State Bee Meeting

I was priviledged enough to attend one day of the State Beekeepers Association's meeting held at Clemson. Yes, only one day of the three day event because of other priorities at this point in time. I am SO glad that I did go. As I have said before, I took a class over a year ago and mom and I have some hives. I have never been all the way to the brood to see the queen and drones and brood patterns, etc. Nonetheless, I have been in the hives enough to know a little bit more about them. When I attended Day One of the bee meeting, it was wonderful. Everything made sense. I could actually visualize what they were talking about. The first part of the day was in an auditorium listening to several speakers / experts. My daughter came with me. Although she said, and I quote, " it is summer and I should not be sitting in class all day," I think she picked up quite a bit and may have even enjoyed it. I took lots of notes...on my Blackberry...I completely forgot a notebook and pen/pencil.

The second half of the day was at the bee yard / apiary and it was wonderful to have hands on experience. I finally saw a drone cells, the queen. Okay, I have to admit it was not "hands on" to the point that I passed around the frame of bees with my bare hands. I was in the front row with my dark jeans, flip flops and
short sleeved shirt. Once again, not prepared for what we were going to do. I thoroughly enjoyed it, however, and look forward to learning more! But I do see my own pattern of preparation needs a little work. Good thing I am not a queen bee, I would be replaced quickly !

Random Thought #1

Whether it be another blog, an article in a magazine or something I have seen locally, it, well, flabbergasts me sometimes. How? How can they do everything they do and have everything they have? It makes me feel inadequate from time to time in many ways; physically (I must be lazy), mentally(why didn't I think of that), fiscally (how much?). I bought a magazine recently in which there was an article describing how a few farms started and what they had for assets in the beginning. Most of them had $100,000s in the bank, 100s of acres of land paid for, and of course these amazing skills. I am not begrudging their fortunes or God-given talents, I guess I am still trying to figure out where my talents lie. Seriously, is this the majority... it can't be. It wouldn't be in a magazine if it were, right? Attitude. All in the attitude. I know those articles aren't there to make me feel inadequate. They are there for inspiration and guidance, and, yes, they even gave me hope to get to where I am and who I am now.

So, who am I? I am your average run-of-the-mill girl, grew up in the Midwest in a small town, worked since I was 16 years old, married young, had my kids early, and am still trying to make ends meet weekly with Bruce and I working full time jobs, although mine is an at-home job. I love my life and especially the direction it has now taken. It has been my dream for...it seems like forever to homestead / live on a hobby farm with my family. Unfortuantely, I did not get an early enough start, as Jake is almost 17 and Sarah is 14. I am enjoying every moment of the experience, whether its being jealous of Jake's uncanny ways with the goats-they love him and always go to him first- or Sarah's calm demeanor around the bees or mom's greenthumb or Bruce's ability to make things so simple or watch the chicken with the bug run for his life away from the other 40 chickens who want that bug and that bug only. There is always something going on to enjoy if I take the time to look. I think that takes a little practice after living in the "modern" society.


More than likely you will never see me and mine in any of those "country life" kind of magazines with pictures that take your breath away for a moment. But you will find me here in my little blog, telling you about how my day was and hoping you find some entertainment or even some little tidbit of information you didn't know that makes you say, 'really, I didn't know that," and also those tidbits of information that make you just say, 'really' and shake your head. A great example of that is...I finally got a pair of boots and no longer have to clean the chicken coop in my Nike flip-flops...things such as that I get very excited about, you...probably not so much. But thank you for listening anyway.

Suzy and Isabella

Lordy, Lordy. This homestead is really happening. And quite fast.

Meet Suzy and Isabella. The newest addition to our little homestead. They were a bit unexpected but when a friend told us of a Nubian goat needing a good home, mom immediately got the number, I called and voila. Here they are!

Apparently it was quite a ride home in the back of mom's old Dodge truck with the camper. It was about an hour from their home with a herd of over 30 goats and acres of fields to roam, to our little chicken coop, which is temporary. We had only planned on bringing Suzy home, but as all goat farmers know-pshhh, which obviously I am not since I did not-that they do better with company. They are "herd" animals.

Unfortunately, I did not witness the following events. Bruce, Sarah and I ran to the feed store to get some goat chow, minerals and alfalfa for them (as I said, this happened fast, all within an 8 hour time frame). Jake and mom took the goats home to unload. It began to rain and storm as soon as the goats were in the truck and continued all the way home. So mom and Jake were trying to get them out of the truck in the pouring rain while keeping Hercules and Abby from attacking these strange animals on their property. By the time we got there, the rain had quit, the goats were in and everything was peaceful...okay, somewhat calm.

Suzy, the original Nubian goat we were going to buy, is older and rules the roost. She immediately took up with the rabbits side of the shed. We watched her, one by one, butt the Angora rabbits out of there. They are now in with the chickens on the other side.

Isabella, whom my mom calls Izzy and my daughter and I call Bella (we are of the Twilight era), is one year old and not big enough or bad enough to hold her own. Bless her heart.

Suzy refused to let Bella in her new "castle." Bella begged and pleaded, waited patiently into the night and it just didn't happen.

