Saturday, November 13, 2010

2010 - Day Three Hundred Seventeen...

Great day for accomplishments! When I got up this morning (late) there was an e-mail from Konrad with the Round Rock Honey Company. I had asked him some questions earlier in the week, and he asked if he could bring his class out this morning to extract honey from our hives. OF COURSE! That would be perfect! So, the class arrived about 10:30 or so, and off they went to work the hives. I did not suit up because Jody and I were scheduled to go and celebrate Michael's birthday (more about that later).

ANYWAY, I was very happy to learn that (per Konrad) our hives were very healthy and were 'text-book cases' of bee and honey perfection. On Konrad's' site, he noted that it was the best day of honey extraction he had in five years. I am blushing over those compliments, especially since I did NOTHING as far as hive maintenance this year. I always felt that the hives were kind of puny, so I did not want to mess with them or cause them any distress. SO, I just pretty much left them alone, and they seem to have done just wonderfully on their own. It is a very light and VERY sweet honey, as a result of the flowers and grasses in the area that they have been busily working all summer. This is a photo of the beautiful comb and you can see droplets of honey towards the bottom.

Jody and I did take off and head to Michael & Lynda's for the birthday celebration. Micheal and Lynda are both very much loved persons, and there was a house full of celebrants. Jody and I pretty much stayed off in one corner, the corner 'less travelled', and we were happy to re-acquaint ourselves with many of their friends whom we had met in the past, and to meet several of their friends we had never met. We were VERY happy to have a lengthy discussion with one of their very close neighbors who also raises chickens, so that got us started on a really happy discussion. This is a photo of Lynda and Jody, and a wonderful time was had by all.

On our way home, we had a call from Konrad who said the honey would not be sifted until tomorrow, so we would need to touch base with each other then. We stopped at Sprouts in Round Rock, and put in our order for Thanksgiving dinner. Once we finished there, we stopped at the Round Rock Honey Company office, just to take a chance and see if Konrad happened to be there. He was there, and we picked up the first two bottles of our honey (fresh off the extractor) and we are very happy to have it. We will get more tomorrow or the next day. Konrad said he only took about ten percent of the honey, to make sure the bees will make it through the winter. He also added a super to each hive, so they can be busy over the winter. Konrad says we will need to extract the honey in early spring, and he expects we will have about two hundred pounds of honey to harvest in the spring of 2011. That is a lot of honey, I don't care who you are!

SO, tomorrow is another day. I will be feeding cattle and taking fresh hay out to them. We are building a fire in the stove tonight, and gonna just enjoy a peaceful and uneventful evening. STAY TUNED!

Deeds, Actions, Changes, HONEY, Kindnesses, Whirled Peas, FUN!

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