Fence is up

The deer fence is finally up on the orchard. It was a process a little more drawn out than I’d imagined it would be, largely due to logistical considerations fo getting materials delivered. You see, I’m trying  a deer control fence that is not the norm around here, purchased from a place in California. It’s six feet tall (the minimum to keep deer at bay) and, unlike traditional fencing,  made from plastic monofilament. That makes it rustproof, cheaper, lighter, and lot easier to install. It’s also pretty tough, the top monofilament rated to 1,000 pounds tensile strength. Once the material finally arrived, installing it was a snap- I didn’t even need a helper. I guess the test now is to see if it keeps the deer away from my trees.

With that done, I was quickly able to get the chicken poop spread at the base of the trees, clean up the debris, and call it done, at least for now. I can focus on other things until some time in May, when I have to prune the stone fruit.

I also checked up on my bees yesterday, and everything seems to be going great. I saw some baby bees poking out, some honey in the bottom of cells, and some new comb starting on one of the new frames.  I didn’t see the queen in either hive, but I don’t really know what I’m looking for yet. They ate all their syrup last week, but there was still some left this week. I guess that means they’re done with it, and onto real nectar from local flowers. Go Bees!