Because of a confluence of recent events, we are backpedaling on our earlier claim of opening a second retail location in bellingham, wa. Well, sort of... In our haste to find a new production facility, we found this one on ohio street and really thought we'd make a go of opening an additional little honey shop. We rented a rototiller and replanted the entire front garden bed with bee friendly flowers, we had custom signs made for the marquee we painted the interior and exterior of the building and set up a rudimentary honey shop that has garnered quite a bit of attention. The momentum was there and then a couple very important variables emerged that gave us pause in...
Like, chill out? like take time to sleep in and watch movies and write letters and read the paper and maybe even go somewhere with a beach and some cocktails? I watch all summer as my michigan family and friends enjoy the worlds greatest beaches and lakes, but i trudge along thinking about january like a carrot dangling in front of my face. then january comes along and all my farmer friends go to mexico and ugh i still have so much work to do! I knew we needed to move our production and bottling facility, that we needed to renovate the back of our tiny shop in order to accommodate more storage, and i knew we needed a new...
It feels like August was just yesterday, with throngs of tourists packing the main arcade at Pike Place and bees getting ready for a long break in available forage. And then it was all of a sudden October and I had only done two rounds, maybe three on a few locations, of 2 to 1 thick sugar syrup feed to fatten up food reserves for all our hives. And now it's mid December, and I've let myself continue to prioritize other tasks, projects, and worries over my baby bees. I think, though, that I tend to be really hard on myself, always driving to do everything to its fullest and to the far reaches of my best try...and I...
After taking a quick break to visit family in Chicago, It's back to the business of beekeeping for me. Spring has sprung at least 6 weeks early this year, and before you know it it'll be swarm season! In fact, I saw dandelions blooming in seattle today..its february!!!! We have placed order in for 20 new nucleus hives this year, and have over 2 dozen hives looking strong after a mild winter. We hope to split those strong hives and get up to 75 beehives for summer honey production! For now, the weather has been warm enough for the bees to be awake and eat their honey reserves, but not warm enough or long enough to put liquid feed...
