight in their brood boxes waiting for spring. The weather here is warm and sunny and feels like a summer day by Pacific Northwest standards. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hives are simpler too. There are no screened bottom boards, ventilated inner covers, telescoping tops and massive feeders like you need in a cool, wet climate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soon this southern girl will travel back to Oregon with my bag full of honey from palmetto, gallberry, and tupelo, and work to get my bees ready for spring. But I'll leave my heart here in Florida.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoWYWepfrxdTCipAltWUdRZP2fPdEQ-cwNkpnAooMHGeFRmvn5GxWeuOZNZSlvXKBYDXWTnPoG8HuqztX33V_4Yiad0HyDGkq4DSCD3GA342SZgTcDQVvvbsIMhgnlRzJalfM3Nlxmcc/s1600/IMG_6906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvoWYWepfrxdTCipAltWUdRZP2fPdEQ-cwNkpnAooMHGeFRmvn5GxWeuOZNZSlvXKBYDXWTnPoG8HuqztX33V_4Yiad0HyDGkq4DSCD3GA342SZgTcDQVvvbsIMhgnlRzJalfM3Nlxmcc/s640/IMG_6906.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Live oak hammock</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Go Gators!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Pine flatwoods</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Old homestead oranges</span></i>Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-36193014988119806982013-02-14T20:29:00.000-08:002013-02-14T20:29:17.537-08:00Deep Breath....Now Jump!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVnEL316y4GmH-u8WMmuc_kACDvw5HIEl5d0dwip0u12Si12TMPaPLRkt88zI9RZxQ4umfwZ08W0zARGfPEY9WbmmeMkcBc78aYeUir3c-I9wGlL9YWOhuSl3ZnfB40MMxI8XyEkAg0k/s1600/The_Nectar_Logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipVnEL316y4GmH-u8WMmuc_kACDvw5HIEl5d0dwip0u12Si12TMPaPLRkt88zI9RZxQ4umfwZ08W0zARGfPEY9WbmmeMkcBc78aYeUir3c-I9wGlL9YWOhuSl3ZnfB40MMxI8XyEkAg0k/s400/The_Nectar_Logo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">I want to be a beekeeper.</span></strong> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Not just on weekends, but every day. So here I go. Introducing Nectar Bee Supply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;">I am lucky to have the most amazing business partners (co-conspirators?) a girl could ever dream about in </span><a href="http://www.api-curious.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Karessa Torgerson</span></a><span style="color: black;"> and </span><a href="http://gardenwanderings.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Melanie Sorenson</span></a><span style="color: black;">. I still can't believe the events that have unfolded to bring us to this point.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a strong beekeeping community in Corvallis that includes lots of seasoned pros and even more beginners eager to get started. </span>So many people in our area have talents related to beekeeping - whether they raise queens, construct ventilation boards in their garage, grow bee-friendly plants for seed, or bottle artisan honey. We want to connect all of these people and serve as a clearinghouse for that community.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">The hard part is trying to balance unlimited ideas with very limited resources. We don't want to be a discount beekeeping store. We want everything we sell to be useful, durable, and beautiful. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;">Beekeeping equipment? Definitely. Classes and events? Absolutely. Native pollinators? We like them too. Hive hosting, a honey CSA, a community honey house, our own store...Just wait.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Keep your eyes on us, we have big ideas.</span></em></strong> Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to work.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-45680198648986991622013-02-09T22:44:00.001-08:002013-02-09T22:44:09.107-08:00Invictus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvuunYrjSyBBkUmeLunezpaBXXh-p7drbKpQl9Y6_QzATJ9SqrP-z-pQAR-ZxqPwBadh4hR9kNHdAheWBH6iAvJ31aVTDtwiB9uskQpPndn-zjaLNXVN078Mn0SD_n4ltEORja6V5LA/s1600/IMG_4844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZvuunYrjSyBBkUmeLunezpaBXXh-p7drbKpQl9Y6_QzATJ9SqrP-z-pQAR-ZxqPwBadh4hR9kNHdAheWBH6iAvJ31aVTDtwiB9uskQpPndn-zjaLNXVN078Mn0SD_n4ltEORja6V5LA/s640/IMG_4844.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Out of the night that covers me,<br />
