Monday afternoon the bees called me from the garden. I went over to find a huge swarm in the air circling all around. The sound was intoxicating. I ran back to the house and got the camera and recorded this video. TURN UP YOUR SOUND!!!
After about 30 minutes, they settled down in our tree and stayed there the night. We tried to lure them into a fresh bee box with a full tray of honey and some lemongrass oil because it was difficult to capture. It hung high in a tree above a web of branches. The swarm bate did not work and they took flight the next day just before the thunderstorm. Again they called me to them with their buzz. I chased them out into the pasture but I lost them in the forest. I trust they found good cover before the rain. They are so smart.
We still have the other half of the bees in the original hive but now hopefully they have replaced their queen and made more room for more bee babies. We almost had two hives and then only half as many bees, but we gained so much learning in the process.
I grew up in a conventional American household in Las Vegas, Nevada. The nutrition of my youth was S.A.D. (Standard American Diet.) Meals came out of boxes or cans and our idea of a refreshing beverage was an ice cold Pepsi. When I left home and began my journey across the country and back again I learned a lot about healthy lifestyle. I longed to live in a community that valued slow food and connection to the Earth. When I arrived in Mount Shasta, I knew I had found such a place and celebrating the Summer Solstice at Maagic Mountain Farm on June 21st felt like part of a dream come true.
It was so exciting but oh so much work. We began work immediately and moved the family in October. Immediately I wanted to bring the goats over (they used to be boarded at Kid Creek Pastures). Without a milking stall and only exterior fencing, the goats roamed the yard free. I once found a goat in the house. Can you say…”Crazy!”
Summer 2014 we moved all the goats out of the stalls and began milking on the patio. It was open air and covered by an awning, but walking the goats past the garden daily was a workout in itself. For a short period (5 days), I tried a milking machine. Not for me. I prefer hand milking and have never used again.
