Could you really grow enough to survive with a family?

[unclejoe]

http://www.countrysidemag.com/issues/92/92-4/revive_the_working_family_garden.html

I think this is the article (for those who don't subscribe.

unclejoe, no peeking. I don't want to ruin you discovering it all on your own in your big stack of mags.

That's OK. I'm just starting 2007. For whatever reason, I'm reading them in chronological order. I'll get to it before it's time to lay out next years floor plan. Thanks.


Cassandra

 

[Homesteadmom]

Beekissed, I want to do bees too, but dh is very leary about them. I told him if it was because of the work involved then we could just rent a space to a keeper & get honey in exchange. He is afraid of he kids getting stung, especially dd who is only 2. So we will see who wins this battle.

 

[Beekissed]

They are the only livestock that feed themselves, clean up after themselves and don't require being butchered or milked twice a day in order to eat the end product!

Take a look at Beemaster.com site and read questions from new beeks. Its not really that hard and can provide money and food for a minimal investment. Not much maintenance to bees at all. You can keep them at the far corner of your property or even build a small enclosure for them, if you are worried about the kids coming in contact with them. Most domestic breeds of bees have been bred for their gentleness. They are a great learning experience for kids, as well as an extremely healthy substitute for sugar. Eating raw honey has kept our allergies to a minimum for some time now.

Reinbeau raises bees...she can tell you just how satisfying it can bee! I literally HATE bees of most any kind....not honey bees. For some reason, I don't mind them at all.

 

[Homesteadmom]

Thanks for the info. I do use honey & agave in my cooking instead of sugar a lot. And dh likes the taste of everything. I like that there are not as many calories in it as well as the health benefits. So maybe in a few yrs when dd is a little older & some more of our projects are completed around here we can get them. I like to gather my ammo(uh info) ahead of time to have all the facts & then present it to him(I usually win that way).:coolsun

 

[Beekissed]

Just reading through some old threads and found the talk about bees. I may have found a beek mentor who will sell or give me a nuc this spring. I'm going to find out tomorrow! I can't wait!

 

[justusnak]

Wow Bee, thats great! I wish I could have bee's....but hubby is deathly allergic to them, and even tho he puts up with all the animals I bring home, he firmly puts his foot down, when it comes to bee's. I cant say as I blame him tho. There is a fella that lives a few miles up the road, that I get my honey from and he puts the comb in with it. I remember as a kid, getting a piece of the comb was a treat! Grandpa raised Bee's....he had a great apple orchard as well. Best apples around, and the BEST honey!

 

[me&thegals]

Awesome, beekissed!! I hear the nucs are better than the package like I'm getting. They have a nice little start, some eggs laid, etc.

When I got home from work tonight, my husband had finished one of the top-bar hives! I'm so excited! He's going to teach me the rest of the power tools (learned the nailgun and drill last week) and I hope to build 1 or 2 of my own.

Good luck beeks everywhere!

me&thegals

 

[Beekissed]

Me, I've really thought alot about the top bar hives and am very intrigued by them. I'm going to do a lot more research before I finally decide, but I've always liked the idea of top bars.

My grandpa used to keep bees and my dad used to describe how they would make a beehive to capture swarms in. Said they would find a hollow stump, cut it to the appropriate shape and size, fit branches across the top of the stump, slap a top and a bottom on it and he said the bees made their combs right onto the branches in the top. Sounds very primitive, but he said it was how they did it back then....they were raised very poor. No bee veils or suits then, just bare hands and plenty of stings!