Top Bar Bee Hive

I just dismantled its old support tower, then moved and redesigned then re-assembled it, and now making sugar syrup to pour onto the same red saucer in the pics that in the past lured bees here. A seashell and bit of concrete in the syrup act as feeding station "islands" for when the rim gets crowded. Seeing pics from when it was an active hive (I'd wanted one since I knew a beekeeper when I was ten in Michigan) has me determined to revive it this spring.

Nothing Like a Home Grown Home Cooked Meal

All that was purchased was coconut and roasted sesame oil for frying, salt, the bleu cheese dressing, and the sugar and tea bags to brew the kombucha with. A very satisfying meal indeed of African Yellow Yam, free range eggs, garden salad, "face blaster" mustard that resembles wasabi when raw, edible mustard flower and tart chilled kombucha. I wonder what this feast would cost in an organic restaurant?

Give Pee A Chance!

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/all-he-is-saying-is-give-pee-a-chance-20120128-1qne5.html

My Universe Wish List

I'd love to swap seeds and plants or class for these items you may no longer want or have surplus of:

1. Rolls of unused poultry, goat or hog wire
2. A bunch of used big cottage cheese and yogurt tubs for me to freeze food in.
3. Potent 420
4. Bags of dry cat or dog food your pets refuse for me to use as poultry food.
5. Bags of oak leaves
6. Gallon jugs of just-expired milk for me to make cheese with.
7. Did I mention potent 420? lol!
8. A "nuc" of Italian Domestic honeybees
9. A division of dwarf yellow canna
10.An own root Nagami kumquat and/or Dancy Tangerine tree.

Thanks!  John

Down On The Farm.....

With the revamp of the now chicken proof back east bed nearly done I yesterday began the revamp of the horribly messy west bed. The damaged plastic pots are all out, and the good pots now gathered together behind shrubs at the north end of that bed for later sorting.  I have now planted a passion fruit vine in a buried 5 gallon Water Wise Container Garden by the fence, and today planted a Pig Chaya and a Mystery citrus seedling just to see what fruit it makes a few years from now. I've pulled up most of the carpet I laid down in there to kill the sod of Bahia grass and weeds and am using the pieces beneath the hammock and clothesline to choke out weeds the chickens won't eat, and to lift now and then to let them feast on hiding bugs. Next I move and redesign and rebuild the Top Bar hive that has been empty a few years now...since I've had bad luck with bees purchased from two unscrupulous bee men, I will try to lure a swarm with daily trays of sugar water. Then I will bury a 55 gallon Water Wise Container Garden and plant in it the Dwarf Cavendish banana that Jon and Debbie Butts gave me. Once this is all done I will feed the soil, scatter many seeds of Dwarf Essex Kale, deep water then lightly mulch the entire area to provide greens for me and the poultry. To protect all this I will erect what remains of that roll of goat wire my wonderful blog reader gave me recently, then plant at its base seeds of Scarlet Runner Beans for vibrant color and fresh tender pods. Life is good!

This beautiful bird flew into my home office and got trapped there, freaked out by my windows and mini-blinds AND my chasing it. I finally caught it (STRONG little thing!) and released it apparently unharmed.

Long Shot For Tampa But What The Heck!

I got the seeds from the last meeting of the Tampa Rare Fruit Council....since upper 20s can happen in Tampa some winters it will be risky here but I will try in pots at first as I am intrigued.

http://www.backyardnature.net/mexnat/cow-okra.htm