Honeybees, Frogs and American Woodcocks

Wildflower Update: The Environmental Club at our high school will be starting wildflower seed for the Patriot (our high school mascot) Pollinator program tomorrow and process milkweed pods for seed.

Pollination and Wildlife: On Satruday evening, I took a walk down to Long Creek.  The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Wetland Project is next to our farm.  A few frogs were out making some noise at sunset ... the first croaks of the Spring 2015 ... perhaps a little premature.  On my way back to the house, several American Woodcocks were making their preent and buzzing sounds with some great flight displays.  Maybe another sign of Spring.  Our deer have forgotten about hunting season and stare at us from the fied behind our house ... picture above and below.

Work on the Farm:  It was 63 degrees F. on Saturday and warm enough to get in our hives and check our bees.  We had no deadouts and that was good.  All hives seemed to have good numbers so I fed them some sugar and left-over crystallized honey.  There appeared to be some honey in several frames.  I often spread a little honey along the tops of a few frames to take a look at the bees.  They line up like cattle at a feeder.  Pictures from one hive below ...

We support:
Round House, Jeans and Workware, Made in the USA for 112 years.
http://www.round-house.com/
Red Pig Tools, Garden tools, Made in the USA.
http://www.redpigtools.com/servlet/StoreFront
FEDCO, Co-op Garden Supplies, Seeds, Trees and Bulbs
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Johnny's Selected Seeds and Garden Tools
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Roundstone Native Seed ... A Kentucky Company!
https://www.roundstoneseed.com/
Prairie Nursery, Native Seeds and Plants
http://www.prairienursery.com/
Kelley's Beeskeeping ... A Kentucky Company! ... at least for now.
http://www.kelleybees.com/
and these organizations ...
Xerces Society
Journey North
Monarch Watch
Sierra Club

Monarch Numbers in ...

Last week, Journey North released their Monarch count from the Mexico wintering area.  It was better than the all time low of last year but still not dangerously low.  Our pollinator project at the high school have seed to plant again this year.  We gave plants to several individuals and a few groups.



http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/spring2015/update_population_size.html



Wildflower Update: We are continuing to put seed into our refrigerator for stratification.  Each time I take a walk, I take some wildflower seed with me to plant.

Pollination and Wildlife: We have lots of juncos visiting our feeders.  Last week, I saw a large group of robins.  I have been busy at school so have not been able to take a lot of walks but, every night hear our coyotes howling.

Work on the Farm:  We finished signing off on our seven acre conservation pollinator plot.  We have ordered our seed and will plant later in May.

We support:
Round House, Jeans and Workware, Made in the USA for 112 years.
http://www.round-house.com/
Red Pig Tools, Garden tools, Made in the USA.
http://www.redpigtools.com/servlet/StoreFront
FEDCO, Co-op Garden Supplies, Seeds, Trees and Bulbs
http://www.fedcoseeds.com/
Johnny's Selected Seeds and Garden Tools
http://www.johnnyseeds.com/
Roundstone Native Seed ... A Kentucky Company!
https://www.roundstoneseed.com/
Prairie Nursery, Native Seeds and Plants
http://www.prairienursery.com/
Kelley's Beeskeeping ... A Kentucky Company! ... at least for now.
http://www.kelleybees.com/
and these organizations ...
Xerces Society
Journey North
Monarch Watch
Sierra Club