We will just let them work things out. Besides, we have our next big project, getting the goat fence and shelter up and Suzy will have to start all over in fighting her way to be "queen of the hill." Of course, fighting is really a strong word when she is really just standing there blocking the door.

Busy As A Bee

It has been busy, busy, busy. Trying to move, trying to work, learning a new routine to include animal chores. A lot to try to wrap the brain around. I do see the light at the end of the tunnel, however. And there are little things to enjoy along the way. This week Mom, the kids and I have been able to put up 13 quarts of tomatoes; the kids and mom put up 8 quarts of peaches and 9 quarts of honey. The vegetables aren't producing very well since we have been in a drought. We finally got a bit of rain that we have needed for so long just last night. How much of a difference it will make? We will wait and see.

Mom has finally found some workers to put in her septic and carpenters to build a home to her specifications (20x24). We are just waiting for the carpenters to call back with estimates and to mark the location specifically. Once that is done, the septic people will get their part done. Progress, slow, but progress nonetheless.

We have two more weeks to finish our move from the large two-story house (pictured below) into a much, much smaller home-albeit not a 20x24, but lot of stuff will be left behind. We will be having quite a yard sale soon! I am not one to hold on to "things" or collect anything so this is not a big deal to me. There are a few sentimental things I will hold on to, but nothing for "value."
This weekend we are going to the state "bee meeting" at Clemson. We actually have a local meeting tonight at a fellow beekeeper's farm for a honey tasting contest. Should be wired for hours after tasting all that honey...be a good time to do some more packing!

Valley Creek Herb Farm Greenhouse

The greenhouse. That is mom's baby and thus the name of the farm. Everywhere she goes she leaves a greenhouse, each one a little bigger and better than the last one. I think she has finally found "the one."

Her greenhouse has been up for several years and keeps improving season by season. Around May, when the almost-summer sun starts to heat the greenhouse around 120 degrees or so, it is time to put the shade cloth on so the plants can survive, as well as mom be able to work in there.




Bruce, our resident maintenance mechanic, and my husband, had to do some tree trimming in
order to put the folded shade cloth in position. The kids got in there and helped too. Bruce was also the one who directed the folding of the large cloth for correct positioning once it was in place.




We used heavy washers and ropes to throw it across the greenhouse and then tied it down into place.


Once it was on mom was ready to get back in there and get to work.

She grows all kinds of plants: herbs, vegetables, house plants, annuals, perennials, plants for the bees, plants to dry and I think we even have some pine trees in the shade house now. She sells them around local little towns and the occasional flea market.

As I said, the greenhouse is mom's baby and I don't really know much about it-yet.

There's No Place Like Oz...click, click, click

Okay, close your eyes, imagine Little House on the Prairie theme. Caroline putting the fresh peach pie on the window sill to cool. Laura and Mary feeding the chickens in their little floral smocks and smiles. Charles coming in from the fields after plowing his 40-acres of wheat. Ahhhh...yes, the quintessential homesteaders.

Now open your eyes. The peach pie has made a bubbly mess in the oven, flour and peach juice coat the counters and table. A rogue fly is trying to land on the pie. I finally get the kids to feed and water the chickens and now they come in with chicken poo shoes on and track it as far they can before I start yelling at them. The husband comes in after working, yes, but then throws his sweat-soaked shirt anywhere after trying to give me a hug. Ewww on both accounts. So, we are not there yet, are we?

Today was one of the days I could have flipped the switch and fed my "city-slicker" ways. A nice mani-pedi, sipping a verde White Chocolate Mocha while facebooking at Barnes & Noble. Nope, didn't work out that way. Instead, let's start the day feeding the chickens and stepping in a pile of fireants. There is three months of scratching my itchy left big toe. Around midday going to check the chickens again, didn't remember if I turned the light off, and they are all huddled in the corner. Why? Couldn't be that 5 foot chicken snake that already ate one for a midmorning snack, could it? I am ready to find the axe, but mom comes in and catches him and lets him go. "He won't be hungry for another month or two and he keeps away the other snakes like water moccasins and copperheads." And, of course, if you have to handle a chicken snake, they leave a wonderful essence on your hands to enjoy-base of burnt rubber with an overtone of skunk. At dusk, Bruce and Sarah were out frog fishing (that is another story) and heard bees in a tree. Mom and I went out to see if we had a hive swarm. That would not be a good end to the day. Nope, it wasn't our bees. It was HORNETS! Not a nest of hornets, just a mass of hornets flying around an old oak tree. I went out to see if it was light enough to get a picture, which it was not, and there was not a buzz to be heard? So on the way back up to the house, a HUGE beetle, like something out of "Land of the Lost" fell out of the tree or off the roof of the tool shed, wallowing around right next to me.

I think God was just showing me a glimpse of what to expect, not enough to scare me into metoprololis, but enough to make me realize that Little House on the Prairie is just a well-directed, tear-jerker television show that gives you a fuzzy feeling--much how it feels when a tick crawls on your scalp and you lose it, thinking 'never mind, I will get it when it itches.'

Nonetheless, I will take homesteading, the good, the bad, the ugly...