Foust Family Farms

Many thanks to all those who helped us out, once again. We couldn't have done it without you.

And to the newest members of our farm,..four, at last count,...(groundhogs all) - please go away. You've overstayed your welcome [such that it is], now,  go play nice w/someone else. The change of venue will do, you all and me, good.

Deer weren't that bad this year. I grew most of my tomatoes in a high tunnel. Caught one or two birds, but even they didn't make much of an impact. The tunnel worked so well, that I plan on putting up two more..

My single beehive swarmed several times, and I still wasn't able to catch any. But at one point - they completely left the hive. No bees. Hadn't touched that beehive in 10 years...in any way. No chemicals, no intrusions, no harvesting.. So, one day, they just, weren't there anymore..

 I opened the hives. Top two supers were full of honey. The brood chamber was  -  to my surprise, remarkably clean. The inside walls had NO residue - not even bee poop. Looked as clean has the day I set it out. There was about a tablespoon's worth of comb residue on the floor. And absolutely, positively, no evidence of hive beetles or wax moths, in sight. Not even dead ones. 

Now, the wax combs,...all drawn out,...were solid black. Which was not a surprise.

I removed brood chamber [to take out frames/wax] and left the other supers in place. Figured I'd mess with them later. And,....48 hours later,...bees were swarming back in. They're still out there.. 11/25...

I think, maybe next spring, I'll put the brood chamber back.