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,<br />
I thank whatever gods may be<br />
For my unconquerable soul.<br />
<br />
In the fell clutch of circumstance<br />
I have not winced nor cried aloud.<br />
Under the bludgeonings of chance<br />
My head is bloody, but unbowed.<br />
<br />
Beyond this place of wrath and tears<br />
Looms but the Horror of the shade,<br />
And yet the menace of the years<br />
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.<br />
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It matters not how strait the gate,<br />
How charged with punishments the scroll.<br />
I am the master of my fate:<br />
I am the captain of my soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 13pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">William Ernest Henley<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></div>
Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-35234164896873361932013-01-31T16:22:00.004-08:002013-01-31T16:22:46.371-08:00Death in the Afternoon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD5IvkwQTT6jRVPLi8nf_IgBzicvO7uH_CygZ4I_aFKOYnHjULUjffGCy47syI9a4k_SdsSFmUMtFShTbw3BG70zBt3LPPOHE-7np_UCON4clh1n0IW_wdhI38OqqPxNGAij_yf68sb4/s1600/IMG_4925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvD5IvkwQTT6jRVPLi8nf_IgBzicvO7uH_CygZ4I_aFKOYnHjULUjffGCy47syI9a4k_SdsSFmUMtFShTbw3BG70zBt3LPPOHE-7np_UCON4clh1n0IW_wdhI38OqqPxNGAij_yf68sb4/s640/IMG_4925.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The green hive on the right was the star this year, at one point supporting THREE active honey supers. And now it is dead.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBRBz6pyrW8c3muE_7uuQskYlOrL4ISMKTbxAG_BvunX_HrhRQLBYjt6yJG1YqBDUc5wUjCOIAfQ76XPBi6dRwgvPlrHSEs-qeO0pSbyQQswQ4fMI9cuoXFIolF1zLAbTq9K8RhSdazA/s1600/IMG_5724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXBRBz6pyrW8c3muE_7uuQskYlOrL4ISMKTbxAG_BvunX_HrhRQLBYjt6yJG1YqBDUc5wUjCOIAfQ76XPBi6dRwgvPlrHSEs-qeO0pSbyQQswQ4fMI9cuoXFIolF1zLAbTq9K8RhSdazA/s640/IMG_5724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sunny scene and busy bees distracted me from noticing what was really going on. See those emerging bees? They are all dead. And the worst part? Every single capped brood cell in this photo contains a dead bee. This is a hive with no future.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is a window during the late summer season when mite populations can explode in the hive. I was busy with other events in my life and didn't take care of the bees as I should, and they paid the price for my negligence. Lesson learned the hard way.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIcHFnLUvrf0UuEg5Ld0coZHPiPxwg370irhYak1UYyxx8qN_X1Fv9sc4vHPYoZyvi5wUFY0sqdzdVdCevnR9RMi-WQkCE3Otp_hxTiYe2xGxC2oTkm5UJsfwW6ajrhXugny5a6Y7aAI/s1600/IMG_5726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIcHFnLUvrf0UuEg5Ld0coZHPiPxwg370irhYak1UYyxx8qN_X1Fv9sc4vHPYoZyvi5wUFY0sqdzdVdCevnR9RMi-WQkCE3Otp_hxTiYe2xGxC2oTkm5UJsfwW6ajrhXugny5a6Y7aAI/s640/IMG_5726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are bees I pulled from brood cells for closer inspection. The culprit is Deformed Wing Virus, a disease transmitted by Varroa mites.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGoqaKQMc_0X4ihF9F-dwLgftTtKdLmLs_5xJTf1Sr5k2x46RwLg-wa3ffPRxtO_YMjBtakPFF5d_NTeBo7PkwvIZVwEeyZFjCM3zeKuQwZQUd13qh_iwHwbCV7T4OlROwASt_KecL-8/s1600/IMG_5728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaGoqaKQMc_0X4ihF9F-dwLgftTtKdLmLs_5xJTf1Sr5k2x46RwLg-wa3ffPRxtO_YMjBtakPFF5d_NTeBo7PkwvIZVwEeyZFjCM3zeKuQwZQUd13qh_iwHwbCV7T4OlROwASt_KecL-8/s640/IMG_5728.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is a young bee exhibiting the classic symptoms of the disease - distorted, twisted wings. Compare them to the bee on the left.