Bees On the Buckwheat

If you grow it, they will come ....

I never thought I could have pride in a field of flowers, but here we are.  Just a handful of snaps from the resurrected buckwheat.



The first time this field came up the plants were nowhere near this healthy-looking.  A ton of lime on the half-acre has really made a difference since the last planting.  This crop is from the original planting; once the flowers went back to seed I mowed it all down, limed the field and tilled everything back in.

The hum on the field is once again very pleasant.  These pictures show that the flowers have yet to fully open.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Sunrise: 6:10 am
Sunset: 7:27 pm
Temperature at Noon: 85 degrees
Sun's Angle at Noon: 71 degrees
UV: High
Humidity: 71%

Small Hive Beetle Control

I found this interesting article by Jon Zawislak, from the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture regarding the control of Small Hive Beetles:

http://articles.extension.org/pages/60425/managing-small-hive-beetles

We are trying to deal with beetles right now.  Open to any Alabama suggestions you might have.

We're in the process of trying:

• Sticky paper under the screened bottom board

• Vaseline on the screened bottom board

• Squishin' 'em when we see 'em.

• Vacuuming them out.

• Oil-filled beetle traps between the frames.

We seem to have more than our fair share right now.

Springtime Revisited

Monday, August 14, 2017

Sunrise: 6:08 am
Sunset: 7:30 pm
Temperature at Noon: 90 degrees
Sun's Angle at Noon: 72 degrees
UV: Low
Humidity: 90%

The buckwheat is definitely looking healthy again, but only gets visited by our babies until noon each day.

The lime has definitely helped with the health and abundance of the plants.  I had a soil test done, and they said, "Add this.  Add that," and the chemistry is working wonders.

It looks like springtime again in the field.  This buckwheat is amazing.

We're thinking ahead to fall and are planning to lay down some white clover seed.  Then we thought in the spring we'd scatter some alfalfa and some more buckwheat.  We might have another go with some yellow sweet clover ... we'll see.