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Updated November 22, 2004

October 17, 2004

What a year! 2004 has been quit a roller coaster ride but much has been learned about the "gentlemen's craft" of beekeeping! We started the year last winter putting together the thousands of pieces of woodenware for the 240 plus packages that came this spring. Plan A was to be ready but this has been a plan A, B, and sometimes C year. We found ourselves unworthy of the task at times but God was Good! Here are some highlights for the year 2004 so far . . .

1.) Don't even think about running hives without some kind of adequate cover. We ended up running 80 or so colonies with inner covers only with bricks placed over the hole. What a mess in the division board feeders from rain! Eventually we stretch wrapped the inner covers as a stop-gap measure to keep the rain out. This actually didn't work too bad other than the mess the bees made chewing up the bottom side of the plastic. The bottom line is - do your winter work in winter!

2.) Don't count on package bees being mite free. This is being reported as being a "bad year" for mites. Even so, we were not expecting to find the kind of mite loads we are presently seeing in those packages. What is worse, they are not responding to Check-Mite well. Results have been spotty and we have actually seen some of the colonies dramatically increase in mite load even 3 weeks after application. We also noted that one or two strips in a two story Illinois seemed to make no difference. We expect a relatively high mortality due to mites this year. A secondary treatment is being applied but much damage has already been done. We also hope to see more study on the use of oxalic acid and are performing some experiments on our own with vaporized oxalic crystals. Oxalic seems to be a good and safe solution if it works on the mites.

3.) Never count on a "normal" crop because one does not exist, especially in an expansion year! In fact, I'm beginning to view the word normal with some degree of contempt! Crop timing is hard to figure as well with September warm weather bringing us much of our honey this year. Our final figures suggest a per colony average of only 49 lbs. for 2004. But with the weather, the mites, and the amount of foundation they had to draw, we consider that a blessing.

4.) Don't expect a 13 year old truck with 203,000 miles on it to perform like a new one. Dah! Not that I'm complaining mind you as this truck has been a real blessing for us. I am however about to learn about do-it-yourself clutch installation as we need to haul another 10,000 lbs. of corn syrup to finish our fall feeding. Also, have you ever seen a 50 year old Norwegian bee farmer chasing a truck when half out of his bee suit? It's not a pretty sight! Teresa and I were "doing lunch" on a slop in the woods when the truck started to chug down the hill. If no parking brakes, then block it!

5.) Good fences are needed when yards are in horse paddocks. They can make a nasty mess of a yard real quick. We are also learning a new respect for the Amish folks as we have a number of our yards on their farms. Good folks!

6.) No product, not even honey, sells itself! There is no substitute for good marketing and thinking outside the box.

7.) It is amazing how much a family can forgive you for the overwork and underpay they encounter on the farm. I am truly blessed!

8.) God is good . . . all the time!

9.) More lessons to come before the year is over, I'm sure!

Well, we have arrived at another Thanksgiving! Four or so tons of firewood have been put up, the honey crop is in, and the focus has turned more to inside tasks that need to be done. A new extracting area and improved bottling area are on the agenda. We want to wish everyone a Thanksgiving filled with joy and family. We will be taking some time off from the normal tasks to focus on what God has done in our lives this year. It has become evident in our lives here on the farm that life can at times be hard, but God is always good!

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