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Author Archives: jim
Hive data is in
Greetings, fellow bee enthusiasts! Spring is here, and the bees have awoken from their long winter’s nap. April 1 was the official end for the data recording period for the Cozy Bee Project, and I have pulled all the data … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, News
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Journeyman Beekeeper
As you probably know if you’ve been following this for any amount if time, I’m a beekeeper. I got into it right after returning from Peace Corps in 2010, and almost immediately I joined the Oregon Master Beekeeper program. It’s a … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping
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Logging 101
When we originally started looking for a piece of land to inhabit, we had this idea that 5-10 acres would be a good size. That’s bigger than anywhere I’ve ever lived before, and we’d have plenty of room to run a … Continue reading
Growing things
WARNING! REALLY LONG POST! Despite the protracted radio silence, things are still growing at the Gravel Creek Homestead. In fact, they are growing better than ever before. Let me take you on a tour of what we have going right now. … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Construction, News
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Blueberry Rescue Vehicle
It’s getting to be the time of the year where things are budding out and spring is showing signs of its imminent return. I’ve pruned all the fruit trees (just in time) and at long last I was able to … Continue reading
Disaster strikes- again
Hello all! Sorry it’s been so long since I posted. Something bad happened, and to be honest, I’ve been too bummed out to deal with blogging about it until now. Depending on which news source you watch, you may have seen … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping
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A close call
Almost a year ago today, I had the biggest bee disaster of my life: a bear attacked my apiary, killing 7 colonies. It was a sad a dramatic day I will never forget. This November, though, my luck seems to … Continue reading
Salmon return
November is always a special time around here, because the salmon return to our creek. We were a little concerned this year, because we’ve received so little rain. Our annual average is normally in the 90-100 inches range, and we’re on track for … Continue reading
Varroa sampling accuracy
First, a little backstory. There has been a problem in beekeeping since the 1980s, causing massive bee die-offs and (back then) prompting fears that bees would go extinct. It’s a parasite by the biological name Varroa destructor, or simply “varroa”. If the … Continue reading
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Cozy Bee Gifts are on the move
Good news! For all of you who supported the Cozy Bee Project, the thank-you gifts are on the move. We’ll be sending out stickers, lip balm, and two different flavors of honey to folks all over the country, and candles … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping
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