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLZ5GjIYIJ4LK1whKu3Y5eUDBHxdSiV10C9x7uJELP6300gogaUJEj3Pw_YKB2o97hB6cx14Sr86as-v2_tUwnbOfX7LRjmQZ0zUSuyZfeHGIzqmXTx92bmOEtz5zwm4bMlNLcsEh1YA/s1600/IMG_5740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLZ5GjIYIJ4LK1whKu3Y5eUDBHxdSiV10C9x7uJELP6300gogaUJEj3Pw_YKB2o97hB6cx14Sr86as-v2_tUwnbOfX7LRjmQZ0zUSuyZfeHGIzqmXTx92bmOEtz5zwm4bMlNLcsEh1YA/s640/IMG_5740.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a sad realization. <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Do you see the queen?</span></em></strong> She is presiding over a hive with a death sentence. At this time of year, the bees developing within brood cells are the ones that will see the hive through the winter. There is no new generation of bees to sustain this colony.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRazsKnhfEurIvuYa1iiNnOZGD_yN7jMMgyoWvDej2wgZYRO5lbLYNu2HC3-bnWotzCcjcA_X53DETJy92ek0hww1WWhoBSvYO9JyxmmV5v09cpX4O8t_TJ5g2jFmZbjp9zjrJ0Giz-7k/s1600/IMG_5743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRazsKnhfEurIvuYa1iiNnOZGD_yN7jMMgyoWvDej2wgZYRO5lbLYNu2HC3-bnWotzCcjcA_X53DETJy92ek0hww1WWhoBSvYO9JyxmmV5v09cpX4O8t_TJ5g2jFmZbjp9zjrJ0Giz-7k/s640/IMG_5743.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make matters worse, this was also the time of year that yellowjackets were at their most vicious, tearing into colonies and killing bees. A weakened hive struggling with disease is an easy mark.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD6ienTtZT7Bi13PzgFG7wQ9CbTjImUDzEwxyuf5qzvYsEwUdk5qSUGfDlBSyMxJdWu9kgHiBNLpeZeyznysKc7QpHwqg3OCXcIfQsA0awb57hIyPcPzumdcq-EK_RjkyMVG4TxPJLrI/s1600/IMG_5779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghD6ienTtZT7Bi13PzgFG7wQ9CbTjImUDzEwxyuf5qzvYsEwUdk5qSUGfDlBSyMxJdWu9kgHiBNLpeZeyznysKc7QpHwqg3OCXcIfQsA0awb57hIyPcPzumdcq-EK_RjkyMVG4TxPJLrI/s640/IMG_5779.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">Once I determined that this hive would not survive, I took off the honey super that was supposed to be their reserve for the winter and reduced the colony down to only two brood boxes.</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEBwJb7I9DJZq-Yv2YhI05gDJ5SjNqp2xju3-XTXW2hl8nsuHxS2CsDEQM5Qr2-JU6ZncAa-HP05OolPK29Eo15UWu-ii4tNnxx3bIdVmag2H3_7h12xfuN3wnmkcC-7x5_NA6qYxtq4/s1600/IMG_5837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEBwJb7I9DJZq-Yv2YhI05gDJ5SjNqp2xju3-XTXW2hl8nsuHxS2CsDEQM5Qr2-JU6ZncAa-HP05OolPK29Eo15UWu-ii4tNnxx3bIdVmag2H3_7h12xfuN3wnmkcC-7x5_NA6qYxtq4/s640/IMG_5837.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few days later I opened the hive to silence. Thousands of bees gone in a matter of days, and frame after frame of dead capped brood. Not a single bee, except this one. <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">The queen was the sole survivor!</span></em></strong> With no attendants, she was struggling to stay alive.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTK1e0BGRN0ofJPUPkk7vsjcb2vcmgkAr-W18b3oqaXgOL3XI8TX4b6zS9BMS8ttP3BKSw5G4rbaBF-j8EFAT2m7ykZBB_iaY846ti1m3iyL9g-AfKkSPmlQWlBxuldfYd0YUHjkFIrI/s1600/IMG_5867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTK1e0BGRN0ofJPUPkk7vsjcb2vcmgkAr-W18b3oqaXgOL3XI8TX4b6zS9BMS8ttP3BKSw5G4rbaBF-j8EFAT2m7ykZBB_iaY846ti1m3iyL9g-AfKkSPmlQWlBxuldfYd0YUHjkFIrI/s640/IMG_5867.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4699557354889822682.post-25176642193217530052013-01-26T19:15:00.001-08:002013-01-26T19:15:21.879-08:00Out of the Comb and Into the Bottle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaWEjH0z-WlBfyFz5Ng7sQDhyphenhyphennpawvWxjUfH_wbUUl3hUhBXU92WgeXY0gxh_OYdb9Qebmk3ZCeqlIkkegUl-w2xmdthpC6WSIIsGLbb4aW9Jez71AdJ9X7KrN9ICVbthGOO-LIQctGU/s1600/IMG_5439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidaWEjH0z-WlBfyFz5Ng7sQDhyphenhyphennpawvWxjUfH_wbUUl3hUhBXU92WgeXY0gxh_OYdb9Qebmk3ZCeqlIkkegUl-w2xmdthpC6WSIIsGLbb4aW9Jez71AdJ9X7KrN9ICVbthGOO-LIQctGU/s640/IMG_5439.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I miss writing about bees! The world has slipped away from me these past few months, but I'm slowly finding my way back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">For those of you who bought honey from me this season, here are some photos of how that magic was extracted from the hive, poured into bottles, and placed in your mouth. Look at that photo above. Hours and hours spent working in the hive lead up to that. A heavy, dripping, crawling-with-bees frame of honey. <strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, please.