Bees!

We've wanted bees for ages. It seemed like a difficult task. Something we didn't really want to get into. I don't know why in the world I thought bees would be a challenge, especially after raising sheep and chickens and pigs. Bees are one of the more intelligent species on this planet and don't need humans to do much of anything except give them a safe environment. 

Our sweet friend Bobby was born into bees. For over 100 years, his family has been keeping bees. His story is a bee story. He knows bees like we know chickens and running and banjos. He brought us the sweetest gift. A hive full of bees. We can just sit and watch them. They are a busy community. Guarding, collecting, dancing, even creating chains by holding hands across combs. I've never seen anything like it. We will have honey soon. The children and I started studying bees today so that we know exactly what is happening, exactly what we are watching.

We knew we would have to move them to a larger hive right away. We found a great place that had the equipment and George and the kids puzzle pieced it together. George moved the bees over.

They are such well behaved bees. We don't even have to wear equipment, they are sweet ladies.

 So far the children like to make smoke rings with the smoker and hold the drones that can't sting and watch the ladies nearly fall into the hive heavy with  baskets of pollen.