Becvar's Honey Farm

I came out of retirement of doing bee removals today to help an elderly widow get the bees out of her bay window enclosure after the beekeeper I was making a deal with me backed out and left me hanging. But that’s ok. These bees were pretty temperamental. I don’t think I’ll need sting therapy for a long time now. Anyway I’m getting it done and so far I have one total box of brood and vacuum box full of bees. The lack of upper body strength is kicking my ass today and I’m really having a hard time working over head. The arthritis in my left shoulder is really bothering me too. But I’m just nugging along.

A couple days ago I had a small swarm of bees move into some empty hive bodies in my driveway. The queen has produced about four full frames of brood so far. They also have two deep frames fully capped honey and two full frames of bee bread so far. They’re really doing a nice job so far.

Due to my diminished upper body strength, flexibility, mobility and long duration of physical therapy, I’ve decided to down size my current operation. So we’re closing down approximately eleven or twelve of my bee yards and 120 hives from a variety of locations. I’ve also curtailed all my crop pollination practices, queen rearing and nuc sales. I’m going to still run about eighty hives unless my body doesn’t allow me to. I retired two years ago from doing any bee removals and my best advice for anyone needing bee removal is go to the IHPA and ask for Ben Hocksch. Thanks everyone. Jeff

The bees are out and flying again today! They’re looking good so far this late winter.

I had a great morning giving a bee yard orientation to a group of disadvantaged adults this morning from Chariton, IA. Lots of good questions asked and they were very attentive. We really had a good time and the bees were very cooperative as well. Afterward they headed to Lake Ahquabi for a picnic. Wished them a happy safe day as they departed. What a fun group they were very enjoyable experience.

The gardens are looking fantastic this year! I tell you that vermicomposting really does the trick. Other than running my bee farm I also worm farm. The plants really are showing me how good the worm castings are working for me. I’m getting late spicy banana peppers in after pulling all my onions in about a week one sweet corn patch ought to be harvested and put a mustard cover crop on for green manure. I’m going to put in a couple new rows of sweet peas, radishes and maybe beets for canning yet. Harvested more green beans and squash last night. Edie delivered some garden goods to a couple kids and grandkids yesterday.

Today was a very busy day at the farm. I processed and put up four gallons of green beans, a quart of Sweet Peas, and canned 7 jars of pickled beets and red onions. Tomorrow I'll pull the rest of my onions and start drying and curing them. Time is getting close to start processing sweet corn for the canning and the freezer. Before you know it we'll treating honey bees, processing this years honey crop and planting the Fall garden. No rest for the weary thats for sure.

Processing garlic from this years harvest at my curing station this morning. Picked a bunch of green beans and dug up about a half row of Viking potatoes to cure and pulling a log nice onions and curing them outside. In my pole barn I have a bunch of scallions curing too. Tomato plants are looking great so far and the peppers don’t look to bad either. My wife and I been eating some squash from the garden and some of our onions and they’re really good. Thorned blackberries have slowed way down and the thornless ones are coming on strong. I’m still picking raspberries too. Picked some ears of sweet corn that the deer knocked down and cooked them up. They were very good but still not quite ready yet.

A couple pictures of Mother Natures little angles working Elephant Garlic and other allium flowers today. I still have two beds of garlic to pull and dry. The drying racks are filling up fast. I’m also starting to cure some onions and picking green beans now.