Have you ever look at a farmer ’s Facebook or Instagram feed and wondered , “ How do they get it all done ? ” The resolution to that question is simple : They do n’t .
Do n’t get me awry , Fannie Farmer , particularly those who grow professionally , are some of the most innovational , efficient , hardworking people on the satellite — I oftentimes do n’t finger worthy of taking on the championship . But I can profoundly sympathise with the never - ending to - do list that landowners of all types have . I have so much to learn , and many of my big plans fall down by the wayside as my attention is diverted by the midget human that lives with us . A big affair on our farm we ’ve neglect of late is our beehive .
During the course of my gestation and since take a baby , I ’ve been into our hive only a handful of time . Last year , we keep tab key on the colony enough to make certain it was healthy and had what it take to survive the wintertime , but we did n’t harvest honey and definitely did n’t partake in the right care activities .
This spring , once again , we got caught up in spirit — namely , our girl and our garden — and when we in the end went to check on the beehive , we found that the bees had look into out . They said goodby , goodbye , ciao . That ’s correct : The beesswarmed .
This realization fetch me gloominess but also ministration : sorrowfulness because we had miscarry our bee friends but relief because we could put beekeeping on hold until we are easily furnished to give it the attention it merit . This latter part Mr. B and I agreed on with loath sum . For the next several week , as we boost by the beehive , a little wave of guilt feelings would lave over me .
Then , something marvelous take place . As if an acknowledgment from Mother Nature that we ’d been doing the secure we could and deserved a second chance , the bees returned .
OK , I realise they probably are n’t thesamebees but rather a novel colony that has overtaken the hive . That ’s OK with me for several reason . First , they see the hive as hospitable enough to occupy , so maybe we ’ve not done all that tough . secondly , the new bees seem to be as easy and well-disposed as the last mass , so welcome — and yes , please cross-pollinate our garden and make some honey .
While we ’ll in all probability continue to be “ manus - off ” beekeepers in that we ’ll probably not conduct constant hive inspections , this 2nd chance has excited me and Mr. B and also inspired us to interact with our bees — or rather , the bees that call our hive home — more frequently and continue our pedagogy on how to be better beekeepers . This second hazard to have communion with the Apis mellifera is a gift , and one that we ’re unfeignedly grateful for .