</span></em></strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shhhh...that's my glove in the photo! I have become fairly well-trained at judging bee temperment, and these ladies were feeling pretty hot that a bear in white clothing was messing with their honey. So on they go.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGumpZM8_5uOYjIoLLyD8N9KUQAuqLlbxSJyQFs5bfB1XPiADgdUHzgvgtZJPpLNTWJ7Z4VVmJcva-HN7dQoHP1pw_rQFVdvE1z-XZBeObeO_nh6dr534xLOd9hSjY3K0GpiUyIrCPT0I/s1600/IMG_5479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGumpZM8_5uOYjIoLLyD8N9KUQAuqLlbxSJyQFs5bfB1XPiADgdUHzgvgtZJPpLNTWJ7Z4VVmJcva-HN7dQoHP1pw_rQFVdvE1z-XZBeObeO_nh6dr534xLOd9hSjY3K0GpiUyIrCPT0I/s640/IMG_5479.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After sitting in a hot room for many days, the frames are removed from the hive box and prepared for extraction. That's an electric uncapping knife that we use to scrape off the wax cappings that seal the honey in the cells. It's very hot and melts the wax on contact. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmid9RB-c15jVJqNFVPwNWWtn62TaMvYRkOuydL0rI7AG23CcbsZcnxHMi_7IpgzG_B14MoXqbmEIzXsu6ZYvtsOUVvLlnWcJ36zsaCqp9s5zXScMBnRE2DxOhqB_rt7LWivmlTPcd7nU/s1600/IMG_5492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmid9RB-c15jVJqNFVPwNWWtn62TaMvYRkOuydL0rI7AG23CcbsZcnxHMi_7IpgzG_B14MoXqbmEIzXsu6ZYvtsOUVvLlnWcJ36zsaCqp9s5zXScMBnRE2DxOhqB_rt7LWivmlTPcd7nU/s640/IMG_5492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These are frames in various stages of preparation. All heavy, all luscious, all just sitting there waiting to release their honey.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3jFmMMC-j9lomtZ0bH3H8gcN_lvZcMnmZxN48EVB_XJVWeFLrcPXcxvPW511AovcS9pAWaHGv6f0vysmOHt3pr2uqdlqfSNAd9nde1Iz5Q96YebhRGpF46PZHIdWMbCo2DiVXTEGB2w/s1600/IMG_5464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR3jFmMMC-j9lomtZ0bH3H8gcN_lvZcMnmZxN48EVB_XJVWeFLrcPXcxvPW511AovcS9pAWaHGv6f0vysmOHt3pr2uqdlqfSNAd9nde1Iz5Q96YebhRGpF46PZHIdWMbCo2DiVXTEGB2w/s640/IMG_5464.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A freshly uncapped frame of honey. Look at that glowing world inside those cells. Perfection!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wvN2br6I0UqMuF1CfKfEp0WbO6eyhAPn1g8bbZjr7JmRIJYxEdYVnYzf5_z3g5tMXAYPumulBfn8vT074ET21xCfs56MhbvuxH-GUydKAVlXCaarWeayPfq8fDQLYuC9648vleUVXs0/s1600/IMG_5448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wvN2br6I0UqMuF1CfKfEp0WbO6eyhAPn1g8bbZjr7JmRIJYxEdYVnYzf5_z3g5tMXAYPumulBfn8vT074ET21xCfs56MhbvuxH-GUydKAVlXCaarWeayPfq8fDQLYuC9648vleUVXs0/s640/IMG_5448.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you, Karessa, for letting me use your extractor. And your kitchen. And your hot room. Those are heating coils to keep the honey flowing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the fun part - using the hand-cranked extractor to spin honey from the frames. No, those are not my arms.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the honey is extracted, it needs to go through a strainer to remove large chunks of wax and the occasional bee wing or leg. Raw honey is the best, but it requires a bit of attention at the start.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sticky, sticky, sticky. Everything gets STICKY.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">After several levels of filtering, the honey is poured into gallon-size glass jars to sit for a few days. This allows air bubbles to dissipate and wax to collect at the top for easy removal.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cappings wax is literally a hot mess. But think of the possibilities!</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The extractor is a disasterous mess, so outside it goes to be cleaned up by the bees.</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And just like that, you have summer in a bottle.</span></div>
Jen Larsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07250849746454142556noreply@blogger.com1